For the past few days, Archie wasn't entirely convinced that he could trust his senses. In fact, a small part of him wasn't certain he wouldn't wake to find it had all been a dream, but Ruby's touch—a stroke of her fingers on his arm, a brush of her lips on his neck, a graze of her teeth on his skin—made him very aware of his physical reality.
He felt foolish, at first, to be so distracted by desire, but he and Ruby were quick to embrace the freedom gifted to them, to take full advantage of the limited responsibilities of the summer and the few days free from their ten-year-old son. Truthfully, he'd been nervous, too, but every time they were together showed him how much she wanted him—and how much they could learn together.
It still filled him with awe, the way two people could be so deeply connected—how he wanted to memorize every curve of his wife and learn every thought and dream and fear. Along with the sacred union of the physical, he cherished the moments of stillness where they could talk together—baring their souls in more ways than one.
The time together was a blessing, the start of another chapter in their lives which he looked forward to continuing—though it would certainly take on a different form once August returned.
The morning of August's homecoming, Archie awoke to a lightness in his chest. After a few days of respite, he missed his son, and he chuckled to realize he anticipated the reunion that would happen in a few hours—though August was perhaps only a mile away at most.
He also wasn't entirely sure how August would feel about coming home to find a hole in his wall, but they could cross that bridge when they came to it… that day. Ruby had had him tack up an old sheet to cover the hole to ease the transition, which he had to concede was a wise move.
The morning began as most others did, with stolen kisses in between caring for the baby and making breakfast—an indulgence which included eggs and bacon and coffee, a last nod to their little "honeymoon". Even in nothing but her nightshirt, Ruby took his breath away, and he enjoyed the luxury of such candid moments for a little while longer: wrapping his arms around her from behind as she poured the coffee, her nipples evident through the thin fabric; letting his gaze linger over her form sitting beside her at the kitchen table, her hair loose and her cheeks pink with mirth as she sipped her coffee and returned his gaze, her green eyes bright.
All too soon, it was time to feed the animals and mend one of the old fences that Flora had managed to break through. He could just see the little garden from his vantage point as he worked, and he smiled at the sight of Ruby picking some peas. He couldn't help but recall the time they'd planted them together, and how his heart sang for that brief moment when he thought she reciprocated his attentions. He'd quickly been proven wrong—or so he thought—but the memory held more honey than vinegar now. He chuckled when Flora appeared at his side, making a pest of herself as he hoisted up the new log and nailed it into place. "There, there, Girl," he cooed as he nudged her aside with his body as best he could. When he was finished, he rewarded her with a rub to her wide nose which earned him an attempted lick, though he managed to duck away from the well-meaning gesture.
He squinted as he glanced towards the sun, now high in the sky. Ruby would be waiting for him for lunch.
His task finished, Archie gathered up his things and headed back to the barn, with Flora following behind him. She soon realized his target and decided she preferred the freedom of the pasture and the heat of the sun to being cramped in the barn, so she scurried away at the last moment while Pongo ran up to greet him.
"Hey, Boy," he said as he hung up his tools. He bent down to scratch the dog's ears before he stood back up, eager to make his way back to the cabin.
In a quick detour, however, he went through the back of the barn to a patch of wildflowers he'd spotted. While part of him felt ridiculous, he couldn't resist the sentiment of picking some flowers for his wife. Besides, wasn't that a husband's duty? He highly suspected David did so for Mary Margaret on a regular basis...
When he was satisfied with the small bouquet he'd collected—a mix of white flowers he believed were called "Queen Anne's lace", with some buttercups and a purple flower and some dainty blue flowers—he turned for the house, a jog in his step as he felt his heartbeat quicken the closer he got to the front door.
With a final "shoo" to Pongo to ensure the dog stayed outside, he passed through the doorway, his heart beating quicker as his gaze landed on Ruby. She turned from the stove and greeted him with a grin as he shut the door behind him.
