Chapter 98

Howie heard the door click and rolled to look at the clock….3 AM.  They hadn’t been in bed more than three hours and she hadn’t slept then.  It had been like this ever since the argument with Becca but he’d hoped that things would change when Sarah had told him that Becca had accepted her apology tonight.  But clearly, that wasn’t the case. 

Deciding that he needed to get her to sleep some, Howie got up and followed his wife out into the other room.  He found her standing at the sliding glass doors staring into the darkness.  Quietly, he moved to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. 

Sarah gave a sigh as she leaned against him.  “I didn’t mean to wake you, ‘D’.” 

“It’s okay, ‘Angel’.  Want to talk?” 

“I don’t know what to say.” 

“Why don’t you tell me why you can’t sleep?” 

“Becca accepted my apology tonight.”

”Things are fine then.” 

“Yeah, but….I just don’t know.”  Sarah turned in Howie’s arms and placed her hands on his chest.  “I shouldn’t have left her,” she whispered in a little girl voice. 

“You can go back to see her later today.  I’ll take care of the kids and whatever else you have for tomorrow but….you need to get some sleep,” he said as he brushed her hair back.  “You need to take care of yourself.” 

Sarah smiled softly, “You are so good to me.” 

“That’s cuz I love you, ‘Angel’.”  Starting to move towards their bedroom, her hands in his, he said sexily, “Come with me.” 

“How…..ieeeee!   I’m not…..” yawn….”tired.” 

“Uh huh, and I’m the Pope.  I promise, you won’t regret it.” 

“I have never regretted a second with you, ‘D’,” purred Sarah as she let Howie pull her along.

Behind the locked door, Howie undressed Sarah and as she lay on the bed, he shed his boxers.  Joining her, Howie ran his hand across her belly.  “You are sooooo beautiful,” he purred as he nibbled at her ear. 

“Ohhhhh….god!  Your….touch sets me on fire!” 

“What does my kiss do?” he teased. 

“Ummm, stokes the fire.”  Running her fingers through his curls, she said, “I can’t tell you how much I love you!” 

“Tell me by going to sleep!” 

“But….I…uh….I thought we were gonna make love,” pouted Sarah. 

“We made love earlier…when we first went to bed,” he countered.

”I’d sleep better if made love to me.” 

“You didn’t go to sleep earlier,” countered Howie with a mischievous smirk.  “Try again.”  

“You undressed me.”

”Uh huh, and you feel really good next to me but I can control myself.  Now, if you want to go back to see Becca, you need to get some sleep.  You aren’t going anywhere until you’ve had at least 5 hours of sleep.”

“FIVE HOURS!  Howie….that will be almost 9 o’clock!!  I have to get back to her sooner than that!” protested Sarah. 

“It’s gonna be later if you keep fighting me.” 

“Fine!” huffed Sarah as she rolled over to get settled into the pillows.   

Howie wrapped her tight in his arms and began to sing softly, one of the lullabies he sang to the twins.  Before he finished, she was sound asleep.  Smiling to himself, Howie placed a kiss on her shoulder, where the tattoo was, and closed his eyes to go to sleep too.

Chapter 99            Index