A/N: Thank you to everyone for your reviews on here and on twitter. Thank you for your PM's, favourite author and story adds. RL has been very hectic this week so I haven't had a lot of time to thank everyone personally. If I've missed you then please know that your reviews are very much appreciated and I value every one of them.
Huge thanks to Purdy's Pal, DaisyDay and Jedi Skysinger for reading through parts of this for me and for being such wonderful friends. Also heartfelt thanks to all of my friends on twitter for being there for me this week, I appreciate each and every one of you.
2
Michael watched his baby daughter intently as she fussed against him. Moving her in his arms he rocked her from side to side while Sam hovered around the kitchen waiting for her bottle to heat up. Casting his eyes downwards onto his daughter, he watched with wonder when her eyes opened wide before a slow smile emerged on her lips. Every time she smiled up at him he felt himself lose another piece of his heart to her.
"Just so you know brother, I ain't testin' this on my arm," Sam called from the kitchen without looking behind him. "I love that little girl an all but I draw the line when it comes to Fi's…stuff."
Tearing his eyes away from the baby in his arms, Michael shook his head in amusement and regarded his friend who was holding the bottle in between his fingers like it was about to explode.
"I'll take care of it," Michael told him, unable to hide his amusement when he took the bottle from his hands and tipped it upside down until a few drops of milk fell onto his wrist.
"Well now I've seen everythin'," Sam grinned when he returned to the kitchen to pull a bottle of beer from the fridge.
Manoeuvring Meaghan so that they were both more comfortable, Michael held the bottle towards her and watched her intently when she turned her head away.
"Hey," he soothed softly, dabbing her bottom lip with a drop of milk from the bottle. "I know I'm not your mom, honey but she'll be back soon."
Hearing his voice Meaghan turned her eyes towards him and watched him intently while he spoke to her before she cooed up at him in reply. She was far too young to understand the effect she was having on her father, especially when he looked down at her with tears in his eyes.
"Are you going to try this?" he asked her again, offering her the bottle once more. When she opened her mouth and began to suckle he sighed with a mixture of relief and elation. Holding the baby close he smiled down at her and placed a soft kiss onto her head before he pulled back and watched her eyes closing as she drank.
"What's with the look?" Sam asked curiously when he came back into the family room and sat down onto the couch opposite him. Lifting his beer to his lips he took a long swig and swallowed it down before he watched his friend transform into a doting father.
"We haven't tried her with a bottle before," Michael told him, keeping his voice low as he spoke. "If she takes to it I can take over some of the night feedings and let Fiona sleep."
Sam lowered his bottle onto his knee and couldn't help the slow grin that lifted his lips. Shaking his head he couldn't even remember how only a year ago the man before him had been so career focussed. He'd heard that having children changed people but he'd never really believed it until he saw it with his own eyes. Michael and Fiona were happy, happier than he'd ever seen them before and it did seem like Michael's days of hankering after his old job were finally over.
"I want to take Fi out," Michael's soft voice brought Sam's attention back to him as he gazed down at the baby in his arms. Moving back into the chair he smiled down at Meaghan when she wrapped her tiny fingers around his thumb.
"That's…different for you," Sam mused as he kept a watchful eye on his friend. "What happened to the old Mike who only wanted to get back into his job?"
Lifting his eyes to the man sitting opposite him, Michael smiled slightly before dropping his gaze back down to his daughter. "I realised that some things are more important."
"Well brother," Sam grinned and raised his bottle upwards towards his lips. "It's about time!"
Meaghan pushed the bottle out of her mouth with her tongue and scrunched her face up as she pushed against her father's hands. Taking the bottle away, Michael placed it onto the table beside him and propped Meaghan up, holding one hand over her tiny chest while he gently patted her back.
Once again Sam found himself watching his friend with surprise. He'd taken to fatherhood so easily and all of the little things like changing a diaper or burping the baby were like a second nature to him. Sam watched silently, feeling almost invisible when Michael doted over the tiny child in his arms and he silently wished that the fiasco with Fiona's family all those months ago was finally over.
