Bedtime came quickly that night, and Ruby wasn't sorry for it. August was tired from the day of playing with Emma, and so he was quick to obey his parents' instructions—while firmly reminding them that tomorrow was his real birthday. Even Peter seemed to fall asleep early, though Ruby knew she would pay for it later.

Before she could settle down with Archie, however, there was one thing she still needed to do. There wasn't much ready for August's proper birthday the next day, so she was determined to make good on her promise to bake some cookies—sugar cookies, she decided.

"You don't have to do that, you know," Archie reminded her as he looked up from his books, only just out of reach from the flour she dusted onto the kitchen table before she rolled out the dough.

"Nonsense," Ruby replied. "Everyone deserves a treat for their birthday. Especially our son."

"He's already had a birthday."

"Not his real birthday."

Archie chuckled. "You're going to spoil him," he teased before he stood up and slowly made his way around the table. Ruby paused and furrowed her brow to make out his intentions, which were annoyingly hidden in the flickering light of the lamp.

She bit her lip and pretended to focus on her task in front of her, hunched over the kitchen table. She held her breath, every sense aware of Archie's presence, and she waited for his next move. Her pulse quickened as he came up behind her, almost hesitant in his careful motions. He slowly wrapped his arms around her chest in a firm embrace, pinning her arms, and she relaxed against his body, desire already pooling in her middle. She tilted her head and felt the scruff of his jaw brush against her cheek.

"Does that mean I get a second birthday?" he murmured, his voice deep, and she realized her grip tightened around the table, the hard edge digging into her palms. His voice, his touch stirred the feelings that he'd coaxed to life with his fingers on her palm and wrist earlier that day.

"Umhmm," she managed, unable to trust her body that melted like candle wax in his arms. She pulled her mind back to her surroundings, remembering her flour-covered hands and her hair that looked a mess. "But—I need to finish these first." She paused for a beat before adding, "You can even say they're for your birthday, too, if that means you'll let me finish."

His warm breath ghosted over her ear, sending shivers through her. For a moment, all was silent, and Ruby could hear her pulse beating hard.

"Alright," he breathed with a throaty chuckle. "But only because I can't resist your cookies." With that, he pressed a quick kiss to her ear before he released her and returned to his seat at her side.

Ruby took a deep breath to collect herself, her cheeks warm, before she returned her focus to cutting the cookies from the roll of dough and placing them on the trays. Her motions were faster than usual, and she ignored a misshapen cookie or two. She was more than ready to finish the task, especially with Archie throwing her looks over the rims of his spectacles.

She placed the trays into the oven with a glance at the clock on the mantel while Archie finished up with his bookkeeping. The sweet aroma of baking soon filled the room as Ruby washed up at the sink, though she was only trying to kill time until the cookies were done. She could finish up with a proper washing tomorrow.

Soon—but not soon enough—the long hand on the cuckoo clock struck the fifteen minute mark, and Ruby swiftly pulled out the trays and placed them on the table. It was hard to tell in the dim light if they were finished, but the smell that wafted from the trays told her enough. Archie took it as a sign that his work was over for the evening, and he closed his books with a satisfying thud. He stood up and reached for the tray, and Ruby swatted his hand away.

"For land sakes, you need to let them cool down first!" she chastised, unable to keep her own grin from spreading to match the twinkle she saw in his eyes. "And these are for tomorrow."

"What if my second birthday is today?" he countered, taking a step towards her.

Ruby shook her head and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, her gaze fixed on her hands as she folded the tea towel neatly and laid it on the table. "I seem to recall that you had some cookies earlier today already," she informed him, forcing her expression to become serious as she finally met his gaze.

Archie chuckled and took her hand. "You run a tight ship," he told her before bringing her hand to his lips. Ruby hummed in spite of herself at the sweet gesture, and her features softened.

"Yes, well, I hate to tell you, but I'm afraid you're stuck with me now." Her voice was smaller than she intended as he positioned himself in front of her.

