“Tyler. Tyler wake up. Something’s wrong.”

Nicki started to shake his arm, doing everything she could to wake him.

“What is it?” he groaned, trying his hardest to shake off the groggy feeling that clouded his thoughts.

It took less than a minute for Tyler to figure out that something didn’t feel right. He lifted his hand slowly, terrified to see what the warm, thick liquid was that covered it. After darting across the room to turn on the light, his worst fears were all confirmed. It took everything he had in him to raise his head, and the expression plastered on Nicki’s face was one that he would never be able to forget. Tyler had never felt so nauseous.

Ripping him away from his own problems, Nicki let out an earsplitting shriek and grabbed her swollen stomach in pure agony. He ran to her, wanting nothing more than to touch her, to comfort her. But he got the feeling that doing so might be the worst thing for her then.

“What do we do?” he asked frantically, trying not to look at the blood that drenched her legs.

“Hospital,” she choked, “Ambulance.”

“No. No, it’s two in the morning. We’ll get there faster in the Maserati. Can you get up?”

He watched as she tried to lift herself, and could feel the enormous lump forming in his throat from her struggle. Tyler gently wrapped his arms around her to help; every scream that came from her mouth was like a dagger piercing through his heart. He had never seen anyone in so much pain, and all he could think of was how badly he wanted to fix it.

Once she was up, he tossed the blanket across her shoulders, hoping that in some way it might soothe her. He sprinted full speed into the kitchen and grabbed his keys off of the counter before aiding her out of the house and into his car.

It was only when he placed his hands on the wheel did he notice how badly he was trembling. Tyler reached a shaky hand across the car and placed it on Nicki’s knee, praying that she wouldn’t feel the nervousness that was oozing from every fiber of his being. The last thing she needed was to be more afraid.

“It’s going to be okay,” he muttered, more for himself than for her.

The ride went by in a blur. When he pulled up to the Emergency Room driveway, three men instantly came up to them.

“What happened?” one of them asked.

“I don’t know. She woke up and she was all bloody. She’s in a lot of pain,” he explained, never stopping his bee line towards the hospital entrance.

Two of the men, who looked to be EMTs, helped Tyler carry her. Normally he could have done it on his own efficiently, but she had become dead weight, and was at least twenty pounds heavier from being pregnant. Just as they were about to reach a doctor, Nicki went entirely limp in his arms.

“Nicki?” he said, leaning his head forward to get a glimpse of her face. Her head hung low, and he couldn’t get a good view, but it looked as though she was about to pass out. “Babe, stay awake. Please,” he begged, running his hands across her body in a desperate attempt to shake her out of it.

“I need you to let go of her,” the doctor said, giving the two men that were assisting him the okay to take Nicki.

“No!” he shouted, keeping his grip on her. “She needs me. I’m her husband.”

“Kid, you could be Jesus Christ and it wouldn’t make a difference. We need to get her help.”

“So let me come! It’s my frigging kid! If something happens to him…”

Tyler couldn’t find it in himself to finish his sentence.

“You can’t come where we need to bring her. Just do us all a favor and wait out here. You’re the husband? Call her parents, let them know she’s here,” he ordered.

The men finally ripped Nicki away from him, and he watched helplessly as they dragged her down the hallway.

“Call my dad,” she called hoarsely, as her eyes flickered shut.

He held a fist up to his mouth and tried to choke back the sobs that were threatening to make a fool out of him in front of everybody in the hospital.

“Fuck,” he cursed, feeling the incessant need to punch a hole through something.

It felt as though his entire world had just come crashing down on him. In his heart, he knew that he would never be able to meet his son.

** * * * *

“Baby, please wake up. For God’s sake, Tyler, please?!”

Tyler felt himself jump, and his elbow flew into something rock solid.

“What? What’s wrong?!”

“Fucking shit,” Nicki said under her breath. “I think you just broke my jaw.”

“Please tell me you’re exaggerating.”

“I am,” she said. “But that hurt like a fucking bitch.”

He tried to reposition himself, but found that his muscles weren’t working correctly and stayed where he was.

“I’m so sorry. Do you want me to get some ice?”

“No, don’t worry about it. Ty, I’m getting really worried about you. This is two nights in a row. And I know it’s the same dream. Why won’t you tell me what it is babe? I just want to help,” she pleaded, brushing her silky fingertips against his face.

Tyler couldn’t help but lean into her touch, and felt goose bumps raise on his skin as she continued to gently stroke his cheek. All he could do was shake his head. She didn’t need to know that he relived the worst moment of his entire life every time he closed his eyes.

“What am I gonna do with you?” she asked, snaking her hands underneath his arms.

He accepted her gesture and, with her help, moved his weak body closer to hers. The night before, he had felt like the world’s biggest pussy, letting her hold him like he was a baby, and then begging her to sing to him. Normally, he would never have permitted himself to act that way. But he had been a wreck, and figured if wives had a purpose, that was it.

