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“Go ask her to dance, man,” my best friend, Mason Ryan, eggs me on. I look over towards Caroline Spencer and I’m not going to lie, she makes me nervous. Me: the captain of the football team, All-American guy, and voted cockiest in the freshman class. Whenever I look at her, something inside me burns and I want her. I need her. Being a fifteen-year-old teenager, lusting over the popular girl, who is also the captain of the cheer squad, makes you question your tactics. Everything has to be perfect. She’s not a skank like some other girls in our grade. Caroline is classy, sophisticated and a lady. She deserves more than a whistle and make-out session under the bleachers. She’s the type of girl you take to the beach and hold her hand while watching the sunset. She’s that girl who you bring home to meet your mom.

Since I’ve known her, she’s never dated or given anyone a glance and I know these things. Her best friend, Tonya Ray, fills me in on the little details and nothing she tells me gives me an indication she likes anyone or wants to date. Her daddy’s the Chief for the Webster PD and scares the shit out of all of us. He’s always around and eyeing us like we’re vultures. One time at Tonya’s party he dropped Caroline off and told me and some of the guys we’d better be on our best behavior or else he’ll show us hell. I nearly shit myself when he said that.

“Shut up,” I hiss, and look at her again. She’s talking with a group of girls and looks absolutely beautiful.

“If you don’t, then I will,” Mason jokes.

“I’ll fucking kill you.”

Punching his shoulder, I go with it and walk towards Caroline. With each step I want to vomit. When I reach her,
This I Promise You,
a fucking slow song, comes on and all I can do is extend my hand out to her. To my surprise, she takes it with a smile and I lead her to the center of the dance floor.

“Hi,” I tell her.

“Hey Evan. You look really handsome tonight.”

“You look really, really pretty, Caroline.” This makes her smile and I think I see her blush a little. She’s tiny compared to my six foot height. It’s cute. I like that I feel stronger and taller when I’m with her so I can protect her.

“I was hoping you would come over and talk to me. Took you long enough.”

“Ah yeah. I’m sorry about that. You know, I was hanging with the guys and ah you seemed busy.”

“Right.” She smiles. “Well, I guess you found the courage huh?”

“Are you glad I did?”

“I am.”

At this moment she’s staring at me and the song’s about to end. This is my chance. I need to take it. Like Coach says it’s now or never. Leaning down I press my lips to hers and she doesn’t back away. Holy shit she’s kissing me back.

The guys start whooping and I make a mental note to kick their asses later. But right now, in this moment, I know for sure I’m going to make Caroline Spencer the future Caroline Reed.

There are so many boxes everywhere. Wherever I go there’s a box and I’m the
only
one doing anything. I want to hire people to come into our new home and help me. Yet, I don’t, because this is our first home and I want everything to be perfect. Looking at the stacks of boxes I wince and fall on the couch and let out a breath. It’s been a long three weeks and everything is staring at me, screaming to be opened and put away. Looking around our new house I smile and think about when we first moved in.

I look at the bare walls and figure I need to do something and make it more homely. The living room is all set with the television and furniture. Our bedroom, the office and two guest bedrooms are finished. In the basement Evan has a built in bar and man cave type of whatever so we have the washer and dryer units near the garage door in a little room. Mostly the big stuff is done, but it’s still not home. .
home.

We have so many pictures and they need to be framed and hung on our walls. A house full of pictures shows love and appreciation. It’s a display of the love we have for each other and to our family and friends. A lot of people roll their eyes at me when we get together because I’m the one who wants to take pictures and I always have my phone out. What can I say? I love capturing the moments that may slip away.

The flat screen is mounted and takes care of one wall, but I want this room to feel alive and loving. This is our first house and we’re going to build our lives here for a little bit. The memories excite me and I can’t wait to experience the next adventures coming our way.

“Babe!” I hear Evan shout my name.

“Living room. Taking a break,” I shout back.

When I sit up I see my very sexy husband walking inside shirtless and looking extremely yummy. I’ll never get enough of him. The way his sea blue eyes stare at me with lust and devotion makes every part of me very happy. His hair is damp from his shower and I swear he’s sporting some California surfer look with his longish hair. I joke and tell him to grow it out so he can have a man bun. That didn’t go over so well.

Eye fucking my dreamy husband I realize it’s been a week since we’ve had sex and I’m dying to feel him. When Evan sits down next to me and scoops me up into his lap, I straddle him and instantly feel his erection against my aching pussy. We’re finally going to have sex and couch sex is the best. There’s not too much room which makes it sexier because we’re closer together and he can fuck a lot harder.