With Meaghan settled against him, Michael dabbed remnants of milk from the corner of her mouth with a baby wipe before he scooted forward in the chair to stand up with her in his arms.
"I'm just…"
"It's okay Mikey," Sam nodded, a lopsided grin blossoming over his face. "Go and do your daddy stuff, I'll just..." he looked at his almost empty bottle and shifted forward from the couch, "…refill."
Keeping a close eye on Meagan Michael moved towards the bedroom to place her into her crib, taking extra care he gently lowered her down onto the soft mattress and kept his hand on her back. He gazed down at the sleeping baby and moved his hand up to her head to run his fingers over her mop of dark hair before he pulled the blanket over her tiny body. Switching the baby monitor on, he took one more look down at her before he tiptoed out of the room.
Sam was back in the kitchen getting another beer from the fridge when Michael came back into the room. Looking at his friend he nodded towards the bedroom before he handed him a bottle of water. "She asleep?"
Michael took the bottle from Sam's hand and glanced behind him before looking returning his gaze back towards his friend. "Yeah."
"I never thought I'd see the day when you two finally got your acts together," Sam told him with a wide grin. "She's good for you, brother."
"Yeah she is," Michael nodded as he focused on the bottle in his hand. "Listen Sam, I know it's a lot to ask but I want to take her out to—"
"Say no more brother," Sam nodded and patted him on the shoulder as he moved past him to head back towards the couch. "Just tell me when you need me and your mom to be here."
Michael's mouth dropped open before it merged into a smile. He should have known that Sam wouldn't miss a chance to be with Caitlin and Meaghan. "Thanks Sam…really—"
"Hey that girl deserves a night out after everything she's been through," Sam told him seriously as he lifted his bottle to his lips. "I take it you haven't mentioned Sean's letter?"
Michael's eyes snapped up to his friend before he clamped them closed and shook his head. Fiona was already having trouble sleeping and he didn't want to pile another worry onto her head. "No," he whispered before he opened his eyes. "She doesn't need any more stress right now."
Nodding slowly Sam's mind drifted back to a few days ago when Michael had confessed that he had something on his mind. The news had taken him aback slightly but after everything that had happened with Fiona's family Sam had known in the back of his mind that it wouldn't be over so easily.
They had been sitting in the charger outside Caitlin's school when Michael had sprung his news upon him. No matter how many times Sam reran it over and over inside his head, he wasn't sure if he could ever have come up with a different answer.
"I need to start looking for a way back in, Sam. Without the protection Fiona and the girls are wide open."
Sam's eyes widened in surprise when he looked across at his friend, his thoughts suddenly scattering in a thousand different directions by the determination in his voice.
"Are you sure you really want to do this Mikey? You've got a family now?" Sam asked as he watched Michael's eyes cloud over.
"I need to make sure they're safe," Michael told him with a heavy sigh, his eyes closing when he shook his head. "There's nothing more important than my family Sam, I just need to protect them."
Sam nodded slowly, not quite sure if Michael believed everything he was saying. In the last year he hadn't mentioned the CIA or being burned once. Taking a breath he looked up and stared Michael straight in the eyes and shook his head.
"Are ya going to tell me what all this is about brother?"
Michael was silent for a long time before he released the breath he'd been holding. Opening his eyes he met Sam's worried gaze and pulled an envelope out of his pocket. Looking down at it he handed it to his friend and sat back to watch Sam look up at him in confusion.
"I got that from Sean a few days ago."
Hearing Fiona's brother's name, Sam turned the envelope over in his hand and pulled the letter out. Glancing up at Michael he saw the younger man nod his head towards him and turn his eyes away when he unfolded the paper.
"How do I tell her?" Michael asked quietly, his voice shaking as he spoke. "I can't land this on her now."
Sam's eyes flittered over the letter in his hands and tried to take in every word. He could already feel his worry slowly building when he read a name he'd hoped had long since disappeared. He read over the words another two times before he finally let out the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. Folding the letter he put it back inside the envelope and handed it back to Michael who turned around to gage his reaction.
