“You kiss your man with tongue, Stella.”

She makes a halting sound. “You’re too tall. I can’t reach.”

That’s when I realize she’s straining in her kneeling position, head tipped all the way back, hands using my shoulders for leverage, just so our lips can meet. “Aw, you’re a tiny little thing, aren’t you?” I tickle her ribs, swoop down for a hard kiss, then drop down onto the blanket, rolling over onto my back, stacking my hands behind my head. “Does this make is easier for you?”

Every single minute I’ve spent running and lifting weights has been worth it, because she squirms, breathing hard, trying to look out...