"Oh, I am? What a pity." He put his other hand on the small of her back and held her close. She could see his eyes clearly by the light of the fireplace behind her. The twinkle of mischief deepened to something more sincere, and Ruby felt her breath come shallow as her pulse quickened.

"It's a travesty," she breathed, unable to resist the draw of him as he leaned towards her slowly. She tilted her head and closed her eyes, every nerve awaiting that sweet moment when her lips met his.

She let out another hum and she pressed her body to him while his grip on her back tightened. For a moment, she was lost to his touch, any thought for her surroundings entirely forgotten. When they pulled back, she felt herself flush, the warmth of the room apparent. How could such innocent touches—such a chaste kiss—awaken such desire so quickly?

Archie was the first to move as he led her to the chairs by the fireplace, his hand wrapped around hers. He took a seat in the larger rocking chair this time, sitting parallel to the hearth, and Ruby slid into his lap as he wrapped his arms around her waist in familiar motions. The fire was small to limit its heat in the warmer season, but Ruby still felt its effect, and she thought she noticed a hint of pink across Archie's cheeks.

Her hands fluttered up to his neck, drawn to the bare skin easily within reach at the edge of his shirt. His eyes darkened slightly, and Ruby smiled, satisfied that her touch affected him.

"It was unfair of you to tease me so much this afternoon," she murmured with a tilt of her head. Her fingers wandered to the sensitive skin behind his ear while her other hand remained cupped at the nape of his neck.

She could already see him starting to fight for control as he licked his lips. "I, uh—I seem to remember that you were the one to start it," he said softly, his voice deep, his hands firmly clasped around her back.

"Nuh-uh," she insisted, shaking her head slightly and brushing her nose against his chin. "You were the one who started touching my wrist, and I could barely concentrate on the conversation. It was torture," she finished, her lips a breath away from his before she pulled back with a sly smile.

Archie let out a big exhale before he sat back. "You liked that, huh?" He arched one brow. "I'll have to take notes."

Ruby scrunched her nose at him. "And I'll just have to find your weakness," she countered, trying to make her voice as sultry as she could. In truth, she felt a little silly, but this light-hearted banter was intoxicating after the heaviness of the last couple of weeks.

Her silliness evaporated, however, when she met his eyes. Her gaze flitted back and forth, studying the clear depths as her heart lurched in her throat. He brought one hand up to cup her cheek, drawing her lips to his. She leaned up to meet him, her hands sliding to his shoulders as she returned his kisses. Her torso was twisted awkwardly, and so she raised herself up, moving one knee to the other side of his hips so she straddled his lap, her knees squished between the arms of the rocking chair. In one swift motion he slid off the chair and gently guided them to the floor, bracing against the seat of the chair with one arm with his other wrapped around her waist, and Ruby was grateful to be free from the constraints.

"Better?" he breathed as they broke apart. He stretched his legs out in front of him, with Ruby's knees on either side of his hips.

"Mmhmm," she murmured with a nod before kissing him again, caressing his upper lip while he kissed her back softly.

She pulled back and studied his features once more, her heart calm in her chest as it told her that this was exactly where she wanted to be—where she was meant to be. Each day made this new life grow clearer, as if it was solidifying before her into a permanence that she had yearned for. No longer an apparition about to be blown away like a vapour, this man before her was solid and warm and gazed at her like she hung the moon.

"When did you know?"

"Know what?" Archie asked, pressing his forehead to hers as he splayed his hands on the small of her back.

"Know… how you felt about me. That—that you loved me."

Archie smiled like he was remembering a joke. "That's hard to say," he tried to explain. "I mean, in a way, I think I fell for you when I first saw you… in the rain." A lump rose in Ruby's throat as she remembered the details of that day that he didn't voice. "Even when you had lost everything, you were so beautiful—and so strong."

Ruby licked her lips and held her breath as she hung on to his words.

"I knew without a doubt at Christmas, after our day together as a family, even before Peter had come along," he continued, his voice warm in remembrance, and Ruby's pulse quickened. "But it might have been… when you were telling August off at the pig pen."

