More Than Darkness
46
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There was no pie in the oven when Sands got home.
couch with the TV on and a cat sleeping on her back.
Sands stopped in
front of her sleeping form for a long moment with a smile on his face before
doing two things: first, he turned off the television and set his bags down.
Second, he shooed Agatha away and leaned down to kiss the back of Aida's neck.
"I don't like
dogs," she murmured, shifting under his lips.
"Well, then
it's good we don't have any then, spitfire," Sands said with a smile.
"Oh...Sands.
resembled that of a canine, but it was best that he didn't know that.
"It's good to
see you again too, spitfire," he said with a bit of a smirk before setting
down the bags he carried and lifting her legs a little so that he could sit on
the couch before bringing her legs back down to rest on his lap.
Having her legs
elevated while she was on her stomach put uncomfortable amounts of pressure on
Aida's hips, so she rolled over. "I
really did mean to make a pie," were the first words out of her
mouth. "I just got...tired."
"Don't worry
about it, Aida. You're more important than pie hands down," he said with a
smile.
She smiled.
"You betcha.
And I'm also a man who likes to spoil his wife. What are you going to do?"
he said with a smirk.
"Become an
absolute shrew because you did too good a job of spoiling me, and then you'll
be sorry?"
"I very much
doubt you will turn into an 'absolute shrew,' Aida," Sands said wryly.
"Even so. That's not going to stop me from spoiling you."
"You say that
now. We'll see what happens when I start
moping and pouting and ignoring you for the most minor of offences."
"I don't
believe that would happen. And even if it did, I wouldn't let you do that. I
can be very persuasive, wife mine."
"That's the
problem. I would start expecting certain
sorts of persuasion, and within a few years, you might actually have to find a
"If I really
wanted a job, I would have gotten one by now. I certainly had enough
schooling," he muttered.
"Well, just
think about that before you start an expensive habit that you might have to
work to keep up. So what's in the
bags?"
"All my habits
are expensive," he murmured with a smirk before casting a casual glance to
the bags. "I'm not so sure I should tell you now. You made a big deal of
me not spoiling you."
"Alright.
everything back without telling me."
She was actually really curious, but she figured the best way to get the
information she wanted was to feign non-interest.
"I never take
anything back. Too much hassle," he said offhandedly.
"Then I'm not
so curious that I'll beg you tell me. On
the scale of what's important in life, bags aren't very high up."
Sands made a sound
of irritation. "It's what's in
the bags that's important, Aida. And you're not playing fair."
"You're
telling me that what's outside the bags are important?" she asked lightly,
ignoring his accusation. "Because
those are your only two choices: inside and outside."
"Just open the
bags, Aida."
"I can't reach
them," she said innocently, looking at him with big eyes.
Sands sighed and
leaned over her legs to grab the bags at her feat and thrust them in her
direction. "Enjoy, Aida," he said with a small smile.
Taking the heaviest
bag first, Aida tilted it forward so she could look inside.
bag - lit her face and she immediately pulled out the items.
completely made of silk.
"I'll have to
change," she murmured, setting the bag on the ground.
dressed in the mornings."
"Open the
other bag, Aida," he directed her softly. "I'm glad you like the
pajamas."
"See?
was she was told.
The second bag was
smaller, and when Aida looked inside, she saw a long, black velvet box.
Oh, no," she said, trying to hand the bag back.
spoiled, Sands. All I've ever asked for
is enough to survive, and you've given that more generously than I could have
ever imagined, but expensive jewelery is just too much.
Christmas, that would be one thing, but it's not."
Sands shook his
head in mild exasperation. "It is
your birthday, Aida. Or it will be in a few days. If there has to be a reason
behind every gift I give you then how about this… Consider each gift a birthday
present for a birthday I was unable to attend."
"You don't
understand," she said. "Gifts
. . . gifts have always been practical.
I've never been well-off enough for them to be anything else.
softly.
"Why does
everything have to be fucking practical? Aida, that's the point of gift-giving.
That's it's impractical. That there's
no other reason behind it than simply the spirit of the moment. Why won't you
let me do this for you? I like giving
you things," he said with a sigh.
"You don't
understand how I can love talking to you, and I can't understand how you can
spend so much on me," she murmured, meeting his eyes.
aren't they? My words are worth this to
you, so you want to reciprocate the way I maku feu feel."
"Maybe,"
Sands admitted with a slight shrug. "It's just…I have money, Aida. You
know I do. I have a lot of it. I even have a few impersonal investments around
the world that make me even more
money. And yet, it's all pointless. Money is worthless if you have nothing or
no one to spend it on, Aida. Money doesn't bring me happiness. It never has and
it never will. But I have it and there's no changing that. At least let me do
these things from time to time for you. Because honestly, there's nothing else
I would rather spend any of my money on than you," he murmured softy.
"Alright.
enough to spend on me, but I won't complain I suppose.
fur coats, which I will never, ever wear."
"Fur's only
good for lining in the winter which we won't really have to worry about here.
Anything else is tacky," he said with a slightly disgusted face.
"Does that mean that you'll open the box now, Aida? I promise it's not a
fur coat."
She stuck her
tongue out at him, and opened the box, although not without some
trepidation. When she saw that it was a
simple obsidian pendant on a silver chain, she laughed in relief.
have had to say something, promises
to let him spend insane amounts of money on her or not.
Sands gave her a
bright smile. "I'm glad you like it, spitfire," he said softly.
"But…if you really don't like-want
me to be spending money on you, it's ok. I won't if that's what you want."
"I wanhatehatever will make you the happiest," she replied, moving around on the
couch until she was leaning against him.
"I just ask that you don't buy me totally useless items unless I specifically ask or hint that I want
them."
"What do you
mean by totally useless?"
"Umm . . . I
can't think of anything at the moment, but that's probably because all the
totally useless things I can think of aren't that expensive.
something that you think would fit my criteria, ask before purchasing it,
otherwise you will be taking it back."
Sands sighed.
"But then there's no surprise. Never mind. Alright. I'll keep that in
mind, Aida."
"Thank
you." She kissed his cheek.
kind of lifestyle is still new to me.
The kind of things you casually buy on a whim are the type of things I
can to scrimp to save at second-hand stores."
"You're
welcome. I will," he said with a small half-smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to overwhelm you. This lifestyle, as you call it, is all I've ever
known."
"I know.
and these things don't make me happy. Knowing
why you bought the gifts is more
important than the gifts themselves."