The warmth that radiated from her skin instantly comforted him, and without the slightest hint of shame, he nestled his head into her chest, waiting for the relief to flow through him as it had the last time he did it. When it came, he slipped his arms around her, and felt her do the same to him. Tyler had to admit, he understood why girls liked it so much, being held. Once he got over the initial sappiness, he realized that nothing quite compared to it. He accepted that it must have been some kind of primal instinct, and it made him feel a little bit better about letting his wife, who was half his size and twice as emotional as he, cradle him like a child.

Nicki’s fingers ran through his hair, sending the familiar, tingling chills shooting across his scalp.

“Do you want me to sing again?” she asked softly.

He nodded, and felt her supple lips place a heartwarming kiss on the top of his head. For a while she stayed silent, her fingers still working through his hair in the most soothing way. When she finally started to sing, he was already on his way back to sleep.

“Don’t go to bed yet love, I think it’s too early and we just need a little time to ourselves.

If my wall clock tells me that it’s four in the morning, I’ll give it hell.

Cause I’ve been trying way too long to try and be the perfect song when our hearts are heavy burdens we shouldn’t have to bear alone.

So goodnight moon, and goodnight you, when you’re all that I think about, all that I dream about, how’d I ever breathe without a goodnight kiss from goodnight you, the kind of hope they all talk about, the kind of feeling we sing about, sit in our bedroom and read aloud, like a passage from goodnight moon.

Sing for me softly love, your song for tomorrow and tell me my name’s the one that’s hidden in there somewhere.

And dream for me anything, but dream it in color about when all the sun’s still rising and we don’t care.”

Tyler smiled to himself as he realized that she had most likely learned a new song, specifically for a moment like this. He’d heard all of her music, and knew all of the words to the songs she normally sang. Without trying, she’d made him feel like the most special person in the world.

Nicki sang so hushed that it only made her voice sound even more beautiful than it already did. He let his body sink into hers, no longer fearing that he might crush her or stop her from breathing. A long, relaxed sigh came from his lips, earning another soft kiss from Nicki. She kept singing, and he was sure that she wouldn’t stop until she knew that he was asleep.

He loosened his muscles one at a time until he was completely limp, and waited for sleep to take him.

** * * *

When the glare from the rising sun shook Tyler from his slumber, Nicki was still sound asleep behind him. The first things he heard were the quiet snores that escaped her open mouth, and he was overwhelmed with the urge to shower her with affections. The previous night’s happenings were still fresh in his mind, and he wanted to find a way to thank her. She had been so understanding, so calming and tender.

It took him a bit of effort to get up without waking her, but he managed to do it successfully. His muscles were tense and sore from sleeping on the couch, which he was able to overlook since he felt so tranquil and well rested. Before tending to his growling stomach, Tyler rounded the couch and bent over to leave a loving kiss on the fleshiest part of Nicki’s cheek. His lips lingered by her face, unsure if kissing her again might wake her up. He opted not to risk it.

“What would I do without you?” he whispered, melting as a small smile crossed her face.

He pulled the blanket up to her neck and found himself watching her a little longer than was necessary. For the first time in weeks, she looked absolutely peaceful. She wasn’t stirring or whining or crying, and had the same look on her face as the first time they’d spent the night together. Tyler had never told her how he spent most of that night staring at her, trying to conjure up a way to wrap himself around her without giving the wrong impression. Little did she know, her nightmare ended up being the perfect excuse.

Eventually he was able to tear himself away from her and wandered into the kitchen in search of something to fill his empty stomach. It was extremely inconvenient to constantly wake up hungry, and it was one of the few things that bothered Tyler about himself. Most days, he was lucky enough to wake up to a kitchen full of freshly made food. But Nicki’s lack of sleep over the past few days warranted her a few extra hours, and he decided a good way to start thanking her was to take the reins and make breakfast.

They hadn’t done any real food shopping since everything had happened, which left him with few options. After scouring through each and every one of their cabinets and shelves, Tyler was faced with a decision. Either he could accept the fact that they didn’t have any food and call it quits, or try to make a food run before Nicki woke up. He wanted to be there when she did, so that he could begin his day of treating her like royalty. She deserved every ounce of his attention, and shouldn’t have had to settle for anything less.

He peeked around the corner to assure that she was still out cold. She was. Tyler grabbed his keys from the counter and snuck out of the house as quietly as he could, still in the previous day’s clothes. Now that he thought of it, he’d been wearing them the day before, too. Suddenly, he felt the desperate need for a shower.

Tyler figured that his best bet was to check out the bakery right up the street from them. He’d never been inside, but Nicki swore on her life that they had the best muffins east of the Mississippi.

Minutes after arriving he had a half dozen freshly baked muffins and at least a half an hour to kill. Instead of going straight home, he took a trip downtown to see which stores were already open. It was only nine o’clock, but most of the shops in their town opened early, and closed early.

While he was stopped at a red light, he found exactly what he was looking for.

** * * *

“Shh, quiet buddy,” Tyler whispered, trying to get Marshall to calm down.

He could see Nicki in the living room, still passed out the way he’d left her, and crept back into the kitchen to set down everything that he carried in his arms. Just as he had everything the way he wanted, he heard quiet, bare footsteps behind him.

“Whatcha doin’, love?”

