Forever In Her Heart

Chapter Nineteen

I examine my crippled wife as she attempt to roll herself away from our conversation. I fold my arms and lean against the kitchen counter in amusement, a small smirk playing at the corner of my mouth. Since she's had such a mouth on her this morning, I think I'll let her suffer a little bit.

"Uh, a little help Miss Mills?" My playful blonde inquires over her shoulder the moment she jams her chair against the wall.

"I don't want to violate your privacy," I mock appearing far more unamused than I intend.

"Don't make me beg, Regina."

"They'll plenty of that later, dear," I wink as I push off the counter and sashay teasingly to her side.

I pull Emma's chair back, helping her out of her jam and wheel her to the bathroom. Emma drapes her good arm around my shoulder while I wrap my arm around her waist. I help her take a few steps out of her chair and gently set her down on the toilet seat. Once she is settled, I close the door behind me to ensure our privacy.

"What time is it anyways?" Emma mindlessly questions, peering up at me through tired eyes.

"Five in the morning," I sigh, kneeling down between her legs to prepare for another sponge bath.

Emma gasps, shaking her head in disbelief. "That little butt! He must've woken me up around four!"

I chuckle to myself and nod along. "I'm sure he just misses you, Em. I know they all miss spending time with their goofy mother."

"I know, I'm trying," she mutters just barely above a whisper and it tugs at the strings lacing my heart.

I slip my fingers beneath her pajama shorts and slowly slide them down her waist. They are about ten sizes too big for her tiny frame, but it's the only thing we could find that would fit over her casts.

"I know you're trying and I know that's why you were so eager to help Kyler earlier," I admit, even if it does kill me.

Emma lifts her bottom up so I can continue peeling away her shorts, causing a slight twitch to pluck at my heart. It's been so long since we've been intimate that the tension in this small bathroom is overwhelming.

"I miss them too." I nod slowly as I carefully pull the shorts over her casts and down her legs, trying to focus on my task and not her eyes that I know are watching me very carefully. "I miss you." I sigh heavily and toss her shorts behind me.

When I peek up through my lashes, I lock my eyes onto her sparkling green orbs that are just filled with tenderness and love.

"I know, I miss you too," I sadly agree through a weak smile. Emma cups my cheeks with both hands and soothingly rubs her thumbs over my cheekbones.

"I miss sleeping next to you. I miss holding you in my arms. I miss burying my face in your thick hair. I miss inhaling your familiar scent of apples and laundry detergent..."

"I smell like apples?" I question as the corner of my mouth tugs to form a goofy grin.

"That's what you took away from my speech?" Emma rolls her eyes in a teasing way and pulls my face closer to hers.

Her delicate pink lips press lightly into mine and I wait to hear her soft sigh. Her sigh of contentment and love for me. The sound she makes every time we kiss with passion.

I place my hands on top of hers as I pull my face from her warm touch. I carefully plant a small kiss on her good palm before I drop her hands. I stand up from the ground and continue with my task. I grip the bottom of her tank top and maneuver it above her good arm. I then carefully stretch the fabric over her left arm and around her cast. I toss the garment behind me with her shorts and exhale a shaky breath.