It almost felt normal and an instinctive reaction to do those things; touch him, hug him, kiss him.
They read for a couple hours. Alex closed the book and declared it was late and he couldn’t focus on the words anymore. They’d gotten to chapter eighteen.
“I like Fang, he’s my favorite,” Elena said. “You’d think it was vampires with a name like that.”
“I like vampires, too. I’ve got some of those over on the bookshelf.”
“Maybe we’ll do that next.”
He nodded and pulled the afghan back, pulling her to her feet.
“Bed?”
“Bed.”
She changed into her pajamas in the bathroom and came out to find him already in the bed in his usual attire; flannel pajama pants and no shirt. He opened his arm to her and she climbed in, tucking herself under his chin.
“You know, that was fun. Thanks for suggesting it.”
“Anytime. Anything you want,” he said sweetly as he rubbed her arm.
“Is it weird that we haven’t had a fight yet,” she blurted out, “not even a little one?”
“Well, I’d count you trying to escape and me restraining you a fight.”
“That shouldn’t count, I didn’t know the truth then.”
“You want to fight with me?” he asked clearly amused at her observation.
“No, I just think it’s weird is all. I mean, I’ve lived here for what, two months? Two months of domestic arrangements and no fights? I’ve never heard of that being pulled off before.”
“Well,” he contemplated, “I think we both had pretty bad examples of marriage. So let’s forget everything else and just see what we can come up with for ourselves.”
“Sounds good.” She smiled, thinking about being married to him for years to come. She realized that thought actually made her happy. “So, work tomorrow?”
“Yep, then a couple days off, maybe. We can relax for a while. I know I’ve been working you hard at the office.”
“No you haven’t. I told you, I like it. It keeps me busy and I don’t like just sitting and feeling useless.”
“Ok, I’ll cook in the morning. What do you want?”
“Um, eggs?”
“Is that a question or your answer?”
“Well, what do you want?”
“I asked you.”
“Uh oh, our first fight,” she said grinning.
“You know, you’re right. We should make-up,” he said chuckling and pulled her face up to kiss her. “Wow, that was totally cheesy.”
“Yeah, it was.” She giggled and couldn’t believe how giddy and girly she sounded. “But I still liked it.”
He smiled gratefully at her and kissed her once more quickly and softly on her upturned lips.
“Aren’t you tired,” he asked yawning.
“Yeah. I am. Thanks for staying up with me.”
“Anytime.”
The next day they did everything as they had planned. He cooked breakfast and they headed into work.
Elena saw a couple walking down the street together as Alex helped her out of the truck. The woman was very pregnant and carrying two paper grocery bags following her husband, who carried none. He got in his truck and waited for her to put the groceries in the back and then waddle to the door and try to climb in.
Alex ran over to help her get in.
“Come on, Ian. Marlene is pregnant for Pete’s sake. You could at least open the door,” Elena heard him mutter to the man.
The woman said nothing but gave him a surprised but grateful smile as they drove away.
“I’m glad you helped her, you’re always so sweet, but won’t you get into trouble doing things like that? I’ve been meaning to ask you about me. People aren’t going to notice you’re being so nice to me all the time?”
He quirked an eyebrow at her as he unlocked and opened the shop door.
“You’d prefer I publicly berated you?”
“No, I just don’t want you to get into trouble.”
He grabbed her face in his hands. Smiled that smile that told her he was grateful and amused by her and kissed her.
“Don’t worry about me. I can handle anything they throw at me. Besides,” he released her and walked to
They read for a couple hours. Alex closed the book and declared it was late and he couldn’t focus on the words anymore. They’d gotten to chapter eighteen.
“I like Fang, he’s my favorite,” Elena said. “You’d think it was vampires with a name like that.”
“I like vampires, too. I’ve got some of those over on the bookshelf.”
“Maybe we’ll do that next.”
He nodded and pulled the afghan back, pulling her to her feet.
“Bed?”
“Bed.”
She changed into her pajamas in the bathroom and came out to find him already in the bed in his usual attire; flannel pajama pants and no shirt. He opened his arm to her and she climbed in, tucking herself under his chin.
“You know, that was fun. Thanks for suggesting it.”
“Anytime. Anything you want,” he said sweetly as he rubbed her arm.
“Is it weird that we haven’t had a fight yet,” she blurted out, “not even a little one?”
“Well, I’d count you trying to escape and me restraining you a fight.”
“That shouldn’t count, I didn’t know the truth then.”
“You want to fight with me?” he asked clearly amused at her observation.
“No, I just think it’s weird is all. I mean, I’ve lived here for what, two months? Two months of domestic arrangements and no fights? I’ve never heard of that being pulled off before.”
“Well,” he contemplated, “I think we both had pretty bad examples of marriage. So let’s forget everything else and just see what we can come up with for ourselves.”
“Sounds good.” She smiled, thinking about being married to him for years to come. She realized that thought actually made her happy. “So, work tomorrow?”
“Yep, then a couple days off, maybe. We can relax for a while. I know I’ve been working you hard at the office.”
“No you haven’t. I told you, I like it. It keeps me busy and I don’t like just sitting and feeling useless.”
“Ok, I’ll cook in the morning. What do you want?”
“Um, eggs?”
“Is that a question or your answer?”
“Well, what do you want?”
“I asked you.”
“Uh oh, our first fight,” she said grinning.
“You know, you’re right. We should make-up,” he said chuckling and pulled her face up to kiss her. “Wow, that was totally cheesy.”
“Yeah, it was.” She giggled and couldn’t believe how giddy and girly she sounded. “But I still liked it.”
He smiled gratefully at her and kissed her once more quickly and softly on her upturned lips.
“Aren’t you tired,” he asked yawning.
“Yeah. I am. Thanks for staying up with me.”
“Anytime.”
The next day they did everything as they had planned. He cooked breakfast and they headed into work.
Elena saw a couple walking down the street together as Alex helped her out of the truck. The woman was very pregnant and carrying two paper grocery bags following her husband, who carried none. He got in his truck and waited for her to put the groceries in the back and then waddle to the door and try to climb in.
Alex ran over to help her get in.
“Come on, Ian. Marlene is pregnant for Pete’s sake. You could at least open the door,” Elena heard him mutter to the man.
The woman said nothing but gave him a surprised but grateful smile as they drove away.
“I’m glad you helped her, you’re always so sweet, but won’t you get into trouble doing things like that? I’ve been meaning to ask you about me. People aren’t going to notice you’re being so nice to me all the time?”
He quirked an eyebrow at her as he unlocked and opened the shop door.
“You’d prefer I publicly berated you?”
“No, I just don’t want you to get into trouble.”
He grabbed her face in his hands. Smiled that smile that told her he was grateful and amused by her and kissed her.
“Don’t worry about me. I can handle anything they throw at me. Besides,” he released her and walked to
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