The End Where I Begin (Book Four of the Glen Power Series)

Chapter 4

That honeymoon period doesn't lift. We're still very much caught up in a whirlwind of passion and affection. I'm not sure how long it's supposed to last. Is six weeks after coming home normal?

I wake up, wrapped up in the covers. Memories of the night before swim in front of my eyes and I can't help but smile to myself. He still manages to surprise me, even now. Who would have thought that his lips on my temple in the heat of it all would send me into such a frenzy? And I won't even go into the drumming of his fingers...

I sigh happily, reaching over to huddle into my husband. But he isn't there. As I come to a little more, I hear the sound of his voice ring through the house. The silky tone of his Irish accent is really strong today. That can only mean one thing...

Mark's laugh drowns out all my thoughts and I can't help but laugh along. He's such an idiot. A loveable, mental, ginger idiot. But I wouldn't change him for the world.

I slide out of the warmth of the duvet and slip myself into a pair of Glen's boxers and the T-shirt that we carelessly flung over our shoulders last night. I can still smell his aftershave on it. I bunch it up and bring it to my nose, smiling as I remember just how successful 'date-night' turned out to be...

I head through to the bathroom and carry out my daily routine. Brush my teeth, wash my face, take my pill. But at this last one, I pause for a second. I know the doctor's said that my cycle could be disrupted after what happened last year...I mean, I went three months without anything happening at the beginning. I thought they would have settled by now. What if...

No. You can't have children. Remember what the doctor told you.

I sigh and swallow the tablet, slightly resentful of the tiny little circle in my hand. The only reason I'm taking them is to try and regulate everything again. And it works wonders for my skin...

I wander through to the kitchen, where I can hear their banter and laughter getting louder and louder. As I walk through the door, Glen is bent over double at an expression that Mark is making. They may not be as close as me and Mark are, but they never fail to amuse each other.

Mark's eyes flicker over to me as I push myself onto the worktop and he slaps Glen across the head playfully with a grin.

“Hey, knob-end,” he calls. “Wifey's up and about. Pull yourself together.”

But Glen's completely out of it. I haven't seen him laugh this hard in a long time. He can hardly breathe, and tears stream down his red face. It's so adorable. I look at Mark, who's just as bemused as me.

“What did you do to my husband, Sheehan?” I tease.

“I think I broke him.”

“What d'you go and do that for?”

“I didn't try. He just kind of...I'll get you a new one. I promise.”

“Oh, how generous of you.”

“I try.”

Glen manages to straighten himself out, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He punches Mark in the shoulder, grinning like a child.

“You're an arsehole.”

“Me? Fuck right off! You started it!”

“And you finished it.”

“That I did. But you practically fed me the words. So it's all on you.”

Boys will be boys...

Glen's eyes finally fall on me and I can see them darken from here. I giggle as he beelines for me, teeth at my throat with a low rumble in his chest. I hum with delight, bunching his shirt up in my fingers.