“I miss you,” he whispers before crashing his hungry lips onto mine. It feels like forever since we’ve had some time to ourselves. I grind against Evan and feel his cock getting hard. Brushing my lips against his neck I feel his grip get tighter on my waist. Pulling away, I tear my shirt off and unhook my bra. Before I can feel any more pleasure his stupid work phone rings.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I angrily whisper and slowly get off him. “It’s your day off.”

He sighs, “I know, babe.”

Getting up from the couch, he grabs his phone and takes the call. I put myself back together because I know what’s going to happen. He has to go in and do whatever is needed because they’re working a high profile case and Chief Smith is a jackass, even though he’s my best friend’s husband, I still hate him.

“Babe . . .”

“I know.” I get up and give him a light kiss on the lips. “I’m going to get some more things done. Be safe and I love you.”

“I love you more.” He smiles. “Clarke said it’s an emergency. There’s been some development in the case and I have to go in. Do you want me to have Mason or Devin come stay with you?”

“Why would I need that?”

“I don’t like having you be alone.”

“Used to it.” I know my tone is very snarky and bitchy. It’s like without Evan the department will vanish. Mason’s just as good as Evan so I have no idea why Clarke’s being a little bitch. I make a note to punch him later. Stupid Clarke and his stupid whiney ass self.

“Come on don’t be like this. I have to go.”

“I know and I get it,” I explain. “It just sucks. It’s like we never have time for us anymore. You’re
always
working or doing something. I’m sick of it. I go to bed alone all the time. You’re never here. It’s like you’re cheating on me.”

“I know,” he kisses the tip of my nose, “and cheating on you?” he laughs and kisses me again before rushing upstairs to change into his uniform. “There’s no one else for me. You’re the only one, Caroline Reed,” he yells down.

“Yeah, yeah. I bet you say that to all the women.”

“Only you.”

Grabbing the ladder from the garage I open the box sitting in the living room with a pair of scissors. Unwrapping each picture frame, I lay out twelve pictures that hold significant meaning to Evan and me. Pictures of our friends and family, our engagement, graduation from high school and college, our wedding picture and standing in front of our first home. These pictures may seem simple and trivial, but it makes me smile looking at the memories we captured through the years.

After graduating from the University of Buffalo we moved back to Webster and soon after Evan was accepted into the police academy. It was a long few months, but he was successful and I was right here by his side. I got a job as an English teacher at our old high school and soon became the coach for the varsity cheerleading squad with my best friend, Tonya. We lived in a two bedroom apartment by the park for a while before deciding it was time to be adults and purchase our first home. And we did. Our little ranch style four bedroom, one and a half bath, with a large backyard, beautiful deck and finished basement was everything we wanted. We lucked out and the owners were desperately trying to sell the house, so with one look and one tour we decided this was going to be our home.

Looking at the pictures to figure out which ones to place on my wall, I figure a mix of everyone important to us and significant moments in our lives should be displayed. Since I’m not so crafty, my obsession, Pinterest, helped me find a really cute clock-like mural design I can follow. The first picture will start at the top, where the twelve would be, and then I would go in a counterclockwise direction for each picture to represent the hour. In the middle I plan on buying decorative stickers and have it say something along the lines of the best of times with family and friends.

By the time Evan comes downstairs I’m finishing with the second picture. He grabs me and throws me into his arms and cradles me while sitting down on the living room floor. We’re staring at the wall and he kisses my cheek.

“I’ll never understand your obsession with pictures.”

“I like to look back and smile remembering those moments. Those are the moments of happiness and love.”

He smiles and kisses my cheek again. “I love you. I hope you know that.”

“I do.”

“I know this isn’t the life you wanted and I’m working hard to give you everything you deserve. You’re my world, Caroline.”

“Stop it,” I tell him. “Yes, it sucks you have to go in and it sucks they depend on you. But you’re great at your job and I believe in you. We made vows almost four years ago and I intend on keeping each one.” I lean in and kiss his lips. “I love you, Evan Reed. Forever.”

“Forever,” he whispers and slowly gets up, giving me another kiss and walking out the door.

By the time midnight hits I’m wrapping things up downstairs and decide it’s time for bed. Evan hasn’t said too much and I know he’s busy. As much as I love being his wife it’s hard. Being an officer’s wife is difficult because there’s so much at risk. Every day he puts our lives in jeopardy because he’s doing what he loves. He’s serving and protecting us and I couldn’t be prouder.

Locking the door and setting the alarm I take one last look around the house and head upstairs. Stripping out of my clothes I run a hot bath and pour lavender salts in the tub. Slowly sinking in I release a breath and allow myself to be taken away.

I think about the past and how our biggest worries were graduating college and figuring out what to do with our lives. Now it’s whether I’ll get a call that Evan’s in the hospital or worse. I refuse to allow my mind to go there. This has been going on for so many years and I should be used to this.