Deacon
It annoyed him that she kept going on and on about seeing Dr. Jensen. It felt like all they did was argue in those sessions and she would be mad at him in the end and he'd be mad at her and nothing seemed to resolve itself. He was afraid it would keep stirring up all the old pain and she would push him away again, just when they were starting over. If it was up to him, he would just move in with her – he knew she wouldn't move into his bungalow in East Nashville – and they could start being a family and rebuilding their relationship. As it was, she wasn't letting him stay over and she wanted him to still have the kids up until Thanksgiving. Sure, she'd been happy for him to come over during the day while Maddie and Levi were in school, but it didn't feel like they were really together. At least not in the way he'd hoped.
He walked into her combo office and music room, closing the doors behind him, and just stood there for a moment, trying to calm down. He walked over to pick up one of her guitars, a nice Martin he was sure she didn't play, and sat on the couch just letting his fingers skim over the strings. He thought about all the complicated aspects of his relationship with Rayna. He knew he'd caused her pain, more than she deserved. He'd often wondered back then if the darker parts of his life were just him trying to express himself or if the darkness was just trying to take him down. It had been hard to know for sure early on. But these days he felt like it was that darkness and pain that had allowed him to create a lot of his music. Music was a way to express himself and work through those darker times, moving towards something better.
Maybe that's all Dr. Jensen is, someone to help us move from the darkness to the light.
He started to pay attention to the chords he was playing, reorganizing them into something that sounded like a song. He and Rayna had sure been through those dark times and the waters that ran under their bridge ran deep. He started to write. The words came surprisingly easily, with a correction or two here and there. He'd just finished writing a verse and the beginning of a chorus when the door opened. He looked up to see Rayna walk in. He instantly felt bad for having been angry with her.
She walked to the couch and sat down next to him. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Writing," he said.
"Can I see?" He nodded and she reached for the notebook, picking it up and putting it on her lap. He watched as she read through the verse and then she looked at him. "This is good. What's it about?"
"Us."
She looked back at it and nodded. "It does sound like us." She turned back to him. "I think we can do this with Dr. Jensen, Deacon. I think this will be good for us. I know you've been frustrated with our sessions, but I would like for us to keep trying."
He breathed in and then finally nodded. "I'm sure you're right."
She smiled, then putting a hand on the guitar, she leaned towards him and kissed him. "Thank you, babe." She looked back at the notebook on her lap. "I can't wait to hear this when you're finished. It's such a good start."
"You wanna work on it with me?" he asked. She looked at him, her eyes bright.
"Really? Because I'd love to." She put her hand on his arm. "Writing with you is something I've really missed."
"Me too. Maybe we could work on it at the cabin."
She smiled, putting the notebook back on the table. "I'm looking forward to that." She put her hands on her legs. "Would you mind if we went out for lunch? I just put away all the dishes and stuff and I'd hate to get something dirty before we left."
"Maybe if we can get a triple decker cheeseburger." He smirked.
She stood up, laughing. "I'm sure we can get you a triple decker cheeseburger." He stood up as well, walking over to put the guitar back on its stand. He picked up the notebook and handed it to her.
"Don't forget this." She held the notebook to her chest for a moment, then reached out and put her arms around him. He held her close, letting his fingers trail through her hair and letting his cheek rest on the top of her head. This was what he wanted. His family together. But most of all, to have her back by his side.
Maddie and Levi were in bed. There had been much excitement, when they had picked the kids up at school before driving to the cabin, about the fact that Rayna was with them. It had made him feel good to see their joy and Rayna's as well. He looked up when she walked into the great room. She came over to the couch and sat down next to him, leaning into him, one hand on his leg. "They all settled?" he asked.
She nodded. "It took a minute, but yeah." She sat up and looked at him. "They have lots of questions. Most that I don't have the answers for yet."
"What kinda questions?"
She smirked. "Well, Levi wanted to be sure that y'all were still having pizza, even if I was here." He grinned. Then her face turned serious. "Maddie had the harder questions, like were we all going to move in to one house and were we getting married."
"What'd you tell her?"
"That you and I needed to talk about all that. And that we'd be sure to let her, and Levi, know when we did." She reached for his hand. "I want us to be really intentional about the future. Not rush into things until we're sure we're in the right place. I know you want..."
He shushed her and put one hand on her face. "Look, I know we got a lot to work through. I want to do all of that but I don't wanna do it until we're sure it'll stick. Until you're sure."
