Gideon was a good uncle, playing with his niece and nephew as they were growing up, reading stories, even babysitting on occasion. Spending the entire day with a child, with no breaks, out in public was a whole different story.
Was he tired? Yes, Gideon was exhausted. Would he have traded it for anything? Absolutely not. Walking around the muggle zoo looking at the animals, occasionally having Fiona’s hand find his. The small delicate hand wrapping around his much bigger hand, his heart warmed at the memory. Add to that a few piggy back rides and listening to the sweet girl giggle, he was hooked.
It had been a long day. Walking around the zoo with Rose, Fiona and Vinnie, then shopping around the city, eating lunch and dinner out at local restaurants, they were all dragging as they got back to the townhouse. Little Fiona had passed out at the restaurant as they were paying their bill, so instead of waking her up and forcing her to walk, he picked her up and let her sleep while they walked back. Her little arms wrapping around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. She weighed nearly nothing in his arms. A few times, he caught himself rubbing circles on her back, soothing her back into a deep slumber.
Entering into the townhouse, Gideon tipped his head towards the stairs. The international sign for ‘I'm going to take her upstairs, want to follow? Because I am way out of my depth here.’
Climbing the stairs, Gideon went straight for Fiona’s room, cradling her head as he carefully lowered her to the bed. At this point he was lost. Having no idea what to do for the small girl, already curling up on the bed. Turning to Rose, thank goodness, she would know what to do. Gideon kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear so as to not wake Fiona.
“It’s late. I’m going to take a shower and head to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” With a sigh, he kissed her forehead, then a chaste kiss on the lips. He wanted to deepen it. In fact he wanted to steal her away for at least 24 hours, but that would have to wait.
Retreating to his room, Gideon took a long… cold… shower, before brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed. He laid there, listening to the noises of the house, creaking floorboards, the wind outside in the trees, the sound of Vinnie upstairs moving around, then silence. Shutting his eyes, Gideon tried his best to drift off into dream land.
Rose yawned as she walked into the townhome. Her stomach was full, her heart was full, and she was exhausted. She’d loved watching Gideon and Fiona; it really did warm her heart and make her want things with him to work out more than ever before. If her daughter could have a father figure, then she’d be alright.
Would Rose have been better off if her father hadn’t been so despicable? Probably.
The group made their way upstairs, with Vinnie waving a tired goodbye before ascending to the third floor. Rose followed Gideon into Fiona’s room and watched as he very gingerly laid the girl down on her bed. Then he turned to Rose and she smiled.
They were exhausted. As much as she wanted to go with him… she would stay in the guest room. At least one more night.
“It’s late. I’m going to take a shower and head to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Rose nodded and sighed as she watched him leave the bedroom. She wanted to go with him so bad…
Turning back to her daughter, Rose helped the girl get into her nightgown and tucked into bed. When Rose reached her own room, she took a shower and then got into bed.
And did not sleep. Well, maybe she dozed off a couple of times, but constantly kept waking up.
So after God only knows how long, Rose finally got out of bed and left her room. She peered in on Fiona, who looked like she was having the best sleep of her life. She smiled, and then decided to make her way downstairs. Perhaps some tea, or at least water, would help her sleep.
Once she reached the kitchen, though, Rose realized she did not know her way around. At all. So she stood for a moment, helplessly, before beginning to search in cabinets for the tea and the tea cups. Or at least water glasses.
It was useless. Sleep was not coming. Gideon tossed and turned for over an hour trying to get to sleep, but his brain would not shut down. Finally giving up, he tossed his bedding back and got out of bed.
Walking down the stairs with no shirt and only his plaid pajama pants, Gideon made his way down to the kitchen. He unfortunately didn’t have the potent insomnia tea here at home, but some warm milk or chamomile tea would do the trick.
Turning the corner into the kitchen, he stopped dead in his tracks seeing movement. A smile came to his lips, as he watched Rose look in every cupboard for something. Her red hair was down long and curly. His eyes drifted down and his breath caught in his throat.
Holy.
Shit.
Her nightgown left nothing to the imagination. A soft pink color, knee length, with a lace detail. A sheer robe layered overtop, hiding nothing. Leaning against the wall, Gideon watched as she moved around the room. His fingers itched, wanting to explore the skin hiding under the silky fabric.
