Karma

FIFTY-ONE

—REECE—

"Up you go, sweetheart." I tenderly say, scooping Catalina in my arms bridal style and walking up the stairs.

"Reece," She stresses with a small scowl. "I can walk myself."

I simply shake my head, unrelenting, continuing up the stairs in a measured pace. Lina looks over my shoulder at her sister and her bodyguard, most likely checking in on her.

I could hear them have a whispered heated conversation but honestly, I couldn't care less. My wife was in my arms and we were back home. That's what mattered to me the most.

"You need to shower."

She raises a fist, looking me dead in the eye. "Tell me why I shouldn't be offended."

"Will that stop you from hitting me?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

I try to swallow down my grin. "Hit me."

Surprised, Catalina lowers her fist and instead, uses the back of her hand to touch my forehead. Her hand is freezing, and I almost hiss at the sensation when she feels my skin. She does the same to my cheeks, then my neck, before redirecting her attention back to me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

I laugh, taking two stairs at a time before rushing into our room and gently setting my wife down on our bed. She shifts to get off but I'm quick to crawl on top of her, bracketing my forearms on either side of her head and laying in the space between her legs.

Her nose crinkles, looking away from me. "I need to shower. Get off."

"No."

"Reece." She drawls, her hands cupping my shoulders in attempts to get me off her. I simply take both her wrists in one of my palms, easily restraining her before I bury my face in the side of her neck, letting out a small breath.

My body relaxes instantly. I melt into her, breathing her in. She smells like Catalina. She smells like my wife. She smells like home.

"I missed you." I tell her, my voice muffled in her shoulder.

Lina relaxes, no longer fighting against me. Instead, her hand smooths down my back in a soothing motion.

"You never left my side in the hospital." She informs me.

"No," I shake my head, pulling back from her so I can stare into her eyes. "I missed you here. In our home. Lying in our bed. Talking to me and insulting me and being alive. I missed you."

Lina swallows, her eyes flicking between mine as she frames my face in her hands and runs her thumb back and forth over my cheek.

"I missed you too." She tells me, and I smile so wide I can feel my face hurt. But I don't care.

"Can I kiss you, baby?"

"You're still asking?"

I lean down further so we're millimetres apart. "I will always ask you, Catalina."

She smiles then too, nods her head, and I take that as a go to fully press my lips with hers, sealing us together.

My eyes close automatically, feeling the way she moves against me. I let her take the lead, particularly because I want to savour this moment and particularly because I'm busy feeling her body.

My hands run down her curves, smoothing up her waist and reattaching themselves to her hair, bring her close to me.

"Wait..." I murmur when her hands move under my shirt, her teasing fingers on the edge of my waistband. "Wait, baby. Not now."