She sighed. "This is all a lot, Deacon. But I don't want you to think I don't want us to move in that direction."
He put his other hand on her face and pulled her in for a kiss, then leaned his forehead against hers. "You're here, baby. That's enough for now." He sat back then, lowering his hands. "I just wanna be sure you aren't planning on sleeping with Maddie tonight."
She laughed softly. "No, I'm not planning to do that." She climbed on his lap then, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He put his hands on her back and pulled her in, kissing her back.
Rayna
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, his face came into clearer view. They were facing each other, and she reached up and let her fingers run through his hair, pushing it to the side. She then let her fingers gently scratch at his cheek, covered by scruff. She remembered he'd told her, back when they were getting to know each other, that he had always been teased about what a baby face he had. Even his sister had teased him about it. When he moved to Nashville, he had grown a beard, but the girlfriend he'd had when she met him had told him she didn't like it. So he'd given himself a rough shave, leaving a little scruff behind. The girlfriend, who's name she couldn't remember, hadn't been thrilled with that either, he'd told her, but he'd kept it. She was glad he had.
He kissed her, letting his hand slide down over her hair and onto her shoulder, then down her arm. He smiled at her, a soft, gentle smile. His eyes were heavy-lidded as he stared into her own. She loved the feel of his skin against hers. She loved how his fingers felt wherever he touched her. She rubbed her thumb lightly over his lips and then back to his cheek. He leaned his forehead against hers and trailed his fingers down over her stomach, brushing gently between her legs. She let out a soft sigh, that familiar throbbing in her core involuntarily causing her to arch her pelvis towards him. She let out a breathy moan as he slid two fingers inside her. He hitched his breath as he pushed them all the way inside her. "Oh, babe," she whispered. Then he took her mouth with his, slid his fingers out and flipped her onto her back. He hovered over her for a second before he pushed into her, groaning out loud as she took him in.
They took their time with each other. There was no reason to hurry. They had time to explore, to tease and taste, to soak in the feeling of being one again. When they finally came together, with a powerful release, they felt that deep connection completing its return, the ties that bound them together finally repairing and being made whole again. The feeling was so sweet it almost made her want to cry, but instead she just felt happy.
"Good god, I love you," he growled into her ear.
She smiled. "I love you too." He rolled off and onto his back. She tucked into him and he put his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest, letting her fingers very lightly brush the hair on his chest.
"You happy?" he asked.
She smiled at him. "I am."
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world," he said, seeming to choke on a sob.
She frowned a little, then leaned in to kiss him. "Deacon..."
He shook his head. "I thought I'd lost this forever."
"We're going to figure it out. I've loved you my whole life and I'm going to love you until I die. I want to do that together, though, so we're going to work at it. And always be honest with each other."
He breathed in deeply. "Yeah," he murmured as he kissed her again. "I love you, Rayna."
She smiled. "I love you, Deacon." She wrapped her arm around him then and then closed her eyes, falling asleep.
When she woke up, she was in bed alone. Sunlight was filtering through the curtains. She'd slept incredibly well and smiled to herself. She thought she smelled coffee, so she got out of bed. She pulled on her jeans and then found one of Deacon's flannel shirts and put that on, buttoning it up. She had clothes in the suitcase Deacon had teased her about when she'd asked him to close it, but she had always preferred one of his shirts anyway. She went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror, dragging her fingers through her hair to break up the tangles. She smiled at her reflection. It hadn't been that long ago since she'd wondered if this would ever happen again for them. She walked back into the bedroom and opened her suitcase, grabbing a pair of thick socks. She sat on the end of the bed, pulling them on. Then she got up and walked out into the great room.
There was a fire going in the fireplace. The room was bright with sunlight and she caught a glimpse of the blue sky through the sliding doors. She thought it might be a good day for a hike, to work up their appetite for Thanksgiving pizza. She looked towards the kitchen and saw Deacon standing by the kitchen counter. He looked over and smiled as she walked towards him.
Deacon
He looked up when he heard her footsteps. She was wearing one of his flannel shirts and her jeans and it made him smile. That had been the norm when they were still together. It triggered a memory of being at the cabin when she was pregnant with Maddie. She had put on one of his shirts, but it would no longer button across her belly, and she had fretted about it. He'd stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, letting his hands run over her bump. She'd been so beautiful then. She'd been beautiful when she was pregnant with Levi too, but he hadn't let himself think about it then. He supposed he would always feel some level of regret for missing out on that.