"I thought you might like these," he said, his arm outstretched with his offering, his cheeks tight in a grin of his own.
"They're beautiful," Ruby said as she took the bouquet from him. "Though I won't smell them in case I start sneezing."
Archie frowned. "Oh, I can take them outside—"
"Nonsense!" Ruby declared with an emphatic shake of her head. "I'll put them right on the table. They'll be fine there."
She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips, which Archie returned, resting his hand on her arm for a moment, before she turned back towards the sink.
He quickly washed up at the basin by the bedroom while she prepared the flowers and placed them in large mason jar on the middle of the table. As he took his seat, he made a mental note to check about getting a proper vase the next time he was at Gold's. Belle would certainly have some suggestions.
Lunch was a simple affair, but delicious—cornbread straight from the oven with cold chicken from the night before and fresh peas from the garden. The bright green morsels were sweet when left uncooked, shucking them straight from the pod, and they gave a satisfying pop when he bit down on them. Archie was secretly grateful that August didn't care for the sweet vegetable.
"Did you finish with the fence?" Ruby asked after she swallowed a bite of cornbread with butter.
"Yes—it's all done," he replied with a nod. "How was your morning?"
"Oh, it was fine. Peter was a little fussy, but I managed to get the cornbread made, so it went well enough."
Archie chuckled and threw a glance down beside him to see Peter in his crib, watching his parents. "Were you giving your mama trouble?" he asked, his voice pitched high.
As if in response, Peter began waving his arms and kicking his legs, though whether to argue his innocence or wholeheartedly agree, Archie wasn't sure.
"Well, then," Archie said as he lifted the baby out of his cradle. "Is that so?" He rested Peter on his shoulder, holding him with one hand while he continued to eat with the other.
Ruby smiled and leaned close to rub his little back, and warmth washed over Archie to have her so near. "I think it was just gas, but he sure wasn't happy."
Archie bounced the child in place and tilted his head to meet Peter's wandering gaze. "That's no fun, huh?"
They managed to eat most of their meal in peace while Peter sucked on his fist, but soon he began to whine, no matter how Archie bounced him or rubbed his back.
"I think he wants his mama," Archie said with a chuckle as Ruby instinctively rose and took him. "I'll clean up, don't worry."
Ruby pressed a kiss to Archie's head before she settled down in the rocking chair for Peter's feeding. Archie cringed when he stood up too quickly, causing his chair to scrape across the floor, but Peter was distracted by a more pressing need. His cries quickly melted into contented sucking noises, and Ruby and Archie shared a smile before he collected the dishes and remnants of food.
Archie planted himself in front of the sink, elbow-deep in warm, soapy water and a dish towel over his shoulder. Methodically, he wiped, rinsed, and dried every piece as he listened for the sounds of domestic bliss coming from behind him. Each of his senses soaked in the happy scene—the warmth of the water on his skin, the sweet aroma of baking still lingering in the air, the faint humming of his wife mixed with the gurgles of his son. His heart floated in his chest, nestled under his throat as if it could barely contained by his ribcage.
How had he become so blessed?
Lost to his thoughts, he was startled by the sudden pressure around his middle as Ruby wrapped her arms around him. The lightness in his chest quickly warmed to a heavier pleasure that wound around him at her touch, her body pressed up against his, and he took a sharp breath.
"Your son's asleep," Ruby murmured against his ear, her voice low and sultry.
"Oh?" he managed, forcing himself to gently lower the plate in his hand before it slid to the bottom of sink. He gripped the edge of the basin as her hands wandered up his chest and her lips found his neck. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, helpless to the need she so quickly awoke within him. Bubbles of delight quickly heated to liquid desire, swirling around him in strands that threatened to coil tightly, travelling lower and lower.
She trailed hot kisses down his neck, sending sparks skittering under his skin to his middle. One hand explored his chest while the other slid lower, over his abdomen, past his navel, down to his waist…
"Ruby…" he groaned, desire building within him. He cursed himself for reacting so quickly to her touch, the ache she stoked to life.
