PROLOGUE

Andrew reached for his wife’s hand the moment Tess had left their home on earth with the news of new assignments for both of them. They had been blessed to have had time together the last two months, working side by side most often and giving the angel of death the time he liked to watch over the little angel. But now they were being called in different directions, for different assignments that would be a little longer than the norm, at least on his part. He hated it and one look into her dark eyes told him she felt the same way.

"We only have a few hours," Monica sighed softly, holding onto his hand with her much smaller one. Seeing the troubled look in his eyes, she managed a smile for his sake, "I’ll be fine, Andrew and will be right here waiting for you when we’re finished."

"I know that, angel," Andrew replied, laying a tender hand against her cheek, "But it doesn’t make leaving you any easier and it doesn’t make me miss you any less."

She moved to wrap her arms around his waist as she looked up into his eyes, "No one ever said that being so hopelessly in love with you would ever be easy, but it is so worth it. I always know you’ll be coming back to me and that God will keep you safe while we are apart. That’s what makes it easier, no matter how hard it is."

Andrew smiled and dipped his head to kiss her lovingly, "Now I just have to get enough of you to last me a couple of weeks," He murmured against her lips, before he captured them once more. Her lips parted in an invitation he was unable to refuse and their tongues dueled desperately, memorizing everything about each other that they already knew by heart. He already knew that this was not going to be a sweet and tender love making session. The impending separation had left them both longing and hungry, unsure of when the next time would be that they would be able to come together like this.

Her hands were on his face as their mouths moved against each others, soft sighs and murmurs speaking of their love for each other. Reluctantly moving from her lips, Andrew kissed down her jaw and then up her neck, taking her delicate earlobe between his lips and smiling at the little whimper that came from Monica. He knew each one of her erogenous places by now and as he continued licking around her ear, he could feel her trembling.

"Maybe we should move this out of the kitchen," She managed to say, before she caught his face and captured his lips once more.

"No time," Andrew informed her, his strong hands intertwined in her hair and a heart beat later, their trembling hands were unbuttoning buttons and touching warm flesh. Andrew stroked her breasts as his lips trailed kisses down her creamy shoulder, hearing her gasp when he plucked at her sensitive nipples. Her lips were on his neck, her hands against his strong chest, fingers running over the muscles, stroking him delicately. She could already feel her own dampness between her legs and was relieved when he unzipped her skirt and it fell to the floor.

Andrew chuckled softly, noticing her desperate eyes looking around the kitchen for a place to be but he only gave her a moment to consider it before he had picked her up and sat her down on the table. Her eyes widened slightly before she giggled, "Well, this is new…"

"Oh, I dunno, seems just about the right height to me," He stated with a grin, before he was kissing her once more, forcing her to lie back on the table even as his fingers slipped her panties down over her hips. She had one arm around his neck, keeping him close and a low moan escaped her as she felt him part her folds with his fingers. She was already desperate to have him inside of her and she frantically worked to lock her legs around him to pull him in, but Andrew stopped her, "No, baby. I plan on completely enjoying you right now."

His words caused a flutter deep in her stomach and a moment later, he had pulled up a chair and positioned her legs over his shoulders, giving him complete access to her. His hands slid beneath her to pull her closer as his tongue ran over her lightly. He could hear the familiar gibberish beginning to flow from her lips and all his senses were filled with her arousal. Unable to control himself, he was then devouring her hungrily, lapping at her with purpose, tickling her little nub, and probing into her with his tongue, quickly driving them both into a frenzy. Her heels were digging into his shoulders as her cries filled the kitchen and she surged towards completion.

It was at that moment that Andrew pulled away and at that instant Monica raised her head, her expression completely demanding. But despite his own painful erection, he chuckled, determined to make this last for both of them as he softly kissed along her inner thighs, waiting until her breathing was nearly back to normal. Only then did he move two fingers to stroke slowly into her folds once more, his touch feather-light, but immediately her head was moving back and forth against the table. He loved watching her this way, a rare moment of selfishness, only wanting and needing to be finished off, even as she remained as patient as her body would allow.