Sands shrugged.
"I did it because I wanted to. And you asked for the pajamas."
"But you
wanted to because you love me, and that's why I'm not going to tell you that
you didn't have to buy silk, and cheap prom jewelry would have done just as
well."
"Cheap things
break. Quality things are expensive," he murmured.
"I never
mu
much of a reason to get dressed up. I
never wore anything fancy enough times for it to break.
buying."
"Then I'll
have to take you out sometime. Just for one night. Nothing overwhelming, just
one night."
"Okay.
"Did you want
to dress up?" he asked causally. "I'll…leave the details up to you.
Anything you like, spitfire."
"I don't have
anything to wear that's really dressy."
"Then you have
two options if you want to get dressed up, that is. One is to come with me out
shopping and get you something. The other is for me to get you something by
myself. Whichever you prefer."
"Don't want to
go out," she sighed, letting her head loll.
But I trust your judgment . . . most of the time that is.
electric razor so I can get rid of what's left of my hair, and we could hit
Port of Call again."
"If that's
that you want."
"I want you to
surprise me. And I promise not to say a
thing about prices no matter what you choose."
"I've never
seen you dressed up before, Aida," he said with a small smile with just a
hint of regret in it. "I think I'd like to."
"If that's
what you want to do, I won't say a thing."
"If that's
what you want to do, I won't say a thing.
Especially since I've never seen you . . . well, I suppose you're always
dressed up compared to me, but you know what I mean."
"I guess I
do," he said with a smile. "Are you going to give me any instructions
on style, length or color or are you just going to leave it up to my
discretion?"
"Nothing
that's going to make me look any skinnier or paler than I really am."
"I think so,
yes."
"So no black
spandex min-dresses then?" he
teased with a slight smirk. "I got it."
"You could get
something like that. I'd never wear it,
but you could buy it. Actually I was
thinking nothing along the lines of black, low-cut in front or back, cling to
the skin type dresses. Something in rose
wouldn't make me look terribly unhealthy though."
"Rose, huh?
Any preference on sleeves?" he pressed. He wanted the dress he got for her
to be perfect. She deserved nothing less.
"As long as
there are some, or even just think straps," she demonstrated, "should
be fine."
"Thick straps.
I got it. I'll go find this possibly rose, loose-fitting, thick strapped dress
for you in a little while. Right now I just want to stay here with you."
"Good.
"Cards? What
kind of cards? I don't know very many card games, Aida."
She grinned.
to know how to play war."
"Yes, I know
how to play war," Sands said wryly. "Have you even got a deck of
cards, though?"
"Upstairs in
the draw by my bed."
"Do you want
me to go get them or do you want to go upstairs?"
"Don't want to
move," she said. "I'm a lazy
bum."
"I love you
anyway, lazy bum," he said as he turned to give her a kiss on the
forehead. "I'll be right back." He got up to get the cards.
"You did
not!" she half-laughed, half-yelled.
"I put that king
down! Not you."
"I did to put
that king down, spitfire. I'm not even cheating yet. All's fair in love and
war," he teased with a smirk.
"You
king." She tried to pry his hand
up.
"I didn't see
your name on it, wife mine," Sands said with a
cards he was trying to take from her.
"Sure, you buy
me jewelry, but you won't give me the cards I rightfully won.
"Because you didn't
rightfully win them, spitfire. It was my
king," he argued playfully.
"You're
lying," she accused, giving up on trying to move his hand.
her hands around his neck, pretending to strangle him.
Sands just laughed.
"This game of war is living up to its name," he said wryly as he
wrapped his arms around her waist and let her have her fun.
"I have not
yet begun to fight, she uttered before moving her hands from his neck to his
sides and commencing with her tickling campaign.
He quickly moved to
grab her wrists but not before she coaxed a few squirming laughs out of him.
"Procedures like that will get you in trouble, spitfire. There are rules
of war and cruel and unusual punishment is definitely not allowed."
"Neither is
cheating," she shot back, trying to free her hands.
"Alright fine.
I offer up a flag of truquotquot; he said, keeping a firm grip on her hands.
"I'll admit to the possibility of me having cheated, if you'll stop
tickling me."
"Possibility!"
she cried. "Possibility! Nothing less
than a full confession will satisfy me."
"You drive a
hard bargain. Alright fine. I cheated. It was your king. But I was still
winning before that!"
"Were
not."
"Were
too."
"Were
not."
Sands had been
about to respond with yet another assurance of the victory he had had in hand
when the phone rang. "Do you want me to get that?" he said, moving to
just incase she said yes.
"I don't want
to move," she grinned. That was his
punishment for cheating and lying
about cheating, and be so
self-assured.
"Fine,"
he murmured moving to get the phone and bringing it back with him to the couch
before answering it. It was probably a fucking telemarketer. "Hello?"
"Hello, may I
speak to my daughter-wait, this isn't…Sands is it?" Mrs. Grant asked
hopefully.
&qum…&qm…"
Fuck. He was caught. "Yes it is, Mrs. Grant," he answered, sending
Aida a slight glare.
"Oh cut out
the Mrs. Grant stuff. If you're my son-in-law the least you can do is call me
Susan. Even if we haven't met face to face yet." From the way Susan Grant
phrased this, she was practically ordering Sands to do something to change this
fact soon.
"Yes ma'am. I
mean, Susan," Sands said, feeling a bit flustered.
Aida smiled and
shook her head, only imagining what tone her mother was using to get her
husband to respond in such a way.
Whatever it was though, he'd probably feel more comfortable by her, or
at least she w.
finger at him.
"Well, tell me
about yourself…Sands. You know, it's rather awkward calling you by your last
name. Would you mind if I called you Sheldon?"
"I would very
much appreciate it…Susan, if you called me Sands. I've never cared for my first
name," Sands said as he took a seat next to his wife on the couch.
"I'll tell you
a secret. I've never really liked the name Susan either. But you can't very
well call me Grant now can you?" she asked with a laugh, doing her best to
put Sands at ease. It wasn't really working, but Sands didn't mind pretending
that it was. "So, you haven't told me anything about you yet. Come on now,
I'm not going to bite, I promise."
"What would
you like to know?" Sands asked cautiously.
"Where did you
grow up? Your accent's definitely not from around here."
"I grew up
near
"Oh, the capitol
city itself, huh? And your parents? Will I get to meet them as well?"
"My parents
have been dead since I was 17, Mrs. Grant," Sands said softly.