She hugged him close as her hand found his erection and cupped it, the pressure through the fabric enough to draw another moan.
"Ruby, the Nolans could be here at any moment," he tried to protest. He was frozen in place, not daring himself to move lest he lose control completely, his grip now digging into the wood of the counter in front of him as every muscle grew tight.
"We have time," she insisted in between continued kisses to his neck. "Besides—that's what makes it more exciting."
For a long moment, neither spoke, though Archie could swear he could feel her smile against his neck as she watched the last of his resolve melt away.
Then, he turned in her arms, crashing his lips to hers in a violent kiss as his hands found her waist, neither caring that he dripped water all over her dress. With more force than he intended, he backed her up until she bumped into the back of the chair at the kitchen table. Without breaking their kisses, she shoved the chair aside—a dangerous move that caused them both to freeze at the sudden screech across the floor. When nothing but silence came from the cradle beside them, they quickly resumed, the interruption forgotten in their desperation.
Ruby hopped up onto the table, aided by Archie's hands at her waist. Her hands flew to his shoulders, sliding under the straps of his suspenders to guide them off his arms, and he shrugged them off, one by one. She shifted on the table and reached for the hems of her skirts to hike them higher, and Archie quickly returned his hands to her body. With one hand on the back of her neck, he moved his other hand to her knee, running it up her thigh and edging it under her chemise.
His tongue swept past her lips in plundering kisses, hungry for the taste of her, and he wound one hand into her hair where it was pinned up tightly at the nape of her neck. She inched closer to him on the table as he pressed himself against her, his hand wandering up under her skirts, along the smooth skin of her inner thigh until her reached her folds.
She was already slick with want, and he grinned against her lips as he inserted one finger into her. She moaned softly, breaking the kiss as she tilted her head back against his hand before pressing her cheek to his.
"More," she panted, and Archie was happy to oblige, adding another finger, her muscles tight around him. She rolled her hips against his hand, and he could feel his own need building within him in pounding waves, their breaths coming heavy between them. He pumped his fingers and found her clit with his thumb, rolling in circles, gently at first, but soon increasing in speed.
"Mmm," she moaned as she reached for his neck and pulled him close, her fingers digging into his skin. She tugged at his lower lip with her teeth, her primal desire feeding his own hunger, an ache that he was desperate to satisfy.
As he continued his ministrations with one hand, he brought his other hand to his waist. Remembering herself, Ruby's hands fluttered to the buttons and undid them, yanking out his shirt from his pants before unfastening the last button and letting him spring free.
She shifted towards him on the table, and Archie removed his hand from between her legs and attempted to hold back her skirts. His need for her continued to build, the tension coiling within him in silken strands that felt ready to snap as he positioned himself at her entrance. She guided him right and captured his lips with fierce hunger as she let out a moan, the sound striking something in his own core, and he furrowed his brow and kissed her deeply as he revelled in the sensation of being surrounded by her.
"Yes," she gasped as she broke the kiss and rolled her hips into him. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and bit his shoulder through the fabric of his shirt. She adjusted her position as he thrust, burying himself deep, edged on by her moans, and he swallowed an oath of his own as her inner walls clamped around him, bringing him to the edge.
In that moment, stars burst in his vision as they fell together, clinging to each other as they rode the last waves of pleasure in erratic thrusts. Ruby relaxed into Archie and he held her close, slowly regaining his focus as he realized they were both panting to catch their breath.
Ruby straightened and met Archie's gaze, her eyes glistening like the meadow after a storm, and his breath hitched in his throat. He brought his hand up to gently brush a few stray strands from her face, transfixed by her every feature.
"Not bad," she teased, and Archie laughed.
"Not bad for an old man?" he asked pressing his forehead to hers.