She smiled sweetly at him. "I smelled coffee," she said.
He walked over to her, pulling her into his arms. "Yes, you did. You want some?"
She nodded. "I do."
He poured her a mug, adding the sugar she liked, and she took it, leaning back against the counter as she took a sip. He stood in front of her, his hands propped on the edge of the counter on either side of her. "Looks like a nice day. A little chilly though," he said, inclining his head towards the doors.
She took another sip of her coffee. "I was thinking, if it's isn't too cold, maybe we could hike around the lake. Build up our appetite for that pizza."
He grinned. "That might be a good idea." He leaned in and kissed her. "Or we could just sit by the fire..." He smirked.
She smiled. "With the kids," she said, the sound of laughter in her voice.
He nodded. "With the kids." He lifted his hand and ran it over her hair. "You happy?" He wondered if he'd ever stop asking her that. Or asking if she was sure. He felt like he'd been given a priceless gift, one that he needed to treat with the utmost care.
"I am."
He took the mug from her hands and set it on the counter. He took a step closer and kissed her again, taking his time, running his hands under the shirt and up her back, noticing she wasn't wearing a bra. She put her arms around his neck and arched into him, kissing him hungrily. He let one hand move to her breast and he'd just started stroking her nipple.
"What's going on?" He jerked his hand away and they turned to face their daughter, standing in her pajamas, her hair all tangled around her shoulders, a confused look on her face.
"Maddie," Rayna murmured. Maddie looked back and forth between the two of them.
He breathed in deeply and then took a step back, smiling at her. "Hey, sweet girl. You want some pancakes?"
Maddie frowned a little. "What were y'all doing?" she asked, not answering his question.
He glanced at Rayna, then back at their daughter. "We were kissing," he said. "Is that okay?"
"That's all?" She looked a little skeptical.
He felt a little nervous then, wondering how much she might have seen. He nodded. "Just kissing."
The frown left her face then, replaced by a smile. "I'm okay with it." She looked curious then. "Does this mean you're getting married?"
He wasn't sure what to say. "Uh, well..."
"Not right now," Rayna said. "You know, this is pretty new and your dad and I want to just take some time to be together again. And to spend time with you and Levi. As a family. How does that sound?"
"It sounds good." Maddie smiled in a shy kind of way. "If you want to get married, though, I'm okay with it."
He walked over and hugged his daughter. "I'm glad you're okay with it, sweet girl. Now, how about pancakes? We've got chocolate chip, blueberry or banana."
"Chocolate chip, please."
"I'm going to go get Levi then," Rayna said. "He won't want to miss chocolate chip pancakes." She walked over and rubbed his arm, then headed for the stairs.
The dining table was covered with plates and leftover frozen pizza, which Rayna had decided would get thrown away after the kids went to bed. Leftover frozen pizza isn't the same as regular leftover pizza, as you know. He had laughed when she said it quietly to him, recalling the early days when they would get a large pizza so that they could make an extra meal out of it. Canned spaghetti, sharing diner meals, and leftovers were what they lived off of when they were young. It had all felt so romantic at the time, when they really felt like they were living on love. She was right, though. Leftover frozen pizza was not good. In general, frozen pizza wasn't preferred, but it worked. And more importantly the kids didn't care.
Once they had cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen, Rayna walked into the great room where Maddie and Levi were watching something he didn't recognize. The kids both looked at her, mostly because she was standing right in front of the TV. "So here's what I was thinking," she said, smiling at them. "S'mores for dessert and maybe some hot chocolate, if you want. And then... Christmas movies!"
"Elf, Mom!" Levi shouted.
"You're in luck, Levi, because we have Elf. In fact, I brought a few so that we could watch them while we're here. How does that sound?"
"What did you bring?" Maddie asked.
Rayna walked over to an extra bag she'd brought with her and pulled out several DVD's, then came back over to the kids. "I have Elf" – she nodded towards Levi – "and Polar Express, Maddie, because I know you like it. And then I have How the Grinch Stole Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life and A Charlie Brown Christmas, because your dad likes Charlie Brown." She smiled at him and he shook his head good naturedly. "Sound good?"
"Are we watching them all in one night?" Maddie asked.
"I thought 1 per night. So what do y'all think? S'mores, hot chocolate, and Elf?"
"Yes!" Levi cried, jumping up on the couch.
Rayna looked over at him. "Dad has all the s'mores stuff out if you want to go get what we need to get started." He had laid out the graham crackers and chocolate bars on a plate and a bag of marshmallows while Rayna walked through the plan for the evening.