"You can't keep something like this from her," Sam told him softly. "Despite everything that happened Colleen is still Fi's mom."
Nodding his head slowly Michael stuffed the envelope back into his pocket and let out the breath he'd been holding. He knew Fiona had told him she never wanted anything to do with her mother again, but he knew if it was him he'd want to know if his mother was sick.
"I know, believe me…she's just been so exhausted lately I don't want to add to it, she's already got enough to deal with."
"She has a right to know, Mike," Sam nodded. "If she still doesn't want to speak to her mom after you tell her then at least you can tell Sean you tried."
Michael listened to his words and lifted his head up, clamping his eyes closed. "It's not just her mom, you read Sean's letter…what if he's right and this thing with Marie isn't really over?"
"Then she needs to know just in case," Sam told him as he shrugged his shoulders. "Right now Fi's mom and brother are keepin' her in line but if anythin' happens to ma Glenanne..."
Michael opened his eyes and looked across to his friend and slowly nodded his head. He knew Sam was right, Fiona needed to know about her mother and the possibility that Marie was still obsessed with Caitlin.
"I'll wait for the right time," he sighed as he looked down at his watch and towards the school gates. "Just not yet, Fi doesn't need the stress of this too."
"Whatever you say Mike," Sam told him, nodding his head in agreement. "Just don't wait too long."
"You know Fi," Michael sighed, his voice bringing Sam's attention back to him. "She shoots me down anytime I try to mention her mom."
"Well have you thought about giving her the letter?" Sam asked. "Let her read it for herself?"
His words sparked a memory in the back of Michael's mind and he suddenly remembered the letter Fiona's mother had sent a few weeks ago. Putting his water onto the counter top he moved around to the drawer in the kitchen and pulled it open.
"We got a card from her mom," Michael told him absently as he rifled through the papers in the drawer until he found the envelope right at the bottom. Pulling it out he held it in his hands thoughtfully before he slowly shook his head. "You should have seen her Sam. She panicked and wouldn't let the girls out of her sight…if a letter from her mom is going to do that to her, what do you think me telling her I heard from Sean is going to do?"
"I don't know brother," Sam sighed. "But her mom is sick and after what happened with that nut case, Fi needs to know so she can be on her guard, just in case."
"I know," Michael nodded solemnly. "Believe me I know. I just…"
Sam swallowed hard when he saw the man beside him caught inside his own private nightmare. He knew the looming uncertainness of Marie still weighed heavily on him…it weighed on all of them. He just wished there was some way he could take all of the stress away.
"Listen, Mike…" standing up a little straighter Sam pointed his beer bottle towards the envelope in Michael's hands. "The way I see it you have two choices. You can either tell Fiona when she gets back and hope she doesn't kill you, or you can put that back in the drawer and take your lady out somewhere nice."
Before Michael could open his mouth to speak, Sam held his hand up to stop him. "Trust me brother, you know I'm right!"
Thinking about the last few days Michael sighed heavily and placed the envelope back inside the drawer and slammed it shut. They had never kept secrets from each other, not the personal kinds anyway, and despite Sam's advice to hide it a little longer Michael knew he couldn't do that, not anymore. Fiona deserved to know the truth and it was his job to take care of her, no matter what her reaction may be.
"You're gonna tell her aren't ya?" Sam asked knowingly. "I know that look."
Michael just grinned and rolled his eyes when Sam shook his head. Grabbing his water he turned away from his friend and made his way back into the family room, grabbing the baby monitor as he went.
000
"Mammy what abou' this one?" Caitlin asked when she picked up a little pink dress with palm trees on it. "It looks like Uncle Sam's shirt."
"Uh, yeah it does a little…except I don't think Uncle Sam would wear pink."
"I like pink," Caitlin told her with a bright smile. "Do ya think this woul' look nice on Meaghan?"
Fiona smiled down at her daughter and tried to look enthusiastic about the tiny outfit but before she could say anything Caitlin returned it to the wrack and darted across the aisle towards another selection.
