Sang

Sang's attention was wholly centered on her laptop as she typed away when she suddenly felt the press of lips against her neck. She jumped, blushing as she turned to look up into North's smiling face from where he stood behind her desk chair. "Is it time for you to go already?" she asked, glancing at the time on her laptop before wincing and standing to properly kiss him goodbye. "I'm sorry. I just meant to sit down to write a note. I didn't mean to get so absorbed."

Humor sparked in his eyes as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I know. I could have reminded you, but it's cute when that happens. I like seeing you so focused."

Sang blushed, not quite sure what he meant as she stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. "But I missed out on spending the morning with you." Rising higher, she pressed her lips to his, running the edges of her fingernails up and down his neck.

He made a sound against her mouth, his hands going to her hips as he lifted her on top of her desk, pushing closer as he sucked her lower lip between both of his. Now it was her turn to make a sound, her hands clutching at his neck as he ran his tongue along her captured lip.

With how everything had ended up between them, they'd decided to wait until their marriage a month ago to sleep together—as in the not literal kind of sleeping, this time. With only being that close with North for a few week, it somehow made very touch with him feel different. She wasn't sure if it was just a mental thing on her part or if it was because she knew all of North now. Well, some of him. He'd told her there were still lots of things for them to try when she was ready.

When he moved as if to lift his head, she wrapped her legs around his, her hands sliding into his hair to keep him close as she nipped at his lip. He let out a sound half between a groan and a growl as he lifted away from her enough to ask, "Are you hoping to convince me to be late for work?"

She hesitated. They'd only moved to this town right after their marriage, and North had opened up a garage where he both fixed and restored cars, while Sang worked from home as an author, writing books about girls in trouble who, with help from others, learned that they could save not only themselves, but others too. It wasn't like she couldn't spare some time this morning and North always got to the garage early to do some work before officially opening, so . . .

Before she could argue that he could occasionally stand to be late for work, Polaris barked and shoved his massive German Shepard body—mixed with some other giant breed, because North said his muzzle wasn't quite right for a Shepard—between the two of them and barked, wanting in on getting some attention.

North stepped back a little more, raising one eyebrow at the dog. "Are you moving in on my girl, Polaris?"

Polaris barked, as if to answer, and wagged his tail, making Sang laugh.

"Yeah, fine, we share her," North said, as though continuing a conversation as he leaned down to pet Polaris's head. "So that means we both have to take care of her, all right? I expect you to be on guard the whole time I'm gone, watching the house and keeping a special eye on our girl. Don't let her work too hard and remind her to eat—but don't forget to keep an ear out in case anyone comes by."

Polaris sat down for the lecture, his tail still and his face serious, as though soaking in every word. Sang couldn't help smiling, her eyes going to the French doors on the other side of the room that doubled as living room and her office. Though the house wasn't very large, she and North adored the large property surrounding it, with its giant pond that Sang insisted on calling a lake, and the woods on almost all sides that were perfect for exploring. But North worried about her being here alone, isolated from any nearby houses with their nearest neighbor being miles away.

Which was why they'd gotten a dog, and why North claimed he'd set up the cameras around the house, so he could check up on her while he was working, though Sang suspected he would have wanted the cameras around no matter where they lived, because he'd always been a worrier. Since they lived in a small, safe town in Virginia, she didn't expect anything to happen, but you never knew. And they would have video footage if anyone broke in while they were away, though she didn't imagine anyone would want to tangle with Polaris—named for North since it was another name for the North Star. Now she had two North stars.

"Don't forget we're helping out with the Boys and Girls' Club activity in the park this weekend," Sang reminded North as he grabbed his wallet and keys off the counter. The house had an open floor plan, so the kitchen was right next to the living room without a wall separating them. Though they'd only lived there for a month, they'd already begun helping out in the community by volunteering to help kids who thought they weren't worth much or wouldn't amount to much learn what they were capable of and give them someone who believed in them.