Suddenly, he had no desire to find sleep. In fact, maybe he should put on a pot of coffee. He’d much rather stay up late with Rose. Alone. In his bed.
Whatever she was looking for, hadn’t been found yet. Deciding that watching her silently from the shadows was probably a bit creepy, he should probably make his presence known. “Can I help you find something?”
“Can I help you find something?”
Rose stopped, a sly smile crossing her lips. His voice was like music to her ears. Sure, she knew she could have woken him up… or just slip into his bed. But she’d been attempting to be respectful and self-sufficient.
And independent.
‘Cause… she didn’t need anyone to help her.
But Rose turned and took a breath. He was shirtless – finally – and definitely had bedhead. He’d been tossing and turning, she could tell by the way his hair was disheveled.
“Whoever put things away in here makes no sense,” Rose said, motioning to the cabinets. Of course, part of it could be that she was just too short to get high up. Perhaps that’s where the tea was.
“Can’t sleep either?” she asked as he came into the kitchen.
“Whoever put things away in here makes no sense,” Rose said, pointing to the cabinets. He smiled, "that was Vinnie." He didn’t mind the way they were arranged, "It makes sense to her, I've just learned to live with her crazy.
“Can’t sleep either?” Gideon shook his head. Sleep was the last thing he was looking for now. Walking slowly around the kitchen island, fingers trailing over the cold granite.
“Did you check on Fiona? Is she still sleeping?” There was a very specific reason for his question. Once Gideon got his hands on Rose, he really didn’t want to be interrupted. He was just a few feet away from her now. An arms length separated them, it felt like meters.
Waiting for her answer, images of Rose on the counter, on the couch, in his bed, the bathtub, went running through his mind. In all of them she was in some state of undress. His heart was beating rapidly, wanting to get his hands on her, but he needed to make sure this was what she really wanted. He was pretty sure he knew, but didn’t want to assume.
The impulse was too strong. Gideon eliminated the distance between them in two long steps. He paused, close enough to feel her warmth, his eyes searching hers. "Tea would certainly help you sleep," he stated, his voice low and rough in the quiet room. He cocked his head to the side, a knowing glint sparkled in his eyes. "Then again," he continued, a playful smile to his lips, "we could always come up with better things to do instead."
Rose nodded, not surprised that Lavinia had been the one to organize things in the kitchen. She seemed to have touched every part of the house. He loved his sister. That was sweet.
“Did you check on Fiona? Is she still sleeping?”
Gideon walked slowly around the kitchen island, and she leaned back against the counter, watching him as he came within arms length of her.
“I don’t think she’s ever slept better,” Rose murmured in response, not wanting to get her hopes up. And yet, as he moved even closer to her, the desire returned to his eyes.
"Tea would certainly help you sleep.”
It would. Definitely. That glint in his eye though – he knew what she was thinking, and she knew what he was thinking. And as far as she could see, there was nothing and no one standing in their way this time. Thankfully Fiona had been completely exhausted and would not wake ‘til morning.
“Then again, we could always come up with better things to do instead."
Rose licked her lips, finally reaching out to him. She couldn’t hold back anymore. She ran her hand up his strong chest, gently placing her hand on the side of his face. She pulled him down and pressed her lips to his.
“I can’t wait anymore…” she said in between kisses. “I need you.”
“I can’t wait anymore…” her hands were on his chest. Their lips immediately battling for control. “I need you.”
The feeling was mutual.
This would not be happening in the kitchen. He’d be damned if anyone interrupted them again. He was taking her to his bed and locking the damn door.
Lips locked, Gideon lifted Rose, bringing her legs up around his waist. His hands holding her tight to him, she felt so right in his arms. As they entered his room, he shut the door quietly, hoping that Fiona slept through the night.
Carefully, he laid Rose out on his bed. Her pink nightgown and red hair, a stark contrast to his dark grey bedding. The lights were dim in his room, a soft glow casting shadows. Standing at the foot of his bed, he took her in. The sight of Rose in his bed, wanting him, was almost more than he could take.