"Look at all tha dresses," Caitlin gasped in awe as her eyes wandered across the different outfits. Moving towards one in particular she pulled it out and gazed down at it before holding it up towards her mother. "Mammy, can we get har this one?"
Fiona's eyes drifted across the little dress and she couldn't help but smile. "I love it baby, but we really need a bigger size. Is there a bigger one?"
Looking across at the other sizes, Caitlin placed the one she was holding back on the rail before she pulled a larger one out and held it out to Fiona. "Is this one better?"
Stepping closer Fiona ran her fingers over her daughter's cheek and smiled down at her adoringly. "That's perfect baby, I think Meaghan is going to look beautiful in it."
Caitlin placed the little dress into the shopping cart and smiled up at her mother with innocent eyes. "Do ya think we should get har some socks too?"
Before Fiona could reply, Madeline came towards them holding two t-shirts in her hands. Holding them up, one in each hand she grinned ecstatically as she waved then about. "Look at these, aren't they adorable?"
Caitlin looked from her grandmother and then to her mother wondering why the older woman was so excited.
"Look honey," Madeline told her as she stepped forward to hold the bigger t-shirt against her. "I got this one for you, it says 'big sister'."
The little girls eyes grew wide along with her smile when she looked down at it before she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder. "Thank you Madeline, they're…"
"I know," Madeline beamed as her eyes dropped down to her granddaughter. "Can you see what Meaghan's shirt says honey?"
Shaking her head, Caitlin ran her fingers over the soft material before she took in the words across the smaller shirt. "It's tha same as mine."
"Almost honey," Madeline smiled. "Meaghan's shirt says, 'little sister'."
"Meaghan's me little sista," Caitlin nodded before she moved towards Madeline to throw her arms around her legs. "Thank you nana."
"You are so welcome sweetheart," Madeline told her with a bright smile. "Now what do you say we finish shopping and go and get that ice-cream?"
"Yesss," Caitlin grinned as she bounced up and down on the spot. "Can we mammy?"
Fiona's eyes took in her daughter's excited face and found herself nodding before she could even think of anything to say. It seemed as if this whole year had passed in a blur and she couldn't believe how much Caitlin had grown. Tracing her fingertip over her daughter's cheek she tapped her nose affectionately.
"Sure baby," she told her with a smile. "I think we're just about done here anyway."
Caitlin looked up at Fiona and grinned before she moved towards her grandmother and took hold of her hand. "I got a new book fer daddy ta read."
"You did huh?" Madeline asked her, her lips lifting into a smile. "Does it have anything to do with a cat?"
"Nope," the little girl told her with a bright smile. "A mouse."
"A mouse?" Madeline asked brightly, over exaggerating her enthusiasm. "Well at least it's not a cat!"
Fiona watched in amusement when Caitlin proceeded to tell Madeline all about the new book and she almost felt a little sorry for her. She knew when her daughter became enthusiastic about a new book there was nothing that stopped her talking about it.
"Caitlin, why don't you go with nana and wait for me in the car?" She suggested when she could already see Madeline looking towards the exit. "I won't be long."
"That is such a good idea," Madeline told the little girl before she lifted her eyes to Fiona. "Meet you out front honey."
Fiona watched her daughter and Madeline walk towards the exit before she turned her attention to the rest of the store until she spotted what she was looking for. Turning the cart she made her way towards the lingerie section and smiled to herself when a plan formed in her mind.
000
The house was in silence when they arrived back later that afternoon. Calling Michael's name, Fiona carried her bags into the kitchen and placed them onto the table while Caitlin ran off in search of her father.
For a moment she could feel the automatic worry reaching its way into her mind but it all dissipated when she heard Sam's voice and the usual greeting between the two of them. The second Caitlin squealed with delight she knew she had overreacted again. The past few months had left her paranoid and watching over her shoulder for any signs of her deranged sister in law and she just couldn't seem to shake it off.