Tyler turned on his heels to look at her, and had to close his eyes so that he could take a moment to adjust to the sight of her. Her hair was everywhere, matted down in some places, sticking up in others. Makeup was slathered underneath her eyes, and her clothes were completely disheveled.

Trying to block her view of what was behind him on the island, he stepped towards her slowly.

“You are actually the cutest thing that I’ve ever seen,” he said, unable to hold back a chuckle. “Come here.”

She tilted her head and flashed a sweet smile before accepting his invitation and approaching his open arms. Her hug was gentle and sleepy, and the moment she pressed against him an adorable noise slipped from her throat, causing him to laugh a little harder. Tyler placed a kiss on the crown of her head before resting his chin there, thoroughly enjoying every blissful second of their embrace.

“What’s that smell?” she asked in a morning voice that he’d only heard a handful of times.

It only came around when she overslept, which was a rarity by all means. Tyler squeezed her tightly and she pretended like she was being choked.

“Jeez, babe.”

“Sorry,” he apologized, finally letting go of her. “I’m just happy you’re awake.”

Nicki let out a long aww and barreled into him again, this time it was she who nearly forced the breath from his lungs. He decided not to fight the grin on his face, and figured that it was okay to ride out the elation while it lasted.

“I got ya something,” Tyler taunted, anxiously awaiting the look on her face when he gave it to her.

“What? When? Why?”

“Why can’t you ever just accept these things?”

“Because I’m me,” she said. “You should know that by now.”

“I do. But I can hope, right?”

She shrugged her shoulders and placed a kiss between his pecs as she pulled away from him. Tyler assumed that she was about to investigate the delicious smell that wafted through the kitchen, since he’d ignored her question about it. Nicki stepped around him, but stopped short the moment she caught wind of what he’d done.

He watched as she raised a hand to cover her mouth and stared at the objects he’d placed on the granite in front of her.

“Tyler,” she whined, obviously torn over whether she should give in and indulge or remain stubborn about him buying her things.

Tyler continued to smile and placed his hand in the center of her back, adoring the way it felt when she rolled her shoulders into his touch. He still didn’t understand how she could be so sensitive to his clumsy hands. When he was on the ice, at least, his hands were his best asset. But when it came to a back rub or holding hands, he always felt as though they were too awkward and large to do a good job of anything. They were nothing like Nicki’s small, soft hands and skillful fingers, which so easily turned him to mush.

“Babe,” she whimpered, looking up at him.

He saw the tears begin to brim her eyes and pulled her close to him.

“I can’t even remember the last time you cried because you were happy,” he said, pressing his lips to the side of her head.

When it became clear that she was too shocked to actually make an advance, Tyler grabbed the small crystal vase and placed it in her hands so that she could admire the vibrant yellow flowers.

“The woman told me that I should never get someone yellow tulips unless I was hopelessly in love with them, so that’s exactly what I got,” he explained to the best of his ability. So, maybe he wasn’t always so great at being romantic. He’d tried.

She held them up to her nose and closed her eyes as she inhaled the delicate fragrance, and Tyler was sure that he had just fallen in love with her all over again. It was the reactions like that one that made it so easy to do things for her. It was always so rewarding to see the tears of joy drop down her cheeks, and the smile that was stuck on her face like glue for the entire day afterwards.

“Ty, these are beautiful,” she whispered, looking up at him over the fragile blossoms. “Why did you do this?”

Tyler smiled and placed his hand on the side of her face.

“Partly just because of how happy I knew it would make you,” he said, gazing down into her rounded eyes. “But mostly because you do so much for me, and a lot of the time it goes unrewarded.”

Nicki shook her head slowly. “I do all of that stuff because I want to. I don’t expect anything in return. Knowing that you love me is plenty, Ty. That’s all I want.”

“But flowers are nice.”

She laughed and he used his thumb to wipe away a stray tear from her cheekbone.

“Flowers are nice,” she agreed.

“See? It’s not so bad getting things,” he teased, taking the vase from her and placing it gently back on the granite. “Close your eyes.”

“Close my… Tyler. What did you do?”

“Just close ‘em.”

A frustrated sigh came from her, making Tyler chuckle. After all of this time, he figured he would have broken her in. The only gift she’d readily accepted from him was her car, and he concluded it was only because she really, really needed one.

He fished the long box from his pocket and crept up behind her. Tyler had practiced with her old necklace time and time again, until he had mastered the art of using his inept fingers to fasten the obnoxiously tiny clasp. Before taking it from the box, he brushed her hair across her shoulder and felt her shiver when his fingertips trailed across her skin. He draped it over her chest and connected the two halves of the sparkling chain at the nape of her neck, completing the ritual by pulling her hair through and letting fall again down her back.

Nicki reached up to examine the stone that now sat below her collarbone, with her back still turned to him.

“Let me see it,” he demanded weakly, grasping her shoulder to turn her around.

“I never told you that I love sapphires,” she whispered in disbelief, staring down at the profound blue necklace.

“I didn’t know,” he admitted, proud of himself for guessing correctly. “But you like Titanic, so I figured maybe you’d like this.”