The kids came running over. "How will we roast the marshmallows, Dad?" Maddie asked.
He picked up skewers from the back counter and held them up. "These," he said. Levi started to grab for one and he held them back. "Buddy, you need to let Mom or me help you with these."
Levi screwed up his face. "Nooo," he whined, looking distraught. "I can do it. I promise."
"How 'bout this. You can hold it, but I'll be right behind you just in case."
Levi didn't look happy about it, but he did concede. "Okay," he said glumly.
Behind him, Rayna smiled, stifling a laugh. "Are we ready?" she asked. Everyone picked up the s'mores fixings and followed her to the fireplace. Within minutes, marshmallows were roasted, s'mores were created, and there were messy mouths and fingers galore, along with joyful laughter.
He helped Levi keep the skewer level so that he didn't drop his marshmallows in the fire. When he looked over at Rayna, he caught a glimpse of shininess in her eyes and felt a lump in his throat as he considered how grateful he was to be having these moments with her and their family.
Later they were sitting on the couch as the fire started to die down. He rubbed her arm and she looked at him and smiled. His heart felt full. The s'mores had been a hit, as had the movie. Levi was snuggled up to her, fast asleep, and Maddie was asleep as well, her feet touching his hip as she slept with her head on the pillow. "Look at us," she said quietly. "Sitting here, by the firelight. I have a life that's good."
"We have a life that's good," he said, correcting her. She nodded. "I think we should get these 2 in bed, don't you?"
She nodded and smiled. "I do."
Rayna
She walked over to the couch carrying 2 mugs of hot chocolate. When she got there, she handed one to him and then sat down next to him with her own. He put his arm around her and she leaned against his shoulder. She put both hands around her mug and took a sip. "This was really a great day," she said. "A great way to celebrate Thanksgiving."
"Even though it was pizza instead of turkey?"
She wrinkled her nose. "To be honest, I'm not really a big fan of turkey. I like the idea of doing something different."
"Maybe one day there'll be a pizza place near here open on holidays."
"Maybe." She found herself gazing into the fire and being a little mesmerized by it. She thought back to the last time she'd stayed at the cabin, back before Christmas. Things were different then. She was with Luke then, not Deacon. She had slept with Maddie in her room. She actually wasn't supposed to be there at all. While the time they'd all spent together had been nice, there had been a lot of tension. The air had been electric and it had all led to that kiss. It had terrified her. And now, almost a year later, she was in the same place, only this time by choice. And she wasn't sleeping in Maddie's room. It surprised her a little how her feelings had shifted since December. Maybe it shouldn't have. What she did know was that if she hadn't gotten snowed in for those 2 days, maybe her whole life would have been different. She might have married Luke after all and they'd be somewhere – not here – on that year long honeymoon tour he'd wanted.
Deacon brushed his lips against her temple, which made her smile. "Penny for your thoughts?"
She looked up at him. "I was just thinking how much has changed in a year. I never imagined I'd be here, with you, spending Thanksgiving with our kids."
He raised his eyebrows. "Never?"
She considered that and then shook her head. "I would never let myself. I couldn't let myself." She could see maybe that wasn't what he would have expected her to say. She turned back to looking at the fire. They had promised to not talk about heavy topics or therapy or any of that during the weekend. There would be time enough to do that later. She took another sip of her hot chocolate. "I will say that I'm happy things turned out this way though. I'm grateful we have another chance." His thumb pressed against the back of her neck and he rubbed it back and forth, as she felt his fingers tangle up in her hair.
After a few moments of silence, he moved his hand as he leaned forward to set his mug on the coffee table. Then he took hers and set it down next to his. He sat back and turned slightly towards her as he put his arm around her again. She turned as well and waited. "I'm grateful too," he said finally. "I did think about this though. I just didn't know if I'd ever get this chance again."
She nodded. "I know."
He breathed in. "I just don't want to..."
She stopped him by putting two fingers against his lips. "I told Tandy we weren't going to fail. And we're not." She moved her hand down to his chest. "I know we'll talk about all of this another time. Right now, let's just be grateful that we're here together, with Maddie and Levi. We're a family again, the way we always wanted to be." He leaned down then and kissed her, gently biting her lip until she opened her mouth to his. He put his other arm around her and she slid her arms around his waist. He moved one hand to the back of her neck as his kisses got more insistent. She felt herself forgetting everything else around them, concentrating on that kiss. His lips, his tongue, the way he tasted like hot chocolate and maybe a little bit of s'more.
