“Baby, can you go inside and get the lights turned on and the heater cranked up? I’m going to start bringing all of our bags inside. I’m pretty sure you packed enough shit for a month.” I tell her as I walk around to the trunk and open it, grabbing the bags and setting them outside the car. Jesus I’m looking forward to burying myself in her tight little body. We aren’t leaving that damn bed for at least two days. I pick up the two heaviest bags and carry them towards the house when I hear a blood curdling scream from inside. Dropping the bags I take off running full speed. Barely making it up the stairs, until I see her standing on the kitchen table pointing at the floor.
“Shit Ember! Jesus Fuck!” I yell.
“It’s a damn rat, Hale. It’s bigger than my head... I thought it was going to eat me!” She says frantically, still pointing behind the couch. Good Lord, women. Walking over to the couch, I see a small little tiny mouse, half the size of a hamster sitting there. Rolling my eyes, I walk over to the table and place my hands on her hips, lifting her from it and onto the floor. “Really Em? It’s tiny, that mouse won’t even get close to you.” I plant a kiss to her forehead and go back outside to retrieve the bags I hastily dropped. I make quick work of getting all the bags and odds and ends inside the house. Ember busies herself putting everything away. I reach into a bag and pull out the old movies I packed just for her. “Hey Em, look what I packed.” Holding up the movie to show her. Her expression softens and she walks over to me, taking the movie from my hand. “I don’t deserve you, you know that Hale? You always think of things to make me happy. I feel like I can never do enough for you. You deserve it too.” She says as she runs her fingers along my jaw. “You bring me more happiness than you know, Sweet Girl. Trust me.” I bring my lips down to hers and slide my tongue inside her mouth, desperate for a taste. She immediately takes charge and deepens the kiss, her hands fisting in my shirt, trying to pull it over my head. Breaking the kiss, I pull away, “Em, we have to put all this away. We have four whole days to spend in the bed, I can promise you’ll be satisfied.” Not that I can’t wait to be inside her again, I just want her to have a chance to explore.
“Fine, if you say so.” She huffs and turns on her heel and goes back to the kitchen, grabbing an onion, sausage and okra from the fridge.
“Please tell me you’re making Nan’s gumbo.” Nan’s gumbo is the best thing I’ve ever fucking put in my mouth. The only person who comes close to making it is Ember.
“I am. I want to eat it by the fire. And you’re watching American Horror Story with me so don’t even try and get out of it.” She tells me, grinning. Deacon wines from the doorway, asking to be let out. I walk to the door and open it, ushering him outside. Following him outside I take a seat in the old wood rocking chairs that are set up there. The view is breathtaking. The cabin seems to be on its own private place in the world. No disruptions or unwelcome distractions. The door opens and Ember comes out, walking to where I sit and sits on my lap. I wish we could stay forever, just like this.
Ember
“God Hale, it’s so beautiful it takes my breath away.” I say as I gaze out upon the lake, the sun setting in front of us.
“Yeah, me too,” he replies. Looking towards him I see his gaze fixed on me and not where my eyes had just been. This man makes my heart melt into a puddle. I drop my forehead to his and revel in this moment with him. I wish we could stay here forever and block out all of the horrible things we’ve been through. Together, we sit on the porch, rocking in that chair, watching Deacon chase bugs around the yard. One hundred percent content.
“I’m going to go inside and finish the gumbo up, you coming?” I ask him as the sun goes down and the night surrounds us.
Nodding, he rises from the chair and takes my hand, calling Deacon in with us as we go. I head to the kitchen and finish chopping ingredients while he sits on the couch, remote in hand. If we could do this every day forever, I would never ask for anything else. I scoop all the vegetables into the pot and combine them with the sausage and turn it on high. I finish putting all the things that sat in bags away and toss them into the trash. Joining Hale on the couch, I lay with my head in his lap, my attention focused on the tv. His fingers thread through my hair, and soon I catch myself drifting off.
I wake up with a start unaware of my surroundings. I don’t even remember falling asleep. Hale’s not on the couch or in the kitchen, but I hear the shower running. Slowly rising, I stretch my arms above my head and yawn. Jesus, I didn’t realize I was so tired. I make my way into the kitchen and lift the lid from the big pot of gumbo, inhaling the Cajun aroma. Smells delicious. I make sure the pot is turned off and I walk into the bathroom where Hale’s showering. Steam coats the mirror and hangs on the walls. I see his silhouette within the glass door as the water cascades down his body. Every muscle on his stomach glistens as the water falls to the floor around him. He looks breathtaking. Noticing my presence he looks towards me, his eyes immediately flare with heat and his gaze travels hungrily down my body. I shed my clothes in seconds and open the door, stepping under the spray. By the time we step out the water has long since run cold and Hale has kissed every inch of my body.
I wrap the towel around me tight and dash towards the bedroom for my toiletries bag. We stand together brushing our teeth and I wash my face and moisturize. Digging inside my bag I find the packet of birth control that I take religiously and pop one out then toss it in my mouth. I begin squeezing the water out of my hair and pull it into a quick braid. I hate it in my face. Together we climb into the huge king size bed that the master bedroom is equipped with. Hale reaches out and drags me to him, our limbs tangling together under the heated blanket we’ve bundled under. Deacon whines by the bed and I let him come lay with us. The bed is plenty big enough. My heart feels full with both of my boys snuggled tight against me.
Hale
I wake up long before Ember ever stirs, but I’m still thankful as fuck for the few hours of peaceful sleep I get. It seems like the nightmares don’t come as often and I can probably thank her for that; along with the rest of the long ass list of things she’s brought to my life. Rising from the bed I throw on a pair of briefs and head to the kitchen. Deacon trails right behind and walks to the front door, whining and scratching to be let out. It’s a simple routine between us both, but one that brings comfort. Comfort in routine and uniformity. Probably something I’ll never be able to shake... The military does that to you. I begin searching in the cabinets for a coffee cup, finally snagging one from the very last cabinet I look in. I’ll wake Ember with some coffee and breakfast. Busying myself, I start the coffee and begin making French toast which I know she’ll love.
I’m putting the toast onto a plate when I feel her hands slide around me, her skin warm and soft against my stomach.
“Morning handsome,” she says as she begins pressing kisses between my shoulder blades.
“You were supposed to stay asleep until I brought you breakfast in bed.” Turning towards her I press my lips to hers, enjoying the mused, sleepy look on the face. It amazes me how she can roll out of bed looking like an angel.