She burst into laughter and threw her arms around his neck, nudging her lips between his. Tyler couldn’t hold back a groan and he let his hands rest on the small of her back, pulling her as close to him as possible. When she was finished with his lips, she tilted her head up and rubbed the tip of her nose against his. It should have made him want to vomit, but instead it made the smile he wore grow even wider.

“You are such a guy,” she joked, giggling before capturing him in another passionate kiss.

Her kiss left him absolutely breathless. She always knew exactly what to do, even when he was in the mood for different things. When he wanted something soft and slow, that was what she gave him. When he wanted heated and powerful, that was what he got, and any combination in between the two.

After regaining his composure he said, “If you’re hungry for something other than my face, I got muffins.”

“That’s what I smelled!”

Tyler nodded and strode across the kitchen to get the box, opening it for her to see.

“I got six different kinds, I didn’t know what you’d want.”

“Great. Just as I start to lose that weight, you bring home half a dozen muffins.”

“Oh. I didn’t even think of that,” he said, grabbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe.”

Before his apology was even out, she’d taken a large bite out of a lemon poppy seed muffin. She let out a loud groan as she chewed, making Tyler laugh. Apparently, he was forgiven.

“These are my favorite,” she moaned, like she was actually taking physical pleasure from eating it. “My dad used to get them for me all the time when I was a kid.”

He was ecstatic that he had done such a good job with everything, without even knowing whether or not she would like it. Either he was the best guesser in North America, or she was much too easily pleased. Tyler was leaning towards the latter. Never had she said, “Oh, Ty, I don’t know if I like that”, or, “That wasn’t really what I wanted”.

Her playful moans reminded him that there was still a list of things on his agenda for the day. Tomorrow he was back to the grind with a three hour practice at the Garden, followed by the beginning of the Stanley Cup Finals. It was the first time since they’d won the cup last that the Bruins had made it, and they had to go up against the Redwings, who were fully stacked. He was already nervous as hell, and concluded that spending as much time with Nicki as he could was exactly what he needed to prepare himself.

She went to the fridge to pour herself a glass of water, as well as one for him. Tyler picked up the first muffin he saw, realizing now how hungry he’d become while running errands. It was, by far, the best muffin he’d ever had.

“While you eat, want me to call Amelia and Jane?” she asked, placing her cup on the countertop.

Tyler nodded while he tried to chew the food in his mouth. Once he swallowed he added, “Try to put it off until after the finals. I probably shouldn’t be distracting myself with all of that.”

“Will do, love.”

He smiled at her before she left the room to make the calls. How dumb he’d been to doubt their relationship. It was clear as day that they were supposed to be together. So, their lives weren’t perfect, and neither were they. Lately, their marriage hadn’t been, either. But when he tried to picture an existence without her, he came up dry. He could barely breathe when she wasn’t in the same room as him. There was simply no way that he would be anything without her.

“Okay!” she exclaimed, bouncing back into the kitchen with a sharpie in hand. She approached the calendar that hung from the wall, which they hadn’t once used. “We have an appointment to go to the adoption place two weeks from today.” She paused to mark it on the correct date. “And we have an appointment with Jane one week from today. I know the finals might not be over, but she told me it was just a few tests to make sure we could do it. Nothing big.”

“Sounds good.”

He patted his hands on his thighs, and Nicki knew precisely what he wanted. She jumped into his lap, tossing her arms around his neck again.

“I love seeing you so excited,” he said, giving her a soft peck on the lips.

“How could I not be? Honestly. Life’s just too short, Ty. Three weeks ago, I was sure we’d never have kids. Granted I wasn’t thinking straight, but still. Gotta take the little victories, I guess.”

“I think you’re right. I also think that as great as this is going to be, there are definitely a few things I’m going to miss.”

Nicki furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Like what?”

Tyler shot her a daring smirk and slid his hands up her shirt, unhooking her bra before she even knew what was going on. He flung it onto the floor and picked her up, turning her so that she was straddling him.

“Like this,” he answered slowly, in the deepest voice he could muster.

His hands travelled curiously across her skin, as if they hadn’t already memorized every inch of her. He could feel the bumps rising wherever he touched, and felt satisfied that for once, he was in control. Lately he got the feeling that she was only permitting him to get the best of her, just so that he wouldn’t feel like she had so much power over him. But he chose to push the thoughts aside and relish the way it felt to have her at his mercy.

He lashed at her neck with his tongue, taking a brief moment to occasionally nibble softly at her skin. Nicki placed a hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer to her as she moaned quietly, this time because of him and not a lemon poppy seed muffin.

“You just keep getting better at this,” she murmured, sending a chill down his spine. Whenever she let him know that he was doing a good job, it gave him a rush, and made him hungry for more.

In the seconds that followed her comment, her top fell to the floor below them, leaving her torso completely bare. He continued to explore her with his hands, like it was the very first time he was experiencing her soft flesh and ample curves. Her breasts were still slightly engorged, but were no longer as sensitive, allowing him to have all of the fun he desired with them. He dedicated each of his hands to them, and felt himself scraping against his zipper as she dropped her forehead onto his, groaning softly against his face.

