Page 68 of Restless Ink

“Mom and Dad finally went home. Mace and Adrienne are here again with Roxie. They brought her clean clothes and food, and they’re going to stay the night with her. There’s a guest room area that family can use for that section of the hospital. Carter’s awake, but they’re doing their best to keep him sleeping a bit more so he can heal up. He’s going to be okay, but he’s not going to be how he was before the explosion.”

“None of us will be how we were before today,” he said softly. “But we’ll figure it out.” He paused. “So, I was dealing with the doctors when the police came to talk to you. Molly really hired that delivery man to mess with your oven?”

She nodded against him, letting out a breath. “Apparently. I don’t know all of it, but the inspectors found evidence and were already looking into the man when the guy spilled everything about his connection to Molly and how he thought he was just making the oven not work, not making it dangerous. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him or Molly. No one thinks Molly or even the delivery guy were really trying to hurt anyone, but that doesn’t change the outcome.”

It was all too surreal, and they both knew it. But buildings and kitchens could be rebuilt. He, Carter, Thea, and even Captain would be okay. Molly would get help, and the world would continue to move on as they tried to come to terms with everything that had happened that day.

“I love you.” There really wasn’t much more he could say just then.

She looked up at him. “I love you, too.”

Then she kissed him, and he knew everything would be okay. Eventually.

They just needed time to process, to think, to heal, to feel. But he knew that, no matter what, he’d only be able to do it with the woman he loved by his side, the woman of his heart, the woman who stood by him throughout it all.

The only woman that made him feel.

His woman.

His Thea.

Sometime later…

“You know,I’m liking this new uniform of yours,” Thea said as she straddled him after work.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’ve always loved your ink and, apparently, forearms are another of my kinks, but the fact that the new administration lets you pull up your sleeves and show off your ink makes me happy.” She paused. “And a little horny.”

“Thankfully, you’re wearing a dress then,” Dimitri said softly and worked himself out of his pants. She wiggled a bit and somehow got her panties off. He loved how talented she was.

Captain let out a sigh on the other end of the couch, and both Dimitri and Thea laughed. Their golden retriever heaved himself off the furniture—somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be anyway, but it was so hard to tell him no these days—and went back to the office where his other bed was.

“I love that dog. Hence why I’ve always been Team Captain. He knows what needs doing.”

Then she was on him, sliding over his dick, her wet heat enveloping him. They’d only just started forgoing condoms, using other birth control before they started a family, and he’d never known sex like this. He was hers, forever, and so fucking sexy.

He kissed her, loved her, and rocked with her as they made love slowly on their couch—he’d moved in right after everything had gone haywire. And when they both came, he held her close, staying inside her so they could hold one another and let their breathing slow.

“I love doing that,” she said softly.

“Sex?” Dimitri asked gruffly. “Yeah, I love that, too.”

She rolled her eyes, then kissed his cheek. “No, I love kissing you, being with you, and knowing it’s not the last time. It’s not the first either. It’s justus. Part of us, part of who we are.” She wiggled on top of him, and his eyes crossed. “And I love that we can have sex on a lazy afternoon with only the normal worries of work, family, and little things like world peace.”

He grinned at her, then took her mouth again. “Love you, Thea Montgomery. Just saying.”

“And I love you, Dimitri Carr. Now, let’s get cleaned up so I can practice my next cupcake for you for the reopening.”

She winked at him, but he knew she was still upset that it had been over a month now and the bakery was just now ready to reopen, the expansion put on hold for the time being.

He didn’t say anything, just cleaned each other up then slowly walked back to the bedroom,theirbedroom.

This was their life now, one choice after another, but they’d made the ones they needed for them, for what they wanted, needed, and cherished. Together.

He’d been restless before, trying to find his way without knowing who and what he needed to be. Now, he had his woman, his work, and his dog.

His life wasn’t perfect, nothing was, but it was pretty damn perfect for him.