Putting one knee on the bed, he crawled the short distance to her. Kneeling between her parted legs, his hands went to her calves, snaking up her soft silky skin. As his hand ventured up her body, he got to the hem of her nightgown, but his hands did not stop.
He had been dreaming about what her skin would feel like, the hidden parts of her that he longed to explore. He was finally getting the chance, and he wouldn’t let it go to waste. Her nightgown was being pulled up, while his hands moved, exposing more and more skin. His lips, kissing the inside of her knee, her thigh, her hip where he caught the briefest peak of pink lace.
Looking into her eyes, he lifted up and captured her lips with his. He broke the kiss, but didn’t let his lips leave her skin, kissing down the length of her neck, tongue licking from collarbone to ear, where he whispered, “You’re wearing entirely too many clothes.” He sat up, kneeing between her legs. Grabbing the hem of her nightgown he tugged, and with a smirk he simply said, “off.”
Gideon didn’t say anything, just accepted Rose’s kisses and her words. He lifted her easily, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His chest was firm, just like she thought it would be. He was strong. It must have been the military that did that. She wasn’t complaining.
The impressive thing to Rose was that he managed to get them up the stairs and to his room while carrying her and kissing.
Nope, sleep wasn’t going to be happening.
And she was more than okay with that.
He laid Rose down on his bed, and as she thought it was – his bed was incredibly soft. She smiled as he looked down at her, her heart beating fast. Her lips felt strange without his on hers, almost as if he was made to be with her.
Those thoughts filtered through her head, and yet she didn’t grasp them. Instead, Rose focused on his hands, which were snaking their way up her body, underneath her nightgown. She couldn’t help but to let a soft whimper leave her mouth when he kissed her thigh and her hip.
He moved up and pressed his lips to hers. Rose returned the kiss, until his lips were gone from her mouth again. He was kissing her neck now, licking her skin, and then whispering.
“You’re wearing entirely too many clothes. Off.”
The tug on her nightgown brought a smile to her lips and she sat up, easily pulling the silky fabric from her body and discarding it… somewhere. She didn’t know where. It didn’t matter.
She ran a hand down his chest again, stopping at the waistband of his pajama pants. “You are also wearing entirely too much…” she commented softly with a devious smirk, and tugged, wanting to remove any and all barriers that were still separating them.
When the soft pink fabric slid over her skin, every inch of her naked body revealed a new spot he wanted to explore. His mouth met hers in a heated kiss, his hands taking no time to start their exploration. It was almost too much, his rough calloused hands gliding over her heated, soft skin.
Pulling back from her lips, wanting to see where his hands were touching, a spot of green caught his eye. Softly pushing her back down, her head resting on the pillows, Gideon’s eyes roamed while his mouth kicked up in a grin.
“Now, now, now, Miss Byrne. What do we have here?” Gideon adjusted his position, partially laying over her, needing to get up close and personal with the small four leaf clover tattoo on her ribs. “Looks like I found myself a four leaf clover,” he said, his blue eyes meeting hers. “Guess that means I’m the lucky one tonight.” Pupils blown wide with desire, Gideon lowered his head until he was just close enough to lick the small tattoo. It was the sexiest thing he had ever seen.
“You know,” he said, with a smile on his face. “I think I’ll need to conduct a thorough inspection. See what other things you’re hiding from me.” Taking it upon himself, Gideon lifted her arm, and began kissing down towards her hand, nibbling on the tips of her fingers. He was mapping every inch of her delectable body, licking, nipping and kissing as he memorized every freckle.
“You are also wearing entirely too much…”
He couldn’t agree more. Sitting up, Gideon kept his eyes on her as he slid his pajama pants off, tossing them to the floor. Moving slowly, he crawled up her body, their normally covered skin touching for the first time. His skin zinged with the contact.
Finally reaching her face, Gideon’s hand went to her hair, pulling her face just where he wanted it for a crushing kiss. All restraint gone, hands everywhere, his lips left hers to rest his forehead on Rose’s. “Are you sure?” He whispered, hoping that he already knew the answer. Finding what he was looking for in her eyes, their lips connected as he thrust forward.