Continuing to move his fingers within her wet folds, Andrew leaned over once more and took her sensitive nub in between his lips and sucked it gently and it was only then that she began to beg, "Andrew…Andrew, please…I have to…please!"

He grinned wickedly, enjoying the game she was all too fond of, of waiting for his consent to allow herself to let go. She was trembling, her body tensed as she struggled to hold off the inevitable and it was taking everything inside of her to do so, her small hands clenched into fists. Gently, he sat back up and moved her legs from his shoulders, before moving his tongue over her heat once more. As he stood, Monica immediately sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck, shaking.

Taking him firmly into her hand, she guided him to her pulsating core, "Please…" She whispered, her eyes locked with his and it was all it took for him to plunge himself into her depths. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she met his strokes, her dark, loving eyes holding his gaze and Andrew was convinced it was the most intimate moment he had ever known.

"I love you, baby," He uttered before she took his face into her hands and kissed him deeply before he began to move against her faster and harder, pushing the full length of himself into her tight, throbbing center. With a cry, she climaxed long and hard, her fingers clutching at him, before she arched back to ride the waves of passion he had invoked. Lowering his head, he drew one nipple into his mouth as he continued to thrust into her, the action sending her tumbling once more even before the first of her shudders had calmed and as she tightened delightfully around him, he emptied himself into her with a shout against her breast.

They were both still breathing hard as Monica nestled into his arms, feeling his strong hands stroking her back, "I don’t think I could love you anymore if I tried," She whispered, tilting her head up to look at him, "My heart is just so full, Andrew…just so full."

Emotion rose in his throat as he looked at her and nodded his head, knowing that no words could express all the things he felt for this little angel who belonged to him, "We still have time. Come on," Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her upstairs, fully intent on making slow and tender love to her once more before they were forced to walk on separate paths.

Much later and with the hour of their dread drawing close, Andrew leaned back in the bathtub with Monica in his arms. He had loved her two more times, until she had laughingly objected that she wouldn’t able to walk correctly up to her assignment if he continued. But now came his normal rain of questions that he wasn’t able to help but ask before they were ever apart.

"You’ll be all right?"

"Yes."

"You’re certain?"

"Yes, Andrew, I’m certain," Lovingly, she intertwined her fingers with his as they lay resting across her bare, wet stomach.

"You’ll be careful?"

"Very careful."

"No getting into cars with men you don’t know?"

Monica smiled, remembering how upset he had been when she had made that mistake, "I promise."

"If you need me, you’ll let me know?" He knew she was smiling, but he was dead serious about all of it. It was his job to protect her, even if that meant that they were continents apart.

"You know I will."

"I’ve already asked Paul and Alex to check in on you."

"That’s fine. I’ll look forward to seeing them."

"Do you know how much I love you, angel?" It was the last question he always asked and she leaned her head back against his chest to gaze up at him.

"Yes, but will you tell me anyway?"

"More than you could ever imagine. I always will, with all that I am."

Turning around in his arms, it was only then that Monica allowed her eyes to shine with tears, "I’m going to miss you so much."

Pulling her to his chest, he kissed the top of her head, "Nothing is the same without you there to share it with, baby, but we’ll be back together soon and then you know what I’m going to do?"

With a small sniffle, she smiled up at him, already knowing the answer, "What?"

"I’m going to love you, every inch of you, until you are begging for mercy." He grinned, managing to erase the sadness from her eyes.

"I’ll be looking forward to it."

A half hour later, the moment at hand, Andrew turned to her regretfully, "I have to go."

Monica drew in a trembling breath and nodded her head, "I know. I love you and be safe," She said the words while she still could, before emotion threatened to overwhelm her.

With all the tenderness in his being, Andrew took her face into his hands and kissed every inch of it, kissing away the tears that fell before kissing her lips lovingly, "Godspeed, my little angel."

When she opened her eyes, he was gone.