Sometime before dawn, Steve woke to hear the baby crying. He crawled out of bed, careful not to disturb Danny, and hurried into the nursery. Maddie's wails increased as he approached the crib and scooped their little girl out of her bed. "There, there now. Daddy's here."
Maddie's little face rapidly changed from pink to fire-engine-red. Her hands waved back and forth around her face as if she were trying to pantomime her need for a bottle. Steve rocked their little girl back and forth in the circle of his arms. He hummed the chorus to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on his way into the kitchen to warm a bottle and hoped it would soothe Maddie.
Preparing bottles one-handed had been a bit of an adventure, especially during the first night Maddie had been home, when he was half asleep and grumpy as hell, but he thought he'd finally gotten the hang of it now, after three days of trial and error. The trick he'd found that worked for him was shifting Maddie onto his shoulder and freeing up his other hand for screwing on the nipple and testing the temperature of the formula.
Steve quickly put together the bottle and carried their little girl back into the nursery. Ever so gently, Steve settled in the rocking chair and shifted Maddie in the into the crook of his arm. He pressed the nipple against her mouth and watched in awe as she sucked it in and began drinking. Maddie stared up at him with heavy eyes as she siphoned formula from the bottle. The scent of baby powder and lotion swirled around her, making the entire room smell sweet. As she ate, Steve caressed the side of her soft little face and made silent promises to always be there for her when she needed him.
Maddie dozed off with the bottle in her mouth. Steve eased the nipple out and gently placed their little girl back in the crib, hoping she wouldn't stir. He resisted the urge to lean down and kiss her forehead, knowing it might wake her, and carried the dirty bottle into the kitchen.
Upon returning to the bedroom, Steve found Danny awake and lying on his back with his hands behind his head. The innocent pose would have worked better had Danny not been naked and hard. Not that Steve was complaining. He crawled up the mattress and stretched out beside his husband. Leaning in close, he brushed his lips over Danny's. "Did I wake you?"
"No." Danny rolled into his side, facing Steve. "I just got hot while you were gone. There wasn't anyone in here to steal all the covers."
Steve wiggled out of his pajama pants and snuggled closer. "I don't hog the covers."
"Uh-huh." Danny kissed the tip of Steve's nose. "You don't snore either."
"That's right. I don't." Steve wrapped his arms around his husband's waist and ran his hand over the firm muscles in Danny's back.
"And" -Danny nuzzled Steve's throat – "you couldn't possibly have the energy to make love right now."
"Right." Steve arched his neck, giving Danny extra room to work. "Wait? What?"
Danny snickered and kissed the curve of Steve's neck. "I was wondering when you would catch on."
"Stop talking." Steve caught Danny's lips with his own and set about proving just how little sleep he needed in order to have sex with the man he loved.
As twilight crept through the blinds, they made slow and gentle love, lingering over each other before they collapsed in a tangle of arms and legs and drifted off to sleep wrapped up in each other.