Berating herself for being so foolish she made her way into the kitchen and moved towards the kettle and switched it on. She had to move on and try to put the past behind her but when it involved her children she just couldn't seem to keep the nagging doubts out of her mind. With a heavy sigh she turned back around, heading towards the table to lift some groceries out of the paper bag she'd brought in.
"Hey look who's home," Michael's soft voice caused Fiona's heart to flutter when she looked up to see the man she loved carrying their baby daughter in his arms. "It's mommy."
Fiona's eyes lit up with love when she dumped the bag back onto the table and made her way towards him, kissing him on the lips before she bent her head to kiss the baby in his arms.
"Hey," she smiled, her voice dropping when she reached out to take their daughter from him. "Hello baby, were you good for daddy?"
Looking around the room he turned back to her in confusion, "Where's my mom?"
Fiona gazed down at the baby in her arms and lowered her head to place a soft kiss onto her forehead. "Water aerobics."
Nodding silently Michael watched her with adoration when she looked up at him with so much love in her eyes. He didn't think he would ever tire of seeing her like this. She had been through so much yet she was still one of the strongest women he'd ever known.
Stepping closer he rubbed his hand over her arm and smiled down at the little girl. "Meaghan drank from a bottle," he whispered proudly as he looked up and focused on Fiona's eyes. "I mean, not all of it but—"
"It's a start," she grinned, her voice singsonging to the baby in her arms. "And that means daddy can take a turn when you're hungry."
Michael reached out to stroke his finger over Meaghan's cheek before he pressed a kiss against Fiona's temple. "It also means that daddy can take mommy out."
His words caused Fiona's eyes to grow wide and she turned to look at him, a slow smile emerging on her lips. "Hmmm…and what did daddy have in mind?"
Before he could respond, Caitlin came running into the family room propelling herself towards her father with her new book flapping in her hand. Michael turned towards her and lifted her up into his arms, balancing her on his hip.
"I got me new book daddy," she told him excitedly. "It's abou' a mouse an' we have ta find him in tha pictures."
"We have to find him huh?" he asked as he leaned forward to plant a kiss onto her cheek. "And have you found him already?"
Pulling back Caitlin shook her before she broke out into a soft chuckle when she looked him in the eyes. "Nope."
"Okay, we'll read it tonight," Michael told her when she pulled open the book to show him some pictures.
"Did you tell daddy about your gift from nana?" Fiona asked her when she placed a kiss onto Meaghan's head before lowering the baby into her bassinette in the family room. Peering inside she smiled down at the little girl who was looking at all the different coloured teddy bears on the mobile above her.
"Nana got me and Meaghan shirts an' ya know wha' it says on mine?" she asked excitedly, bursting to tell him. When he shook his head she wrapped one arm around his neck and moved her head closer to him, touching their noses together. "My one says Big sista, cos I'm a big sista."
"You are a big sister," he grinned, totally swept along with her excitement. "And what about Meaghan's?"
Gasping in a breath Caitlin leaned forward to kiss him soundly before she pulled back to lay her free hand on his cheek, keeping his head still. "It says little sista…cos she's a babby… do ya want ta see?"
"I would love to see them," Michael told her with a smile when he spotted Fiona taking a toy out of one of the bags. Caitlin followed his eyes and spotted the doll she'd brought with her extra money and all chatter about the new shirts was momentarily forgotten.
Caitlin gasped and hugged her father before he returned her to the floor. Turning back towards Fiona, the little girl bounced up and down on the spot when her mother rummaged around in the bags. Placing her book onto the table she took the toy doll from her mother and turned around to show Michael before she spotted Sam coming back into the room.
"Uncle Sam, look wha' I got with tha money ya gave me," she beamed as she took the boxed doll towards him. "Do ya like har?"
Sam reached down and took the box into his hands and regarded the baby doll, feigning interest with an enthusiastic smile before he handed it back to her.
"She's very…nice honey," he told her with a wide grin. "Do you want me to take her out of the box for ya?"
"Yessss," Caitlin beamed and shoved the box back towards him, following him towards the couch when he sat down. Coming to sit next to him, Caitlin started out sitting on the seat beside him but when he began to open the box and undo all of the plastic tags she moved onto the floor to kneel down, holding her hands on his knee.
