Not all angels fly in the sky. Sometimes, they come in, riding a motorcycle.

“Did you really think I was going to let you die?”

“I was the one who told you that I could have a baby. I knew you would make sure I survived after you swore never to touch another woman.” Winter smiled softly up at Viper’s gloating face. He hadn’t stopped beaming down at her since she had woken up in her room, telling her the baby was in neonatal care and getting stronger every day.

Her recovery had been long and hard, but she had been surrounded by helping hands, and Viper had been there every step of the way.

“That may have been an incentive.” Viper lovingly pushed her hair from her face as she gently rocked Aisha to sleep.

Winter stared down at the miracle she and Viper had created. She lifted her tiny hands to her mouth, placing a kiss on each of her palms.

“That one is from daddy, and that one is from mommy.” Winter reluctantly handed Aisha to her father, watching as he laid her down in her crib.

“You ready for bed?”

“Do I have to? I already miss having her in our bedroom.”

“We promised each other that when she outgrew the bassinet she would sleep in her room. The monitor is on, and if she wakes up, we’ll hear her.”

Winter pouted at Viper as he bent down to kiss his daughter before turning off the light then lifting Winter into his arms.

She crossed her arms over her chest, still irate that he refused to move the crib into their bedroom.

“If it was left up to you, she would still be sharing our room when she’s old enough to go to school.”

He sat her down on the bed, and she took off her robe as he took off his pajama bottoms, climbing into bed naked.

Winter had started to lie down next to him, when he said, “Lose the gown.”

She froze. She hadn’t slept naked next to him since she’d had the baby. She fiddled with the lace on her gown, thinking about how they hadn’t made love, either.

Viper leaned back against the headboard. “Need some help?”

“I’m tired tonight. I have a headache.”

“No, you don’t. You let me help shower you, so why don’t you want me to see you now?”

“Because you want to make love.”

“I want to fuck you until you see stars, but I’ll take it easy on you tonight. I’ll just give you a small orgasm until you learn how to do it again.”

Winter couldn’t help laughing. “A small orgasm? Make me see stars? Have you been reading my Kindle?”

“I had to do something to keep myself from making love to you. I promised never to fuck another woman.”

“I changed my mind. I think I can deal with you touching Sasha as long as you don’t get attached,” she lied, biting her lip.

Viper sighed. “I knew I shouldn’t have listened to Dr. Price about giving you time.” Viper scooted over to her, going to the hem of her gown. Winter trembled, letting him raise it over her head. “Lie down on the bed.”

Their eyes met in the mirror on the dresser. Slowly, as Viper moved back on his knees to give her room, she lay down, keeping her eyes glued to the ceiling, knowing the battlefield of scars he was seeing.

“Look at me,” he chastised.

Winter shook her head, tears welling up.

“Pretty girl, I want to see your eyes when I make love to you.” His face came into her view. “I don’t give a fuck about those scars. Each of them shows how much you love me and Aisha. Even if I live a million years, I couldn’t match the courage and strength you have shown.”

Viper lowered his head to trace the still red scar where she’d had her C-section, tracing it down to where she’d had her hip surgery, and then touching the two scars from the attack the deputy had inflicted on her. Those wavy lines left from his boots had become pale.

Winter lowered her gaze to see tears glimmering in his eyes.

“I couldn’t touch another woman because she wouldn’t be you. You’re the only one who healed the hole in my heart left behind when Gavin died. You healed it with your touch. The only mark I care about on your body is the one you put on it—the tattoo over your heart. Every time I see my name on you, I know you’re mine. Every single fucking time.”

“Be careful. I might begin to think you’re not such a badass if you keep being so sweet.”

“I’ll remind you of that when I beat the hell out of Aisha’s first boyfriend.”

“Nah, you won’t, because it would break her heart. Your daughter has you wrapped around her finger.”

“Try me.” Viper did a hand movement that looked like chopping.

Winter laughed hard as she relaxed on the bed. “Just promise me that I can help.”

“Nope. I’m not making any more promises to you. I promised you not to touch another woman and to be nice to Greer.” Viper shuddered. “That is a testament to how much I love you.”

“We owe him for our child’s life. He wouldn’t let me buy him dinner the other day.”

“He wouldn’t let me buy him a beer at Rosie’s, either. He said we imagined it. The son of a bitch would sell his own kidney for a profit, but he denies helping Aisha.”

“Rachel said he can’t benefit from his gift. It can only be used for love.”

“Greer doesn’t have a loving bone in his body. It was probably a hallucination. Dr. Price said it was the shot of adrenaline that he had administered that restarted her heart.”

“You men can explain it any way you want. Rachel believes her ancestors used Greer’s gift to heal Aisha. I’ll never forget what he did for us, and when he gets on your nerves, I’ll remind you.”

“I’ll remind you when we see him at Ema’s birthday party. He’s invited most of the town to irritate Cash.”

Winter’s face grew serious. “We are so lucky. When I think of Megan… Her parents moved out of town when Dr. Price had her committed. The townspeople blame them for turning their backs on her, while everyone feels sorry for Curt because his wife tried to commit suicide.”

“He’s going to get what’s coming to him. That’s one promise I don’t mind making.”

“I have a secret to confess.” She raised her leg up, bracing her foot on the mattress as Viper brushed her clit with his knuckles.

“Really? What is it?” Viper’s seductive smile was playing havoc with her body. She had missed making love to her husband.

“I’m horny.”

“You are?” He raised his eyebrows. “How horny are you?”

“Horny enough that if you don’t quit playing with my pussy, I’m going to bury you next to Gavin.” She raised herself up on her elbows to give him a mock threatening look.

Viper slid between her thighs, gently working his cock into her.

Winter fell back on the pillows. “I told you I was horny, not comatose.”

“Not enough?”

Winter moaned, “Harder.”

Viper began pumping. “Better?”

“Yes,” she moaned. “I almost forgot how good it feels to have you inside me.”

“How good does it feel?”

“I would give it a four,” she teased.