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spacesquidlings · 9 months ago

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One-Of-A-Kind

Enamoured by the sight of his bite marks on his wife's neck, Gavin has an idea for something unique to show that she belongs to him, something entirely one of a kind

Pairing: Gavin Bai x MC (Rowan) Tags: 18+ readers only, light sub/dom dynamics, unbearably horny Gavin, light bdsm, collaring, f!receiving blow jobs, possessive Gav, soft dom Gav, vaginal sex, fluff at the end I swear I SWEAR taglist: @aluneposting

The touch of Gavin’s fingers had been soft as he’d brushed their calloused pads across Rowan’s collarbones, a little line forming between his brow as his eyes had fallen to the hickies that dotted her neck.

He hummed, deep in thought as he trailed his finger over a line of them, pausing as his thumb brushed over the deep in the middle of her collarbone.

“Rowan,” he said, his voice measured and slow, soft as spun sugar.

She hummed, already half asleep, the warmth of the bed sheets tucked around her flushed skin making her drowsy. Steam from their bath wafted from the open bathroom door, filling the bedroom with the smell of lavender and rose and eucalyptus and all the sweet smelling things Gavin always let her use in their baths together.

He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair back from her cheek. “Pumpkin, are you asleep already?”

She nodded, rolling onto her side so she could bury her face against his chest, his skin still warm from the bath. “You smell really nice, babey.”

He snorted, the hand at her neck sliding up to cup her cheek. “Thank you, although you’re the one who picked out the soaps.”

“Mmm, I have really good taste.”

“The best taste.”

She sighed. “I love you, babey.”

He chuckled. “I have to ask you something important, sweetheart. Do you think you can stay awake for a few more minutes?”

She cracked one eye open, peeking up at him. “I can do my best, babey.”

He traced her collarbone, his brow furrowing. “And know that you can say no if you want to.”

She opened both eyes now, pushing past her fatigue to give him her full attention.

His cheeks were flushed a soft pink, his ears already crimson. “Well I wanted to try something, if you’re comfortable with it.”

***

Months passed after that initial conversation, and it had faded almost entirely from Rowan’s mind, despite how much time Gavin had been spending in the garage since then.

Their garage was big enough for Gavin to set up a dedicated space for some of his craftier hobbies, and he usually kept most of his tools for jewellery making out there.

And yet, despite how many trips he’d made to the craft store, and how much time he’d been spending hunched over his worktable, Rowan had almost completely forgotten why exactly he’d been working so diligently over the last two months.

It was still morning, soft golden light bleeding through the drawn curtains, casting rosy light across the bed as Rowan cracked open her sleep-heavy eyes.

Gavin was already wide awake, propped up on his elbow, a box wrapped in ocean blue wrapping paper lying on the pillow between them.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice still heavy with sleep. “Babey, why are you up so early?”

He shrugged. “I wanted to get my morning workout in.”

She rolled her eyes, tugging the blanket up over her head. “You left me?”

He chuckled. “I had planned to go out, but you looked so cute I couldn’t stand leaving you.”

She peaked out from beneath the blanket. “Well I’m glad you stayed, I love waking up next to you.”

He sighed, leaning down to kiss her. “I love waking up next to you.”

She smiled blissfully, bubbly delight spilling through her veins like champagne.

“Are you going to open your present?” Gavin asked, his eyes glittering with mischief.

She narrowed her eyes, her focus shifting to the neatly wrapped package. “What is it?”

Gavin hummed, his eyes twinkling, the tips of his ears pink, as he pushed it towards her. “Open it and find out.”

She slipped her hands out from beneath the blankets, dragging the box towards her and back underneath the sheets.

Gavin snorted, trying to pull the blankets back. “What are you doing?”

“Saving it for later,” she mumbled, struggling to keep the blankets up. “I want snuggles right now.”

He grinned as he managed to wrestle the sheets away from her, pulling them back to reveal where she’d hidden the box. “You can have snuggles in a minute.”

Rowan tried pulling the blankets back up over her, but all her attempts were futile against Gavin’s iron grip.

She yawned, plucking the little package from where she’d tried to hide it, playing with the golden ribbons that had been tied around it. “It’s so pretty though, I don’t want to ruin it.”

“I promise that what’s inside is far prettier.” He hummed, leaning down again to trail kisses along her jaw. “Although nowhere near as pretty as you, pumpkin.”

She giggled, his breath tickling her skin, her fingers sinking into his hair as his lips moved to her cheek, to the corner of her own lips.

Gavin bumped his nose against hers, cupping her face with one hand. “Will you open it? It’s one-of-a-kind, just for you.”

She nodded, warmth washing over her as Gavin’s soft, honey-sweet words danced through the air. As he watched her with his starlit eyes, with that sweet little smile curling across his lips.

How could she ever say no to him?

She sat up, tearing the wrapping paper away to reveal a plain brown box. She lifted the lid, revealing two necklaces on delicate silver chains.

The first chain was longer, about as long as the chain Gavin’s tags hung from, with a small silver key attached. It was simple, with no intricate designs or shapes on the handle.

The second chain was shorter, and Rowan figured it was closer in size to a choker, with a delicate pendant that was likely meant to rest at the collarbone. This one was slightly more intricate than the simple key, with an array of curving, interlocking lines, the way they curled over each other reminiscent of the way the wind moves through the trees. Cerulean blue gems had been embedded in the spaces between the lines, like fragments of the sky.

There were four blue gems in total, glittering as they caught the rosy sunlight that managed to sneak through the curtains, casting rainbows across the messy blankets. But there was a fifth space in the centre, and in the place of a blue gem was a golden one, smaller than the others, seeming to hover between the curved silver lines with nothing fixing it in place. As if the wind alone held it in place.

It was the colour of Gavin’s eyes, the gold of starlight, of summer sunbeams washing over ocean waves, of melted gold, of gingko leaves in the autumn. The colour of joy, of what she imagined love looked like, if it could be made tangible.

She ran her fingers over the little gem, smiling softly, because of how much it reminded her of him. Because of how warm it made her feel, happiness bubbling in her heart, the same gold of this little gem, of his eyes.

On the other side of the necklace was a small lock mechanism, which Rowan quickly realized fit the key from the other chain perfectly.

She flushed instantly, heat racing across her cheeks and down her throat as the realization struck her.

