"I'm home," Sara called out, taking off her jacket and tossing it onto the couch.
She smiled when she heard hushed murmurs and a baby's giggle from around the corner. She followed the voices and laughed at the sight that greeted her when she quietly pushed the door open.
Just as she had anticipated, her bedroom was a complete mess. Sheets of paper, crayons, and little pots of paint were scattered all over the floor. Warrick was on his back on the carpet, her son lying contentedly on his chest, staring at him. The baby's pudgy hands clasped Warrick's face, as Warrick spoke softly to him. Both boys looked up at the sound of Sara's laughter.
"Look Brady, mommy's home," Warrick said with a grin, lifting him up towards Sara. The baby giggled and kicked his socked feet in the air.
"Hi Brady," Sara cooed, planting light kisses on his face. "Did you miss mommy?"
Warrick got to his feet, examining his own shirt. He was going to have to throw it out since it had painted hand prints all over it, and a quick glance around the room told him he might be in a little trouble with Sara later.
"Hey," Sara said, finally turning her attention to Warrick, giving him a warm smile.
He leaned down and answered her with a slow, lingering kiss. Sara could have gone on kissing him longer, but Warrick broke away when Brady started squirming in her arms between them. Warrick chuckled, ruffling the baby's hair.
"He's tired. I'll just put him in the crib," Sara told him.
Warrick nodded and gave Brady a quick kiss on his arm before heading for the living room.
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Warrick was on the couch with his eyes closed when Sara emerged from the bedroom 15 minutes later. She carefully settled herself beside him, assuming that he had fallen asleep, when his arm automatically found its way around her.
"Thanks for babysitting," she said, snuggling closer to him and snaking an arm across his broad chest. "Again."
"Happy to do it," he answered, finally opening his eyes and looking at her.
It must've been the sincerity and the affection she saw shining in his eyes or the sudden surge of happiness she felt overcome her, but whatever it was, she couldn't resist and tilted her head to capture his lips with hers. She heard him groan softly as the kiss deepened and she maneuvered herself onto his lap. She broke the kiss as soon as he felt his hands slide down from her waist to her thighs.
"Stay the night?" she asked, although it sounded more like a statement, already undoing the buttons on Warrick's shirt.
To her surprise, his hands fell away from her body and he dropped his head back against the back of the couch, squeezing his eyes shut as if in torment.
"I know I'm going to regret this later," he started with a heavy sigh..
Sara's hands stilled. She smiled, amused at how he seemed to be struggling with his decision.
"I know, I know. You have to go," she said, remembering that while it was her day off the next night, Warrick, on the other hand, had to go to work. She straightened up but didn't get off his lap, even as she started to re-button his shirt, giving them both a few more minutes to catch their breaths.
"Have you thought about what I asked you last night?" he casually asked, watching her expression closely.
Sara didn't look up, pretending to smooth down the creases on his shirt. Warrick stilled the movement of her hands by taking hold of both her wrists, prompting her to finally meet his gaze.
"I have," she told him gently, a bit hesitantly. "And I've decided that I need more time."
"If it's about Brady, you know I love him like he were mine." Warrick couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.
Sara leaned down and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face against his neck, wanting nothing more than to ease his worries.
"I know that, Warrick," she assured him. "And he adores you. I just need to sort some things out in my life before I drag you into it. This has nothing to do with you, I promise. You know how I feel about you."
He sighed, and kissed the top of her head.
"Okay," he told her, not wanting to pressure her. "I won't push you."
They held each other wordlessly for a couple of minutes. She wished he didn't have to go just yet, but experience tells her that if she's able to convince him to spend the night, he'd likely be late for work the next day.
"You know I'm going to keep asking until you say 'yes'," he said, finally breaking the silence.
Sara laughed and squeezed him tight, thinking about how blessed she was, and what she could've possibly done to deserve all this.
"I'm counting on it."
THE END.