Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Wells
Five Years Later…
The house is too quiet.
I wake up before the sun like I always do, reaching out automatically for Pearl, but she’s not there.
My eyes snap open, my body going on alert before my brain even catches up. The sheets are cool on her side, and I sit up, running a hand through my hair as I listen.
Nothing. No footsteps. No soft humming. No dog barking. No cabinets opening. Just silence.
I’m out of bed in seconds.
“Pearl?” I call, my voice rough from sleep as I pull on a pair of sweats and head down the hall.
I check the kids’ rooms first because priorities. Our daughter, Lila, is sprawled across her bed as if a tornado hit her in the middle of the night. Stuffed animals everywhere, blankets kicked halfway to the floor. She’s out cold, her curls a mess around her face.
Our son, Ethan, is exactly the opposite. Still, quiet, with blankets neatly tucked up to his chin as he put himself to bed with military precision. He blinks when I open the door, already awake. Of course he is.
“You’re looking for Mom,” he says quietly.
I pause, leaning against the doorframe. “Yeah.”
“She’s outside with Percy. She went when it was still dark.”
I nod. “Go back to sleep.”
He doesn’t argue. Just watches me for a second longer, too perceptive for a four-year-old, before closing his eyes again.
I head for the front door, pulling it open and stepping out onto the porch, and there she is, standing at the edge of the yard with a mug in her hand, wrapped in one of my hoodies, staring out at the stretch of land we built our life on.
The sun is rising over the trees, painting everything in soft gold, but I barely notice it. The tension that’s been coiled in my chest since I woke up loosens instantly.
I step up behind her, sliding my arm around her waist and pulling her against me. She leans into me like she’s been waiting for it.
“Couldn’t sleep without me?” she teases softly.
I press my mouth to the side of her neck. “You weren’t in bed.”
That’s all the explanation she gets. It’s all she needs.
She hums, tilting her head slightly to give me better access, and I breathe her in, coffee and vanilla and my Angel.
Five years, and I still can’t get enough.
“Sorry,” she murmurs. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” I lie.
She smiles like she knows I’m full of shit, turning in my arms so she’s facing me.
“What are you doing out here?” I ask, nuzzling into her neck.
“Just enjoying the peace and quiet.”
I smile, wrapping my arms around her tighter. That’s exactly why we decided to buy this cabin. It was far enough from town for us to have some peace and privacy. Plus, you can’t beat the view of the mountains and valley below.
This house isn’t the only change that’s happened in the last five years.
We’ve also expanded the clinic. Now it’s a veterinary clinic and a rescue.
That was Pearl’s idea, and she’s taken over that half of the business.
She’s amazing at it, bringing in stray animals and finding them the perfect forever home.
The back door slams open a few minutes later.
“Mom!” Lila cries as she comes barreling out of the house like a hurricane, barefoot, hair wild, holding something small and wriggling in her hands.
Ethan follows at a much more reasonable pace, his arms crossed like he’s already preparing to disagree with whatever is about to happen.
“Morning, my loves,” Pearl says, smiling as she wraps our kids in a hug.
“Are you going to work?” Lila asks.
Pearl nods. “Soon. Are you going to get ready for camp now?”
Lila nods. “We’re doing art today!”
“Can’t wait to see what you guys create,” I say as I usher them inside and help them get ready.
Pearl is getting dressed when I come into our room. I kiss her, trying to convince her to stay with me longer when we hear the kids calling from downstairs.
“See you soon,” she says.
I watch her go, then hurry into the shower. After dressing, I head downstairs, where Pearl has the kids ready to go. She passes me a breakfast burrito, and I take her hand as we walk out to the car.
I drive us into town, and we drop the kids off at their summer camp, then head down the block to the clinic.
“See you at lunch?” Pearl asks, turning to me inside the door.
“Of course.”
I bend, kissing my wife goodbye. It’s a struggle to keep the embrace PG. It always is. Pearl pulls back and dances out of my hold. I watch her go into the rescue, then I turn and get to work.
An hour later, I step out of an exam room and stop dead in the hallway.
A guy is standing at the front desk. Tall, smiling, looking at Pearl like—
Yeah.
No.
I move before I even realize I’m doing it. When I see Pearl smile, I pause. I might still be the same obsessive grump from five years ago, but my girl likes it when I control myself for her.
I force myself to lessen the scowl on my face as I head their way. He’s saying something to her, leaning casually against the counter. She laughs, and my jaw tightens.
I step up beside her, close enough that our shoulders brush, and wrap my arm around Pearl’s shoulders.
“Hey, Angel,” I greet my wife. “Need help with the packages?”
“Hey, Dr. Bennett,” the guy greets, giving me an easy smile.
I relax slightly.
When I look down at Pearl, she’s beaming up at me with a knowing look in her eye, like she can tell that I’m holding myself back from staking my claim on her. She looks pleased with me, and my cock strains against my pants.
Yeah, I’ll be claiming my girl in my office in a minute.
“See you later!” the delivery driver calls over his shoulder.
He doesn’t look at Pearl again as he leaves.
Good.
“Wells,” she sighs softly.
“My office,” I growl.
She grins as she rushes ahead of me.
The door closes behind me, and I reach for her.
“Five years, and you’re still like this?” Pearl asks breathlessly.
I step closer, lowering my voice. “Five years,” I murmur, “and you’re still mine. I plan on keeping it that way.”
“I have no plans to change that,” she tells me, leaning against me.
Then she grabs my shirt and kisses me right there in the middle of my office. I don’t hesitate. I never do. My hands go to her hips, pulling her closer as I kiss her back, slow and sure.
“Anyone seen Dr. Bennett?” someone asks out in the hall.
“They’re in his office,” Kathy answers.
“Again?”
Pearl pulls back, laughing softly. “We should get back to work.”
I sigh, lowering my head to steal one more kiss. I smile to myself as I think about our plans to celebrate our anniversary tonight. Coco is watching the kids, and I’ll have twelve uninterrupted hours with my wife. The other vet I hired is on call tonight and has strict orders not to bother me.
My cock hardens as I think about all the things I want to do to my Pearl.
I glance at the clock, silently counting down the hours until I have my Angel all to myself.