"Oh. I'm
sorry. I didn't mean to bring up sad memories. Do forgive me. Do you have any
other family? Brothers and sisters? Aida has quite a few as I'm sure she must
have mentioned," Susan said, recovering from his talk about his parent's
death quickly and attempting to move on to other topics with a grace that Sands
had to give her credit for.
"No. I'm an
only child. I don't have very much family left to tell you the truth."
"Well, you'll
have more than enough now," Susan said kindly.
"Yes, I
suppose I will."
"You said you
were independently wealthy? I do hope you don't think I'm trying to pry, but a
mother worries about whether or not her daughter is being taken care of. You
sound like a very nice young man, but a mother worries."
that for a second, but answered her question anyway. "I inherited
everything in the advent of my parents' death. The amount
was…considerable."
Again Aida smiled,
although this time she got up onto her knees and whispered into his ear,
"You should have told her that your love for me is as deep as the ocean,
and we shall have no need for paltry and
shallow things like money as long as our love sustains us."
Sands smiled at her
and mouthed 'Perhaps I will,' to her before Mrs. Grant spoke again.
"How
considerable?" Susan asked gently.
"Considerable
enough so that I don't have to worry about money, Mrs. Grant."
"I see."
Mrs. Grant cleared her throat briefly before speaking again. "How old are
you, Sands? I don't believe you mentioned."
"I am
twenty-seven as of last February, Mrs. Grant."
"Well that's
good then. You and Aida are relatively the same age. Not that that's
important," she said hastily.
"Of course
not, Mrs. Grant," Sands said slowly.
"Well, I think
I've held you up long enough. I'm sure we'll speak again soon. Would you tell
Aida hello for me and that I love her? I don't want to bother her right now and
I'm sure I'll call back tomorrow to talk to her anyway. And to tell you the
truth, I don't want to hear her telling me not to 'harass' you any longer. A
mother has a right to ask such things about the man her daughter has married,
don't you think? Actually, I called in the hopes of speaking to you, so I'm
glad we had the opportunity to have this little chat. I look forward to meeting
you in person Sands."
"As I you,
Mrs. Grant," Sands responded automatically.
"You're lying
but I'll let it slide," Susan said with a light laugh.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Sands hung up the phone and turned to his wife. "Well, that was fun,"
he said dryly. "Next time you're answering the phone."
"It was going
to happen sooner or later, my love. I
can only make so many excuses for you before I have to come out and say 'He
doesn't want to talk to you.' And that
of course, would require explanation, and even I don't want to explain
"Who says? I
think I cracked a knuckle gripping that fucking phone," he muttered.
"I don't like talking to them,
Aida. The whole family thing just makes me fucking uneasy, alright?"
"Then I
suppose that it's good you ease into it, because now they now that you don't
really need to work, so there's no real reason for you to avoid them when they
come visit." She climbed into his
lap, straddling his legs so she could face him.
"Just relax. They're truly
not trying to interrogate you, and they'll reserve judgment until after they've
met you. And how could they do anything
but accept you after they see how much we love each other?"
"I don't worry
about them accepting me, Aida. I don't care if they don't. It won't change
anything. It's important to you, but not to me. I don't know these people. And
I've had enough of family to last me a fucking lifetime," he muttered.
"It'll be
different. You'll see.
"You can't promise
me that."
"Well, then
think about this. My parents had a great
deal of influence with who I am today.
With making me the woman you love.
I'm very much like them in a lot of ways.
some qualities that you like."
"You haven't
seen them in ten years, Aida. How much have you changed in that time? How much
have they?"
"Time hasn't
changed the fact that I have my Papa's eyes and my Momma's laugh.
that adventurous spirit that they nurtured in me.
after. It doesn't change the fact that
they are still worried about me. Time
has changed them so that they're not forbidding me to see you, or pressuring us
to get remarried by a priest, or to start attending church.
"I suppose I
will. They're coming anyway," he murmured.
"I'll even
tell them to take things easy for the first day or so, just so you can get used
to them. And I won't tell them any more
than you want me to."
"Tell them
whatever you want, Aida. I don't care. They've already got enough information
on me to find out who I am and what I've done, so it doesn't really matter what
you tell them."
"Don't say
that," she said, her eyes worried.
"Papa might joke about things like that, but he'd never actually do
it." Her palms cupped his
face. "If nothing else, my parents
trust my judgment. If I say that you're
the one, that I love you more than anything and despite anything, and that you
feel the same about me, that's all that's going to matter."
"Are you sure
about that? Something tells me that if they found out their precious prodigal
daughter was married to a murderer they might not trust your judgment so much
anymore."
"They're not
going to find out because they're not going to check.
"So what. I
think under the circumstances I have a right to brood."
"No you don't,
because it makes me miserable. I was
right about beating my cancer, and I'm right about my parents, and you owe me a
fine."
Sands sighed.
"Fine. What do you want?"
"I've a good
mind to spank you," she muttered.
"Maybe that'd get through to your thick head."
"Not likely.
And who says I'm going to let you do something like that?"
"It's a
fine. You don't get any say in it."
"Who
says?"
"How is it a
fine otherwise?" Aida asked, finding it somewhat ridiculous that they were
taking the time to debate this.
"Fine. I don't
care. Take your fine. Go crazy," he muttered.
"I didn't say
I was going to," she muttered back.
"Besides, you'd probably end up enjoying it."
have a bit of a guilt complex.
"Yeah,
probably."
"If the point
is to punish you so you don't sulk
again, maybe I should make you spank me, which you would not enjoy."
"I'm not
sulking and I'm not going to spank you, Aida."
"You are too
sulking. It's just another word for
brooding. As are pouting, moping,
throwing a pity party, and being moody."
"So I'm moody.
The moods don't last."
"Yeah.
come find me. Maybe then I'll attempt to
reassure you again."
"Don't. Don't
leave. I'm sorry."
Aida just cradled
her face in her hands in defeat. "Sands?
around and listen to you wax pessimistic.
Do you understand that?
"I
understand," he said slowly. "I just didn't want you to leave."
Aida didn't think
he did understand, but that wasn't
his fault. It was his parents' fault,
and she hated them for it. So while on
one hand she knew she needed to leave just to show him that it could be for
positive reasons, on the other, she didn't want to reinforce that faulty
thinking.
In the end, she
compromised and climbed off his lap.