Her nipples stiffened underneath his palms, and Tyler simply couldn’t help himself. He dropped his head and she lifted her chest, begging him to torment her. He covered her with adoring kisses before licking his thumb, lubricating it to properly entertain both of her breasts simultaneously. He rubbed small circles with it, while teasing her other side with his tongue. Nicki ground her hips against him aggressively, and he knew that she was trying to tell him she was ready. But he wasn’t ready. Not yet.

In retaliation, her hands both landed on the throbbing bulge between his legs, and she masterfully had him out of his jeans without hesitation. When her tiny hand wrapped around him, he let out a long groan, coaxing one from her in return. Tyler proceeded to work on her, although he was becoming unsure of how much longer he could draw it out. She was giving him small, quick pumps, and he felt himself gradually grow rock hard in her hand.

“Just fuck me,” she whispered, dropping her lips to his ear.

Tyler lost it. He’d never heard her speak like that, and frankly, it made him want to take her until she was seeing stars. He released her from his grip and lifted his head, stroking himself as he watched the last of her clothing drop to the brand new hardwood floor. As he prepared himself for what was to come, he licked his lips thoroughly, the way he might before taking a face off or after a long breakaway. Nicki’s jaw dropped open, and she used the gaping hole to take him into her mouth.

By the time she was finished with him, his mouth was watering, and he didn’t bother to waste any more time. He grabbed her by the hips and hoisted her up, dropping her with force on top of him. Between the wetness her mouth had left him with and the product of her being more than ready for him, he slid in with ease, suddenly surrounded by the velvety heat that he associated with all things pleasurable. A sharp breath pushed out of his open mouth, and another one entered, coming from Nicki.

He kept his firm hold on her hips and lifted her up, only to slam her back down. Tyler repeated it over and over, each time feeling the percussions growing stronger. Nicki’s normal whimpers were replaced with hot, heavy breaths and throaty moans. The louder she got, the more encouraged he became. What finally set him off, however, was the way she stared at him. Her eyes never once left his, and they stayed round and alert as he drove himself into her, time and time again. They were completely filled; with lust, with desire, with passion and pleasure. But, most noticeably, they revealed the ever present love that always hid behind her other emotions.

Nicki bit down on her lip, so hard that Tyler could see it changing from pink to white where her tooth hit. Her hands clenched around his biceps, and he knew that he only had moments left before both of them hit their breaking points.

“Squeeze me,” he ordered, figuring if she was going to demand things, then so was he.

She did as he said, and the added friction had his muscles contorting in seconds. He felt himself go off deep inside of her, which seemed to be what pushed her over the edge. Unwilling for it to end, Tyler kept moving her until she was pleading him to stop.

Her head dropped heavily onto his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her back. Soft, wet lips carefully paraded across his neck, only furthering the incomparable ecstasy that was rushing through him.

“Oh, Ty,” she sighed, lifting her arms around his neck, “Are you trying to make me reconsider this?”

Tyler wanted to laugh, but was a bit too shell shocked to get it out. Instead, he ran a hand down the length of her hair, since there weren’t many other actions that he could successfully complete. Nicki nestled closely into his sweaty neck, and found himself wondering how she could ever find it so enjoyable.

“No, I just want to live it up while we still can,” he responded. “I figured you wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

A deep groan vibrated against his neck, finally pushing the laughter from him. He took it as a job well done and accepted the compliment.

“Well, you’re more than welcome to come with me, but I seriously need a shower,” Tyler said, not entirely keen about the idea of moving.

Nicki lifted her head, and her lips against his ear sent hundreds of tiny chills shooting down his neck and back.

“How about a bath?” she proposed, her shaky breath sparing him no mercy.

Tyler tightened his hold on her, for no other reason than the fact that he felt like he may explode if he didn’t have something to squeeze. Hearing the weakness in her voice, feeling her heavy, exhausted body on top of him, it all gave him a sense of pride, a sense of power that he couldn’t quite stifle.

“That’s even better. I don’t know if I can stand long enough to shower, anyways,” he joked, hoping that she wouldn’t catch on to just how serious he actually was.

With great care, he cradled her in his arms and stepped off of the stool, insuring that each of his muscles was still working correctly. He had the slightest feeling that toppling over and dropping her might kill the mood; and it was a mood he hoped to keep intact for the remainder of the day. The more he moved around, the more strength returned to him. As he carried her through the doorway to the foyer, he took a good, long look at the drowsy, fulfilled woman in his arms. His eyes instantly caught the sunlight streaming in through the windows around the front door, and the way it glinted off of her new necklace.

“That looks beautiful on you,” he said, tilting his head in admiration. “Even better than it looked under all of the lights in the store.”

He hadn’t been going out of his way to give her a compliment, there was no ulterior motive. He truly meant it, and felt the nagging urge to point it out. It only intensified his desire to buy her things. Not only to see her face light up once she finally accepted whatever he gave her, but to be able to admire the way everything she wore added to her incomprehensible beauty. Tyler knew very well that she would never understand why he found her so breathtaking, and he knew that he would never be able to explain it to her.

A shy smile crossed her face, and her already flushed cheeks turned just the slightest shade darker.