(Fade to Black)
((OOC: All power plays and content approved by Rose))
Gideon’s kisses were the best that Rose had ever tasted. His hands on her skin, his skin against her skin… He asked her if she was sure and she had nodded, having never been so sure of anything before in her life. This – this is what she’d been searching for. What she’d always heard about but never felt worthy enough to have.
Now, after, she laid in Gideon’s arms, her head on his chest. She traced shapes on his stomach – just random ones, though she’d be lying if she said some of those shapes were not hearts. She bit her lip, thinking back to how relaxed she’d felt the night before. How she thought she’d been the most relaxed she had ever been.
No, that paled in comparison to this. Rose had fallen for Gideon so quickly; from the first look of his blue eyes on hers, when she first returned to Hogwarts in a professional capacity, she had been hooked. Things kept getting in their way, prolonging the inevitable.
And now she was here. In his arms, in his bed. Just the two of them. Fiona was safely tucked in her bed down the hall. Her bed... Was it wrong for her to like thinking of that room as Fe’s? Maybe. But, probably not. He’d be okay with it.
Rose’s heart felt full, and she lifted her head up, her eyes meeting his. She smiled and then pressed her lips to his, more gentle this time. “I think I might finally be able to go to sleep…” she admitted and kissed him again, before laying her head back down and closing her eyes, not moving from her spot.
The sun was peaking through the clouds, alerting Gideon to the early morning hour. He hadn’t slept a wink. It could have been ten minutes, or ten hours, he wouldn’t be able to say. Laying there, in bed with Rose cuddled up against him was pure bliss. Time stopped, birds sang, his heart tripled in size.
Laying awake in bed after their… activities, Gideon had a lot of time to think. His fingers running laps on the expanse of her back, combing through her hair, feather light kisses over her forehead, eyelids and the tip of her nose. It had become glaringly clear that in a very short amount of time, Rose had taken up residence in his heart. He tried to run through scenarios where they weren’t together. His heart seized at the thought. Nope, that just wouldn't do.
This was more than dating. Boy friend and Girl friend seemed so juvenile, and nowhere near as encompassing as his feelings for her. The L word had drifted in and out of his conscious thoughts, but it was too soon for such declarations. Rose had kids to consider. They came first, which was how it should be.
He could see the life they would lead. Living in the townhouse, or getting a larger home in a few years. Date nights, cooking lessons with Fiona, Vinnie babysitting for some alone time, moving in to the castle during the school term… Would Ruby allow them to cohabitate? That was a question for a later date. The future, for once in his life, looked bright and colorful. For so many years, he was too afraid to dream of a life like this. Here, with her in his arms, it was easy to picture.
Gideon left the bathroom wearing a simple white shirt and plaid pajama pants. His hair was masterfully disheveled, to the point of insanity. He loved it. Standing at the foot of the bed, Gideon took a mental picture of the site before him. Sun shining through the window falling on the woman laying face down in his bed. Sheet covering just her lower half, red hair fanned out over the pillows, breaths coming out in soft even pants. Gideon kissed her lips softly and exited his room, closing the door with a soft click behind him. What greeted him downstairs brought a large smile to his face. Vinni and Fiona were sitting on the sofa reading a book. God bless his sister, he would need to buy her a present for this.
“Good morning beautiful ladies. Fiona, your mum is sleeping in. What do you think about helping me make breakfast?”
When Vinni woke up the next morning and began to make her way to the first floor, she noticed the guest bedroom door was open. Curiously, she peered inside and when she saw that no one was in there, she smirked. It was too quiet for the woman to be awake.
Her eyes drifted to her brother’s bedroom door and she smiled knowingly. It had been so long since she had seen him truly happy. Part of the reason she had agreed to live with him was so he wouldn’t always be alone.
As she walked past the room Fiona was staying in, she was stopped by the girl squealing her name. How did children have so much energy first thing in the morning? Lavinia was a happy woman, but it was still a bit early for squealing and giggling.
“Good morning, little one. Did you sleep well?” she asked, remembering Gideon carrying her upstairs and to bed. She smiled. This was everything she ever wanted for her brother.
After discussing their time at the zoo, Vinni and Fiona made their way downstairs. There was no way in hell she was going to let the girl disturb the two upstairs. She picked up a book about magical creatures, specifically the ones that were from fairy tales, and sat down with the blonde girl on the couch, pointing out the different animals.
