Page 88 of Beyond the Storm
He responded with an emoticon of a heart and the one of two swords and a shield. He had said it symbolized the two of us, two warriors who had found love despite the odds against them.
As five o’clock arrived, I cleaned off my station, said goodbye to my coworkers, and left work. The sun greeted me once outside, and I breathed in the Mediterranean air as I walked along the harbor.
Making lattes and small pastries might’ve seemed strange to some people, considering my past as a battle-hardened warrior, but it had been the first thing that caught my interest once returning from the dead. Once we’d defeated Lucifer and were told we could lay down our weapons—for good this time—I had found the coffeehouse.
At first, Elasus and I had only gone to enjoy the drinks and scenery, but after a few weeks, I had seen a Help Wanted sign. Elasus encouraged me to apply for the job. When I learned I got it, he had congratulated me before planting a kiss on my lips. He was always finding a reason to kiss me. I didn’t mind it. After being parted from him for so many years, I couldn’t get enough of him either.
The late-spring day was warm, and I stopped to remove my shirt before taking to the sky. My wings carried me toward the edge of the island where I lived with my mate. The seaside house was small but perfect for the two of us. The deck in the back allowed us to sit and admire the view as we had our breakfast, and there was also a private lagoon just a short walk through the trees that we frequently visited, lips meeting as we stood beside the waterfall.
As I landed in the soft sand, the front door opened.
“Welcome home,” Elasus greeted me.
Surprised, I rushed over and threw my arms around him. He released a low laugh before kissing my neck, jaw, then finally, my mouth. He still smelled like olive trees. Nothing soothed me more than being in his proximity.
“How was work?” I asked. “You rarely get home before I do.”
When I had started working as a barista, he’d met with the local blacksmith and began an apprenticeship. Now, he forged blades and made armor for the warriors—just as he had dreamed of doing when he was a young boy. It made me happy that he’d finally turned that dream into reality. He deserved every good thing in this life.
“Work went well. I asked to leave early.” He grabbed my hands. “Normally I wouldn’t… but today is special.”
“Special?” And then it hit me. Little zaps of excitement jabbed at my chest. “It is the anniversary of the Battle at Nemea.”
Those zaps then turned warm as the date brought a deeper meaning.
Elasus nuzzled my earlobe. “The anniversary of the first day we met.”
Melancholy released a lovesick sigh. For being such a miserable pain in my ass, he was a huge sap when it came to our Spartan.
“Come inside,” he said before guiding me into the house. He moved behind me and slid his hands over my eyes.
I lightly laughed. “Why do you cover my eyes?”
He placed his mouth at my ear. “To surprise you.”
My heart skipped a beat as he led me forward. A few steps and a slight veer to the left later, he lowered his hands and rested them on my hips.
“You may open them now.”
I opened my eyes and felt a tremor in my throat as I looked at the dining table. A vase of roses sat in the center, and there were small platters of fresh figs, grapes, and cubes of cheese. More smells came from the kitchen. He had something baking in the oven.
“Elasus…” I turned to him, at a loss for words.
His smile was shy. “Do you like it?”
“Yes.” That tremor in my throat squeezed. The decorations were simple, but I could tell he had put a lot of thought into it.
Melancholy whined from inside of me.
“What’s wrong?” Elasus asked, skimming the backs of his knuckles across my cheek. He had heard the whine—had probably seen the dejection in my eyes too.
“You did all of this for me, and I…” I averted my gaze to the roses. The date hadn’t even crossed my mind until a short while ago.
“None of that.” He tipped my chin up. “I know this is an anniversary we don’t normally celebrate, but I wanted to do something special for you. Besides, you surprisedmelast year on our wedding anniversary. The date snuck up on me.”
“You had much on your mind,” I told him. “It was only a few months after the battle against Lucifer, and you were still learning to live in this new world. Microwaves. Televisions. Videos of adorable animals. It was a lot to process. And you certainly made it up to me later that night.”
The memory made my cock twitch. Elasus had made love to me for hours—railing me on the deck, then on the living room couch, and after we had soaked in the bath together, he had then thrown me into our bed and taken me again.