“Thanks, Ty,” she whispered, almost bashfully. He couldn’t help but grin at her coyness, and was uplifted to see that he could still make her feel that way. “It’s perfect. But now I don’t know how I’ll be able to choose which one to wear every day.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out. Maybe I’ll just have to buy you five more, so you can have one for each day of the week.”

“Don’t you be getting any ideas,” she warned softly.

Tyler continued to smile at her, sure that if he was to carry out that plan, she would have no choice other than to accept it. He tried not to spoil her, not because he was afraid that she would grow to expect things from him, but because he didn’t want to make her feel too uncomfortable. Soon enough, however, he would have a child to spoil. And he imagined it would be a much easier feat.

“What’s your next favorite stone?” he asked as he carried her up the stairs, entertaining the possibility of spending a ridiculous and unnecessary amount of money on her, just to see what she would do. “Wait, let me guess. Emerald.”

Nicki giggled and shook her head. “Nope, rose. Then emerald. Then ruby.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He leaned forward to leave a small kiss on the tip of her nose, making her giggle even more. It was very clear how much she cherished it when he was affectionate with her, and he had been trying his absolute hardest to give her all of the love and attention that she deserved, but was too selfless to ask for. As time went on, it became progressively easier to sacrifice things such as his pride and masculinity in order to make her happy, and every time he did, he never regretted it.

They reached the bathroom and he set her down gently on the side of the tub, where she always sat while he prepared the bath. She leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, in an unspeakably feminine pose. Tyler drew the conclusion that she hadn’t the slightest clue that she was doing it, and chose to watch her while the bathtub filled with steaming water. When she caught him staring, she bit down on her lip, exposing a flawlessly white tooth.

“What?” she asked, raising one of her eyebrows. Tyler was constantly tempted to tell her how sexy it was when she raised her eyebrows, but was afraid that if he did she would stop doing it. So, he sat and appreciated it silently for a moment.

“You’re stunning,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Nicki stared back at him, as if she wasn’t sure how to respond. He watched as her eyes wandered from his face down his body, and at first he didn’t understand the expression that had taken over her face. She darted her gaze back to his face for a moment, and when it fell again he followed it, nearly laughing as he finally realized why she looked so torn.

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. “I told you, you’re gorgeous. I can’t help it.”

Without saying anything else, Nicki leaned across the tub and shut off the running water. At first, Tyler assumed that she wanted to get in, until she started walking slowly back into their bedroom, throwing him a glance over her shoulder as she went. He had no choice but to chase her, lured by the possibility of her actually wanting more, after he’d given her everything she could handle.

She stood by her side of the bed, beckoning him to her with her eyes. Tyler could feel the tables turning, the tides shifting. Nicki had regained the control she’d given up, and strangely, he was okay with that. He slid his fingers into her hair, noting how tiny her face seemed in his hands. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in to kiss her, anticipating the sensation of her decadently soft lips against his own.

Her hands skimmed down his sides, coming to a rest on his hips. There was something so innocent about it, about her kiss. Tyler had no idea how she did it, how she could turn something so primitive into something so beautiful. He basked in it, in her warm hands on his skin and her precious lips moving with his own. Without soiling the purity of their act, he stepped forward, backing her up until she fell gently onto the bed. She pushed herself towards the headboard and he followed, lowering his body carefully on top of hers. They shared a few more chaste kisses, inspiring Tyler to do something he’d been considering for years. He pulled his head away from hers, watching as disappointment filled her face. She had obviously been enjoying it as much as he had.

“I promise I’ll be quick,” he said, giving her a light peck for good measure. “I just think you deserve to know.”

“Know what, love?”

For a moment, Tyler froze up, captured by her warm eyes. They scanned his face, and he couldn’t help but to ponder what she was thinking. Did she constantly admire him, the way he did her? Did she memorize every detail of his face, of his body, like he had? A part of him so desperately wanted to ask her, to know the answers. But deep down, he acknowledged that there were certain things that made their relationship as special as it was, and the wonder he experienced was surely a piece of it.

Tyler took a long breath, preparing himself to say what he’d been thinking constantly for as long as he could remember.

“You are, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’d give up everything for you.”

Once it was out, he was glad he’d said it, and wished he had done it years ago. She deserved to know how much she meant to him. Although he couldn’t always find the right words to tell her, he thought that this time around, he’d done a fine job.

Nicki opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to have decided against it. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him back to her, kissing him in a way that she only had a few other times. He received the same, indescribable kiss on the night he’d asked her to move in with him, the night he proposed, and the day of their wedding. To know that in her mind she compared this moment to those told him he had done exactly the right thing.

Her legs spread wider around him and he dipped into her, afraid to be too rough after what happened earlier. Tyler paid attention to her kiss, knowing that she would relay whatever she was feeling through her actions, instead of her words. When her second hand joined the first on the back of his neck, he pushed the rest of the way in, taking great pleasure in the way she bit down on his lower lip and the way her chest began to heave up and down. In seconds her lips were working against his again, and her silky tongue slipped into his mouth, evoking a soft moan from deep within his throat.

