But doing her husband sounded like a good way to pass the time, too.
“About our sex life . . .”
Rex rolled his eyes. “What sex life?” Again that teasing tone didn’t mask the seriousness in his voice.
“I made it another item on my list.”
Rex tilted his head and another sorrowful frown took hold of his handsome face. “Pity sex is not sexy. I don’t want to be something you check off.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I’d like to work on that, because I don’t think we can get back to where we used to be without finding our way back to each other in every way.”
“You know, if you tell me what you need, I’ll try to give it to you.”
She smiled at the innuendo, but Rex remained completely focused, which told her this was important to him. Her happiness mattered. Their marriage mattered.
“Okay. I’d like your help to free up my time and make the evenings more relaxing for me. I’d appreciate it if you’d do the dinner dishes and make the kids’ lunches for the next day each night while I get them ready for bed.”
Skepticism filled his eyes. “I’ve tried to help you with chores around the house. The only thing I seem to do right is take out the trash.”
“I know. Which is why I’m going to show you how I want the dishwasher loaded.” She waited out his eye roll. “Not because you do it wrong, but because I like it a certain way or I get anxious and feel like I have to do it myself.”
Rex caught on quick with a nod. “Okay. I get it.” A smile crept across his face. “Why don’t you make me a diagram?”
Not a bad idea. And though he was teasing her, he knew her well enough to know that was exactly how she’d be able to let go of the chore and let him do it. “I will.”
“I’ll still read them stories while you relax. I love that time with them.”
“I love that time, too. Let’s switch off, or do it together.”
“Sounds good.”
“Once I’ve got the new schedule finished with the kids, I’d like to go over it as a family. I’d like it if we could do the things that stay on it together, your work schedule permitting.”
“I’d like that.”
“Okay. I’d like your Thursday nights for our dates.”
“You can have any night you want.”
“I’d appreciate it if you made the plans.”
“My pleasure. It will be my job to wine and dine you.” He held his hand out to her.
She reached out, took it, and moved around the counter, closer to him. “Thank you for understanding. That’s exactly what I needed to hear you say.”
“You put us all first, sweetheart. Deep down, I think you want someone to do that for you. That’s my job. And I haven’t done it well these last months.”
“I pushed you away.”
“I let you because I felt like you didn’t need me.”
She touched her hand to his cheek. “I always need you.”
“I see that now. You pushed me away and filled up the empty space with things to do to fill your time and the hole inside you.”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“I know. I’m glad we had this talk. I see what’s been happening. I hope you do, too, and we can move forward and come back together. I’m really looking forward to having you all to myself on Thursday night.”
She leaned in and kissed him softly. “We’re alone right now.”
He shifted on the stool, wrapped his arm around her waist, and drew her in between his strong legs and up against his wide chest. “What should we do?”
For a split second she thought about teasing and telling him she’d teach him how to load the dishwasher. Instead, she showed him what she really wanted: more of him.
She kissed him with all the intention she had for where she wanted the kiss to lead.
Rex took direction well, even if it was unspoken. He slipped his hands down her hips and grabbed her ass. His lips left hers to travel down her neck and back to her ear. “I’ve missed you so damn bad.”
“Me, too,” she said on a breathless sigh.
She missed feeling this way. Wanted. Needed. Like she mattered.
She bet Rex felt the same way and poured everything into loving him.
If they only had a couple hours until the kids came home to show each other they wanted this to work and their love was still very much alive and as deep as it used to be, she’d make the most of it.
She broke the searing kiss, stepped back, took Rex’s hand, and pulled him up and out of his seat and toward the stairs. “Come with me.”
“I’d follow you anywhere.”
“Still?” She smiled up at him, knowing full well he meant it.
“Always.”
The mischief came back into his eyes. He tugged her hand, so she walked toward him. He dipped his shoulder and hoisted her over it. She lay like a sack of potatoes down his back. She smacked his ass and laughed because he hadn’t carried her like this since they were dating.
“Put me down before you throw your back out.”
He smacked his hand over her ass and left it there, the heel of his hand pressed intimately to her sorely neglected lady parts. “Not a chance. I’ve got until nine o’clock to show you how much I’ve missed you. I’m pretty sure it’s going to take every minute from here to then to prove it to you.”
He didn’t have to prove anything to her, but the second he tossed her down on their bed and swallowed her giggles with a deep, searing kiss, he made good on his promise.
* * *
In fact, Rex made good on his promise so well and thoroughly, Amy answered the knock on the front door on shaky legs, wearing nothing but her bathrobe.
Sierra stared at her, taking in Amy’s tousled hair, rosy cheeks heated by the embarrassment she felt getting caught doing the naughty with her husband, the robe, and her bare feet. Sierra’s knowing smile amplified her embarrassment as well as the vixen inside her who was completely satisfied and smug about it.
Sierra’s gaze swept over Amy, then met her eyes. “Hello. I remember you.”
Amy felt a lot more like her old self than a haggard mom.
“I’m feeling pretty damn good.”
Emma stared up at her. “You swore.”
“Mommy gets a pass tonight.” Rex walked down the stairs in an old worn pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, his hair mussed, too. “Did you have fun with Aunt Sierra and Aunt Heather?”
P.J. yawned. “We had pizza with basil on it. It wasn’t bad.”
Not a ringing endorsement, but he’d tried something new and didn’t hate it. Amy put that in the win column.
Emma hugged her. “I missed you, Mommy.”
Amy held her daughter, cherishing the warm feeling in her heart. “I missed you, too, baby. Head upstairs with your brother. Daddy and I will be up to kiss you good night.”
Emma trudged up the stairs behind P.J.
“Thank-yous for Aunt Sierra, please.”
They didn’t stop their ascent, but obediently called out, “Thank you!”
Rex stepped up to Sierra and hugged her. “Thank you for taking the kids and giving Amy and me some time together.” He let her loose.