"Not bad for any man," she assured him, pressing a tender kiss to his lips, and Archie took a deep breath to steady the wave of emotion that washed over him.
They held each other for a few moments longer before the room around them sharpened into focus. Archie felt a little foolish, yanking his pants off the ground from around his ankles and tucking his shirt in to make himself presentable, but he also couldn't pretend that he was the least bit sorry for it. He also had to chuckle when Ruby rushed to the small looking glass by the bedroom after hopping down from the table. He could see the dark patches on the back of her dress where his wet hands had gripped her close—an oddly satisfying sight.
"I should have known better than to do my hair," she grumbled, yanking out the pins.
"I can help with that, at least," Archie assured her. He hurried over and searched her hair for the thin pieces of metal before sliding them out. "Though I'm not going to apologize, when you clearly started it." He met her eyes in the glass and smoothed her hair over her shoulder, pressing his lips to the exposed skin at the curve of her neck in deliberate kisses.
"Mmhmm," was all she could manage in reply, and Archie chuckled as warmth washed over him to see for the countless time the effect he had on her, also.
With one last kiss, he left her to her task, twisting and pinning up her hair as he turned his attention back to the sink. In an instant, it was as if their little recess hadn't even happened, save for the evidence of his blood still beating hot in his veins, his body recovering from the rush of adrenaline.
Perhaps there was something to be said for… quick.
There wasn't much time to dwell on it, however, as they finished setting everything in order for a visit from their neighbours. Ruby and Archie were just putting the last of the dishes in the cupboard when the grinding of hooves and wheels sounded in the yard. Ruby rushed outside, with Archie just behind her, and they beamed to see August sitting beside David on the wagon, just the two of them.
"Hello, Sweetheart!" Ruby exclaimed with a grin and a wave.
"Ma! Pa!" August replied, barely waiting for the wagon to come to a stop before he jumped down and threw himself at Ruby.
"Hello, Son," Archie said after Ruby had released the boy from her tight embrace. August wrapped his arms around him, and Archie squeezed right back before pressing a kiss to his son's head.
"Have you gotten taller?" he asked as they pulled back. He threw a glance to David before looking back to August. "I swear, you've gotten taller."
August shook his head. "It's only been a few days, Pa." Still, the feigned nonchalance couldn't hide the sparkle in his son's eyes, nor deny the fact that August kept his arm around his pa's waist. Archie grinned and cherished the moment that was a rarity with a ten-year-old.
Remembering himself, he turned to his neighbour as the man hopped down from the wagon. "David, hello! How was your week?"
David returned his greeting with his signature smile. "Oh, we had a fine time, didn't we, August?" He nodded towards August before returning his attention to Ruby and Archie. "I think the more important question is, how was your week?"
Archie shifted as he interpreted the knowing smile that the other man gave him, and he glanced to Ruby, who crossed her arms and bit back a smile.
"It—it was, uh, great, thanks," Archie assured him. "It was good."
David laughed. "I'm glad to hear it."
After a pause that felt an eon to Archie, Ruby spoke up. "So Mary Margaret and the children weren't able to come?"
"No, it was better for her to stay at the house with them today. She sends her love, though."
"Yes, say 'hi' to them all for us," Ruby insisted. Archie could see that she was a little disappointed, her shoulders falling slightly, though she kept her smile in place.
David jerked his head towards the back of the wagon. "Do you want to show your parents what you brought back?" he asked August.
"Oh yeah!" August said, breaking away from Archie and hurrying to join David. Archie's stomach lurched and he couldn't help but frown at his neighbour, wondering what he'd gotten them into.
The secret was soon revealed when August opened the lid of a basket and pulled out a black kitten with white on its stomach and paws and nose. Archie breathed a sigh of relief.
"Remember, Pa? Uncle David said it was time to bring her home."
"Oh?" Ruby asked, raising her brows to Archie.
Archie licked his lips and took a step towards his wife, placing his hand on her back. "I, uh—I promised him one of the Nolans' kittens, back when… well, before."