Gavin had asked her, months ago, on a night when he couldn’t stop staring at her throat and the bite marks he’d placed there, about what she’d thought about wearing a collar. For him. Something subtle that only he would really know about. Something that would show that she was his.

Her face had burned then the way it did now, and she felt as though she would catch flame. Her core grew tight, and she felt warmth blooming between her legs as she looked at the collar, at the key, up at Gavin’s twinkling eyes.

She set the collar back into the box, nestled between crumpled pieces of tissue paper. “Gavin, it’s beautiful.”

The little smile that had danced across his face blossomed wider, turning into a dazzling grin that stole her breath away. It was so open, so clearly delighted and pleased with her response, with himself.

Gavin brushed her hair back from her face, his eyes brighter than starlight now. “It’s one-of-a-kind, nothing else like it exists.” His voice grew lower, rougher, and he leaned forward to catch her lips in another kiss. “Just like you.”

Her eyes fell closed without thought, her mind already gone as she felt his fingers thread through her unkempt hair. She tipped her head back, wanting more, wanting him. She felt heat and tension blooming in her core, felt a wetness pooling between her legs already.

He was just so sweet, and it took so little for her to melt in his arms. He was her husband, her Gavin, how could she not?

“So what do you think, pumpkin?” He asked, his eyes meeting hers as he pulled away. His cheeks were flushed the same soft pink that stained the sheets from the morning sunshine, and it made her heart stumble, made her feel like there were butterflies in her stomach, in her chest.

She looked back down at the box in her hand, the wrapping paper crumpled and strewn across the pillow. She looked at the silver key, at the collar and its glittering gems. She could hear his voice echoing in the back of her mind, asking her if it would be okay, if she would be willing to try it with him.

“I think it’s beautiful,” she said, smiling up at him. She played with the chain that held the silver key, holding it up to him. “And we’ll kind of match.”

He chuckled, relief flickering in his eyes as he covered her hand with his, bringing it up to his lips. “I’m glad.”

She snorted as he brushed kisses against the back of her hand. “Babey, what are you doing?”

“Showing you that I love you.”

She giggled, his words tickling her skin as he spoke. “You always do that. You did that last night.”

A crimson flush crept up his neck and jaw, reaching into his hairline and washing over his ears. “Well, I can never stop loving you enough.”

Now it was Rowan’s turn to flush, her face hotter than before. Her voice was little more than a crackling squeak as she spoke. “You’re a dork, Gavin.”

He kissed her hand once more before setting it against the blankets, a blissfully happy look on his face. “I know.”

He reached into the box, lifting both chains, the key and the pendant swinging through the air, casting rainbows across the bed as they caught the light. “Can I-?”

She nodded, butterfly wings fluttering in her chest and her belly. She twisted so her back was towards him, sweeping her hair up from the back of her neck.

She heard the click of the lock as Gavin opened it, felt his lips brush against the spot between her neck and her shoulder. A shiver raced down her spine as he settled the collar against throat, the metal cool against her skin.

She sucked in a breath as she felt the chain tighten around her throat, the click of the lock shutting sweeping across her senses. Gavin kissed the back of her neck again, trailing his lips to the side, pushing her sleeve aside to scatter kisses along her shoulder. As if to say a silent thank you, to show his pleasure without words.

He pulled away, and she felt a finger caress the skin beneath the chain, as though he were already enamoured with it.

“Turn around,” he said, the quietness of his words doing little to disguise the roughness of his voice, how low it had become, sinking into her senses and making her core ache. “I want to see how you look.”

Rowan turned back around, hoping she didn’t look too silly. She was still flushed, her skin burning so hot it was a miracle she hadn’t set the blankets on fire yet.

She found Gavin’s eyes first, dark and hazy with desire. His cheeks were flushed too, and had she pressed her palms to his chest she would have felt the beat of his heart, felt the way it faltered and tripped in its erratic tempo.

He cupped her face with one hand, the other tracing the skin around where the pendant lay above her collarbone. “You’re so beautiful.”

She wanted to look away, to close her eyes and press her face against his shoulder, his chest, anywhere so she could hide how she felt her emotions beginning to overwhelm her. They spilled from her heart, racing through her veins like storming ocean waves, threatening to drag her down as they crashed against her mind again and again and again.

But she could not look away from Gavin, not when he was looking at her the way he was. Like she was the entire universe, like she contained all the stars and the planets.

“And you’re mine,” he murmured, running the pad of his finger over the pendant, keeping his eyes locked onto her, holding her in place. “My wife, my stars, my moon, my everything.”

The warmth that flowed through her now was different, so much different from what she had felt earlier. This was softer, like the sunbeams that slipped through the curtains to warm their room. Like her favourite blanket wrapped around her during a storm. Like a mug of something warm clasped between her hands. Like spiced wine touching her lips, fogging her mind.

‘My everything’

He kissed her, and she felt as if she was surely drunk, her mind so hazy from his words, her body turning to jelly from a simple touch.

The kiss was soft and gentle, at odds with the way his voice had dipped earlier. Even the way he drew her bottom lip between his teeth was tender, little more than a nip. One hand remained at her throat, still seeming enchanted by the collar. The other fell to the small of her back, the pressure from his palm drawing her closer.

She was breathless when he finally pulled away, although if she was being honest she was always breathless around him. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, listening to him hum as he rubbed her back.

“Can I have those snuggles now?” She murmured, her voice muffled against his shirt.

Gavin chuckled, shifting his arms around her so that he was cradling her against his chest. “Of course you can.”

“Can we lay down, too? I’m still sleepy.”

“As you wish, sweetheart.”

He swiped the empty box and torn wrapping paper to the side, the silver chain and key that hung from his own neck glinting as it caught the light. He laid back against the pillow, tucking her head beneath his chin as he pulled the blankets up over them.

“How’s that?” He asked, rubbing her back again.

“Very comfy.”

She felt his laughter reverberate through his chest, and she smiled as it danced through the room like the errant sunbeams skittering across the floor now.

They lay there for a long while, a drowsy haze washing over them as the warmth of the blankets and their tangled bodies drew them towards unconsciousness. Rowan’s eyes were so heavy it was impossible for her to fight against her own drowsiness.

When she awoke again Gavin was still curled around her, playing with her hair while she slept cocooned in his embrace.

“Sleep well?” He murmured, his fingertips brushing against her scalp as he ran his fingers through her messy hair.

“Mmhmm,” she cuddled closer, closing her eyes again. “I sleep best with you.”