Ruby's eyebrows shot up and she had to cover her mouth to suppress a laugh, which came out as a muffled and very unladylike snort.

"It's true! Your eyes were almost on fire and you were quick to put August in his place. I knew then that the two of you would be just fine."

Ruby rested her forehead on Archie's shoulder for a moment while he chuckled softly. When she sat up to meet his gaze once more, she could feel the heat in her cheeks. "I can't believe you remember that."

"Oh, I remember it."

That earned Archie a swat, which he quickly repaid with a kiss.

Ruby grinned against his lips, lingering in the kiss for a moment before she pulled back. "So, you're telling me you fell in love with me when I was angry with your son?"

Ruby could see the colour sweep across his cheeks. "Something like that," he said with a chuckle before pecking her lips. Then, he frowned, though his eyes were all teasing. "Not an hour ago he was our son."

The thought struck a chord with Ruby, and her features softened, no longer feeling playful as a lump rose in her throat. "Yes," she murmured, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek. "Our son." The words sent a thrill through her, and she noticed tears well up in his own emotional smile.

Archie's eyes flitted back and forth, searching hers, and he took a deep breath before he turned her question back on her. "So—I have to ask—when did you know?"

"Hmmm," Ruby breathed, looking past him as she thought over her answer. Her hands wandered up over his shoulders and she absentmindedly clasped them around his neck. She leaned back, her weight now resting lower on his lap.

Her mind shuffled through all the little moments, like she was looking through a new photography exhibit. Precious memories that had been tucked safely in her heart rose up in her mind's eye, and she couldn't help but smile.

"I think it came on so slowly, I had no idea it had started," she admitted, meeting his blue eyes that were fixed on her. "You were always so kind with me, and I loved watching you with August. I think my attraction really started when I saw you as a father—first with August, and then with the baby. I—I only knew what it had felt like with Peter"—Ruby paused, worried that she'd misspoken by bringing up her first husband, but she relaxed when Archie nodded warmly—"so I didn't know my true feelings for you until the day of the barn-raising—until it was almost too late."

She bit her lip as she watched for Archie's reaction. A smile of recognition washed over him. "I—I might have noticed a difference," he said slowly, his brow furrowed though he still smiled. "I just had no idea what to make of it."

"I was trying to get your attention, silly," Ruby replied with a grin, tugging Archie to her by the neck as she raised herself up, closing the distance before she captured his lips. He sighed into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her back, holding her close, and Ruby's pulse quickened as he pressed himself to her.

She resisted the urge to deepen the kiss, however, not quite ready to give in to the desire simmering under her skin that she knew would rise to a boil far too quickly. She wanted to enjoy every moment.

She pulled back and grinned as Archie leaned forward, following her lips. He slowly opened his eyes and gave her a sheepish smile, and he lowered his hands to the small of her back.

"I think I have your attention now," she murmured, her voice low and her breath mixing with his in the small space between them.

He nodded and licked his lips. "I just—thank God that August found your letter," he added, a pained expression creasing his features as he glanced down.

"Hey," Ruby said softly, unable to deny that she'd thought the same thing over and over in the last few days. The phrase tugged at her heart even more, for she knew he would never use such words lightly. She brought one hand from behind his neck and guided his chin upward to bring his gaze to hers. "He did. I'm here."

"You are," Archie agreed, his eyes shining and wet and Ruby's heart jumped in her chest to be the object of such adoration. He brought one hand up and cupped her cheek, stroking it with his thumb, and Ruby closed her eyes for a moment.

"I—I wanted to ask you to stay so badly," he continued, his voice gentle and deep, "but I was convinced you only wanted to go home. I told myself my silence was to save you any discomfort but really… I was trying to save myself any pain."

Ruby felt the familiar tug in her chest that had nearly broken her heart over the last few days, and while it was now only an echo of its earlier pain, the emotions came back far too quickly.