Tyler slid his arms underneath her back and did everything that he could to make their bodies become one. No matter how close he was to her, he wanted to be closer. He needed to be closer. When his movements became too drastic to continue their kiss, his face fell to her shoulder. Nicki pressed her lips gently to the side of his head, leaving a string of adoring kisses from his hairline to the back of his head. It felt so nice, he had to stop everything he was doing to appreciate it. Surprisingly, there were no complaints from Nicki. Normally when he stopped, she whined and begged him to keep going. This time she stayed silent, and her fingertips stroked his back while the soft kisses kept coming.

He shivered as her lips inched towards his ear, and awaited the words he lived to hear.

“I love you, Ty,” she said in a warm, hushed voice.

Her voice flooded through his head, the way her love flowed through his veins. He lifted his head and held it directly above hers, staring into her deep, caring eyes. She stared back; her gaze could have stopped his heart.

“Yeah,” he whispered, letting out a small chuckle at his own infatuation. “I love you, too.”

With that, he let his heavy eyelids droop shut and dropped his forehead onto hers. Lips reached out to touch his, so he took it as a green light to continue what he’d been about to do. Tyler moved slowly, capturing every second and storing it in a safe place. He never wanted to forget the way he felt that instant, how it felt to connect in a way he was afraid would no longer be possible. Being surrounded by Nicki; her scent, her skin, her warmth, it was like nothing else he’d ever known.

Her hands reached up to hold his face, and not for the first nor the last time, he felt like she was protecting him, just as much as he protected her. Tyler wouldn’t dare admit it, he knew how unmanly it was, how wrong and backwards it sounded. He shouldn’t need protection. Not when he was the one who had something so fragile to take care of. But, little did Nicki know, he was weaker than she could ever guess. If he told her how much he depended on her, she would never find it in herself to depend on him, and he simply couldn’t have that.

It was knowing that no matter how horrible of a day he’d had, he could come home to her, face shining and smile bright. It was the way she wrapped her arms around his waist like it had been years since she’d seen him, and the way she kissed him like it would be years before she saw him again. It was her curling up underneath his arm at night, or lying her delicate head on his chest, right where his heartbeat thumped. It was those things, and so much more, that gave him the strength that was necessary to be the man she needed.

Tyler had become so lost in thought, it took Nicki’s soft fingertips grinding into his shoulder blades to remind him that he had a duty to perform. He was spent, he had only a few ounces of energy left. But he gave every bit of it to her. She hadn’t been expecting him to change his rhythm and she squirmed in his arms, her quiet mews echoed through the room. He figured that she was as low on reserves as he was, as normally he had her screaming by that point.

All that came from her was a feeble, “Ty,” but it was still enough to set him off. Tyler wasn’t sure which of them hit it first, and he couldn’t have cared any less. Feeling her clench around him the same moment he let himself go was blissfully perfect. A strange noise escaped him, one that he normally may have been embarrassed by. Her soothing hands stroking his back made him forget whatever worries he had, and he came down from his high slowly and peacefully. His muscles relaxed and he carefully let his weight press onto her.

Nicki groaned and slipped her arms around his back, attempting and failing to get them all the way around. He’d bulked up in anticipation of his first season as a team leader, and as much as she seemed to appreciate his newfound mass, it made it difficult for her to do certain things, like hug him. Her small arms were no match for his thick torso, but to her credit, she never stopped trying.

“This is nice,” she stated, making Tyler laugh. It was such a simple statement, yet summarized everything he was feeling.

After placing a few tender kisses on her cheek, he rolled off of her, earning a confused noise and a saddened look.

“I was comfy,” Nicki whined, pouting her lips.

Tyler shook his head and scooped her up, not permitting her the chance to object.

“I promise we can do it again,” he said, grinning at the adorable expression plastered on her pretty face. “I just really freaking need to bathe. It’s been like, three days. I probably smell like the locker room after a game.”

Nicki broke through her depression and began to giggle. She leaned forward and jammed her nose against his chest, inhaling a deep, drawn out breath.

“Mmm, nope. You smell like,” she took another sniff. “Man.”

“I smell like man,” he repeated skeptically, wondering how she always came up with these ridiculous declarations.

“Yes you do. And it’s sexy.”

A wink of her sparkling brown eye made his gut churn.

“Don’t tell me you’re already thinking about sex again. Babe, I’m – “

Her little finger found its way to his lips, and Tyler took it as a sign to shut up. Suddenly, her lips had taken its place, and his head started to spin with the passion that radiated from her kiss.

“Don’t worry, love,” she cooed, running her hand through his hair, which had become messy and untamed over the past few hours. “I’m done. I just want to enjoy you now. Besides, it was your idea.”

Tyler squeezed his eyes shut and chuckled again. He really needed to learn not to provoke her. She did enough on her own. In no way did she require any coaxing. With Nicki still in his arms, he dipped a foot into the water, to find it still warm. He stepped the rest of the way in, taking great care as he lowered himself down with her in his arms. It would have been easier to let her down first, but he truly didn’t want her out of his grasp, even for a millisecond.

As soon as he settled in, she snuggled up to him in a way that only she was capable of. Tyler had spent countless nights with innumerable girls, and some had gotten a bit more than cozy with him. But never had he found someone so able to merge themselves with him, to get so undoubtedly comfortable using nothing but his body.