“Well you can have me all day if you’d like,” he said, smiling.

“You’re off today?” Her voice was still heavy from sleep, and it cracked as her excitement piqued.

“I’m off for the next few days since we finished up that last case.”

She sighed, twisting the material of his sleep shirt between her fingers. “I wish we could cuddle all day, but I do have a few errands to run.”

He brushed her hair back from her cheek, stroking her jaw before his hand sank back into her hair. “What kind of errands?”

“Groceries, we’re both almost out of shampoo, the light in the living room is flickering, and Stella needs to be taken to the groomers.”

“So what you’re saying is that we can spend the day together?” He asked, his hand resting at the nape of her neck.

She quirked a brow in bemusement. “You want to spend the day running errands with me?”

“As long as I’m by your side, I don’t really care what we do.”

She whined, nuzzling her face against his chest. “You’re too sweet, Gavin Bai, and it’s not fair.”

He snorted, his finger brushing over the collar as he trailed his hand down the side of her neck. “I’m not allowed to want to spend time with my wife?”

“You are,” she muttered. “But you’re way too sweet, I don’t know what to do.”

“You could kiss me,” he teased, pinching her waist. “Or you could let me go with you while you run errands.”

“Can I do both?” She asked, squirming as he pinched her waist again.

“Of course you can do both, pumpkin.”

She tipped her head back, scattering kisses along his jaw. “Okay, but I want ten more minutes in bed.”

His hand brushed the collar again, his thumb running over the glittering pendant. “Anything for you, my love.”

Now Rowan snorted, smacking his hand away so he didn’t pinch or poke her side again. “And I want waffles for breakfast. And to go to a few stores I like before coming home.”

He pulled the blankets up around her shoulders, keeping her warm. “As you wish.”

***

Two plates of toasted waffles and eggs followed after Gavin was finally able to convince Rowan to let him carry her from the bed. She whined the entire way to the kitchen, earning Stella’s attention as she followed behind them, her fluffy tail wagging as she listened to Rowan’s complaints.

She demanded the strawberry waffles they had in the freezer, and Gavin had only just placed them in the toaster when she asked if they had any eggs left.

While he wasn’t proficient at making much of anything, he had gotten much better at making simple breakfast foods, like fried or scrambled eggs.

“If we have any left we should use them up, and then we can get a fresh carton,” she said, scooping out Stella’s breakfast and pouring it into her bowl.

So Gavin fried the eggs, adding the last of their cheese to the eggs as they cooked.

Rowan smiled as the food cooked, cupping her chin between her palms as she sat at the table, her eyes drooping closed.

While she had offered to help, Gavin had gently pressed her back into the chair, telling her to just sit, to relax. She was always preparing food for him, a light breakfast to take to work, filling lunches accompanied by little notes telling him that she loved him and was proud of him, warm and hearty dinners that were made up of more than noodles.

He could cook for her. He could make food for her. She deserved to be taken care of.

The collar around her neck sparkled beneath the kitchen lights, the blue gems reminding him of the glittering ocean waves she loved so much, the ones he took her to see as often as he could. The middle gem glittered beneath a stream of sunlight, and his chest grew tight as rainbows fell across the tiled floor.

He’d grown selfish when he’d chosen that final gem. The blue had been for the ocean, for the skies, for the blue flowers that had started blooming in the front yard when she’d first moved in.

But the gold had been for him. He’d done his best to match it to his eyes, the shades nearly identical.

It was meant to show that she was his, and how could the collar show that she was his unless it was connected to him somehow.

The chair scraped against the floor as she stood, the pendant swaying slightly as she moved, and Gavin felt his pants growing tighter around his cock.

Head washed over him, crawling across his face and down his throat and chest, and he was tempted to throw cold water over his head to calm himself down.

The day was going to be busy, he couldn’t detract it right now. He couldn’t let this get the best of him now. If he did then nothing would get done.

The chain around her neck seemed to move like quicksilver, the gems reflecting the light around the kitchen, hanging just above his favourite place to leave hickies along her throat.

He swallowed, focusing on the eggs, on the smell of the oil and the pepper and the rosemary and the basil he’d added. On anything other than the idea of pressing his lips to her skin, of drawing her skin between his teeth, of the cool kiss of the chain against his cheek as he focused his ministrations there, marking her there as surely as the collar marked her as his.

Gavin bit down on his tongue, realizing that he was horrible at trying to redirect his thoughts.

He turned towards the stove, glaring down at the eggs so Rowan wouldn’t see how hard he’d already become in the span of a few moments.

The boxers he wore made everything worse, of course. They were comfy and he liked wearing them after his post-morning run shower, but they were so loose that they did nearly nothing to hide his erection.

He tensed as Rowan’s arms wrapped around his waist, and he felt his face burning as he scrambled to find something to distract himself.

The eggs were almost done, he should focus on the eggs. Should he add more oil? No, then they would be greasy and he didn’t want them to be greasy. Maybe he should add more cheese, he knew she liked cheese in her eggs.

But there wasn’t any left, he’d used the last of it so they could buy more at the grocery store.

“Babey,” she murmured, and her voice snapped him from his anxious thoughts immediately, sending fire scattering across his nerves.

It would be so easy to turn around now, to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to their bedroom. Breakfast be damned, errands be damned. He wanted to feel the flutter of her pulse beneath his lips, wanted to cover her body in marks, wanted to feel her walls quivering around him, wanted to hear her cry his name, completely drunk on him and how he made her feel.

Gavin took one slow, shuddering breath, struggling to regain himself.

“I love you,” she breathed, her fingers twisting into his shirt, pulling the hem past the waist of his pajama pants and boxers.

“I love you too,” he said, cursing himself silently for how hoarse his voice sounded.

“I could’ve made breakfast you know,” she muttered, and it almost sounded like she was pouting.

He chuckled, relieved at the direction the conversation was taking his thoughts. “Can’t I take care of you?”

“You do plenty,” she whined, and now he was certain she was pouting.

“Well I want to take care of you a little more,” he said, flicking the stove off and moving the frying pan to a cold burner.

She whined a little more, and he could feel her face pressing against the space between his shoulder blades. “Fine.”

He shuffled to the side, his movement becoming difficult with her clinging to his back.

“Rowan,” he said, stifling a laugh. “I can hardly move.”

“That’s awfully unfortunate.”