"I know," she murmured, her eyes quickly filling with tears, and one escaped and fell down her cheek. "I was doing the same thing. I mean, with the barn fire—I had almost lost you once. I couldn't bare to lose you again—to find out for sure that you didn't want me." She let out a sad chuckle. "We make quite a pair, huh?" she tried to tease, though she couldn't quite keep her tone light.

Archie smiled in return, bittersweet. He took her face in his hands and gently pulled her to him, tilting her head down slightly. He pressed his lips to each eyelid, one after the other receiving a tender kiss, and Ruby covered his hands with hers.

"Oh, Ruby, if you only knew how much I want you," Archie murmured before capturing her lips, and Ruby furrowed her brow as she kissed him back fiercely. Flames of desire licked under her skin, want bubbling up in her chest as Archie swept his tongue past her lips and across the roof of her mouth, chasing away all rational thought. She rose on her knees to hover over him, her hands sliding over his jaw and neck, her fingers digging into his hair like she'd imagined doing a hundred times. Archie's hands shifted down her shoulders and her sides, wandering over her shoulder blades and back before gliding lower. She grinned against his lips when he hugged her close by her rear and gripped the fabric of her dress. Immediately, he slid his hands up to her back, and she broke their kisses.

"No, I like that," she breathed, her lips brushing against his as his warm breath tingled her wet lips. She grinned again before capturing his lips in hungry kisses, any thought of going slowly completely abandoned as she remembered certain fantasies she'd had, and she cursed the layers of fabric she wore. She guided his hand lower, and he chuckled into their kisses in a low rasp that sent heat pulsing through her. She pressed herself to him, her hands running through his hair as she almost hugged him to her chest.

After a few moments, it was Archie who broke their kisses, and Ruby let out a happy sigh as she panted to catch her breath. She bit her lip, pleasantly swollen, both satisfied and hungry for more. Her smile widened to see how disheveled he looked in the firelight, his hair standing up on end and his glasses askew.

"Hi," she whispered, lowering herself to his lap once more.

"Hi," he replied, bringing his knees up so she rested in the crook of his lap. Ruby couldn't help but wonder if the pesky layers of clothing were hiding something else as desire stirred in her middle.

The light of the hearth illuminated Archie's smile and the flecks of red in his hair shone bright. Ruby slowly raised her hands to either side of his face. Slowly, she removed his glasses and reached to place them safely on the table behind him.

"Can you still see me?" she asked, cupping his face with both hands.

"Mmhmm," he replied.

She reclined against his legs slightly and brought her hands up to her hair. Feeling around, she pulled out a hairpin, then another. Her eyes remained fixed on Archie as a few strands of hair began to fall around her face. He raised his eyebrows and nodded towards her, and Ruby smiled and nodded her permission. She lowered her hands to her lap and licked her lips, watching his features furrow in concentration as he brought his hands up, his gaze fixed on the top of her head and her ears. Her breath hitched in her throat as his fingers dug into her hair, searching for the little pins. He smiled slowly when he found one and gently tugged.

"It's okay," she assured him when he paused and looked at her.

He smiled again and resumed his task. Ruby swallowed, the act strangely intimate, and she felt her blood warm in her veins. There were only a couple more pins, and he soon released them from her tendrils. She lifted her hands and felt around just to be sure. The twist of her hair fell loose and she rose up on her knees and tilted her head back to shake her hair free, her fingers joining his as they ran through her hair.

She held her breath, shamelessly aware of the show she'd put on, and yet—it was more than that. Each gesture between them was a promise, a blood-red cord joining them together, sewing her heart to his until they would be wholly, irrevocably united. She wanted to give this to him. She wanted to give her whole self to him.

But for now, there was this.

She met his eyes once more, blue eyes beaming at her, and a lump rose in her throat. She was entirely undeserving of this man's love, but she basked in it like the sun, her most inner self opening under its rays.

