Nothing sweeter.
He bent to her, his mouth a breath away from hers, he murmured, “Nothin’ sweeter, honey, than the love you give to me.”
He watched from close as his wife’s eyes got wet.
“It went okay,” she said softly.
“Absolutely,” he replied.
He watched her shining pretty blue eyes smile.
Then he kissed her.
* * * * *
Deacon
An Hour and a Half Later
He wasn’t even to the steps of the porch before the front door opened and the dogs came bounding out.
He stopped and bent to his pups. Running his fingers through the soft fur of Boss Lady’s and Priest’s heads, he did it with his head tipped back, his eyes on his wife standing with her shoulder leaned against the jamb of the door, one arm out, holding the storm open. She had on one of his T-shirts, her dark hair was all over the place, her eyes tired, and she was so fucking beautiful, she looked ready for a photo shoot.
He felt his mouth curl up as he straightened. Clicking his tongue to call the dogs, they trotted beside him as he moved to the front steps and up them.
“Did you eat?” she asked before he even made it to her.
“Nope,” he answered.
She raised her eyes skyward.
His lips curled up farther.
She didn’t move from the door so he stopped in front of her. Boss Lady shoved into the house. Priest sat his ass down on the porch by his daddy.
Cassidy’s eyes moved over her husband’s face.
They ended their journey looking into his.
“It all go okay?” she asked.
“Girls asleep?” he asked back.
“For about two more seconds,” she replied.
Deacon grinned again. “Call Milagros,” he ordered.
“And I’m doing that…why?” she sassed.
“She’s lookin’ after our babies tonight. We’re spendin’ the night in cabin eleven.”
Her eyes changed. They went soft, and with that look, she reminded him what she made him feel, always, even when he wasn’t conscious of feeling it. Something he never thought he’d feel again, not in his life, not until she gave it to him. Something he now felt every fucking second of every fucking day he woke up by her side knowing he’d end that day going to sleep the same place.
Warm.
Safe.
Loved.