He almost asked her
not to leave again before seeing that she wasn't, and fell silent. She didn't
want him to be pessimistic so he stayed silent until he thought he could do
that for her. "Your mother…did sound nice," he said finally.
Aida nodded.
She's a good mom."
"That's good.
I'm happy for you," he said with an almost smile. "I'm glad you got
to make up."
"I'm glad you
get to met her. She'd mother you if you
let her."
"That's…ok. I
don't want to be mothered," he said softly. "Not anymore."
"You let
me."
"As if I had a
choice on that matter," he almost smiled again.
"I'm glad I
found you when I did," she murmured, watching him.
"What do you
mean, when you did?"
"The day.
much as I need you."
"You're…right.
Those days…I was losing it. Truth be told, if things had gone on for much longer
the way they had been I would have just given up to Jeffrey sooner or
later," he admitted softly.
"It's more
than that. You, the man
needed me. You do need me."
"My parents
didn't teach me how to be anything but to be strong in the face of everything
and ruthless, Aida."
"No, they
taught you more than that. Perhaps they
never set out to do it, perhaps they didn't mean to, but they did.
room for five minutes to show them what their negligence showed you."
"What did they
teach me, Aida? And if it's the same to you I'm glad they're not here."
"They taught
you that you weren't important enough to make concessions for.
was childish, inconsequential, and meaningless.
They taught you that being left alone was something to be disliked, and
at times to be used as a punishment.
They taught you that no matter what you did, it wasn't enough to earn
their love. They taught you that love
had to be earned."
lessons from their own parents, that doesn't make what they did right.
that they were sorry excuses for human beings, and pitiable excuses for parents."
Sands honestly
didn't know what to say to any of that. Mostly because, deep down everything
she had accused his parents of teaching him was true. "You forgot being
talked to only when there was a good reason," he muttered with a mixture
between a scowl and a frown. "And that friends were distractions," he
said bitterly. "I'm glad they're dead."
"And that's
why you need me. I'm at least helping to
change some of those notions, aren't I?"
"Maybe a
little," Sands murmured. "Doesn't stop me from reacting the way I
always have though: thanking you for talking to me or getting worried that you
were mad at me if you wanted a moment alone." Bitterness practically
dripped from his voice.
“Old habits die
hard,” was all she said, reaching over to take his hand.
"Or don't die
at all," he murmured, allowing her to interlock her fingers with his.
"Just give it
time. You're giving up too easily."
"If you say
so," he said with a slight sigh.
"I do.
is."
Sands gave her a
small smile. "I love you very much, my wise wife."
"See?
me. Listening to all my advice is very
wise."
"Well then, oh
wise one, what is your advice for me now?" Sands asked casually.
"Umm.
languishing wife some oatmeal?"
"Oatmeal?"
Sands raised an eyebrow at that before biting at his bottom lip a little in
thought. "Yeah, I suppose I could do that."
"Of course you
can. You just follow the instructions on
the package, and you know its done when it sticks to the bottom of the
pan." He looked at her and she
shrugged. "I like my oatmeal on the
dry side."
"Alright. Do
you just want straight oatmeal or would you like something else with it?"
"Oatmeal with
lots of butter and brown sugar. And a
glass of milk."
"Alright. I'll
just bring you the extras and you can fix it up how you like it." He gave
her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right back."
Salida was relaxing a tub of hot and very smelly - in a
girly way - water, bubbles up to her chin, hair piled on top of her head, and
eyes closed when she heard the door to the bathroom open.
would dare interrupt her while she was undressed and half asleep, she didn't
bother to open her eyes.
Jeffrey smiled at
the sight of his wife so completely relaxed and kneeled at the side of the tub.
He would have joined her, smelly water notwithstanding, but he didn't know how
much longer she wanted to stay in. "Having fun, vixen?" he asked
softly, not wanting to jar her out of the relaxed mood she was in.
"No.
is involved," she murmured, "and the only action I'm currently
involved in is turning oxygen into CO2."
"I see,"
Jeffrey said with another smile, trailing fingers through the water and bubbles
just to see the ripples. "Do you want me to leave you to your
relaxing?"
"Were you
going to try to talk me into doing anything that might be considered an
activity?"
"Talk? No. I
wasn't even going to say a word if you liked the silence."
"I do...but I
like your voice too. It's a toss
up." She thought for a moment.
in
"Alright,
story time. I suppose I can do that. But first…mind if I join you, vixen? I
promise I will only tell stories if that's all you want. Scout's honor,"
he said with a smile and a raised hand.
"You're going
to come out smelling like roses."
Jeffrey shrugged.
"I'll take my chances. And I can always take a shower again later to get
to smelling like normal again."
"Alright."
Jeffrey rose to his
feet and quickly but silently got undressed and moved into the tub across from
his wife amidst the bubbles and the rose-smelling water. It was a little
overpowering, to tell you the truth, but the sight of his relaxed and content
wife across the bubbly landscape more than made up for it. "You sure you
want to hear this story, vixen? Not all of it's…pleasant."
"I'm used to
life not being pleasant."
"A little
pessimistic, but not unfounded." He paused to gather his thoughts and
leaned back in the tub, enjoying the warmth if not the smell. "I was in
fleeing the DC and Baltimore police, vixen. But that's not the beginning of the
story. That's the end. The beginning has to with a woman named Yvette," he
absently ran a finger over Sands' tattoo bearing her name. "I killed her
after Sands brought her home. I won't go into details, but let's just say I was
fucking tired of being in the background, and I wanted him to take notice of
me. It worked. Unfortunately, this also drew attention from Yvette's
co-workers. It turned out she worked for the CIA. That was a bit of a surprise,
to tell you the truth."
"CIA?"
she asked slowly, opening one eye.
"I thought you said it was just cops
after you. The CIA is another matter
entirely."
"I didn't want
to worry you. And to tell you the truth, I don't think they were using any of
the resources they had available with the CIA to find me. It was more personal
than that. They wanted to find me the good old fashioned way."
"And when they
can't find you?" She shook her
head. "Sorry, conversation for
another time. Please continue."
"It's strange
now that I think of it, but Sands and I were very careful to hide our tracks
after that first murder. We disposed of the body along with that of a
transvestite-it's a long story that I don't really want to get into-very
carefully. But after that, I don't know. I think Sands was just a little
unhinged by the whole having another person in your head thing. Which is
fucking stupid because he knew I was there already. I just wasn't like I am
now. But that doesn't matter."