Shaking his head Michael moved towards the bassinette and peered inside at his youngest daughter. She was still looking up at the teddy bears above her, cooing happily when they rotated above her head. When he stepped away and regarded his family around him he knew he had a lot to be thankful for. In a little under a year he'd gone from being a man who always thought he'd be alone to a man who had everything he never knew he'd wanted.
Fiona unpacked the items from the bags and laid them out to place them onto the table before she lifted her head to catch his eyes. He was gazing at her like a man hungering after his last meal and she could already feel her heart speeding up inside her chest. Over the last few months he had been a constant source of support, his steady presence causing much of her paranoia to disperse.
The blush forming over her face caused her to turn her eyes away and she lowered her gaze back onto her purchases, hoping that the distraction would calm her body's reactions but when he came over to stand by her side, she knew she was fighting a losing battle.
"So," he whispered, his mouth lingering dangerously close to her ear. "I'll cook for us tonight when the girls are in bed."
Turning in surprise she smiled up at him and brushed her lips against his before pulling away again to lay the palm of her hand over his chest. "Really?" she asked softly as she gazed up at him adoringly. "What's the occasion?"
"No occasion," he told her softly as he wrapped his fingers around her hand on his chest and lifted it to his lips to press a kiss into the centre of her palm. Fiona's eyes met his and she opened her mouth to tell him that his gesture was worth a thousand words when Caitlin came towards them, waving her doll in the air.
"Mammy look at me doll," she squealed excitedly. "She has a bottle just like Meaghan."
"Really?" Fiona asked her as she slowly turned away from Michael to look down at the little girl who held up the toy bottle that had white liquid in it.
"Yep, she's got milk too." Tipping the bottle upside down, Caitlin gasped when none of the liquid came out of the tip.
"It's a special bottle for dolls baby," Fiona told her softly when she placed her hand on her head to thread her fingers through the soft strands. "Looks like you've got some clothes in the box too."
Caitlin's eyes grew wide when she looked back at Sam who had placed the box on the table with the new outfits laid on top. "I'm goin' ta change har."
Shaking her head, Fiona grinned down at her daughter who turned around with the doll and clothes in her hand as she sped off towards her bedroom.
"I'm heading out guys," Sam announced when he stood up from the couch and looked down at his watch. "I'm meeting Cynthia."
"Cynthia?" Fiona asked incredulously. "What happened to the last one?"
"Lisa?" he asked as he shook his head. "No…no no…"
"Didn't work?" Michael asked, his eyebrows rising when he slipped an arm around Fiona's shoulders.
"Married!"
"Ah…" Michael nodded knowingly and caught Fiona's scowl when she obviously disapproved of Sam's dalliance with a married woman.
"Married? Really Sam?" Fiona asked haughtily, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Hey it's not like I knew she was married," he protested holding his hands in the air before he turned to sweep his hands in the general direction of his own body. "I'm gonna go… I've gotta prepare the vessel."
"Ewww Sam, that's disgusting!" Fiona groused when she saw the slow grin appear on his face. "There are innocent ears in the room you know!"
Looking around him cautiously Sam expected to see Caitlin hovering beside him but when she was nowhere to be seen he turned back to Fiona and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see—"
"My innocent ears!" she told him, waving her hand in the general direction of her own ears before she broke into a smile.
"Innocent?" he scoffed. "There ain't nothin' innocent about you sister!"
Shaking her head Fiona stepped away from Michael and patted Sam's arm before she moved back into the kitchen to switch the kettle on again.
Exchanging a knowing look Sam nodded to Michael as he moved towards Meaghan's bassinette, reaching in to stroke her fingers briefly before stepping away again. "Caitlin I'm going now sweetheart."
Expecting the little girl to come out of the room and hug him, when all her heard was a muffled 'bye' Sam suddenly felt his heart sink. Watching the open bedroom door he waited for a few more seconds before he realised that she wasn't coming out to see him and he suddenly felt somewhat redundant. With a heavy sigh he turned back to Michael and tried not to let his friend see the disappointment in his eyes.
