Getting into my truck, I drive as fast as I can through the narrow island roads until I’m screeching to a halt in front of the inn. I race inside and find Lucy standing in front of the desk with her back to me, going over some paperwork. She’s wearing a short, charcoal grey wool skirt with tall black boots and a soft white sweater that clings to her chest and small waist, making my hands itch with the need to run them underneath the material and feel her skin. She looks over her shoulder at me and smiles and all of the tension from being around my father slowly trickles out of me.

“I’m almost finished here,” she tells me, turning her body around to face me. “How did it go at your parent’s house? How did your mom like the bench?”

“It was fine, and she loved it,” I tell her, not wanting to get into all the shit my father said. I want to forget about my father and just concentrate on the woman in front of me who will soon be my wife. I want to make her happy and I want to make her dreams come true. Nothing else matters, especially what my father thinks.

She finally finishes with her paperwork and walks towards me, sliding easily into my open arms and resting her cheek against my chest.

“I missed you,” she tells me softly as I kiss the top of her head.

“I missed you, too. Always,” I reply, squeezing her tighter against me.

Even though we saw each other this morning, ever since I came home from this deployment, each moment we’re apart makes both of us anxious and on edge.

I reluctantly pull away from her and grab both of her hands, tugging her towards the door. “Come on, let’s go for a drive. I have something to show you.”

We race hand-in-hand out to my truck and Lucy badgers me the entire five minute drive, asking me where we’re going and what I’m up to. I just smile and refuse to answer her until I pull down a driveway and up to the house I just signed the papers on a few days ago.

“What are we doing here?” she asks curiously as she follows my lead and we both get out of the car.

I meet her at the front of the truck and grab her hand, pulling her across the side lawn to the porch that overlooks the ocean.

“Um, should we be walking up on these people’s porch? I think this is considered trespassing,” Lucy whispers as she presses herself against my back and I lead us to the door.

I laugh as I let go of her hand and flip through the keys on my keychain until I find the one I’m looking for. I stick it in the lock and turn the handle, opening the door wide before I turn back around to look at her. The moon is shining bright and she’s backdropped by the ocean behind her. She stares up at me in confusion and wonder and I can’t stop myself from leaning down and kissing her. Mid-kiss, I bend down and scoop her up into my arms. She lets out a squeal and throws her arms around my neck, holding on tight.

I step through the doorway and smile down at the shadow of her face. “Sorry, I can’t turn the lights on because I haven’t paid the electricity deposit yet. But welcome to your new home, soon-to-be Mrs. Fisher.”

I can see the whites of her eyes as they go wide in shock. I slowly set her on her feet and she turns in a circle, looking at the area lit by the glow of the moon shining through all of the windows along the front of the house.

“Are you kidding me right now?” she whispers in awe.

I laugh, walking up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist.

“Nope, not kidding. I bought it, it’s ours. I really, really hope you like it because I don’t think I can return it.”

She doesn’t say a word as she continues to look around. We’re standing in a combination living room/kitchen/dining room. It’s a large, open floor plan where no matter what room you’re in, you can see everything. The entire front wall is filled with floor to ceiling windows that look out over the ocean. It’s a small, two bedroom-one bathroom home, but I loved everything about it the first time I saw it and I could picture Lucy and I starting a life here so clearly in my head that I had to buy it. Now I’m wondering if I did the right thing. She’s been quiet for so long that I’m starting to get nervous.

“Seriously, if you don’t like it, I’m sure I still have time to take back the offer. We can look at something else and you can-”

She turns quickly in my arms and presses her fingers against my lips. “I love it. It’s so perfect I want to cry. I can’t believe you did this.”

I wrap my hand around hers and pull it away from my mouth, pressing a kiss into her palm. “Of course I did this. I would do anything for you. I know it’s not much, but we can fix it up, paint it however you want. I just love the idea of waking up with you every morning, sitting out on the porch and watching the sun come up.”

She leans up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine. I slide my tongue against her lips and she immediately opens for me. It’s not long before the kiss turns from sweet to fierce, our tongues battling together while our hands roam frantically, touching every part of each other that we can reach. I lift her up against my body without breaking the kiss and she wraps her legs around my waist. Not being able to see very well in the dark, I walk us over to the closest flat surface I can find – the counter in the kitchen – and set her down on top.

Her hands reach for the button of my jeans and my hands slide up the outside of her thighs under her wool skirt. Right when she gets my pants undone, I slide my fingers in the edge of her thong and pull it down her legs, tossing it to the side. My hand immediately goes between her thighs and my fingers slide through her to find her wet and ready for me. I lose my concentration momentarily when her small hand wraps around my cock and starts sliding up and down the length.