Valentine(8)

“I love you,” he said, the words so easy, so natural.

“I love you too.”

He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Jocelyn.”

I frowned. “Is it over?”

Braden grinned. “No. We’re just taking a break.”

Relief moved through me. “Good. I’m not done being all lustful and needy.”

“That’s good to know, but I’m not a god, babe. I need time to recharge these days.”

I shook with laughter. “I can’t believe you just admitted you’re not a god.”

“Don’t tell anyone.” He buried closer to me, closing his eyes for a moment.

He’d had a long day.

“We can just go to sleep if you want?” I would be disappointed but I’d live with it.

His eyes popped open. “I said I’m not a god, not that I’m ancient. I’m spending the rest of the night having sex with you, alright.”

I bit my lip, trying to stifle my laughter and failing. “No need to get uppity.” I slid my hand down his stomach and over his semi-erection. “Or do.”

His lips twitched at my innuendo. “Keep doing that and this show will be back on the road very soon.”

“That’s the plan.” I wrapped my hand around him and began stroking him.

The color started to rise in his cheeks. “Babe,” he groaned.

I brushed my lips over his. “Happy Valentine’s Day number twelve, Braden.”

He kissed me back and whispered, “Here’s to the next sixty.”

Ellie and Adam

“I almost feel bad for Joss and Braden,” I said as the hostess seated Adam and me at a lovely romantic corner table at the back of the restaurant. Our favorite restaurant in Old Town had gone the classy way for Valentine’s Day. There were no garish pink and red hearts anywhere. Just candlelight and red roses.

“I don’t,” Adam said. “We did the babysitting last year.”

“Exactly. We know what they’re going to have to put up with.” I gave him a mischievous smile. “Six kids. And Joss is pregnant.”

“You know Braden will probably do all the heavy lifting.” Adam stopped talking as the waiter approached and introduced himself. Once we had our menus in hand and our drinks ordered, the waiter walked away and Adam started talking as though we’d never been interrupted. “He’s acting extra protective of her since this is their last kid. You’d think she’s the only woman ever to be pregnant.”

I wrinkled my nose at his dry tone. “I think it’s romantic.”

“Els, you think everything and everyone is romantic.”

“Not true.” I looked at my menu. “Sometimes my husband is completely unromantic.”

“Are you ready to order?” the waiter appeared before Adam could respond with what I knew would be some sarcastic comment or other.

“Yes, please.” I gave him my order and Adam took a couple of minutes but eventually decided on what he wanted.

I sipped at my water, looking around the restaurant at all the other couples. They varied from being completely into one another, to looking bored. My guess was that the bored couples were the ones who had been together the longest.

As a romantic, I loved Valentine’s Day. I thought it was wonderful that we had a day dedicated to the people we loved. Adam, however, hated Valentine’s Day. In his words it was ‘a bunch of commercial bullshit’ and ‘completely unromantic to force people to show that they care’ when it was ‘far more romantic to be spontaneous’.