Page 22 of Redemption

"Did he talk to Kels?" I answer as I'm bent over the fridge, trying to figure out what the fuck I'm going to cook for dinner.

Levi shrugs. "He asked me, but he didn't say."

Which means more than likely he didn't ask his mom. "Let me give her a call, and I'll let you know in just a few minutes, okay?"

"Ughhhh okay. I don't know why you just can't say yes."

"You'll do good not to talk to your mom with that attitude."

Ohhh, there's my hot as hell husband coming through the back door, putting our soon to be teenager in his place. There's nothing sexier, and I've had to deal with both Molly and Levi's sassy attitudes while we've been split up.

"Yes, sir," he whines, before heading to his room.

"Thank you." I smile over at him. "He's becoming a little shit sometimes."

Caleb slow rolls over to where I'm standing, looking hot as fuck in his uniform. Him in his uniform is one of the times when I would never say no to him.

He grins, wrapping his arms around my waist, and I can’t help but lean in, breathing him in. “How was your day?” he asks, his lips brushing against my ear.

“Long,” I sigh. “And yours?”

“Better now,” he murmurs, pulling back just enough to meet my eyes. There’s that spark between us, the one that never fades no matter how hectic life gets.

My phone buzzes next to me, it's Kels. "Hey," I answer. "I take it my little shit of a kid called you?"

She laughs. "Yeah, he's so annoyed with you. I'm right by your house, I can stop in and get him if that's okay with you. Molly can come too, that way you and my brother can have a little time alone if that's what you so choose."

I hadn't even thought of that, but now that she's put the idea in my head, I'm completely behind it. "Sounds good, you'll bring 'em home later?"

"No problem. You watch Ella plenty. I'm pulling up right now."

In a flurry of motion the kids get ready, and Kels takes them, leaving Caleb and I alone.

I gesture to the fridge. “What do you think about spaghetti for dinner?”

He laughs, nudging the door closed. “Simple, easy, and fast. Just like you like it.” He wags his eyebrows at me, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth.

“That’s what you married me for,” I tease, giving him a playful bump with my hip as I reach for the pasta.

"Fuckin' right about that."

We fall into our effortless rhythm—Caleb chopping onions while I handle the sauce. Occasionally, he leans in to steal a kiss or whisper something that makes me giggle like a kid. Every touch feels electric, even after all these years. When he finishes the onions, and tosses them into the red sauce, he reaches around, grabbing a handful of my boob. No kids around right now, so we can flirt as much as we want.

As he stirs the sauce, I toss some garlic bread into the oven, watching him out of the corner of my eye. The way he concentrates, the way his muscles flex—yeah, I’m definitely not complaining.

“Remember the first time we cooked together?” he asks, breaking the comfortable silence.

“Oh, you mean the time we almost burned your apartment down?” I laugh, poking his side with a wooden spoon.

“That’s the one,” he chuckles, pulling me in closer. “I just wanted you to be impressed.”

“Just being with you was impressive enough,” I reply, a warmth spreading through me.

We finish cooking with more laughter and stolen kisses, finally sitting down to our meal. As he pours us both a glass of wine, I can’t help but feel grateful. It’s moments like these that make everything else fade away, leaving just the two of us.

“To us,” Caleb toasts, clinking his glass with mine, and I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

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