Archie slid his hands to her cheeks and cupped her face before kissing her soundly. Ruby's hands settled on his forearms, his sleeves rolled up at his elbows, his ginger hair soft under her fingertips as she returned his kisses, eagerly sweeping her tongue past his lips to deepen the kiss. She rose on her knees once more and slid her hands to his neck. Hovering over him, her hair tumbled down, framing their faces. He dug his hands into her hair, burying them against her skin, and his touch sent sparks shooting through her. All thought for the past or the future was nonexistent, and Ruby was lost to the sensations fluttering over her skin, pounding in her core, the heat of the fire a pale comparison to the imprint of his fingers and lips on her skin.

Ruby lowered herself again, her legs unable to hold her as a wave of desire washed over her. She moved her kisses from his mouth, lips pressed against the place where his dimples formed before trailing down his jaw across the hint of stubble.

As if to help her reach, he sat up straighter and tilted his head back as his hands wandered over her shoulders. Ruby eagerly trailed lower down his throat, resisting the urge to nip. As it was, her lips alone drew a moan from him—she could feel the rumble through the delicate skin—and Ruby grinned against his neck. She pressed one last kiss just above his collar bone where his shirt was annoyingly buttoned before she sat up.

His eyes searched hers, more quickly this time, and satisfaction bloomed in her chest to see how his breaths came short. The thought of how much she wanted to explore every inch of him—to have his tender hands caress her every surface—flew through her mind, and she swallowed the image down.

Not yet.

Besides, they were still far too clothed for much more, though Ruby spotted one last indulgence. Archie leaned his forehead to hers, his hand back to her neck, caressing, feeding the flames that licked under her skin, while Ruby brought her hands to his front. She slid her hands over his chest, the fabric of his shirt unable to hide the muscles underneath, until her fingers rested over the few buttons at the top. His chest rose and fell deeply as she slowly undid each button, one by one, to reveal a tantalizing triangle of skin covered by the soft fuzz of hair. She ran her fingers over the exposed skin, dipping her fingers under the fabric as far as she could. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, evidence of his own desire that matched the pounding in her veins. She looked up to meet his gaze, darker and more animalistic than she'd ever seen it.

He crashed his lips to hers and she accepted his hungry kisses, returning them with equal fervour as she gripped his shirt and he wrapped his arms around her in an achingly tight embrace. What little of the world that had remained melted away, and Ruby was only aware of his touch and the need he awoke in her, his hunger matching her own. For a flickering moment, she wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't take her right there—and she wasn't sure that she didn't want him to.

Before she could tumble over the edge completely, he pulled back, and Ruby opened her eyes, her heart racing as the cold that rushed to fill the space between them yanked her back to reality. They both panted heavily, their arms around each other, searching each other's features in the faint glow of the embers beside them.

Ruby bit her lip and pressed her forehead to Archie's, her hands clasped around his neck. "I—I want you, too," she murmured with a shy smile.

He grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and Ruby closed her eyes, savouring the gesture as they both caught their breath. Slowly, the little cabin came into focus, the soft edges of the night becoming more clear as they sat with their hands around each other.

Archie swallowed again. "I—I think I, uh, might go for a walk before bed," he said, and Ruby was all but certain that more than a little colour tinted his cheeks and ears, though she couldn't see enough to make it out.

She grinned back, proud of herself, though guilt pricked her that she didn't feel more badly for the state she'd put him in. "Oh, really?" She couldn't help but remember the times that he'd rushed from the cabin into the bitter cold on one errand or another.

"It's—it's nothing," he insisted, though a smile crept over his features, confirming her suspicions.

She was about to tease him more, but thought better of it, suddenly feeling shy.

Before she could think of something to say, a whimpering cry sounded from the bedroom. Ruby scrambled up, followed by Archie.

"I'll get him," she told him as she placed her hand on his arm.

He nodded before looking around for his glasses. Ruby grabbed them off the table and handed them to him. With a quick kiss to his shoulder, she rushed to the bedroom, helpless to her son's demands and leaving her husband to the sweet June air.

