Days Like This.
"Would you like some company or do you want to be left alone?"
"I always want your company." He answered scooting over so she could lie in the hammock beside him.
"You didn't feel that way yesterday."
"That was yesterday, I left it at Quantico. I try not to bring the stress and problems of the BAU, Strauss-Rossi and Rossi into the world of Erin and Dave."
"You know I was just doing my job?" She asked scooting into the space beside him.
Kissing the side of her neck, "I know, Erin. I'm not mad or upset. We had it coming. Now can we concentrate on enjoying this beautiful Saturday and each other?"
Rolling to face him, "I'd love nothing more." Kissing his lips, before opening the book she'd brought to read. Unsure how long she had been reading, she smiled when she felt him kiss the top of her head, then moving his lips to her forehead. Turning her face, he kissed her slowly, sensually. Enjoying it, he kissed her again, then again, and one more time before wrapping both arms around her. She rested her head against his chest letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.
Erin woke sometime later still wrapped in Dave's arms. Moving some to look at him, he was still sleeping. Watching she smiled, thinking to herself, wondering how she got so lucky. He was ridiculously handsome, sexy as hell and he was all hers. When he came back to the BAU, she never considered she'd have a second chance, thought she'd blown it when she walked away from him, from their relationship so many years ago. He took the blame; never told anyone what really happened. Even back then, he protected her.
Running her hand up his arm, she watched as he slept peacefully. All the stress of the job, the BAU, his writing and teaching gone, he looked younger. His tan features, stood out in stark comparison to the white linen pants and shirt he wore. She noticed he was barefoot, which was rare for him. Feeling him stir, she stroked his face. He smiled, leaned down and kissed her never opening his eyes.
"What time is it, how long have I been asleep?"
"I don't know to both questions. I don't really care. We have so few days where we can just be." Erin answered snuggling closer to him. "Do you have any idea how nice this feels to cuddle in this hammock with you, reading when I want, sleeping when I want, kissing you when I want? Do you have any idea how much I love times like these?"
Kissing her, "I think I do. Moments like these are rare and special."
Neither said anything else, it wasn't long before she heard his breathing change and knew he'd gone back to sleep. He was exhausted. He'd been home most of the week, but the three weeks before were brutal. It seemed as soon as they landed, they'd take off again. Even being home kept him busy, and Hotch took the last 4 days off so he and Jack could spend time with Beth. That meant Dave had double duty and extra work. Several nights he hadn't gotten home until after she'd gone to bed.
Noticing a shadow, she turned to see Jessie, standing beside the hammock. Putting her fingers to her lips, "Speak quietly, I don't want to wake David. He's had a busy week and he's gotten very little sleep."
"Is it okay if Amy and Amanda spend the night and Jeremy and Sam came over for a while after dinner?"
"Sure, why don't you have them all come for dinner? We pulled chicken out of the freezer earlier, there's plenty. We'll grill out." She saw her daughter nod. "Let's let David sleep a while longer."
"He looks so peaceful, Mom." The teenager whispered sitting on the ground, "I love watching you two in times like this. You can tell how much you really love each other. I'm really glad found each other."
Turning so he was spooning her, and she could look at her daughter, she felt him tighten his arm around her stomach, but he didn't awaken. "I don't think you knew this, but David and I dated before I met your dad."
"You did? Why did you break up?"
Erin smiled sadly, "Yes, we did. I was in the academy and he was just out. We dated for a few weeks, then he was sent on an assignment and gone for a couple months. I missed him terrible, but I let other people get in my head, I listened to others when I shouldn't have."
"I don't understand, what are you talking about?" Jessica Strauss asked scooting closer to her mother.
"You've heard your father talk about David being a womanizer, he had a reputation back then and I let that get in my head. I was told he was cheating on me while on this assignment, instead of trusting him, as I should have, I believed what I was hearing. I ended it before it really began. I sent him a letter breaking it off and when he came home, I was already dating your father and soon after we got married. I never gave him an explanation why I ended things." Erin rubbed his hand as it lay across her abdomen.
"Did you love Dave back then?"
"Sweetheart, I think I've always loved David, but so you know, I loved your dad also."