He patted her hands, doing his best to reach for the plates he’d set on the counter and dividing up the eggs between them. “Well you’re going to have to let go when I sit down.”

“Can’t I just sit in your lap?”

He sighed, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling, both from how cute she was and how relieved he was that the tightness in his pants had nearly vanished.

He was okay, he could get through the day.

He would get through the day

***

Gavin was starting to think that he would not make it through the day.

They had eaten breakfast, and Rowan had won out, situating herself on his lap as they’d eaten, Stella circling the table, looking for spills and scraps.

They’d dropped Stella off at the groomers first before heading to buy replacement light bulbs for the living room. Then they had to drive to the little hair supply store that Rowan loved, to pick up more shampoo.

It was, unfortunately, just outside the store that Gavin’s attention slipped to where the collar still lay against her throat.

She’d told him she was happy to keep wearing it as long as he’d wanted, and Gavin had needed to bite his tongue to stop himself from telling her that he wanted her to wear it forever. Until the end of time and past it.

Her fall jacket had shifted as she’d moved, revealing the collar beneath the golden autumn sun. She’d been reaching for the shop door with one hand, the other firmly clasped in Gavin’s.

Where it belongs.

He couldn’t stop the thought from surfacing in his mind, the possessive way his heart grew tight.

His. She was his.

That was his wife, his partner, his everything.

She looked back at him, smiling, and his breath caught in his throat, the familiar feeling of his cock growing hard making his vision dizzy.

He scratched at the back of his neck, doing his best to smile back at Rowan as she dragged him inside, chattering about how he wasn’t going to be able to argue his way through getting two-in-one shampoo.

But he couldn’t focus on what she was saying. He could hear her, he could register the sing-song sound of her voice curling through the air, but he didn’t hear the words. Didn’t understand what she was saying.

All he could register was the sound of the blood rushing to his head, the way the collar looked as it rested against her throat, the little lock that only he had the key to winking beneath the store’s fluorescent lights.

He tried to focus his attention on how the store smelled, how colourful some of the bottles were, how loud the music blaring through the speakers was.

He was just glad he’d been smart enough to change out his boxers for something that would hold him in place better.

Although nothing was going to be able to hide his dick if he wasn’t able to keep his thoughts very focused and very far from anything to do with Rowan.

Which was so hard when her hand was still in his, when he could smell the light floral perfume she wore, when he kept catching sight of the collar he’d spent months constructing just for her.

He wanted to drag her home and pin her against the bed. He wanted her in nothing but that collar. He wanted to pound her into the mattress until she was a breathless, moaning mess beneath him.

She was his after all, and he could do whatever he wanted with her.

Control yourself.

He was stronger than this, wasn’t he?

Gavin swallowed, struggling to focus on the bottles of hairspray lined up on the shelf in front of him. On controlling his breathing and calming his heartbeat.

We’re in a hair product store, come on man.

Rowan, completely oblivious to the turmoil in his mind and his pants, turned to him, beaming as she cradled the shampoos and conditioners in her arms. “Okay! I’ve got everything we need.”

“That looks like a lot more than you said we needed,” he said, his voice strained as he struggled to keep his tone even.

“Well I thought you could change up your shampoo and conditioner since you’ve been complaining your head feels kind of dry and itchy. And this one smells like roses!”

He snorted, focusing on the fact that she was holding shampoos. That they smelled like flowers. That she liked flowers and flower smells.

But his mind quickly wandered to how her skin would smell when he pressed his face against the space between her breasts. How the room would smell like spring flowers the warmer she got. How the soft flesh between her thighs always smelled so sweet.

He nearly hit himself over the head with one of the hair dryers on display to shove the thoughts from his mind.

He needed to focus on something else, on anything else.

But it felt like the more he tried to distract himself the more the thoughts persisted, growing worse with every passing moment.

First it was wanting to bite and suck at her throat until it was covered in marks. Then he wanted to mark the rest of her, her breasts, her stomach, her thighs, her ass.

He wanted her naked, wanted to bury his face between her thighs and raw out every moan and whine until she was a shaking mess. He wanted her only thought to be him, he wanted the only word on her lips to be his name.

He wanted to sink inside of her, wanted to make her cum again and again until her legs shook, until her body shuddered around every movement he made.

The autumn air was blessedly cool when they stepped outside, and Gavin sucked in a deep, shuddering breath as he beelined for the car. He focused on the feel of the wind, the way it rippled and undulated through the air.

The air smelled different too, crisper now that they were into the fall. It was stained with the smell of warm spices coming from coffee shops and bakeries across the city, with an undercurrent of something earthy, promising rainfall soon to wash across the world.

He felt almost normal again by the time Rowan slid into the passenger seat, tossing the bag of hair products into the backseat.

He did his best to focus on the road as she chattered, asking him what he felt like having for dinner that night, so they could pick up something at the store.

He was almost confident he could make it through their day of errands until she reached out to squeeze his thigh, trying to draw his attention towards her.

“Can we get something to drink?” She asked, pointing to a little coffee shop she loved.

It was little more than a hole in the wall, but she loved going in, if only to clutch her paper coffee cup and wander through the small bookshelves behind the café counter.

Usually Gavin loved taking her into the store, loved holding her hand while she chatted, telling him about different books or trying to take a sip of his own drink.

But today Gavin couldn’t possibly fathom a detour. Especially not now that her hand was on his thigh, much too close for his liking right now.

Stars burst into his vision, and he squeezed the wheel until he was sure it would break, struggling to keep himself from swerving off the road.

“Maybe on the way home,” he offered, his voice a strangled remnant of what it normally was. But he didn’t have the energy to speak properly, not when he was struggling to keep something else in check.

“If we get it now it’ll get cold in the car while we’re in the store,” he continued, holding his breath as she nodded, retracting her hand.

“You’re probably right,” she said, slumping back against her seat. “But you owe me a coffee.”

He smiled, doing his best to keep his eyes locked on the road, to ignore the whiny tone of her voice, the way his cock twitched at the sound of it. “Anything for you.”

Any hope that Gavin could calm himself down enough to get through the rest of their errands fizzled out after they’d barely crossed the threshold of the grocery store.

Rowan had grabbed a cart, a small pink piece of paper with their grocery list scrawled across it in glittery gold clutched in one hand. He’d been trying to focus on the paper, on the first few things written at the top of the list, on the way the ink had smudged on the paper while she’d been writing it.