"Ah."
She turned her face away and he pressed a kiss to her temple before joining August and David.
"She's beautiful!" Archie beamed at his son. "What's her name?"
"Figaro," August replied with a shrug as he held the creature up. The poor thing wriggled and mewed in his hands. "Mary Margaret and Emma came up with it. I might just call her 'Fig'."
"Hmm. 'Fig.'" Archie held his thumb and forefinger to his chin and glanced at David and Ruby before returning his gaze to his son. "I think I like it."
Ruby took a step forward and bent down to see the kitten. "Hey, little fella," she cooed with a pet to its head. "Hello, Fig. Aren't you a sweetie."
August cradled the kitten to his chest. "She's still pretty small, so is it okay if I keep her with me in the bedroom?"
"Of course!" Ruby agreed before Archie had a chance to suggest a compromise. "I'm sure we can fix up a little bed. Why don't we go find an old basket and a blanket? And you can say hello to your brother."
Archie smiled them off as Ruby guided August by the shoulders towards the house with a kiss to his head. He let his gaze linger on the pair for a long moment before turning to David beside him.
"Thanks so much for bringing him home—and for having him over. We really appreciate it."
David grinned. "It was our pleasure."
"You're sure he wasn't any trouble?"
"Nah," David insisted as he hooked his thumbs into his waistband. "I kind of liked having another man in the house."
Archie chuckled. "Well, that's one way to put it."
"And how about you? You enjoyed your time with the Mrs.?"
Archie licked his lips, unsure of how much he wanted to say, though he most certainly picked up on the glint in David's eye. "We had a very good time together, yes."
David clapped his hand on Archie's back. "Judging from that mark on your neck, I would say so."
Archie felt his cheeks flush as his hand instinctively rubbed the offending spot. "I, uh—well…"
David laughed as he grabbed August's sack from the back of the wagon, and Archie quickly took it from him. "I'm just glad to see that you're finally a happily married man," David said, and Archie couldn't help but relax at the warmth in his friend's tone.
"Very happily married. And thank you."
Not being able to resist one last quip, David added more quietly, "Don't worry, Mary Margaret likes to be rough sometimes, too. I'd say we're just lucky."
Archie shook his head as they walked towards the cabin's door. "I guess we are. Now, to change the subject entirely, would you like a drink? Something to eat? Ruby's made some delicious cornbread…"
The two men laughed as they entered the house, their minds on an entirely different kind of appetite.
Ruby and August turned towards the front door as it swung open and Archie's and David's deep voices rang through to the bedroom.
"Pa!" August cried as he ran into the main room, and Ruby chuckled as she followed behind with Peter nestled on her shoulder.
"Pa, there's a hole in my wall," August exclaimed, his tone equal parts surprise and accusation.
"I told him he needed to talk to you about that," Ruby said to Archie, swaying slightly to placate her young son. She grinned when David's eyebrows shot up, and she nodded towards her husband.
"Oh, about that," Archie began with a rub to his neck. Ruby thought he looked almost sheepish, and she couldn't help but smirk. "August, I thought it was about time you get your own bedroom."
"In… the lean-to?" August's eyes brightened instantly.
"No—well, yes, sort of—but not exactly." Ruby and David exchanged amused glances as Archie tripped over his words. "Actually, I thought it could be a project that Uncle David could help me with." Ruby noticed that her husband kept his eyes firmly planted on their son without a flicker of a glance to the man in question. "And you can help, too, since it'll be your room." Archie put a hand on August's shoulder as the boy frowned. "I thought we could build a new room where the lean-to is, so you can have a room of your own."
David brought his thumb up to lips, watching the whole scene with a smirk that Ruby suspected matched her own.
"My own room!" August threw his arms around his father. "Thanks, Pa!"
Archie dared to look at Ruby before returning his focus to August. "Well, you'll have to share with Peter, eventually—but that won't be for a long while yet."