Movement on the stairs drew Lavinia’s attention. She looked up and smirked when she saw Gideon making his way down in his pajama pants and white shirt, she couldn’t help but to laugh.
“Good morning beautiful ladies. Fiona, your mum is sleeping in. What do you think about helping me make breakfast?”
Fiona giggled and Vinni couldn’t help but to grin at Gideon.
“Yes, yes, please!” Fiona responded and stood up on the couch, then jumped the short distance into Gideon’s arms.
Deciding she needed some more information, Vinni closed the book and stood up, following them into the kitchen. “Someone’s in a good mood. Nice night?” she asked, teasingly with a grin on her face.
She couldn’t help it. Her brother had been so broken for so long. He was happy now, and she loved it.
Walking into the living room, making eye contact with Vinni, Gideon smiled. She knew. Well, it was a good thing he wasn’t planning on keeping this a secret.
Making breakfast with Fiona would be a fun project, Gideon loved cooking and hanging with Fi would give Rose a chance to sleep in. Win Win. “Yes, yes, please!” It seemed the little one liked the idea just as much as he did. Then suddenly she was jumping into his arms. It made him increasingly happy that she was comfortable with him.
“Listen here ya little monkey. If we’re going to cook, you need to go wash your hands. Can you do that for me?”
Fiona ran to the hall bath and washed her hands quicker than Gideon thought possible. His face reflected just how happy he was. Kneeling down, he smiled over his shoulder, “Hop on Monkey, lets get this show on the road.”
Plopping Fiona down on the counter, Gideon started pulling things out of cupboards and drawers, the pantry and the cold storage. “Someone’s in a good mood. Nice night?”
Looking at Vin with a glare, he tried to look annoyed, but it didn’t last more than a blink. The smirk that took over his face said it all. “We had a very nice night and that’s all I will say with small ears in the room. SO! Fiona! What shall it be, pancakes, eggs and bacon, sausage, or a fry-up?”
Retrieving a step stool and apron from the pantry, he set the stool on the floor next to his work station and plopped Fiona down on top. Putting the apron over her head, it came down close to her feet, with a chuckle Gideon said, “well this might be a bit large, but I can fold it up. We will need to get you your own apron if you’re going to be my soux-chef.”
Gideon glared at her, and Vinnie couldn’t help but to laugh silently. He could pretend to be annoyed, or whatever that she was asking about this, but she didn’t care. They were adults, and she knew what adults did. It was no secret, of course. His smirk, however, said everything she needed to know.
“We had a very nice night and that’s all I will say with small ears in the room.”
A small nod is what Lavinia gave in response, not listening as he began speaking to the child in the room. ‘Very nice’? She wondered if Rose’s response would be the same. After feeling the tension surrounding those two, she knew it had to be more than just very nice. But, as he said, they had Fiona in the room with them so she couldn’t really poke and prod him for more information than that.
Honestly, Vinnie could join in with him and Fiona’s cooking adventure, but the woman just enjoyed watching him with the girl. He’d always been great with kids and she always knew that he had been destined to be a father. When his wife died, no one knew if that would happen. Especially with how he’d closed his heart off for so long.
But this – Rose and Fiona – gave her hope. Perhaps Gideon would end up with the family that he deserved. His marriage to Elizabeth had been arranged, a business deal – something that Lavinia feared would come her way soon. This, with Rose, was starting with love. Because yes, she could tell they loved each other.
“Pancakes! And sausage!” the little girl said and giggled as she looked at the huge apron Gideon had put on her.
“Perhaps we can go shopping for that later today, what do you think Fiona?” Lavinia asked. She had named herself the unofficial babysitter of this girl, and it’d be nice for Rose and Gideon to have more time alone. “Did you know they also make kid sized cooking tools too? We could get you a whole kit! And perhaps a chef hat too!”
“Pancakes! And sausage!”
Gideon sent the small girl a salute, after years in the military this came with ease. A few minutes later he had all the ingredients out and was ready to start.
“Perhaps we can go shopping for that later today, what do you think Fiona? Did you know they also make kid sized cooking tools too? We could get you a whole kit! And perhaps a chef hat too!”