But then he’d noticed how the ink had smudged on her hand and fingers. And then he noticed the smudge of ink on her neck, just below her jaw, in the perfect place to kiss her. To suck at her skin until it was bruised from his lips.

Although there were other places perfect for that too. All across her chest, on the inside of her thighs, especially all over her neck, just above where the collar lay.

Gavin pinched the inside of his wrist before reaching for the cart and prying it from Rowan’s hands, swiftly moving behind it as he noticed the tightness of his pants around his dick.

“Why don’t you let me take the cart, pumpkin,” he said, his words sounding strained even to his own ears.

She beamed up at him, completely unaware of the turmoil seething in him, of the blood rushing to his cock as she smiled, squeezing his arm.

“Thank you babey,” she said, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek.

It ached, he ached, and it took all of his self-control to keep a firm grip on the cart and not to grab Rowan and drag her home.

“I was thinking we could get some beef for tonight! There was a recipe I wanted to try out.”

Gavin nodded, steering them towards the meat aisle, trying to focus on her words, trying to listen to the words Rowan was saying.

“What do you think?” She asked, holding up two different packages of beef.

Gavin blinked, not realizing that they’d already arrived, that she’d already chosen the beef for tonight, that she was asking for dinner for tomorrow, and for something to freeze.

He shrugged, pointing at the package in her right hand. “That one seems good enough.”

She looked at it, shrugging before she added it to the cart. “There’s not much difference between them anyways. Okay, then I want to get some pork to freeze for next week.”

Gavin tried to focus on his breathing next as he followed Rowan through the store, as he tried to focus not on the collar, or her smile as she talked at him, pointing out different things on their list and things that were not on their list but that she wanted anyways.

He definitely didn’t focus on the fact that she was his, that this beautiful woman trying to decide between strawberry waffles and pumpkin waffles was his. That she’d even told him that she was his. That all the collar did was prove it, prove that Rowan was his. It was a mark that didn’t fade.

Rowan spun around, her hair sweeping to the side, revealing the little lock that rested on the back of her neck, and Gavin’s heart seized, his vision going blurry as the ache in his cock became near painful.

A lock that only he had the key to. A lock that no one could open except for him.

He sucked in a deep breath, counting the seconds up to twelve as he inhaled, holding for twelve, and then exhaling slowly for another twelve seconds.

Rowan seemed to remain completely unaware, plucking things from shelves and setting them in the cart, asking his opinion on desserts and breads and how many eggs should they get, and should they splurge for the organic peppers this time, since they’re local?

When they got to the frozen food aisle he opened one of the freezer doors and stood before it, wishing the cold air could freeze his thoughts until they’d made it through the last of their errands.

“What are you doing?” Rowan asked.

“Trying to pick an ice cream.”

“You’re focusing awfully hard. Don’t you usually like the plain chocolate?”

Gavin frowned at the myriad of different flavours. Cookie dough, moose tracks, tiger trail, cereal flavoured, one named after a late night talk show, Vietnamese coffee.

“I wanted to try something different,” he muttered.

“Well I’ve had the one with the brownie pieces and it’s really good!” She chirped, tapping the unopened door beside him. “And it’s not too extravagant, which might be nice.”

Gavin nodded, wishing he could spend an eternity in the freezer aisle. He closed the door, moving to the side to open the other one, considering the ramifications of just crawling into one of the bottom shelves and telling Rowan to leave him there.

Instead he just grabbed the ice cream she had pointed out, and then an extra bag of hashbrowns further down the aisle, if only for the sweet relief of the frigid air slowing his thoughts and his blood flow.

“Do you want to get buns?” She asked, pointing to the bakery section.

He did, but he didn’t want bakery goods, he wanted to strip her naked and squeeze her ass between his hands.

Control yourself

He was staring at the cream puffs and doughnuts in the bakery display case and having some thoughts that were completely unacceptable for a grocery store bakery when he realized that he wasn’t going to make it through the rest of the day.

He grabbed his phone while Rowan was choosing between a pie and fresh cinnamon buns, his mind focused almost entirely on the last time he’d filled her, until his release had leaked down her legs, shining in the darkness of their room.

His

He shot off a quick text to his brother, promising repayment if he picked Stella up from the groomer and kept her overnight.

He pocketed his phone when he saw his brother was typing more after his initial “yes” and Gavin really didn’t want to know what nonsense he was about to say to try to rile him up.

Looking at his wife as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, as she tried finding the expiration dates on her bakery goods, the collar glittering as she tipped her head to the side, was already winding him up enough.

Gavin was sweating by the time they made it to the checkout, and he bagged everything as the cashier slid the scanned items to the other side of the counter, wanting to get home as quickly as possible.

He threw everything into the cart, and he considered throwing Rowan over his shoulder too and carrying her from the grocery store so they could get out quicker.

But no, he had to be patient, he’d made it through this much, surely he could survive another few minutes.

“That’s a beautiful necklace,” the cashier said to Rowan, hand resting just below her collarbone to indicate the collar around his wife’s neck. “Where did you get it?”

“I made it myself,” Gavin said, grinning as colour bloomed in Rowan’s cheeks, like pink petals unfurling beneath the morning sun. “A one-of-a-kind necklace for my one-of-a-kind wife.”

“Well make sure you keep him,” the cashier said to Rowan, handing her the receipt. “He sounds like a sweetheart.”

Despite his frustrations and the fact that he was still trying very hard to hide his erection, Gavin couldn’t help smirking.

He wasn’t sure if he would call it being sweet, especially not with how his entire body seemed to ache now, desperately needing to bury himself deep inside his wife.

They said their thanks and Gavin took Rowan’s hand as they exited the store, the cool air washing over them as they stepped outside.

He practically threw everything into the trunk of the car, his hands shaking as he slammed it closed, sucking in deep breaths as Rowan took the cart back to the store.

Patience

The car was already started by the time Rowan returned, and Gavin started pulling from the parking lot before she’d even buckled her seatbelt.

“We’ll have to go pick up Stella soon,” she said, checking her phone. “The groomer said we could pick her up after five.”

Gavin shook his head, speeding through a yellow light right as it was turning red. “Shaw said he wanted to take Stella to the dog park, so he’s going to pick her up today.”

Rowan hummed. “Well he’d better take lots of pictures of her then. She’s always so cute when she’s at the park.”

Gavin chuckled, cursing inwardly as someone cut him off, forcing him to slow down. “I’ll let him know.”