Salida
shrugged. "I think it's that until
we actually take control, they can delude themselves into thinking that they're
imagining things."
"Maybe so.
Whatever it was freaked him out more than little. He went fucking psycho. We had
fled to
were getting close in DC. Sands knew someone there and we hid out at his
fucking mansion for awhile. There was a Halloween party that I won't get into,
and a few more dead bodies to add to the count, but that was all right before
Sands fucking snapped. He took a gun from the girl he had just fucked and
killed and went out and started shooting people at random. He must have killed
30 fucking people before the cops managed to take us down."
"Wow.
That must be some sort of record."
After that came out of her mouth, she realized what he'd just said.
You were shot?!"
"Yeah, while I
was trying to fucking surrender, no less. Stupid fucking cop," he muttered
darkly. "I was shot in the stomach, vixen. It wasn't fatal, but it hurt
like a son of a bitch. Thctorctor's fixed me up just fine and you can't even
hardly see the scar now. I managed to escape the hospital and made my way to
There's your story."
Salida not only
opened her eyes, but she also moved over to lean against him.
bleeding. Stomach wounds can be
deadly. What if you had died?"
"I didn't,
vixen," Jeffrey said softly, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm just
fine. There was never any danger of me dying. The cops wanted to keep me alive
long enough to prosecute me so they took me to the hospital and I was just
fine."
"But you could
have. And then we wouldn't have any
children, and I wouldn't bother to stick around, and Tess would be back in
and Grant would be a corpse."
"Don't worry
about what could have been, worry
about what is, vixen. I'm here with
you, the children are just fine, Tess doesn't matter, and kitty's still
here." He held her tightly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm here now, Salida. And that will never change." He paused and
went over what she had said. "You said 'we,' vixen," he said with
small smile. He didn't want to be too hopeful, but he couldn't help it.
"You said, then we wouldn't have
any children."
"Well...we
wouldn't. I takes two you
know." She was puzzled by his
reaction.
"Yes, I am
aware of that, vixen. But by saying we then you are at least in some part
beginning to…accept," he said softly. Maybe he was reading too much into
it, but he didn't think so.
"Accept
what?" What was the big deal?
"The children,
vixen. That they're there. That they're ours." His hopeful mood was
beginning to fade quickly at her misunderstanding. "Nevermind. Forget I
said anything."
"Of course
they're ours. It's not as if they're
really being dropped of by the stork."
She was obviously missing something in all this.
"Just forget
it. It doesn't matter," Jeffrey said with a gentle shake of his head.
"No, I want to
understand." She always felt like a
child looking over a counter when things like this happened.
the whole picture.
Jeffrey hesitated
briefly before speaking, feeling a strong urge for a cigarette for some reason.
He ignored it and spoke, "It's just…when you say things like that, it
makes me think that you've…accepted the fact that we're going to have children,
vixen. That you're not simply…resigned to the fact anymore. Maybe I'm wrong. I
don't know," he said quietly, resisting the urge to fidget.
"Is there a
difference between being resigned and accepting things?"
"Yes. There
really is."
"Oh...well...the
thought of having kids doesn't make me want to cry anymore.
"Kind
of," he said with a slight shrug. He wanted to ask her what the thought of
having kids did make her feel, but he
kept his mouth shut.
"Jeffrey...you
have to help me. Make me
understand. Tell me how I'm supposed to
feel. Am I supposed to want to learn to
knit so I can make baby booties? Am I
supposed to spend ridiculous amounts of money to make a nest for them?
about how wonderful motherhood is?
What?"
"No…you don't
have to do anything like that if you don't want to. That's not up to me. I just
want…I want you to be happy about it, vixen. That's all I've ever wanted."
"What if I'm
something?" She was worried now.
"You will be.
I believe that.&qu/p>
/p>
"But what if
I'm not?" Would he be disappointed
in her? Would he forgive her?
"Then I and
the children will keep working at you until you are, vixen," he said
softly but determinedly.
"No, what if
I'm never happy about being pregnant?"
"Do you mean
the physical aspects of it, or more than that," he asked with some
hesitation, waiting for her answer.
"Just the
whole, being fat, and bloated, and always hungry, and tired, and cranky, and
being beaten paquotquot;
"I'm sorry,
vixen. I can't imagine what it must be like for you," he said, looking
across the room away from her. "I can only say, that it won't last
forever. And I know how fucking hypocritical that sounds." He then
frowned. "Wait, being beaten? What are you talking about?"
"Well, sooner
or lathey'hey're all going to have functioning legs.
move around . . ."
"Oh. Yeah.
Sorry." He didn't know what else to say.
"Not your
fault, and you're going to suffer with me."
"Oh? Ok."
"Mmm-hmm.
either."
"That's
fair."
"You're
upset," she sighed.
"No, I'm not.
I'm alright."
"No...you're
hiding. You're not talking to me."
"I'm not
hiding. I'm right here, vixen. And this, what I'm doing now, is talking to
you." He paused. "I'm just not sure how I feel about all of this
right now. I'm not upset, I know that."
"Neither am
I." Her eyes caught his.
"Not what?
Sure about how you feel, or upset?" he asked, wanting to look away again
for some indefinable reason but caught by her gaze.
"Not
upset. I'm not upset."
"Well, neither
am I, vixen. So don't worry. I…didn't mean to ruin your moment of relaxation
like this. I'm sorry."
"No... It's
not your fault. I'm just
excitable."
small smile.
"Yeah, but I'm
unreasonably excitable. I can't even
remember how we got onto this topic."
"Then don't
try. Just go back to relaxing."
"Well...then
l mel me another story. Tell me when you
first realized you had fallen madly in love with the tall, mysterious, brunette
who walked into your life out of the blue."
"I won't lie
to you, it didn't happen right away. I didn't know love then." He paused
and took a moment to collect his thoughts. "It was in Vegas. I wasn't
quite 'in love' then, but I knew that I carer yor you. I knew that because I
didn't want to hurt you."
"We were in
Vegas for awhile, lover. You're going to
have to be more specific."
"It was in the
bathtub, ironically. You told me that you were sore from all of our frenzied,
all caution thrown to the wind, marathon sex session," he allowed himself
a slight smirk at this. "And I remembered that I felt bad that I had hurt
you and that I didn't want to do it again. I cared about you."
She smiled softly
and let the water relax her again.
"I remember that. But you
said that's when you started to care for me.
When did you full-out decide you loved me?"
