The scent of warm vanilla filled the kitchen as you carefully arranged the cookie dough on the baking sheet. It was late evening, and the soft glow of the kitchen lights provided a cozy atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the cool, quiet night outside. The house was finally peaceful—an unusual occurrence with three babies under the age of three. The twins, Olivia and James, had just drifted off to sleep after a long day of teething woes, and baby Noah, the youngest, had finally settled down after a fussy evening. The sound of your children’s quiet breathing through the baby monitor was a soothing background melody as you focused on the cookies.

Simon had been away more often than not, his duties as a lieutenant keeping him out on missions for weeks, sometimes months, at a time. It had been hard. You missed him terribly, not just as your husband, but as your partner, the person you could rely on through everything. You missed his warmth in bed at night, the way he would hold you close after a long day, and the sound of his voice whispering sweet nothings in your ear. You missed his presence, his laughter, his scent.

You sighed softly as you finished placing the last cookie dough on the tray, lost in your thoughts. You hadn’t realized how deeply you’d sunk into your thoughts until you felt the warmth of strong hands gently encircle your waist from behind.

You froze for a moment, your heart skipping a beat as you realized who it was. Simon. He was home. His body pressed gently against yours, solid and comforting, as he leaned down to press a soft kiss to the side of your neck.

“Hey” he whispered

The familiar scent of him—clean soap, a hint of his cologne. Simon’s hands moved from your waist to your hips, turning you gently to face him. You looked up at him, taking in the sight of his tired but loving eyes.

he took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers with a tenderness that made your breath hitch. “Dance with me,” he murmured, his thumb gently stroking the back of your hand.