The drive home was nothing short of a harrowing experience as Gavin struggled to drive within the boundaries of the law. He was a police officer, he shouldn’t be driving above the speed limit or running reds. But the temptation was there, and if he was going ten or fifteen above the speed limit, who was really to say?

He practically fell from the car once they’d pulled into the driveway, racing to the trunk to get everything inside.

How he managed to carry so many bags and unlock the front door he would never fully understand, but he did it, and he was throwing the groceries into the fridge and freezer and cupboards before Rowan even stepped foot into the house.

She laughed, heading towards the front door after setting the bag with the shampoos on the kitchen table. “I’ve never seen you so efficient at putting everything away.”

Gavin panted, one hand clutching the handle of the fridge as he watched her walk away. “Where are you going?”

“I think there’s one more bag in the car. With the buns and some soups and the dried apricots I wanted to use for breakfast tomorrow.”

Gavin crossed the kitchen in three strides, grabbing her wrist and slamming her against the wall. He couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t wait any longer.

“Leave it,” he said, and his voice came out as more of a growl. “You can get it later.”

Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed as she peered up at him from beneath her bangs. “But it’s just one more bag, babey. And then-”

He took her hands, pressing her knuckles to his lips. “Please? I’ve been so patient all day.”

She blinked, sucking in a breath as he flipped one hand over, trailing kisses up her wrist.

It wasn’t where he wanted his mouth to be, but he could mark her wrists and her arms just as surely as her throat and her thighs.

“I suppose,” she breathed, her voice shaking. “That the last bag can wait.”

It was all the confirmation Gavin needed before he was straightening, grinding his hips against hers as he pressed his face against her neck, sucking and biting at the skin around the collar, not caring anymore as the ache in his body grew, as he grew hard against her.

She was his, Rowan was his and he could kiss and bite her as much as he wanted now. And he would make very sure to draw out every last moan from her lips.

His hands fumbled over her clothes, and he pulled away just enough to yank her shirt from her body, to tug her skirt down her legs.

“You won’t be needing these anymore,” he murmured, unable to stop himself from smiling as she whimpered, her eyes falling closed.

“What is it, princess? Why won’t you look at me?” He asked, running a finger over her still clothed slit, rubbing against her clit.

She whimpered again and he repeated the movement, slower this time, delighted that he wasn’t the one being teased anymore. “Use your words, princess. I don’t know what you want unless you tell me.”

She breathed deeply, her face flushed, her eyes dark with lust as she finally opened them. “It just feels good. It feels really good.”

He arched a brow, a finger hooking into the waistband of her panties. “It feels good…?”

She whined, her fingers scrabbling against the wall as she realized what he was asking for. “It feels good, sir.”

Hearing her say the words sent a surge of fire coursing through him, the ache in his body and the tightness of his pants around his cock unbearable now.

“Good girl,” he breathed, dragging her panties down her legs, watching as her throat bobbed, as she chewed on her bottom lip to stop herself from whining.

He liked to praise her, liked to tell her she was doing well, but he liked the way he could twist it slightly, so she always knew who was in command here.

She was a good girl if she listened to him, and only if she listened to him. She would get praises if she did what he asked.

And if she listened? If she followed his instructions and she moaned and whined just the way he liked, then she was his very, very good girl.

“Let me hear you,” he breathed, kissing the inside of her thigh. “Let me hear every beautiful sound you can make.”

It didn’t take long until she was shuddering beneath his touch. She moaned as he licked along her slit, sucking at her clit until she started squirming, her legs shaking on either side of him.

He pressed his hands against her thighs, spreading them further apart and pressing them against the wall, holding her still while he worked.

“Stay there,” he ordered, letting it dip, letting it turn rough and low as his own need raced through him.

He needed to touch her, to taste her, to feel her writhe and squirm, to bring her to her release. Because he wanted to, because he knew he could, because she was his and only he could make her feel that way, make her feel as needy and desperate for him as he was for her.

He groaned as he spread her folds with his tongue, his cock throbbing as he imagined how it would feel when he ran it over the delicate flesh. When he prodded her clit with his tip, when he teased her entrance until she was begging for him to be inside her.

He wasn’t sure if he could hold off for much longer. Because he wanted to be inside of her, wanted to fuck her until the mattress broke.

He circled her entrance with his tongue, grinning as he felt her squirm, knowing her walls were fluttering as he teased her.

“Gav-Gavin.”

He hummed as she struggled to say his name, her words breathy and stained with a moan as he drew her folds into his mouth, sucking lightly.

She tasted so good he didn’t understand how he could stop. He dragged his teeth across the flesh, alternating between sucking and licking the delicate skin, the smell and taste of her arousal coating his senses. He tilted his head, trailing kisses along the inside of her thigh, murmuring that she was doing amazing, that she tasted so good. That she just had to keep moaning his name, had to keep letting him hear how good he was making her feel.

She had to, he needed to hear it. It only made his pleasure grow, blooming in his chest and his belly, turning his blood to liquid fire as he listened to her cries.

Knowing that he made her feel so good, that only he made her feel so good, made him feel so unimaginably good.

When he sank the first finger inside of her she nearly screamed, his mouth still working on her clit, his tongue still lapping up her arousal, his mind growing hazy. Like she was a fine liquor and he was completely drunk on her.

He moaned, her walls fluttering around his finger as he curled it, finding the sweetest spot inside of her.

The sounds she made were so sweet he almost gave up then, almost tore his clothes off and fucked her against the wall.

But no, he had to be patient. He’d waited all day for this, he could wait a little longer.

He sank a second finger inside of her, a third, grinning as she cried his name, as she squirmed, her fingers burying in his hair as her moans turned to begging.

He took a shuddering breath as she clenched around his fingers, her body beginning to shake, her walls beginning to quiver erratically.

“Do you want me to make you cum?” He asked, breathing the words against her as she whimpered. “You want to cum, my princess.”

She whined, panting as she tried to find her words. “I do, I do. Please make me cum, sir.”

He smiled, pressing a chaste kiss to her clit. “As you wish.”

He moved faster now, drawing out her orgasm with his fingers and his tongue, tasting the sweet headiness of her body as he relished in the way she shuddered around his fingers.

Her body shook, moving uncontrollably now, and she cried as her body grew taut beneath him as she came, clenching around his fingers so tightly he almost couldn’t draw them out.

He continued his ministrations until her body had stopped shuddering, until he was certain that the only thing keeping her standing was his hands on her.

