The Free Pass

Chapter 60

Mallory

It took over an hour to draw up the contract on the new condo. Karen recommended having a clause that stated we'd increase the price in set increments to outbid the other potential buyers. We were willing to go significantly above the list price to get the home.

Shawn insisted that my name be on all the documents. He said it would be our home and therefore it needed to be in my name, too. I loved that he was so confident that we were that solid. It scared me a bit, too, but I needed to start letting go of those fears.

Karen left after all the paperwork had been submitted electronically. She said it could take a while for the owners to make a decision and to not get our hopes up too much. That was more for Shawn's benefit. He really wanted that condo.

Gracie had fallen asleep in her car seat on the ride home. Shawn transferred her to her crib so that she could continue her nap. We had some time alone before we needed to start dinner.

"So other than the cute haircut, what did you get done today?" Shawn asked as he pulled me onto his lap.

"You'll see," I said.

"I could see right now. We've got some time," he said as he pulled me closer. His hands started roaming over the curves of my body.

"You promised me a wild night of sex. I don't want to start now and have it cut short by a crying baby or the need to cook dinner. We can wait."

Shawn groaned. "But I've been waiting so long!"

"So have I! A couple more hours isn't that much. And I'm happy to get up if this is too much for you."

"No! Stay. We'll keep things PG until it's time to start dinner. Maybe PG-13."

I laughed. "What's the difference?"

"I might get to see your boobs with PG-13," he explained.

"About that..." I said, "my boobs are kind of off-limits right now. I'm a little leaky."

He looked at me quizzically. "Huh. I had no idea that could happen. Good to know."

"Sorry. It shouldn't be a problem for long. Once Grace starts solid food, my milk production will go down a bit."

"No, it's fine. I'll focus on other parts."

He then whispered in my ear exactly what he had planned for my 'other parts.'

After an hour of making out like horny teenagers, I started to cook dinner. I'd put the potatoes in earlier so they were done by the time I needed to start broiling the steaks. I made a simple salad while the steaks sizzled in the oven.

Shawn opened the bottle of wine. "Are you having some?" he asked.

"Not with dinner. I figured I could have a glass after I feed Gracie at bedtime. You should have a glass now."

We heard Gracie over the baby monitor, so Shawn went to get her. She took her usual place in the swing next to the table.

I took the steaks out of the oven, praying they were a perfect medium rare, and plated the food. We sat down at the dinner table.

"This is great, Mal. I can't get over what an incredible cook you've become," Shawn said between bites.

It was pretty darn good. The steaks were exactly as I wanted them to be, which was a first for me.

We finished dinner and cleaned up the kitchen together.

"There's dessert," I said as I hung up the dish towel.

"Let's save that for a snack. For later," he said with a wink.

Shawn got Grace out of the swing. We put her on the floor on her mat and both of us got down next to her. We played with her for about an hour, until she started getting fussy from all the stimulation and exercise. Shawn picked her up and brought her to the couch.

"TV?" he asked.

"Sounds good. Your pick."

We'd been talking about starting the series Entourage, so he decided to begin that tonight. After watching four of the 30 minute episodes, Gracie was getting hungry. We'd been passing her back and forth while we watched the show.

"I'll feed her. She'll need her bath after," I said.

I got out my boob and she got right to work. When she finished the other side, Shawn took her.

"I'll bathe her. You get yourself that glass of wine and relax a bit," he said.

I wasn't going to argue with that. I poured myself a small glass of merlot and settled into the couch. Before long, Shawn was back with Gracie, who was now wearing jammies with little frogs all over them.

"She's tired," Shawn said. "I think that having that short nap this morning messed up her schedule."

"Let's put her in the crib," I said as I finished off my wine and put the glass by the sink.

"This will be her first night sleeping alone," Shawn said as he gently put her down on the mattress.

I felt a slight pang of sadness at that thought. I turned on the video monitor and brought it to the master bedroom. I'd grown to think of it as Shawn's room. Maybe it was my room now, too. We hadn't discussed it, but if we were resuming marital sex, it made sense that we'd start living like a real married couple again. I made a mental note to set aside some time tomorrow to move all of my stuff back into the master bath. My clothing was mostly in the master closet since it wouldn't fit in the tiny one in the nursery, so at least I didn't have to move that.

I shook away the thoughts of reorganizing my personal items as it dawned on me that my husband and I were finally alone for the night.

"So," Shawn said, his voice low and sexy, as he shut the bedroom door, "are you ready to show me what you had done today?"

I smiled shyly. "Wouldn't you rather discover for yourself?"

"No. I want the guided tour. And I'm going to give each area some special attention."

I felt my heart do a flip flop.

Shawn didn't seem particularly aroused by my mani-pedi, though he gave me a nice foot massage and kissed each finger in a very sexy way. There wasn't much he could do regarding my eyebrow waxing, so we moved on from that. He did express quite a bit of interest in the other area I'd had waxed, though.

"I love you, Mallory," he said, his voice hoarse with passion, as he moved his head level with mine after finishing the tour.

He then reached in the bedside table drawer for the goodie bag Dr. Abbott had given us months ago. It crossed my mind that this was the first time we were ever using birth control.

Much later, as we sat in bed eating the cake I'd bought for dessert, I couldn't stop smiling.

"You happy, baby?" he asked me.

"Is it that obvious?"

"You've been smiling since we finished round two."

"Round two was even better than round one," I pointed out.

Round one had been amazing, but it had been fast and intense. Neither of us could hold back for long. Round two had been much more deliberate and romantic. It was the lovemaking I'd been dying to have with my husband. As we connected, he looked at me with such love and adoration. It washed away the remaining doubts that he truly loved me.

"Agreed. I wonder if that means round three will be the best."

"I can't wait to find out," I said as I slowly licked some frosting off my index finger.

I didn't have to wait long.

Shawn was right. This definitely gave us reason to fight for our marriage. The fact that we were in love, had a beautiful daughter, and could find so much joy with each other, reassured me that our relationship was real. For the first time, I felt truly married to my husband.