Gideon measured out the flour and sugar, handing them to Fiona to add to the bowl. With this suggestions from Vinnie, Gideon raised an eyebrow at his baby sister. If she was offering to take Fiona out for the day, he would greatly appreciate the alone time with Rose. As long as Rose was ok with it, he didn’t want to step on her toes.
“That sounds like fun, would you like to go shopping with Lavinia today? We’ll have to ask your mom when she wakes up.”
It didn’t take long for breakfast to be ready, the pancakes warming in the oven, sausages filling the room with a savory smell. He was just adding the orange juice and syrup to the table when he decided it was time to go wake up Rose.
“Why don’t you two set the table, I’ll go wake up your mom. We’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Running up the stairs, Gideon opened his bedroom door quietly. Rose was still asleep, laying on her back covered by just a sheet, one arm tossed out to the empty side of Gideon’s bed, the other folded up above her head. He could see every curve of her body, hiding under the sheet. Maybe they could skip breakfast.
While he loved that idea, they needed to go downstairs before the little one came running upstairs to find her mum.
Crawling on the bed, Gideon carefully hovered over her, pulling the sheet down slowly to her waist, exposing her upper half. Starting at her hips, Gideon brought his hands up slowly, skimming over her waist, then ribs, then higher. He leaned down and licked a line from her navel, up the valley between her breasts. When he reached her neck he bit softly, then sucked. She stirred under his attention.
“Good morning, beautiful.” He said in a whisper, kissing from her shoulder up the line of her neck. “As much as I would love to lay in bed and have you for breakfast, there is a little girl waiting downstairs to show you the pancakes we made. And if we play our cards right, Vinni is offering to take Fiona out shopping… all day.”
Fiona’s eyes widened at the thought of going out shopping with Lavinia. “Yes, I want to!” she said, looking at Gideon as if he had the power to grant her permission for something like this. She begged with her eyes.
Vinnie grinned, happy to help in this situation in any way she could. She loved Gideon and just loved seeing him so genuinely happy and excited for the first time in a very long time. Because this was different than she’d seen him with his first. He’d been happy, grown to love the woman, but it wasn’t this.
“Take your time,” Vinnie called out after Gideon and then she and Fiona helped set the table.
When was the last time Rose had slept so peacefully? She really couldn’t remember. The events from the night before kept playing over and over in her head as she dreamed, and the couple of times she had stirred, she didn’t want to fully wake up in case it hadn’t been real.
But as she felt something touch her… at first she thought it was still her dream. But then she felt his warm breath on her skin as he licked up her body, to end at biting and sucking on her neck. She finally squirmed a bit, but giggled as her eyes fluttered open. Her cheeks were red from the attention.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
It hadn’t been just a dream; it had been real. A warmth spread throughout her chest as he spoke to her, informing her about the morning and the potential plans for the day, Rose grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down onto her.
“I was worried it was a dream,” she admitted, her blue eyes searching his momentarily before kissing him deeply. Since when was life better than dreams? She had no idea. But this was definitely a good thing, and she didn’t want to question good things.
The ‘L’ word played around in her mind as she looked at him, biting her lip gently. She knew within her soul that is what she was feeling. And she knew without a doubt that he was feeling the same way. Rose kissed him again. It was too soon to say it, so she would kiss him until he knew what she was thinking.
“I don’t wanna get up,” Rose whined, but knew she had no choice. If his sister really was going to take Fiona out for the day, then she really only had to be out of his arms for a couple of hours. That sounded like far too long.
Rose sat up and looked around for a moment. “Where’s my…?” Honestly, it was a blur. Had she removed her gown when they got to the room? “Can I borrow a shirt and pants?” she finally asked after a moment. That’d be more appropriate anyhow.
Once he handed them to her, she managed to get untangled from the sheet and dressed. Now, both of them fully clothed, she felt a bit sad. Only a couple hours… she reminded herself.
“Know what Fe said our first night here? When I tucked her in, she said she really likes you,” she said and looked up at Gideon. That ‘L’ word played in her mind again and Rose pulled him down so she could plant another deep kiss on his lips.
She wanted to say it so bad.