"Sh-h-h-h, Pongo, you stay there, Boy," Archie instructed his dog in the sliver of the doorway. The dog simply tilted his head, panting, as he sat waiting for his master. When it was clear that he was not to gain entrance to the house, Pongo finally turned in place before he plopped down on the porch in a huff.

Archie chuckled as he shut the door. The hearth had long since burned out, so he only had the light of the half moon that crept in through the cracks of the curtains to see by. He shuffled towards the bedroom, stopping with a cringe as he bumped a chair, letting out a loud screech across the floorboards. He froze and held his breath, praying that he hadn't woken the baby, or the rest of his family. After a few moments of silence that convinced him all was well, he continued his journey, more careful than before.

He opened the door to see that the lamp was still lit, and his heart rose in his chest. He closed the door quickly, shutting it with a quiet click, before he turned towards the chest of drawers. Slowly, he opened the middle drawer and pulled out a nightshirt before sliding it closed, deliberate in his motions to limit any noise.

Emotion swelled in his chest as he turned around to see his family sleeping soundly—August with his blankets kicked down around his ankles, sleeping twisted on stomach. Little Peter lay on his back in his cradle, his arms raised above his head, his chest rising and falling in complete peace. And Ruby, curled up on his bed, facing his side as if she was waiting for him to return.

He took a deep breath and shook his head at himself before he became lost to such daydreams. He took a few steps to the end of the bed and turned around, facing the wall to change quickly, since everyone was asleep. He haphazardly threw his discarded clothes over the rail of the bed and made his way to the table in the middle of the room to blow out the lamp. In a breath, the room was dark, and he slowly felt his way around the bed to his side, careful to avoid Peter's cradle.

He pulled back the blankets and crawled inside, careful so as not to wake his sleeping wife, deserving of far more rest than she was able to snatch. He was not entirely met with success as she hummed and stretched for him, snuggling into him as she reached her arm across his chest.

Archie lay on his back as Ruby used his chest for a pillow, and he held his breath for a moment, in awe that this was his new reality. Not even a week ago, he'd only dared to imagine what life would be like to have her stay as they were, in separate rooms—platonic companions at best. It was beyond his wildest hopes that she would feel the same for him as he did for her, and yet, here they were—entwined together like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He covered her arm with his and brought his other arm up to her head, stroking her loose hair, no longer confined to a braid. For a moment, he was lost to the luxury of running his fingers through her hair and brushing his hand across her forehead. She sighed and nestled into him, and he thought his heart would grow too large for his chest as it ached in happiness. If it weren't for the warmth of her, the pressure of her lithe frame wrapped around him, he would have thought this all an illusion.

But it was real.

He pressed a kiss to her hair as his thoughts continued to buzz around him, refusing to settle just yet. He'd been careful not to push too far, knowing their situation required delicacy. He couldn't imagine all that Ruby must be going through, her life thrown into upheaval so many times in less than a year. Besides, he hadn't been married, so he couldn't pretend to understand what it was like to begin a marriage to one man while still grieving—cherishing—the memory of another.

He wanted to give her all the time she needed, but he couldn't deny, he was glad that she was more ready than he had at first thought. The memory of earlier that evening alone was enough to stir his desire—her lips on his neck, her fingers on his chest, the hunger in her eyes—and he swallowed to keep himself collected. It was ridiculous, he told himself, to be acting like a man half his age, but it was hard to help. She was intoxicating.

And yet, even more than that, it was the trust that he saw in her eyes, the way she relaxed into his touch, that took his breath away. No longer timid, she felt safe around him. She wanted him.

What was a little while longer when they had the rest of their lives?

It was a silly, sentimental thought, but it fixed a smile on Archie's lips as his mind continued to whirl through his plans—the changes that would need to be made, and hopefully sooner rather than later. It wasn't fair to keep August in the same bedroom, but Archie didn't like the thought of him by himself at the other side of the house, let alone in the lean-to. And what would happen once Peter was more grown? Soon enough, however, his mind grew foggy with sleep, and all he could focus on was Ruby's breathing as it matched his own, her head rising and falling with his chest as he buried his hand in her hair.