“Comfy, babe?” he asked, purely for the delight of hearing her answer.

Her arms wrapped tighter around him, and her face habitually buried itself into his neck.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” she moaned in response.

A smile crept back onto Tyler’s face, and without saying anything else, he grabbed the bar of soap on the side of the tub and ran it across her body, leaving a trail of white bubbles on her silky, tanned skin.

“This is weird,” Nicki muttered, shifting on top of him. “But I kinda like it. Is that weird?”

Tyler grinned wider and shook his head. “Well if you’re weird for liking it, then so am I. You know, I never mentioned this before,” he started, pausing to see if she was interested in what he was about to say.

“Oh God.”

He continued to wash her, gaining both a sense of pride and a sense of nurture from his task. There was no describing the way it felt to take care of the woman you loved, no comparison to the look on her face when you did something nice for her.

“On our honeymoon, after that volleyball game? You completely passed out. But you were still all oily and sandy. So I brought you into the bath,” he explained slowly, making sure she heard every word, “And propped you up, and did exactly what I’m doing now. You slept through the entire thing.”

“No I didn’t,” she challenged.

“Yes, you did,” Tyler said, laughing at the shocked look on her face.

“Are you serious?”

He nodded.

“Oh, that’s embarrassing.”

Brushing her hair from her face, he left a small kiss on her forehead. “No it’s not. You’re my wife, I’m supposed to take care of you.”

In return for his affections, Tyler received a pair of warm, soft lips on his jaw line. It was an odd place to be kissed, yet it felt undeniably right.

“I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to you calling me that,” Nicki admitted, playing absentmindedly with his chin.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it?” he said, sighing from the sheer impossibility. “I think about it all the time, you know.”

“You do?” she asked, glancing up at him with enormous, curious eyes.

Tyler nodded and flashed her a weak smile. “I do. I try to remember the first time we met. I noticed things about you that I’d never noticed about another girl before. Things that made me want to get closer to you, that made me want to get to know you. I know it might not sound like much, but believe me, I didn’t think that way about anyone before I met you. And I guess it never really registered. But, that morning we went to IHOP, I was so nervous that you wouldn’t forgive me for being such a dick to you. And for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I cared. So I cut it down to me wanting to be your friend, which I think I knew was bullshit all along.” He paused, rubbing a thumb across her damp cheek. “You were way too beautiful for me to have as just a friend.” He stopped again to admire the sweet smile that had taken over her face. “When I kissed you, that was when everything clicked. And I still wouldn’t believe it. I was such an idiot, Nicki. I almost ruined the greatest thing in my entire life before it even started. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that you stuck around, through all of that.”

“Have you been completely ignoring everything I’ve said the last five years?” she teased, giving him a peck on the lips before speaking again. “Ty, sweetie. I think I fell for you that very first night. I didn’t have such a hard time figuring out what I wanted. I knew right away that it was you. And, honestly, I don’t think I would have stopped until I got what I wanted. That night I stayed over, the very first time, when you held me after I had that nightmare, I just knew I was exactly where I belonged.”

He blew out a breath through his nose and thought back to that night, to the way it had felt to have her in his arms.

“Yeah, I remember that,” he said, bringing her a little closer to him. “Every morning after that, waking up without you there, it felt wrong. Like something important was missing. To tell you the truth, I don’t think I noticed that until just now. But looking back on the way I felt, I’d say I just missed you.”

Nicki let out a singsong laugh, one so fluid and beautiful that Tyler had trouble accepting that it had come from a human being.

“I know sure as hell that I missed you. I think I slept better that night than I had in my entire life.”

“Yeah, me too. And it was nice not worrying about kicking you out the next morning, or you trying to give me your number and arrange another date,” he joked, earning a splash of water in his face.

“Tyler! We were having a moment. And you ruined it. Our therapist would have been so proud.”

Tyler shot her his goofiest grin, and watched as her composure melted like the soap on her skin.

“That’s another thing I never thought I’d be doing. Going to therapy,” he scoffed, smile disappearing.

“I know,” Nicki said, sighing. “You have to admit that it’s helping though. I never thought I would have a husband who loved me enough to go to therapy with me.”

“Yeah, well I never thought I would have a wife who loved me, period,” he countered, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “And I never thought that I would be this anxious to be a father, either.”

As he said that, Nicki’s demeanor changed. Her body shifted in his arms, and her previously excited eyes became sad and filled with loss.

“I’m so sorry, Ty. I know how ba – “

This time, it was his turn to shut her up. He slid his lips between hers and waited for her to relax and fall into his kiss. It was only a matter of time before she had her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling his face closer and closer to hers.

“Soon,” he murmured, once they’d parted. “Soon enough, none of that is going to matter.”

Notes

Hi guys!!! I'm so sorry about the wait and the drama. But Seguin is fine, I am fine, and this chapter is finally up lol. I really hope it was worth the wait and I promise, things pick up again after this chapter. Just needed a break from the heavy plot work! Thank you all so much for sticking with me and with the story, it means so much. You're honestly the best readers ever <3

P.S. The song Nicki sings is Goodnight Moon by Go Radio, lovely song. Here's the link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BClFpTijh1Y