Watching Rose wake up fully, realizing where she was and who was waking her up, made him smile. He was doing that a lot more in her presence. Watching her dress in his clothes was far more enticing than he would have ever thought. He liked it. A lot.
‘MINE’ kept playing in his head. Pulling her close, his hands found the skin under the hem of his sweater, he liked her in his clothes, but he liked her out of them far more. “Know what Fe said our first night here? When I tucked her in, she said she really likes you.”
This brought a smile to his face, and his lips to hers. Pulling away, he rested his forehead on hers, sighing in contentment. “That’s good to hear. I…” he didn’t know how to say what he was feeling. There were a lot of emotions he wasn’t used to.
Pulling his head away so that their eyes could meet, he looked in her blue eyes deeply. Not sure what he was looking for exactly, but in her gaze he found it. “This is all new to me.” His hands came up to pull her hair back, then cradling her face in his hands. “I’ve never felt anything like this Rose. Everything feels so… complete. You, Fiona. Waking up to find you in my bed, knowing that this isn’t a dream.” His lips found hers suddenly in a deep and passionate kiss.
“I don’t want to rush this, but I can’t help but feel like this is right.” His lips found hers again, but pulled away far too soon for his liking. “Let's go eat, see what the girls have in mind for today. Then maybe, we can test out the maximum occupancy specifications on my bathtub.” The shit eating grin on his face was full of mischief as he quickly attacked her neck with another soft bite to the tender skin. “Come on, lets go eat before I lock the door and send an owl to Vinni.”
Walking down the stairs, hand in hand with Rose, they entered the dining room to find both the girls ready and waiting. They had set the table perfectly and were both loading up their plates with food. It was automatic, he didn’t even think before he kissed Fiona on the head and then sat down in the chair at the head of the table. “Nice job ladies. Shall we dig in?”
He had no claim on the beautiful red head or her adorable daughter, but he would fight tooth and nail to keep them. It may have been fast, but Gideon Blackwood was head over heels in love with the Bryne girls.
“That’s good to hear. I…”
Rose bit her lip, letting his eyes search hers. There was so much unspoken that – honestly – did it need to be spoken? She’d never been on the same wavelength with anyone before like she was with Gideon. It was odd, but also lovely and she loved the comfort that it brought her knowing that they were so – well, made for each other.
“This is all new to me. I’ve never felt anything like this Rose. Everything feels so… complete. You, Fiona. Waking up to find you in my bed, knowing that this isn’t a dream.”
She didn’t even have a chance to respond, to agree, before his lips pressed against hers again. Rose could not stop kissing the man, or touching him. It was like she had to be right next to him at all times so she could touch him whenever she liked.
“I don’t want to rush this, but I can’t help but feel like this is right.”
That. Rose accepted his next kiss. That was as good as him saying that he loved her, and she was thrilled to hear that. It felt incredibly right for her as well, which as a single mum… Rose had thought she’d lost all hope at finding something like this. Perhaps that’s how she found it; she wasn’t looking.
“Let's go eat, see what the girls have in mind for today. Then maybe, we can test out the maximum occupancy specifications on my bathtub.”
Rose couldn’t help but to love the way that Gideon was grinning when discussing taking a bath with her. She couldn’t wait. She sucked in a breath when his mouth found her neck, letting a small whimper escape.
This was torture.
Really it was.
Rose took his hand and walked down the stairs with him, refusing to let go until she absolutely had to.
Rose watched Gideon kiss Fiona on the head as he walked by and her heart swelled even more. If he kept this up, her heart really might explode with love for the man. She took the spot between him and Fiona. “Hi, baby, did you sleep good?” she asked and wrapped her arm around her daughter, squeezing her a bit. The little girl nodded and then pulled Rose’s ear to her mouth.
“I know you had a sleepover with him, mummy,” the little girl whispered and Rose blushed. Of course Fiona didn’t know what that fully meant, but she had never hidden how she felt about Gideon from her daughter.
The little girl then wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, and then began eating her food.
“This looks absolutely delicious. I am so hungry,” she commented and put some food on her plate.
She looked from Fiona to Gideon and caught his hand in hers, holding it on the table. As far as she could tell, this was now their family.
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