"What did he do? Did he really cheat?"
"David took the blame for our split. He let everyone believe I had every right to break up with him. I didn't know for sure back then, but no he didn't cheat on me. Uncle Andy and Jason were on that mission with him and they both told me he didn't cheat, that he loved me. They said he had women hitting on him, but even after he got my letter, he'd tell them he was in love with someone else. I ruined a perfectly good relationship because of my fears and listening to what others told me."
"Are you ever sorry you married Dad and not Dave?" Jessie asked.
Reaching over, placing her hand against her daughter's cheek, "I'm sorry I didn't trust David, but no I'm not sorry I married Jack. If I hadn't married your dad I wouldn't have you and your siblings. Besides, I don't think David and I weren't ready for each other back then. We both needed to grow up."
Standing Jessie kissed her mother's cheek, "Thanks for sharing that with me. I'm going to go pick up Amy and Amanda, call the guys and then if it's okay we're going to come back and swim a while before dinner."
"That's fine; David should be awake by the time you get back."
Walking part of the way to the door, Jessie looked back at her mother, "I love you, Mom."
"I love you too, sweetheart." Erin said before turning back to snuggle into Dave's embrace, kissing his neck before laying her head against his heart. She never went back to sleep, dozing for an hour or so until he woke up.
Stretching, David Rossi, kissed the top of his wife's head, before placing his finger under her chin, raising her head so he could devour her lips with his own. Breaking their kiss for just a minute, "Did I hear Jessie or was I dreaming it?"
"You heard her, she went to get Amy and her cousin Amanda, then they're coming back to swim and spend the night, Jeremy and Sam are coming to swim also. I told her to invite them for dinner. We have more than enough chicken out."
"Guess I should get up and start the grill." Dave said not moving, but kissing her again.
Laughing, "No… you should lay here a little longer and let me snuggle with you."
"Okay, I can do that." Closing his eyes again, Dave loved the sensation of the gentle swinging movement of the hammock, the smell of her hair, the soft motion of her hands running over his body. He loved the feel of her lips on his, and he loved days like these. They very rarely had a day where they could just spend the day, cuddling, dozing. He seldom took a day to just be still and enjoy Erin. He'd promised her earlier in the week, he would spend a day doing nothing with her. Today was that day, he'd done absolutely nothing after breakfast, but swing in the hammock, kiss and cuddle with the woman he loved and doze.
The pair stayed in the hammock, kissing like teenagers, until they heard the sliding glass door open. Erin looked up to see her daughter and friends coming towards them, "Mom, is Dave still sleeping? Do we need to be quiet?"
"I'm awake; you can make all the noise you want Kiddo!" Dave said still not moving.
"Great." The teenager said making a run for the pool.
Erin and Dave stayed in each other's arms a while longer listening to the teenagers. They heard Amanda say, "Jess, your mom and dad are so cute and it's great the way they love each other."
"Dave's not her dad." Jeremy commented.
"Shut up Jeremy!" Amy said giving him a look.
Jessie glanced at her friends then at Dave and Erin. "Biologically he's not my dad, but it doesn't bother me if you call him my dad, he's our bonus dad, we love him and he loves us. I don't know about mom and Dave being cute, but they've loved one another for a long time."
Climbing out of the hammock, Dave smiled at his bonus daughter. Turning his attention back to his wife he kissed her again. "You stay here and relax; I'll let you know if I need help. I love you, Baby!"
"I love you too, Amante. Thank you."
"For what?"
"For loving me and loving my children. For today, it was just what I needed." She said playing with the fingers on the hand she was holding.
Kissing her one more time, "It was my pleasure; I don't think I've felt this relaxed in…well maybe never." Dave winked at her then walked toward the house.
Erin stayed there a while longer, before sitting up. Sam yelled, "Mrs. Rossi, watch this," as he did a cannonball into the deep end. Everyone laughed.
She observed the kids having fun in the water, she watched Dave grilling and playing with the dog and she'd talked to the older children earlier that day. Surveying her surroundings Erin smiled, she loved being Mrs. Rossi, she loved her life, but mostly she loved days like this.