The title is to be taken lightly and literally. Thank you, Dani, for the countless reads. Thank you also, Koinekid, for the use of the ideas you installed in your latest story, A Taste of Ambrosia: A Tag to Enemy at the Gates, and also in chapter 3 of Christmas in the Springs. Both truly amazing stories worth another read. Thank you both.
Burning Pleasures
"You're sure you don't mind?" She looked awfully sorry for asking him to run out of the room again.
"Of course not." Truth was, no matter how tired he was Rodney never minded doing anything when she had those apologetic eyes trained on him. An unknown blackmail of hers, perhaps, but one he could definitely live with. It was the upcoming second pair of eyes he was worried about. Would his child be just as good at it as his wife? The thought left a rather bitter taste in his mouth as the idea that a partnership with a few leniencies could become a majority just like that entered his mind. The doorway loomed before him and as he ran his hand down the side to open the air-tight locks, he looked back, calling, "Just the piece of carrot cake, right?"
Jennifer happily nodded her head, swishing her sloppy ponytail through the air and leaving one hand to laze about her progressively-rounding stomach.
"I can't promise there'll still be some but I'll try. Be back in a bit, sweetheart." With that, he was out the door. If he wanted to get a slice, he had to hurry on down to the mess. Who knew how much was left with a base full of military men.
The walk was solitary, the air crisp and cold on the quicker balcony route. It was possibly the only thing keeping him awake and with one foot in front of the other. His mind wandered without reason, landing on the present task at hand. She'd probably like a fruit cup as well.
Another few minutes and he was grimacing at the empty carrot cake platter in the mess hall. Of course this was just his luck. Options slimming with ten chuckling men entering the line behind him, Rodney picked up a couple fruit cups and hesitantly made a fresh cup of coffee. If he was going to stay up long enough to walk back, he needed it. That didn't stop guilt from seeping through when he saw Jennifer's favorite hot chocolate mix. Of course he knew the correct brand well as the memories of using the other brands unsuccessfully in the past were repressed. As soon as their child was born, he would bombard her with caffeine but not a moment sooner.
The walk back was more leisurely and was taken in the warm indoors, made even warmer by the gulps of coffee taken on the way. He stepped up to the door and experimentally ran his forearm past the sensor. It opened after a few waves and he stepped in. A smile of a sigh sounded almost noiselessly around the room as his eyes fell to Jennifer.
The usual kink left after taking out her ponytail flounced her hair up from her shoulders and forward to create the perfect curtain over her face as it covered her quiescent features with wispy strands landing in circles on the pillow.
He should have noticed she was exhausted. The picture before him made it so much more obvious as she never went to sleep without absently running her fingers through her hair to take out the bothersome curve. It almost seemed a nightly ritual to him by now.
Rodney still stood a few feet in from the door, deciding what to do with the no longer required food. He took a sip from the scalding liquid and rubbed his already burnt tongue against the taste. He let out a tired sigh and took another sip from the delicious drink. At least now she wouldn't complain he had coffee and she didn't. He stacked the fruit cups on the bedside table on Jennifer's side and set the coffee next to them.
Sitting down in the cozy rocker on the opposite side of the short table, a noticeable twitch of her nose caught his eye. She can't possibly…
"Is that coffee?" she murmured as her eyes refused to so much as crack open to check for herself.
How she did that, he'd have to question later. "Yeah, it is," Rodney responded carefully.
"Mmm," she mumbled her approval with over half her mouth still pressed into the plushy pillow. Her hand lazily reached out in his general direction, seeking the warm cup.
As her hand came closer to its destination, he moved it to his side of the nightstand. "If you want it, you have to wait until the little guy is out."
A sound resembling a grumble floated up from the pillow as her hand retracted back to brush her hair behind her ear. She pushed herself up, mindful of bending her stomach uncomfortably.
She sleepily found his gaze and asked with those same deep eyes, "Please?"
The rocker gave a slight creak as he leaned back with a regretful apology already on his lips. "Nope. We don't need the child to come out with its own cup asking for a refill."
Jennifer was mentally sifting through which persuasion technique to pursue this time when she spied the fruit cups.
He noticed the look and explained with a quick yawn, "There wasn't any cake left. I picked the first thing that came to mind."
"And what a mind you have," she replied with a content smile much too bright for her sleepy state as she reached for the top cup.
The chair gently swung back and forth as he arched his feet against the floor and mumbled affirmatively to signify he heard her. The soothing motion gradually lowered his eyelids. Between work and caring for his wife, sleep hadn't been among his top priorities lately.
"Hey, Rodney, c'mere," Jennifer crooked her finger inward and then scooted slowly to the other side of the bed, placing the unopened fruit cup back on the nightstand first.
He unhurriedly rose from the chair and headed to the bed, kicking off his shoes on the way. She smoothed out the blanket, offering him a spot above or below it. He chose the easier option and sat down beside her on top of the blanket.
Her hands rose to his slightly scratchy cheeks and opted to run untended across the stubbly plains. "Thank you for the fruit, darling." She placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, letting her lips feel the difference of his abrasive skin and his soft lips. They lifted in delight.
"Anytime," he replied simply, accidentally yawning again.
"Go to bed, sleepyhead," she chuckled. Her hands loosely gripped his upper arms, trying to get the muscles to relax. "Get some sleep." Jennifer stole a kiss and softly ruffled through his hair once.
"If you insist," he sighed at the gentle touches, releasing the last of his energy as he leaned back to press his head into the pillow and slur out, "G'night, sweetheart."
Jennifer gingerly rose out of bed, her toes wiggling to get rid of the stinging instantly plaguing them. Spending all day in the same position had done nothing for her circulation and for this reason alone, she absolutely couldn't wait to get back to work. Maternity leave just wasn't suiting her. But until then, it was always nice to have extra time to spend with Rodney when he wasn't working. "Good night," she answered as she draped the extra blanket at the end of the bed over him.
This certainly wasn't a view she saw often enough lately. His face always had a child-like quality when he slept though she doubted most people would believe that.
One thing they would believe is the fact that he could immediately fall asleep, a rare gift of his she supposed he needed to function; all the better for her at this particular moment. "Coffee," she called for it mockingly, "where did he put you?"
Jennifer kept a hand planted firmly on her stomach as she walked to the rocking chair and found the cup waiting for her on the nightstand. Oh how she needed just one sip. It had been months - too many to keep track of - since she last saw the coffeemaker in its spot on the corner of the metal desk. Rodney had it placed there when they jointly chose the room so that whoever was working didn't have to go far for the caffeine boost. But then, acting as the protective father-to-be he is, he moved it to God knew where. The number of times she stared at the spot from the bed, willing it back into place, was almost depressing. All that would be well worth the sip just seconds away from her shriveling throat.
The hand on her stomach rubbed back and forth ever so slightly as she looked back to see Rodney softly snoring. She took her chances and then a much needed sip. Her tongue instantly burned but she cherished the taste and then swallowed quickly, welcoming the air to soothe her dying taste buds. The burn travelled all the way down her body, lessening as it went. "You won't rat me out, will you, little one?" she whispered to the life rapidly growing inside her. A small push on her stomach just south of her hand made her frown from the pain but accept. "Deal," she quietly assured their child with another rub, "I'll get you out soon if this stays between us."