"After."
He cleared his throat. "After I tried to kill you. You were willing to
give me anything and everything. You forgave me even after all of that. You
still loved me and I was...overwhelmed. I couldn't imagine life without you
after that and I didn't want to. I only wanted to love and to be loved,"
he winced a little at the sappiness in his tone, but didn't comment on it.
"No
one had evered med me before that.
Nothing else mattered, because you said you loved me."
"I meant it.
Every word. And I still love you more than anything else on this earth, Salida.
I love you so much that it hurts when I'm away from you." He moved his
hands to her face and cradled her head and just looked at her. "I love
you."
"And I'll
always love you. And everything you give
me." Including children.
It was a choice of
either exploding or kissing her, so he chose the more favorable of the options
without hesitation and moved to kiss her passionately on the lips. He was a man
driven by his blood, and it was screaming at him to show this beautiful woman
before him just how much he loved her.
His actions,
however, weren't in line with Salida's idea of a relaxing evening.
between kisses. "I don't think this
is a good time."
Jeffrey stopped with
a slight sigh and gave her a weak smile. "No actions, I remember. You were
relaxing. Sorry. I just wanted to kiss you. I'll be good, I promise."
"Alright, but
just kisses."
Jeffrey shook his
head. "It's never 'just kisses' with me and you know it. Just let me hold
you and I'll be more than fine.'
He was right.
"You'll wake me if I fall asleep?" she asked as she laid her
head on his shoulder.
Jeffrey nodded.
"Either that or we'll both fall asleep and drown together. It'll be
romantic," he teased gently before growing serious. "Yes, if that's
what you want."
He held her close "I like you "You do? "Because then "Oh. Sorry "You smell "That's good "No, "What do I smell "You Jeffrey was oddly "You know "A "Oh, I don't "One should "What if I bet "Easy. I have "Not the "Um…pure "That's what "Wait a "No you can't, "I can do it, "Care to set "Fine. You "Well, I don't "Alright fine. "Alright. "Among other "And Jeffrey hesitated "Promise "Alright "What happened "I am "Good. I'm "Have I ever "No, but "Don't you "Why don't you "I like Jeffrey smirked at "Oh, I don't "Sounds "Show me where "Why? It's in "I've never Jeffrey sighed but Salida cocked her "It's nothing "Alright," "I'm really "There's Jeffrey shrugged as "I know. "I know, She sighed and "No, "You're lying, "Good," "Likewise, "No. "Sure," "Alright. Jeffrey sighed. "That you're "What do you "Well, I'm not "Maybe. I "Something "Like what, "Like just how "I have no "Jeffrey, "Why?" he "Just answer "Spread. And "Alright. &quolk.&lk." Sweat?" "Sex." "Shower?" "Steam." "Steam?" "Sex," he "Wife?" "Love." "Love?" "Cupid." She slanted a look "Exercise." "Exercise?" "Sweat," "Sweat?" "You asked "Alright, so I "It proves "I say that at "I already "But your mind "Why? How does "It means I'll "If you say "Trying to "Don't. If you "How am I "Fine. You're "So teasing is Jeffrey nodded, "Of course, if He shook his head. "No, when I He looked up at her "Of course, "I suppose so, "Would you "Why would you "Oh, and "For the Without replying, "I'm sorry, She kept her mouth Jeffrey sighed and Salida pretended to Before he could suddenly dry throat. "Why do you want to win this bet so much?" he "Because its "Why?" he "Because "Is it, now? "I am. "Not at the "Can "No." "I love He allowed her the When she felt him Jeffrey pulled back "But I like "Are you going She sighed and slid "We'll see, "If, and this "Wanna "What more "Stakes will "Fine. Why "Alright." "That's…good. "You play with "Oh. Of course "Exactly. "Maybe. But "Fine. "No funny "But I'm going "I know. I "Would you "What? No. "You sounded "Oh. No, that "Or "No. That Salida turned and She had him there. "Oh Jeffrey ran a weary Without throwing Jeffrey had just She nodded, and "Thank "I like it "Mm-hmm," Salida finally "t tht that "No, the point "We'll have to "Night, Jeffrey laid an
sighed, content just to sit and listen to his h.
under the water and bubbles and was content. "You do smell good, vixen. I
like it. I'm not sure it's the same for me, but that's alright.
said softly.
smelling like me," she murmured.
Why?" he asked curiously.
you don't smell like Grant."
about that. You can make me smell like you whenever you like, vixen."
good when you smell like you too," she offered.
to know."
really. I like the way you smell."
like, vixen?"
smell...dark. Like smoke and sex."
pleased by this. "Well, that's something I suppose," he said with a
smile.
what?" she asked lazily, a smile coming to her lips to match.
nymphomaniac? Me? Whatever gave you that idea, vixen?" he asked
innocently.
know. Perhaps the fact that you still
don't let me shower alone."
never shower alone. It can be very bad for you," he said with mock-gravity.
you that you couldn't go 48 hours without sex?"
before thanks to Sands," he drawled with a slight scowl.
same. It's the emotional connection you
crave. How else is it that after a full
day of them fucking each other senseless, you're able to come back to me and do
it all again?"
insatiableness?" he ventured.
most people would call an addiction. But
since I know you can't do it, I'm not going to force you to try -"
minute. Who said I couldn't do it? I didn't say that. It's not what I
and I know how you feel about fail-"
vixen," Jef int interrupted. "There won't be any failure to have to
worry about."
rules for our little wager?"
said 4urs,urs, right? Will 48 hours between us, not 48 hours with Sands taking
up half of the time. Limited teasing is allowed in order to hedge your bets,
but no actual sex."
know. That doesn't seem fair.
to you. Like it's getting so hot that I
don't wear much to bed. And you insist
on showering with me. I'm not going to
start showering when you're not around just so you have an easier time."
What then? Keep up our routines save the foreplay and the sex? Does that
suit?"
me?"
things, yes. But you're not going to win so you won't have to worry about
that." He thought for a long minute about the wager. He turned down
several ideas that would have benefited him as well as her, with the thought
that she'd probably turn them down because he was being selfish. "How
about…a day of me doing whatever you want? No sex unless you want it, no
nothing except what you want me to do. You can spend the whole day relaxing if
you like, and I'll make it so that you'll have me all day long. Sands and I
will come to some sort of an…agreement."
what? I get this day
yourself. And since I know you're not
going to able to do, I'm giving you carte blanche if you actually manage to hold out.