He pulled his lips away just far enough to whisper, "You taste like chocolate". She smiled and laughed just a little.
"So do you," she murmured back. And then his lips were pressed against hers again, his tongue seeking out her own. She felt a tingle inside, running from her toes all the way to her head. She wanted to press herself against him and she moved so that she was straddling him, her breasts pressed firmly against his chest. His hands moved to her waist and she could feel his erection against her stomach. The tingle and the heat focused between her legs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself more firmly against him. He grabbed the bottom of her sweater, that she'd changed into before their hike, and pushed it up so that he could slide his hands underneath it. At first he put his hands above her waist, just under her bra, then moving them to unfasten her bra. The fabric draped down her side and the tautness of the bra against her breasts relaxed. His hands moved to push the bra up and he cupped her breasts, which were still pressed against his chest. Then he slid his hands back down and placed them on her ass, pressing her against him. She moaned.
"Baby, I gotta have you," he growled, his lips still pressed to hers, his voice somewhat muffled.
She pulled her head back and looked into his eyes. She needed him too. She got off his lap and stood on the floor, pulling him up with her. She smiled and then walked around the couch, headed for the bedroom, him right behind her. After they'd closed the door and locked it, he took her in his arms and kissed her again. When she pulled back, she looked up at him. "I really need a shower," she said playfully. "How about you?"
"Right behind you, baby," he said, as they walked towards the bathroom, undressing as they did.
Deacon
He had his arms around her as the warm water slid down over the two of them. He pulled her close and kissed her. Her hands were on his shoulders as she chased his tongue with her own. He let one hand slide down to cup her butt cheek, then pulled his lips from hers. "I'm really enjoying this, but I think the water is starting to get kinda lukewarm." He smiled.
She smiled back. "I think you're right," she said, a teasing note in her voice. "We should get under the covers, I think." She stepped back and then out of the tub, grabbing a towel, then handing one to him. She turned her back to him and dried off, then wrapped the towel around herself. He snickered softly as he watched her. She turned. "What's so funny?"
He grinned. "You. We just made love in the shower, and you get out and act all Miss Priss, like I ain't never seen you naked."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up." She looked at herself in the mirror. "You got my hair wet."
He stepped out of the tub and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "Not much. I was careful." He wrapped his arm around her waist and turned his head towards the mirror. "I have to say this has been one of the best Thanksgivings I've ever had."
She smiled at him in the mirror. "I would tend to agree. I'm especially glad I didn't have to spend it at Daddy's."
He watched as she reached up and took her hair down. He loved how it fell down over her shoulders in gentle waves. These days her hair was a lot longer and he liked it that way. "That's been a blessing for me too." He smiled. "You think we could make a habit of not going?"
"We could probably figure out something. Daddy wouldn't be very happy though."
"I know it's too soon, but what did you think about what Maddie said this morning? About us getting married again."
She turned around to face him, her face serious. "I'm not ready for that. Not yet." He took a deep breath and nodded. He wasn't surprised at her answer. "Does that bother you?"
He kissed her on the forehead. "I understand why you aren't ready now. But we can talk about it sometime in the future?"
"I think so. I just don't want to rush things. I want us to do this right."
He nodded. "Me too." He stepped away from her then, giving her a gentle swat on the backside. "Now let's go to bed." She laughed and then walked out of the bathroom, dropping her towel about halfway to the bed.
Her hands were pressed against his shoulders. Her knees were pressed firmly against his hips. She was looking down at him as his hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs teasing her taut nipples into hard nubs. He could tell she was right at the edge, because not only was she panting but her movements had gotten stronger and quicker. He was right there as well, but he was trying to force his eyes to stay open so he could watch her. From the very beginning she had been open to most anything during lovemaking. He wasn't sure if it was because she didn't know anything else or if he somehow inspired her – he liked to think it was the latter – but she was never self-conscious, except while she was pregnant. She had always told him she wanted to please him, which just made him want to please her even more in return. Watching her like this, straddling him, allowing him to see her in all her glory, was pure bliss as far as he was concerned.
"Oh, Deacon," she murmured, her voice almost breathless. She looked at him and bit her bottom lip. He moved his hands to her hips, urging her on.