Ruby held the baby up so she could see his face. "What do you think, Peter? It sounds like your Pa is going to stick you in the lean-to with your older brother!" The suggestion made everyone laugh, though Ruby was certain there would be times in the future that it would be a tempting course of action.
"And it's only if you've got the time," Archie added, finally turning to David. "I don't want to impose."
"Of course!" David agreed with a grin that warmed Ruby through. "I'd be happy to help."
The verbal agreement earned David a hug from the ten-year-old with a muffled, "Thanks". After a quick visit to the bedroom so August could show off his kitten sleeping in its new bed, Ruby insisted David stay for a quick bite to eat—an offer he didn't refuse.
The visit of a few minutes lasted more than half an hour, but the Hoppers soon had to wave goodbye to their neighbour. The rest of the afternoon disappeared in a flash as Ruby prepared fried chicken in celebration of August's return, despite Archie's insistence that it wasn't necessary since they'd had it for his birthday not long ago. Ruby paid no heed, and soon she was piling a plate high with meat that made her mouth water.
After Archie finished grace, Ruby served their plates, and the sight of everyone at their rightful place made her heart swell. Their break was nice, but it was lovely to have their family back together, eating around the table as usual…
Though of course, not everything was the same as before. Ruby felt heat bloom in her cheeks when she realized what had occurred earlier with Archie in the very place where she now sat. She refused to look at him, certain he could read her thoughts. Instead, she turned her attention to August. Besides, she was eager to hear how he'd enjoyed his own vacation.
"Oh, it was fine," he told them. "But my bed was squished in beside Emma's and sometimes she kicked me in the night."
"That's unfortunate," Archie said with a sympathetic nod. Ruby started as his fingers brushed hers under the table. She bit back a smile as she realized what was happening before curling her fingers around his. It was impressive, how he kept his attention on August and could continue eating with his other hand.
"Yeah. She was okay during the day—we got to play a lot. I had to help with some chores, though, but I didn't mind taking care of Happy and Sneezy. I think they liked me. And the kittens were able to do more. Emma and I would dangle bits of string and they would chase it."
"That sounds adorable," Ruby replied, her attention mostly focused on her son… even though a small part of her was distracted by Archie rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.
"Yeah, they were pretty cute. Their ma's a pretty good mouser—that's what Uncle David said—and I think Fig might be good at it, too."
"That's good to hear," Archie said. "It'll be nice to have a cat around, to be honest."
Ruby couldn't imagine the tiny creature wandering around the homestead by herself, though she knew eventually Figaro would be barred from the bedroom. Perhaps she could convince Archie to let the pet stay in the main room of the house during the colder weather.
"What else did you do?" Ruby jumped in, eager to hear more details.
"Auntie Mary Margaret has some books, so I started reading one of those with her. It's called Frankenstein, and it's about this monster that comes to life with electricity. It's really cool!" Ruby's eyebrows shot up at that and she glanced at Archie, wondering what his thoughts were on the subject matter, but he kept his features relaxed. "Emma couldn't read it with us, though." A hint of a smirk crossed August's lips and Ruby could see the twinkle of a boy happy to have something for his own.
"That was nice of Auntie Mary Margaret," Archie reminded him. "I hope you found other ways to include Emma."
"Oh, yeah," August continued with an emphatic nod before stuffing his face with chicken. "We played pirates and cowboys, and we found some wild strawberries. Don't worry—we didn't eat any until Uncle David said it was okay."
Ruby grinned. "I just hope you minded your manners a little better when you ate with the Nolans," she added, half teasing, half serious.
August swallowed and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, which earned him a gentle warning from his father. "Don't worry, I did," he assured them with a grin, and Ruby couldn't keep from chuckling.
"It sounds like you had a great time!" Ruby exclaimed as she leaned back in her chair, pleasantly full with her hand still clasped in Archie's. She made a mental note to ask Mary Margaret about the full details of August's visit, certain that there would be one or two incidents to report, despite David's insistence to the contrary.
