Seeing Tarquin, she froze for a second. “Honey?"


    Now that her eyes were open, Tarquin responded in a husky voice, "Yeah. Did I


    wake you?"


    As if she hadn''t heard him, Elysia reached out and touched his face. "It really is you. I''m dreaming about you again." She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, then smiled a silly, happy smile, as if she''d just won the lottery.


    After her kiss, she closed her eyes again and snuggled into his arms. "Hold me."


    Tarquin''s throat went dry, but he obediently held her tight. Elysia found afortable spot in his embrace and fell right back to sleep.


    Tarquin was speechless. He thought she was awake, but she had just been dreaming. He fought back his urges, refusing to tease her, and just held her as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with her.


    The next morning, Elysia woke up and, midway through a stretch, sensed


    something was off. There was someone behind her. An arm was wrapped around her waist.


    She froze, instantly wide awake, and whipped her head around. Tarquin was watching her, his eyes narrowed in a smile.


    Elysia''s heart skipped a beat. What was happening? Had she woken up too fast? Or was she still asleep?


    She closed her eyes and opened them again. Tarquin was still there.


    Elysia quickly reached out to touch him. "Honey?"


    "Yeah,” Tarquin replied with a grin.


    Her eyes widened. "Is it really you?"


    "I''m as real as it gets," he countered with a smirk.


    Elysia blinked. "I''m not dreaming, am I?"


    Tarquin chuckled and pinched her cheek. “Feel that?”


    After a few seconds of stunned silence, Elysia shot up in bed. "When did you get back?!"


    Tarquiny on his side, propping his head up with one hand. "In the middle of the night. I didn''t want to wake you."


    A huge smile spread across Elysia''s face, and she threw herself on top of him. "But yesterday you said you didn''t know when you''d be back!"


    Tarquiny t on his back, letting her press down on him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Work went smoothly so I came back as soon as was done. Are you I


    happy to see me?"


    Elysia nodded vigorously. "Happy! Incredibly happy!"


    His heart swelled. "How happy?"


    Elysia leaned down and gave him a hard kiss. "So, so happy! I can''t get used to you not being here! I missed you so much! I never want to be away from you for a single day again!"


    An unabashed, boyish grin spread across Tarquin''s face. At that moment, he would have moved heaven and earth just to keep that beautiful smile on her face.


    "Then we''ll never be apart again, I''ll be your shadow. You can take me wherever you go."


    "Okay! You said it!"


    "I said it."


    Elysia was truly overjoyed. "Did you miss me?" she asked.


    "Yes!"


    "How much?"


    Tarquin''s eyes narrowed. "Let me show you."


    He rolled over, pressing her beneath him, capturing her lips with his as he lifted the hem of her nightgown...


    At seven-thirty in the morning, the children started waking up one by one, but Tarquin and Elysia had yet to emerge.


    yton, knowing how these things


    worked, knew that a short


    separation could make a reunion even more passionate than a honeymoon. He decided not to disturb them. He and Pam Patel had breakfast with the kids and then took them out to y, giving Tarquin and Elysia a quiet house to catch up on their sleep.


    But Elliot said, “Grandpa, Grandma, you guys go have fun. I want to stay home and read for a while."


    Elijah immediately chimed in, “I don''t want to go out either."


    yton and Pam didn''t think much of it. "Alright, then. Call us if you need anything."


    "Okay."


    The grandparents left with Evan and the baby. Elliot and Elijah exchanged


    a look, their small brows the


    as they nced towards the


    third-floor bedroom. The two brothers had tinkered with their father''s phone, so they knew th? exact moment he had returned.