Page 79 of Legacy
Epilogue
Aarabelle
Luke pulls out of me and kisses me at the same time. Like a parting gift, or a consolation prize. Almost always, every single time we make love.
“I’ll never get sick of that,” Luke groans, rolling off me. He pulls me to his side, and I lay my head on his chest.
“Me either, but I think we need to be done for this morning. Everyone will be here in two hours and I need to cook something. Your mom probably thinks I’m just like your workout buddy who has sex with you. I don’t feel like a real wife.”
He furrows his brow. “You are the best wife in the world. Because you’re mine. Trust me, everyone knows you’re a real wife.”
My stomach warms. From my orgasm, but also from his words. He never makes me feel out of place. I moved into his house after we got married and now Sundays are family day, but the mornings are extended periods of orgasms.
“You’re the best husband. I’m so lucky,” I coo, kissing the tip of his nose before I make my way off our bed to turn on the shower. He joins me.
“I still want to make something. What does Marley like? I told Shane he can’t flirt like a massive sleaze this week.”
Luke chuckles, taking over my hair washing duties. He scrubs so much better than I can. “He’s the most proper flirter I’ve ever encountered in my life, Aara. Sleaze is not the word I used. He usually stays in the garage the whole time anyway. Marley is coming early, maybe you can make something together.”
“Is she spending the night?”
“She didn’t say so, so probably not. What time are your parents getting here?”
“Last minute, I’m sure. Now that Dad’s retired, he spends his time forgetting the time.”
Maverick and Liam retired together in a ceremony several months ago. I think it’s been weird for both of them. After serving their entire lives, the chapter came to an end. It feels sort of iconic, like the torch has been passed to us. Filling in where they left off. The death of joy comes with comparison, so I won’t focus too hard on that aspect. Luke spins me so the spray rinses my hair. When the soap is out, he kisses my shoulder.
“You’re my favorite thing in the entire world,” I say, looking up through my lashes.
Dimples flash. “More than anything else?”
I tip my chin down and up. “Everything.”
“Well, that means there’s nowhere to go. How am I supposed to improve upon perfection?” His eyes crinkle in the corner when he smiles.
“You keep on figuring it out, though.” He truly does. I think by his sheer will alone, we’ve been kept on the same Team and the same rotation schedule. We get to do all of our training trips together. We keep the same schedule so we get to spend almost all day every day together. Granted, when we’re working, we keep it as professional as we possibly can. At the end of the day, we go to the same hotel room bed. There are many ways to make relationships work in the military. None of them are as effortless as ours, and I’m so grateful for our life.
I wash myself and step out, grabbing my towel from the warmer. I watch Luke finish his shower. Admiring his muscles is one of my favorite pastimes. In uniform, shirtless at home in the gym, naked. I throw on the casual dress I wore to Marissa and Dagger’s wedding. It’s ironed and colorful. Marissa will love it. Instead of a bun, I leave my hair down to dry in waves.
Luke is humming one of our awful apology songs under his breath as he walks to his vanity. I laugh and pad barefoot to the kitchen to hunt through our pantry for something to make. Selecting a few things, I heft them under my arms and set them on the counter. Luke answers the door when the buzz bounces through the speakers. The booming voice tells me it’s Maverick Hart and company. Windsor, my mother-in-law, smiles brightly when she sees me in the kitchen.
“Oh, honey, you look so beautiful. How are you doing? What can I help with?” She sets a big bowl of something and a casserole on the counter.
“You’ve obviously done enough already, Windsor.”
She explains what she’s made as she trails a finger along the counter of the island.
She sighs. “This kitchen was my all-time favorite. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the next generation using it.”
I swallow hard. I wish I used it more. I feel a bit fraudulent. The fact that they live in a mansion even bigger than this beast, tells me that she reallylovesthis kitchen.
“I was going to make this dip,” I say, pointing at the recipe on my phone and the ingredients I got out haphazardly.
“I’ll help!” It’s not a question. I agree, because Windsor has that look in her eye. “Marley will too.” She cups her mouth and calls for her daughter. Marley bounds in. The first question she asks is if Shane is coming over. My brother did end up transferring to college on this coast, so I get to see him all the time. I confirm he’ll be here, and both Windsor and I watch as her smile turns into a dreamy puddle of mush.
Luke and Maverick saunter into the room. Maverick already has his bathing suit on, and shirt off. Like father, like son, I think. When his eyes catch on his wife working at the island, his eyes, the same exact eyes as Luke, do that feral, wild thing. It’s so personal, I have to look away.
I clear my throat. “We’re making that recipe I showed you last night,” I tell my husband.
