Carefully turning around on the ladder, Harper circled her arms around Dash's neck and kissed along the strong cords that still made her body hum whenever she stared too long.
"I like the height of you on this ladder. I don't have to bend down to kiss you," he said.
She smiled. "What's wrong? Don't you enjoy breaking your back to lay one on me?"
He squeezed her tight against him. "Firecracker, I would break all my bones in my body just to get to you."
Harper's heart pounded. "You nearly did once."
"And I'd do it again."
"Really not necessary."
Dash trembled against her, transmitting the rage he still felt at her being taken from him. "It was five years ago this exact day."
She rested her forehead against his. "Listen. Look at me. I'm right here, Dash."
"I know," he grumbled.
"I'm not going anywhere. They can't hurt us or keep us apart."
"I know," he said, blowing out a shaky breath. "I still can't take the fact that someone put their hands on you."
"Five years ago," she reminded him.
"When I think of what could have happened to you," he started but could not finish due to the lump in his throat.
"Baby," she said, "I'm right here. I'm safe."
Dash buried his face in her neck, emitting a low grunt of acknowledgment.
"Look," she said, taking his hand and placing it on her breast. "Feel that? I'm here. Right now."
Dash absorbed the kiss and let the comfort of her wash over him.
He responded by dragging his palms from her hips up her sides until he'd hiked the tank top she wore up above to her soft, round melons. "You're right. This is perfect. They're right in my face."
She laughed and swatted Dash on the shoulder, but then she wasn't laughing anymore. She sucked in her breath as his mouth covered one nipple through the fabric of her thin bra while his other hand cupped and massaged her other tit, his thumb grazing and teasing out her other nipple.
"Baby," she said. "We don't have time. You have to go to work. And your mom will be here any minute to help me finish the nursery."
Dash greedily continued playing with his wife's breasts, using his hands and mouth.
"I told Mom I had it handled, and she didn't need to help. She'll be here tomorrow to help us welcome the baby with everyone else."
"Wait, stop. What?"
Dash immediately stopped what he was doing and watched his wife tug her shirt back down, appearing indignant.
"I told her to come tomorrow," Dash repeated.
Harper's face went from indignant to rage-filled, her freckles turning bright on top of her flushed cheeks. "Why would you do that? I need help! The baby will be here tomorrow, and this room is not complete!"
Dash hooked his thumbs into her belt loops to keep her steady on the ladder amidst her wild gesticulating. "Firecracker. I took the day off work. I'll help you."
He grinned.
"Dash, but what about tomorrow? You took tomorrow off too?"
He lifted one shoulder. "I forgot to tell you the news. Lori and Desiree are coming back for three months so I can go on paternity leave."
Harper's eyes went so wide, so shocked, that Dash thought she might punch him. "I would tell you that's bullshit, but that sounds exactly like something they would do," Harper said, her voice shaking.
"Don't cry on me now," Dash said. "Happy tears, sad tears. No time for crying; we got shit to take care of."
Harper covered her mouth, then let her hand fall away. She tugged off the tank top and removed the bra.
"Whoa!" Dash marveled, watching her size B cup jostle as she freed herself.
"Scratch that," Harper said. "Screw painting. This is our last day as a couple before we become parents."
"I'm sorry I didn't plan a babymoon."
She dismissed this notion. "Pssh. People like us don't need a babymoon. We get the job done whenever and wherever it's needed."
"Oh. Like on a ladder?"
"Yup. Now lemme see that hammer, I got something that needs pounding."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I don't think you're something is ready for this hammer."
"Oh she's ready."
Harper put one hand on Dash's shoulder to steady herself, then worked the stretchy waistband of her bike shorts down.
"Fuck this shit," Dash grumbled and grabbed at the elastic. Harper grabbed his wrist. "No, dude. You already wrecked my anniversary teddy last week. I need these shorts. Trust me. This way is easier and less painful."
He finally agreed to help her lose the bike shorts and undies underneath.
Seconds later, she climbed up the ladder and seated herself on one ladder rung even with his midsection. "Now come on, cowboy. Let's go."
"Hang on. I gotta absorb this mental picture of my wife on a ladder, buck naked."
Dash stepped back and made a frame with his hands. "Hold on, something's not right."
"What is it? I'm drying up over here."
Dash reached around and tapped the rung two levels up. "This one."
Harper opened her mouth to protest until she got a good look at the expression on his face. "You're evil."
"I'm thirsty." He patted the rung again. "Let's do this."
Harper had to control her legs from shaking in anticipation as she climbed the ladder and seated herself right where Dash wanted her.
Running his hands over the soft skin of her inner thigh, he rasped. "There she is."
She opened to him, and he saw the places that needed to be kissed.
He leaned in and inhaled, exhaling noisily as if he'd taken in his first breath of fresh air in months. Then, he nudged her split apart with his nose and mouth.
"What if I fall?"
"You're not going to fall. I got you, Firecracker."
Still, she held on tight to the apex of the ladder while her husband's mouth and tongue worked over her nethers.
He moved gently, then rough, then gentle again. After five years, they'd explored and conquered each other so thoroughly, day after day, week after week, that Dash knew precisely how to please his little