Whou dou decide you're ready for me to put you out of your misery
though, all you have to do is come into the room, and close those ever so
functional restraints around your wrists.
And I shall then put you out of your misery at my leisure."
at that, not really liking the options, but then he reminded himself that he
had nothing to worry about because he was not
going to lose. "Deal."
me," she said. If he promised, then
he'd have no other choice than to follow through when he lost.
ask for this. No, wait you're going to win. Stop your whining. "I
promise, vixen."
then." She kissed the crook of his
neck. "The bet."
"Starts." Kiss.
to you're relaxation and no action rules, vixen?" he asked wryly, pushing
down the sudden instinct to respond to his wife's attentions.
relaxed." After a quick, nibbling
kiss on his earlobe, she once again returned her head to his shoulder.
glad. I want you to be, vixen," he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of
her head again. He wasn't really in the mood to tease at the moment. He
honestly wasn't in the mood with the knowledge that he couldn't take it further
than that. For now he was content to just keep on holding her as he had been
before.
mentioned how much I love being held by you?" she murmured, settling
herself more comfortably against him.
that's ok. I love holding you, vixen so it all works out just fine," he
said with a gentle smile.
want to know why I enjoy it so
much?" Her voice was evil.
tell me, vixen," he asked, struggling to keep his composure at her tone.
feeling you so tight against me, so strong, so much harder than I am. It makes
me feel feminine and safe."
the well-timed emphasis in her tone. "You're incredibly devious and I love
you for it, vixen. But you're not going to win that easy."
expect to win in an hour. No,
hours...and hours...and hours...of hard, intense work."
exhausting to me. All I want to do is relax," he drawled, leaning back
against the rim of the tub and sinking a little deeper into the still slightly
warm water.
you got shot?" she asked suddenly, seemingly giving up her tactics for the
moment.
the past, vixen. It's just another scar."
noticed it before. Please show me?"
nodded. "Move back a little." When she did, he lifted himself out of
the tub just enough so that he could show her where he had gotten shot those
many months ago. "Right here," he murmured, running a finger along
the patch of raised flesh directly beneath his ribcage and just a little right
off center. "Took a nice chunk out of my liver, but I was fine
otherwise."
head and looked at it, unsure of how she'd ever missed it.
simply for the sake of driving her husband mad with lust, but it truly wasn't a
laughing matter. It was an ugly reminder
of how close he'd come to not being here now.
really. The scar's barely even noticeable and my liver's fine. I'm fine. The
doctor's did their jobs, I must admit, but I'd rather just forget about all of
it."
she said softly, suddenly a bit subdued.
fine, Salida. There was never a question of me not being so," he tried to
reassure her, not liking the tone her voice had taken.
always that question whenever anyone gets shot.
You should know that," she murmured, moving back so he could once
more relax.
he slid back beneath the water. "I'm not trying to be cavalier about the
whole thing, but really I was more worried about being caught than I ever was
about being shot, vixen."
It's just that as your wife, as long as you're alive, there's a chance of
escape."
vixen," he said with a fond smile, unbelievably proud of the fact that she
would bust him out of jail if need be. It made him feel kind of like
to her Bonnie, although he would never be stupid enough to get caught like they
had been.
stood as the water grew cool, leaving her husbands face almost level with the
juncture of her thighs. "Getting
up, lover?"
can do this. "Yeah, I'd probably better. Wouldn't want to catch a
chill," he drawled with a smirk as he stood and moved out of the tub. As
he handed her a towel and got one for himself he made a face. "Tell me
straight. Do I smell like a walking flower shop?"
absolutely not." She didn't quite
manage to keep her face straight.
but you know what? I don't care. I don't want to take another shower now. I'll
turn into a fucking prune," he muttered, looking down at his wrinkled
fingertips with a snort of irritation.
she murmured, dropping her towel so she could wrap her arms around him.
and it was only between their lower halves.
"I like it when you smell like me."
vixen," he murmured, placing a gentle kiss on the underside of jaw before
extracting himself from her embrace. "Would you like to go out to eat
tonight, vixen?"
eat that cake. Care to join me?"
he said with a nonchalant shrug. "I could eat" He bent over and
gathered up his shed clothes in his arms. He didn't feel like getting dressed
though. It wasn't lust to take things further with his wife while in that
state, he wasn't losing that bet, more like laziness.
downstairs, would you?"
"Alright, fine," he muttered, moving into their bedroom and dropping
the pile of clothes onto the bed before using the towel to dry the water from
his naked skin and getting dressed. He didn't bother with socks and shoes, and
he didn't button his shirt all the way, but he was dressed at least.
"Satisfied?" he asked his wife, holding his arms out at his sides for
her to take in his fully dressed state.
covered? Yes.
She took his hand and they walked downstairs together.
mean about shocking anyone? There's no one around to shock, vixen. I know
everyone here. And I'd think you'd know me well enough by now not to be
shocked," he murmured as they descended the stairs.
shocked by much, but I don't know about Grant.
Her sensibilities might be more delicate."
guess I've never thought about it."
tells me there's a lot of things you never think about," she teased
wickedly, digging through the fridge to gather all the boxes she wanted.
vixen?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, moving past her to get his own
leftovers from yesterday that had gone uneaten even after he had received them.
undeniably sexy your wife is and how easily she's going to win the bet."
doubt in my mind that you were undeniably sexy, but you aren't going to win
that bet. Sorry to disappoint," he murmured as he transferred the contents
of the box he had grabbed to a plate.
what's the first thing that comes to mind when I say, 'bed'?"
asked warily, waiting for her to finish using the microwave so that he could
heat up his own dinner.
the question. I'm not trying to trap you
or anything."
sleeping." With you. He didn't
mention that part.
The word popped out of his mouth before he could stop it and it left him
feeling caught despite what she had said earlier.
grumbled, growing annoyed with this game.
at him as if she didn't quite believe him.