"Come for me, baby," he whispered. Right after the words had left his mouth, she did, murmuring 'oh, god' over and over, as he felt her spasm around him. He looked at her and she was arching her back, her head thrown back, her breasts pressed outward, her hands on her thighs. She was gorgeous, she was glorious, she was everything. And that was the moment when he couldn't wait any longer and he let go, crying out her name. When he was finally spent, he looked up at her and she was watching him, a very satisfied smile on her face. He smiled back and she moved off of him and rolled onto her back next to him, still catching her breath. He let out a sharp laugh. "I won't mind doing that again," he said.
She turned her head to look at him, her smile growing larger. "Me either." She rolled onto her side and he put his arm around her while she laid her head on his shoulder. "I didn't realize how much I'd missed this," she said.
He kissed her on the forehead. "Well, you won't have to miss it anymore," he said. She sighed deeply, pressed her lips to the skin on his upper chest, and then curled into him.
He walked across the room from the bathroom. The sun was starting to rise but the room was still more dark than light. She was curled up in the sheets and blanket, leaving his side of the bed mostly uncovered. He crawled onto the bed and wrapped his arm around her. "You know what hasn't changed?" he asked with a smile.
"What?"
He leaned down and gently kissed her cheek. "You still steal all the covers."
She laughed. "I do not."
"Yes, you do."
She turned towards him. "You always throw them off. And you know I'm always cold."
"That's what you got me for," he said with a chuckle. "Now let me have some so I can help keep you warm." He tugged gently at the covers and mostly got himself covered. Then he leaned over and kissed her, letting his lips linger against hers. "Do you know how much I have missed this? Here?"
She let her fingers thread his hair. "I'm pretty sure I do. So have I." She looked at him seriously. "This has been such a gift, you know?" He nodded. "It's been so wonderful being here with you and our kids. And I think it makes them happy too."
"I know it does." She raised her eyebrows. "Levi told me last night he was so glad Mom was here. Where she belongs, he said."
He could see the tears spring up. "He said that?"
He nodded. "He said it was like Christmas, only better, because this time you're staying the whole time." He brushed a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. "I tend to agree with him."
She put her hand on his cheek. "Me too," she murmured. He held her close, listening to her breathe, then kissed her on the forehead.
"You want me to go make some coffee?"
She wrinkled up her nose. "Um, maybe not quite yet." Then she smiled, that sweet but saucy smile she had that said she wasn't quite ready to leave the bed.
Under the covers he felt her skin against his as they touched and teased in all their most sensitive places. He captured her mouth with his, then heard her soft moans as he entered her. He took his time, making sure to touch her in all the ways she liked, feeling her arch her back beneath him, her legs wrapping around his back. He brought her close to the edge more than once and she did the same for him, letting the sensations build on top of each other until they were both practically gasping for air. They came almost simultaneously as he held her close, her mouth against his shoulder, his buried in her neck. When they finally caught their breath, he felt completely spent but also completely satisfied.
"I love you, Deacon," she said, her voice ragged, clinging to him.
"I love you, Rayna," he said and then he rolled onto his back. He reached for her hand and she squeezed it in hers.
"Mom? Dad?" Maddie's voice could be heard over their heavy breathing and Deacon barked out a laugh. They heard footsteps coming down the hall.
"They're up already?" he said, still struggling for air. He noticed then that the room had brightened considerably. Then the doorknob turned, although the door was locked, and they couldn't get in.
"Mom? Dad? What are you doing?"
She covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Deacon cleared his throat. "We'll be out in a minute, sweetie," he called out.
"We're hungry."
"Yeah," Levi chimed in.
Deacon cleared his throat again. "Okay. Hold on." He gave her a look as she still tried to keep from laughing. "Stop it," he whispered to her.
She pulled him close and gave him a quick kiss. He rolled away from her but turned his face towards her. "I guess another thing we're going to have to work through is the fact that we are parents. To kids who aren't babies," she said. She grinned, then threw back the sheets and hopped out of bed. She grabbed some clothes from her suitcase and headed for the bathroom. "I'll be out in a minute," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "You better get dressed and get that coffee going."
"I need to take care of them?" he asked, watching her walk through the bathroom door, taking a moment to admire her naked body.
She winked. "I'll be out in a few minutes," she said, laughter in her voice. "I promise."
He scowled, but she'd already closed the door. He breathed in and then got up, looking for clean clothes to wear. When he was dressed, he opened the door to see Maddie and Levi standing in the hall, looking a little irritated. "Aren't y'all up kind of early?" he asked, running one hand through his hair. He shut the door behind him and headed for the great room as they trailed behind him.