"Yeah, but sometimes Emma was following me around too much. I couldn't always do what I wanted to do because she's still too little for it, you know?" Ruby fought to focus on her son's words as she caught Archie's gaze on her out of the corner of her eye. She turned slightly to look at him, but he quickly looked away and returned his attention to their son with a squeeze to her hand. Ruby bit her lip to suppress a giggle from escaping before she fixed her gaze on August.
"There was one afternoon I was writing something down before I forgot it, and she spilled water all over the paper and ruined it."
"Oh, dear," Archie said before sneaking another glance at Ruby. She quickly reached for her drink to hide behind and she took a gulp of water to calm the odd energy that buzzed in her chest.
Suddenly, August sank into his chair and crossed his arms in a huff. "Okay, what is going on with you two?" He narrowed his eyes at them both. "What happened when I was away?"
Ruby burst out laughing which turned into a sputter as she struggled to keep her water down.
Archie instantly dropped her hand, and she could see his cheeks flush a shade of crimson once she collected herself.
"Oh, well, that's—it's one of those things you'll understand when you're older," he said sternly, as if to close the subject to questions—a rare occurrence, Ruby knew. She couldn't help the glimmer of amusement that rose in her chest, but she forced her features to stay serious, especially given August's evident annoyance.
"That's not an answer, Pa. Besides, I'm older now—I just turned ten." The crease of his brow deepened as his gaze darkened to a glare.
"Your pa and I just had some quiet time together," she explained in an attempt to eliminate any sense of mystery. "But we missed you, and we're glad you're back." She flashed him a smile for emphasis, her heart full with the truth of the words.
Slowly, he relaxed, though more from the recognition of a battle he couldn't win rather than being fully convinced. "Okay."
Archie and Ruby shared another quick look before Archie changed the subject. "I had to mend a fence in the back pasture. Flora somehow managed to break through again."
August smiled. "Yeah, it's 'cause she likes the clover patch over there."
Archie grinned. "You're probably right. Maybe you can bring some to her after dinner? I think Cleo and Pongo missed you, too."
"I'd like that."
The rest of their dinner passed uneventfully, and Ruby cherished the conversation, committing the sight and sounds and smells to memory, marveling at how the ordinary could make her heart feel so full.
After a couple of hours spent outside in the warm air, surrounded by the chirp of the crickets, the Hoppers extended their evening with August reading to them by lamplight until he started to droop. By the time they all went to bed, it was far past August's normal bedtime, but Ruby and Archie were happy to indulge him.
"Are you feeling guilty about banishing him to the lean-to?" Ruby teased in a whisper as they climbed into bed, August already snoring lightly a few feet away.
"I'm not!" Archie protested before stopping himself and quieting his tone. "I'm not banishing him."
Ruby giggled as they both sank into the mattress and she instinctively turned around and pressed her back to him as he wrapped his arms around her. "I know. I think it will be good for him," she said more seriously. After a pause, she added, "You know, he's probably caught on to what's happening."
"Mmhmm," Archie agreed, burying his face into the back of her neck. "I just figured that tonight wasn't the best time to get into details." His lips brushed her skin as he spoke.
"True," Ruby agreed. In all honesty, she would be the last person to protest having a bit more privacy, even by the slightest of margins. She breathed in deeply, soaking in the warmth of Archie's breath on her neck, and she smiled as his hand wandered down her waist and thigh under the covers to the edge of her nightshirt. Slowly, he worked his way back up under the fabric, the slight roughness of his calloused hands a delicious contrast to the tender motion. He stroked her middle with his thumb, pausing briefly until his hand finished the journey to cup one breast, and warmth washed over her at the ease of the gesture, full of affection and familiarity.
She fell asleep to the sounds of her boys' even breathing, a lullaby that swept her off to a dreamland that wasn't half so sweet as her reality.