He pulled away, making sure she watched as he licked his fingers clean.

He stood then, grinning as she sucked in a breath, her face a beautiful crimson, the colour reaching down her neck and over her chest.

He hooked a finger beneath her collar, drawing her towards him as he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, and she opened her mouth for him, letting him in.

He hoped she could taste herself on his tongue, hoped she knew how hard it made him, lapping at her wet folds until she’d found her release from his mouth and his fingers.

He pulled away, and as Rowan stared up at him with wide eyes, her lips swollen from the kiss, he licked his bottom lip, letting her know just how much he liked how she tasted.

He kept his finger hooked in the collar as he dragged her to their bedroom before lifting her into his arms and setting her on the bed.

“Lay down,” he ordered, his hands falling to his waistband.

His clothes had to go now. She was laying on the bed, completely bare, her chest heaving as she watched him with wide, needy eyes.

His eyes raked over her body as he discarded his clothes, letting them fall in a messy heap by his feet. She was so beautiful, every part of her.

And she was completely and entirely his.

There were already marks on her arms, on the inside of her thighs, on her neck, but he knew he could leave more. Knew he could leave plenty more.

“Spread your legs for me,” he said, stroking his cock, catching the precum on the tip and spreading it over the head.

He hummed as he moved towards the bed, positioning himself between her legs as he knelt above her.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?” He asked, one hand falling to her hip as he dragged the tip over her folds, letting it rub against her swollen clit until she squirmed.

“So incredibly beautiful, and you’re all mine.”

He reached for one of her hands, pressing it against the sheets as he sank inside of her, pressing his face against her neck until he bottomed out, until she was gasping for breath.

Gavin sighed, kissing her jaw just as he pulled out, until only the tip remained inside of her, and then he slammed his hips against hers, and she cried out, the hand that remained in his squeezing tight, her other hand scraping down his back.

“Don’t move much,” he breathed, nipping at the skin above where her pulse thrummed an erratic, harried beat. “Let me take care of everything, princess.”

She writhed beneath him, and he couldn’t help chuckling, not as he felt her desperate attempts to lift her hips to meet his. But he just felt her firm, pushing her back against the mattress no matter how many times she tried to move.

He tsked, swiping his tongue over a new bite-mark. “Good girls listen and don’t move.”

“I-I am good,” she whined, sounding breathless.

His cock throbbed, and he thrust into her again, harder than before. “Are you?”

“Yes-yes. I’m your good girl, sir,” she cried, her back arching as his movements became more forceful, shoving her back against the bed with every thrust of his cock.

“Then don’t move,” he said, his voice rough as sandpaper, punctuating his words with another hard thrust.

She whimpered in response, her nails digging into his back as he moved faster now.

He slammed his hips into hers, drawing out breathless groans, the sounds spilling from her mouth turning wordless as he moved. He sank his teeth into the skin of her throat, running his tongue over every little indent his teeth made. And when he was sure her neck was properly marked he moved on to her breasts, sucking and biting at where they swelled on her chest before slowly working his way inwards.

His body felt taut, a ball of tension sitting deep within him, growing with every snap of his hips against hers, fire surging through him like a wave as the bed creaked in time to his racing heartbeat.

It didn’t take much time at all until he brought her to release, her body shaking beneath him, the flesh extra sensitive from his earlier work. He swore as she clenched around him, drawing out his own release not long after hers.

His movements turned jerky, the tension in his body snapping as the fiery waves dragged him under. He felt hot, felt his cock throbbing almost painfully as he came, spilling inside of her.

He kept moving, groaning, murmuring her name like it was a prayer as he thrust into her again and again, coating the inside of her legs with his release.

But he could hardly say he was done. Not when the coiled tension had barely loosened in his body. Not when he still felt hard, not when Rowan’s expression wasn’t nearly as blissed out as he wanted it to be.

It didn’t take much until he was hard again, and he could continue, the sound of her voice echoing through the room like thunder in a storm.

His own moans soon joined hers now, feeling more sensitive now than before, and with every clench of her body, with every one of her cries, he felt himself throb, growing swollen from all the need and desire building within him.

If it was a song, it was a lewd song, their voices punctuated by the sound of him thrusting inside of her, of the wet pop of his mouth against her skin as he continued to bite and suck every place he could find. But it was a song he had been craving all day.

The slickness of her folds, the way her body trembled around him, the way she cried his name like it was a prayer to the high heavens, the feeling of her soft breasts against his chest every time she arched her back.

And this new sensation, of the cool silver chain against his cheek and his jaw as his mouth worked at her neck, as he sucked at the skin until it was red, as he left marks from his teeth that would not fade for days.

The coolness was sharp, narrowing his focus to the task at hand. And it was a reminder that she was his, that was inexorably his. He had put that collar around her neck, he was the only one with the key.

She was his.

His

The coiled tension and fire in his body snapped as that thought repeated itself in his mind, over and over and over again with every thrust into her.

He gasped as he found his release, bright white stars and shapes exploding in his vision as he came harder than before, moaning until he was sure the walls were shaking as he spilled inside of her. As he filled her until he was sure her body would swell.

Rowan came soon after, her head falling back against the pillows as she cried, shuddering as his hips continued to snap against hers, losing any previous rhythm as he rode out his release, and helped her ride out hers.

He wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly until both their bodies had stilled, and then for a while afterwards.

As all the frustration and desire melted away, a different sort of neediness remained. The type of neediness where he just wanted to hold her close, wanted to feel her skin against his and be reminded that she was his wife, that he loved her and she truly loved him.

He kissed her brow. “You were wonderful, pumpkin.”

Her eyes fluttered closed, exhaustion seeming to take over. “You’re always wonderful, babey. Always so wonderful.”

He kissed the corner of her lips this time, wincing as he pulled out. “You made me feel so good, princess.”

“Well I always feel good when I’m with you.”

His heart ached, and as he slumped onto his side on the bed he pulled her towards him, tucking her head beneath his chin.

“I love you so much,” he breathed. “More than you will ever know.”

She nuzzled her face against his chest and he felt his heart squeeze more, a gentle warmth washing through him. She was his, he couldn’t believe she was.

His wife, his love, his stars, his moon, his entire universe.

And she was his. She was entirely his.

“We should probably get cleaned up,” he murmured, although he loathed the thought of letting her go. Of standing and untangling himself from her arms.