"So, I'm gonna go."
Michael nodded knowingly, part of him feeling a little sorry for the man before him. Opening his mouth to tell him not to take it to heart, he saw his daughter appear in her bedroom doorway and beam a big smile towards his friend.
"Uncle Sam," she called, coming out of her room to speed towards him.
Sam dropped onto one knee in seconds and wrapped his arms around her to tug her against him. "I'll see ya tomorrow li'l darlin'."
Caitlin drew back and smiled at him, nodding her head before she moved forward to kiss him. "Thank you for me new doll."
"Well you're welcome honey," he grinned, tugging her against him again before he released her hands so she could run back into her bedroom. He watched her for a few more moments before turning his eyes back towards his best friend. "I've gotta go."
"Have fun," Fiona called, her voice holding a light teasing tone that only increased when she shot him a bright smile.
Despite his best efforts Sam couldn't help but return her infectious smile, something he'd been doing a lot of lately. Nodding his head, Sam turned around and headed towards the door, glancing back at his friends with a wide grin before he disappeared.
When they were alone, Fiona moved around the kitchen trying not to notice how her body flared into high alert when Michael came to join her.
"So," she whispered when she placed her cup back onto the counter before she turned around to step into the circle of his arms. "What are you making me for dinner?"
000
Later that evening after they had settled their two daughters in bed, Michael placed the last of the dishes into the dishwasher and smiled across at the woman who's face was illuminated by the soft candlelight. Pausing to watch her he couldn't remember a time when he had felt so consumed by her. All those years ago when he'd left her behind, he never in his wildest dreams ever believed that he could be so happy.
Fiona smiled up at him before she leant across the table, blowing out the candles. Her eyes danced with fire, causing him to make his way towards her. Reaching out he slowly took her hand and gently pulled her out of her chair and tugged her towards him, slipping his arms around her.
"How do you feel?" he asked in a soft whisper when he dipped his head to place a chaste kiss onto her forehead.
Fiona fixed him with a smouldering gaze, it had been so long since she had felt so in tune with him. Moving in a little closer she slid her hands up and over his chest until she wrapped her fingers around the back of his neck to gently pull his head down to meet his lips with her own.
Michael was lost in her but even though she had instigated this slow seduction he still held part of himself back. Fiona could feel his caution and she decided that it was time to end this temporary celibacy they had found themselves in. She was ready, both physically and emotionally, and she knew all she had to do was convince him of that.
"Michael," she whispered against his lips, her voice shaking as she spoke. "I want to do this."
"I…" his lips pressed against hers only to pull away again when he gazed down at her. "I don't want to hurt you."
His words caused her heart to surge inside her chest and she suddenly understood why she loved this man so deeply. Stepping closer she smiled up at him and shook her head, pressing a kiss to his neck before stepping back slightly to smile up at him.
"You won't," she whispered as she kissed his throat, peppering tiny kisses upwards until she reached his mouth. Her lips met his and filled him with smouldering fire, igniting tiny lightning bolts within his body. She was a temptress, his beloved Fiona. She knew how his body reacted to her and how with just one look she could cause him to follow her blindly into passion.
Just when he thought he couldn't take much more her tongue delved into his mouth, igniting the simmering embers that had always burned only for her. Their kiss deepened leaving their senses somewhere in the distance as love took over to immerse them in a passionate haze. Tearing her mouth from his she gazed up at him, their kiss leaving both of them breathless. The smile she gave him was filled with promises of many other things to come and he wanted nothing more than to take what she offered and ignore everything else.
He moved towards her, his lips craving hers but she held her hands to his chest to stop him. Slowly, his confusion dissipated around him as his senses began to slowly return, un-fogging his brain. He looked at her, seeking an explanation and only then did he noticed that her hand had wrapped around his. Silently she stepped away from him, tugging on his hand as she led him towards their bedroom, a seductive smile forging on her lips.
TBC