"Energetic."
he said with a bit of a snort.
she asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
that one already," he murmured upon seeing her smugness, turning to put
his dinner in the microwave and set the timer before turning back to her.
did. Which means, all your thoughts
eventually lead back to sex." She
drew the word out. "Which proves my
point."
nothing," Jeffrey muttered, taking his plate out of the microwave and
moving to sit at the table.
the very least, it proves that you've got a dirty mind."
tea, she joined him at the table.
knew that, vixen," he murmured, transferring a forkful of noodles from his
plate to his mouth and chewing slowly.
is dirtier tminemine, so it'll be easier for me to win."
that make any difference whatsoever?" he asked before eating more noodles.
have an easier time planning strategy."
so," he murmured, methodically twisting more noodles to his fork and
eating them.
focus on other things isn't going to help you," she grinned,
"especially since you can probably remember sitting in that chair as I
ducked under the table and -"
were so convinced that you were going to win you wouldn't be playing dirty like
this."
playing dirty? These are things we've
always been open to talking about."
right. I like to tease as much as you do. It's fun. I enjoy it. I won't deny
it."
part of our everyday life, and is therefore not off limits."
keeping his focus on cleaning his plate. He felt like he hadn't eaten since
yesterday, which under the circumstances was probably accurate.
you want to reconsider -"
"Not going to get me that easily," he murmured.
get you, you'll be hard."
at the comment and shook his head with a laugh. "Of that I have no doubt,
vixen."
it'll be my prerogative whether or not to let you off easily.
make me wait."
vixen," he said casually, taking a few more bites of his dinner.
like me to stop?"
stop? I don't really mind. It's keeping me entertained," he said with a
smirk.
that's my purpose in life," she muttered, taking a bite of food.
moment. But you're the one who started the teasing, vixen. Not me."
she simply took another bite of her food.
vixen. I didn't mean to upset you," he said with a slight sigh, laying his
fork down on his near-empty plate.
shut, wondering how far he'd take his apologizing, and whether or not she could
use it to her advantage.
rose from his seat to put his plate in the kitchen to deal with later before
returning to his seat. "I'm sorry," he said again.
sniff.
sorry. I'm a bas-er, a jerk for saying that. You have purpose," he got up
and moved to sit at her side, not knowing if she would want him in such close
proximity or not.
move away, she slid off the chair and into his lap, making sure to rub against
him as she did.
asked after grabbing her by the waist and holding her still. It wasn't much
relief, but at least she wasn't moving
against him and making things worse.
fun," she purred with a devilish smile.
"And I enjoy proving you wrong."
asked after closing his eyes briefly and trying to think about something else
besides his wife sitting so pleasantly heavy on his lap.
you're so very earnest, and it's cute.
And it's sexy to watch you try to resist me against your nature."
Will I'm glad you're having fun, vixen," he said dryly.
moment. You're being incredibly frustrating and you know it. Hell, you can
I?" She tried to squeeze her hand
between their bodies.
moment they were at an impasse. She couldn't move against him or get up, and he
couldn't let her go.
you," she grinned, leaning forward to give him a kiss.
kiss, mainly because he wanted to kiss her back.
respond, Salida relaxed and decided she'd tormented her husband enough for the
time being. Instead she sat in his lap and
kissed him back in a docile fashion.
with a sigh. Kissing her without the fire behind it-without having her respond
at least-wasn't nearly as much fun as their normal kisses were. "You can
get off of me now, vixen," he said as he let go of her hips.
where I'm sitting," she murmured, looking at him through half-lidded eyes.
to tease or are you going to just sit there? And no, those are not
options."
off his lap. "Fine.
vixen," he murmured, nonchalantly tugging on his pant legs a little.
asking for it," she said, self-confident.
is a big if, I do end up losing, I
won't be asking for anything, vixen. I'll be silent as a mouse and resigned to
my fate."
bet?" she asked slyly.
could you want for stakes now?" Jeffrey asked with a raised eyebrow.
be decided at a later time. I just want
to know if you're willing to bet on it."
not? What do I have to lose? Sure, I'll bet," he said with a casual wave
of his hand in dismissal.
"I love you even more, Jeffrey."
Why?" he asked curiously.
me. Tessa always ignored me, she never
even wanted to chat. I used to ask her
to play, but she never did. But
you...you do."
I do, vixen. I like playing with you. It's fun."
you." Her grin widened.
I'm not going to."
business, huh? Well with an offer like that how can I possibly refuse?" he
asked with a smile. "Lead the way, oh wonderfully devious wife of
mine."
to stop with the deviousness. For the
moment," Salida protested as they climbed back up the stairs."
believe you," he said as he walked behind her a few steps, sighing a
little as he watched her walk.
asked as she heard the sigh in his voice.
"Because I'm very good at it."
Wait, what do you mean?"
disappointed that I wasn't going to try anything.
that is."
wasn't the reason I sighed. Never mind. Sleep is just fine. I'm sure you'll
start in again with the deviousness tomorrow."
before. You're sexy when you're asleep."
would be considered cheating if I'm not awake to keep up my end of the
bet."
fixed a frown on him. in my sleep."
"I don't maul you, but
fine."
good." Smiling again, she went into
their room and promptly divested herself of her robe.
hand over his face when she wasn't looking and proceeded to get undressed
himself, but intentionally didn't remove his boxers. He had a feeling that it
was going to be a long night.
any sort of knowing look over her shoulder, Salida went into the bathroom and
pulled some pajamas out of a drawer.
When she came back it was fully covered and with hairbrush in hand.
moved underneath the covers when he saw her coming back and couldn't stop
himself from asking, "Can I brush your hair?" in a soft voice. He
liked doing that for her. It was a way to be close to her without sex, and
since that was all he had going for him at the moment, it made the action that
much more important.
took a seat by him on the bed. After
handing him the brush, she closed her eyes and sighed happily.
you," he said before bringing the brush to her head and brushing out her
hair in long gentle strokes. He was tempted to kiss her neck and shoulder in
such close proximity, but he repressed the urge knowing that once he started,
he wouldn't be able to stop. "I like brushing your hair, vixen," he
said suddenly, trying to get his thoughts off of sex for at least a few
minutes.
when you brush my hair," she murmured.
"It's very relaxing."
he responded with a smile, trying not to think of how good she smelled right
now. Just brush her hair. Concentrate on
brushing her hair and you'll be fine.
pulled away and reclaimed her brush.
"You were putting me to sleep," she sighed, climbing into bed
next to him.
supposed to be the point of doing it before bed?" he asked with a raised
eyebrow before laying himself flat on the mattress.
is to get all the tangles and loose hairs out.
However, that was nearly as relaxing as a massage."
test that theory. Some…other time," he said, rolling over on his side to
face her. "Goodnight, vixen. I love you."
lover." She turned so her back was
pressed against his chest, then closed her eyes.
almost proprietary arm across her waist kissed her shoulder gently before
letting sleep claim him.