Despite Willard being a small town, places like that sometimes led to there not being much to do and kids getting into trouble because of that. And a lot of the town wasn't that affluent. Which was perfect, because they'd wanted to go somewhere where they could help—which they didn't need the Academy to do, even if Dr. Roberts had said they would both be welcome back at any time as a couple team, even with Sang no longer having her ghost bird status.

"I remember," North promised.

"Good. Because the tough looking kids around town who Mrs. Fresner says are trying to start a gang all think you're amazingly cool after seeing the muscle car you restored that auctioned for so high to get money for the club." She hesitated before asking, "It was a muscle car, right?" She was pretty sure that was what people kept calling it. She just knew that it had looked cool.

He smirked, coming back to kiss her nose. "Yes, Baby, it was a muscle car." He then dropped his head down to nip at her neck, eliciting a pleased sound from her before he pecked her on the lips. "You're always so adorable." She flushed at the compliment before he pecked her one last time. "I'm leaving before you get me into any more trouble and convince me to spend all morning with you. I'll see you tonight."

~.~

North

North frowned the moment he entered his and Sang's house after work at the smell of stir fry filling the air. "Sang Baby," he called a warning in his voice. "Why is dinner already made?" They'd agreed that they would take turns, and she'd made dinner every night that week so far.

She appeared from their bedroom with an innocent look on her face. "But I was already here. I don't have a commute like you, so why wouldn't I have gotten started on dinner?"

He glanced at the stove, absolutely certain she hadn't just "gotten started." From the smell of things, it would be ready any moment. "My commute is fifteen minutes. I'm pretty sure I make it home in time to have dinner ready at a reasonable hour."

She lifted her eyebrows in challenge, an utterly adorable expression that probably didn't accomplish what she hoped it did. "But it's a half hour commute if you count going and coming. Which is the same amount of time during which a person—such as myself—could make dinner. And you do manual labor all day, so you're more tired." She gestured at her desk in the corner. "I just sit all day and need to get up and stretch, so I can prep things here and there for dinner throughout the day. You can take the weekend cooking if you want."

He fake glowered at her as he dropped his wallet and keys on the counter. "I'm making breakfast this weekend too then."

She wrinkled her nose at him. "You just want charge of breakfast so all we eat is fruit, nuts, and plain yogurt."

"Of course not," he argued. "We can also have omelets chock full of vegetables."

She laughed at that, making him smile. That would always be one of his most favorite sounds in the world. Especially when he was the one causing it.

She gasped suddenly before gliding to his side to wrap her arms around his waist, putting her chin on her chest to gaze up at him as she said, "You distracted me with complaining about dinner, and I forgot to give you your welcome home kiss."

He pursed his lips before grumbling, "I wasn't complaining about dinner, I was complaining about you doing more than your fair share of work around the house because we're partners. It can't always be you taking care of me."

She shook her head, her chin still resting on him. "It's never once been like that, North." Then she rose up, teasing her lips over his until he pulled her closer, demanding more attention. She took his head in her hands before her tongue darted out, slipping between his lips and sliding along his tongue.

He let out a husky groan before asking, "Well then, will you let me take care of you tonight after dinner?"

She blushed at his question, her eyes both shy and excited as she nodded. The mixture of eagerness and innocence always tightened his gut with desire. There wasn't a single thing about her that wasn't alluring. He was sure she'd eventually get over her embarrassment over being physically intimate with him, but he didn't think he'd ever get over being with her like that.

After leaving everyone, they'd both needed time to heal and figure out what they wanted with their lives and how to work toward that. Then after that they were figuring out how their relationship worked with just the two of them. By the time all of that was sorted out, they were engaged, so decided to wait until they were married to sleep together, because North always wanted Sang to feel like he absolutely cherished, respected, and loved her. And sleeping next to her in bed during those months in between their engagement and marriage had been some of the hardest and longest in his life—in more ways than one. But she was worth more than worth the wait.

He couldn't help the pang in his chest at remembering why they'd had to rebuild their lives during those months and what they'd lost, but he knew without a doubt that he was much happier with the choice he'd made than if he'd stayed with the others. Sang was worth losing them for. Even if he sometimes still felt incomplete without them in their lives.