She hummed, nestling closer. “But you’re so comfy.”

He snorted. “So are you. I could lie with you like this forever.”

“Then let’s lie like this forever,” she murmured, sounding like she was already half asleep.

Again he snorted, peering down at where his release was still smeared between her thighs. “But we should probably clean this up before it gets sticky.”

She whined, shaking her head. “I don’t wanna get up.”

He kissed the top of her head, trying to extricate himself from her embrace. “Don’t worry, I’ll still be close.”

“Will you carry me?” She asked, cracking her eyes open.

“Of course I will,” he murmured, brushing her hair back from her sweaty face. “You think I’d let my wife walk on her own after that?”

He shook his head, earning a giggle from her lips as he sat up. “No, I’m carrying her around for the rest of the day.”

“And tomorrow?”

“Of course and tomorrow.”

He stood, meaning to lean down and scoop her into his arms, but he paused, his eyes falling to the collar, seeming to glow against the red marks covering her skin.

“Do you want me to take this off?” He asked, brushing his finger across the pendant.

Although if he were being honest, he didn’t want to take it off. He wanted it to remain there, so even when those red marks did fade there would be something to say that she was his.

But Rowan shook her head, resting a hand over the pendant. “No, I like it. I want to keep it on.”

“You do?” He asked, his voice squeaking a bit, his cheeks and ears growing warm.

“I do,” she said, her gaze soft, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze. “To remind me that I’m yours.”

His heart ached, and he thought he would fall apart before her.

“It’s one-of-a-kind,” she said, smiling. “There’s nothing else in the world like it. Nothing else in the world to say that I’m yours.”

She hummed, lifting her left hand so her wedding band caught the light. “Except this maybe.”

Gavin held up his left hand, his matching wedding band glittering, a twin to hers. “Does that mean that this says I’m yours?”

She giggled, shifting closer. “It does.”

Gavin cupped her face with both hands, pressing his brow against hers. “Well someone like you deserves something special and unique.”

“Someone like me?”

He nodded, bumping his nose against hers. “Someone beautiful, special. Like no one else in the entire world.”

“You make me feel that way,” she breathed, curling into his arms.

He lifted her up, cradling her against his chest. “Well it’s true. I would never lie to you.”

And it was true. The things he made for her, the collar he’d spent months crafting, we’re all unique, incomparable to anything else. Or at least he liked to hope they were incomparable.

Because there was no one else in the world like her. She was entirely unique, completely unrivalled. And she deserved things that were as special as her.

Or as close to as special as she was, because he had never met anyone else like her in the entire world.

And he couldn’t quite believe that she was truly his.

But she was. She was his, and he would love her until the end of time.

#mr love queen's choice #love and producer gavin #mlqc gavin #love and producer #mlqc #gavin bai #mlqc gavin x mc #gavin mlqc #mlqc bai qi #bai qi #bai qi x mc #star kissed winds

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spacesquidlings · 10 months ago

Text

Starry Eyes Sparking up the Storm

Description: With Gavin working longer hours, coming home exhausted from work, Rowan sees a sudden snowstorm as an opportunity to ease some of his burdens around the house, undertaking the task of clearing the driveway for him. But her plans are lost to the flurry of the storm when he returns home early, insisting on spending the snow day in her arms.

Pairing: Gavin Bai x MC (Rowan)

Tags: Fluff, comfort, snow day

A/N: Not to be silly and self-indulgent but I have scoliosis so shovelling absolutely kills me and the last snowstorm we had I dreamed of Gavin's nice warm hands offering a nice back massage and then this fic was born!!!! Please enjoy <3

taglist: @aluneposting

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The keening of the wind through the barren branches of trees was like the howl of a phantom chasing at Rowan’s heels. The forecast hadn’t called for it to begin snowing until late into the night, yet when had the weather ever bent like saplings to the demands of humans?

Rowan had thought it a brilliant idea to take their dog, a husky-shepherd mix Stella, for her walk early, less than an hour after Gavin had left for work. While it had been cold, and the sidewalks had been a minefield of ice, the sun had been bright, warm, no sign of the evening snowstorm in sight.

She’d been no more than five minutes into the walk when the clouds had drifted across the clear blue of the sky, darkening the world around her. Shadows had stretched long, the wind had picked up.

And then another ten minutes later the sky had torn apart, and the storm had begun.

Stella, for her part, had been utterly unfazed, prancing through drifts of snow and snapping at flurries of snowflakes as the wind tore through her fur. She’d sniffed at trees, wagging her tail in delight as she threw herself into the snow and rolled around like a child making a snow angel.

Rowan had not been so lucky, shivering as surely as a leaf in the wind, as a lonely flower in a gale. Her hood had kept getting torn away from her head, snowflakes catching in her hair as the unforgiving wind had raked claws through it. Her fingers had throbbed, aching even within the thick layer of her gloves. Her grip on the leash had loosened as they’d marched along the sidewalk, their footsteps covered before they’d even fully lifted their feet.

When they’d finally returned home she’d been relieved, at first, dreaming of a warm drink and wrapping herself in her heated blanket. But it had felt like forging through a raging river as she’d clambered up the driveway, making it impossible not to take note of the swiftly growing drifts of snow.

While Stella had no problem prancing through the snow, the same could not be said for Rowan. Nor could it be said for any of their vehicles.

The garage was small, and already snow was piled high enough that it would not be getting open anytime soon. And with a twist in her stomach at the memory, Rowan remembered that Gavin had taken his motorcycle into work that morning.

There was no way he was getting Sparky up the driveway, not when it was like this.

She’d shuffled inside, knocking the snow from her boots, unclipping Stella from her leash, before trailing to one of the windows at the front of the house, peering out.

There were no signs that the snow would let up anytime soon, but surely it had to, didn’t it? After all, the forecast hadn’t called for this in the least.

So surely it would be alright to leave the driveway untouched for now, wouldn’t it?

It had been a half hour since she’d come to stand in this spot, watching the churning of the snow as the world was painted in layers of alabaster and ivory. She could hear the quiet whirr of the heat cycling through the house, blasting warm air into the rooms to combat the storm. Even where she stood, nose nearly pressed to the window, her breath steaming over the glass, it was warm. She could feel her fingers again, the burn of the cold stitching itself into her skin long-since melted away.

The storm still had not slowed, and the snow had only continued to pile high. Her stomach twisted, lurched, her heartbeat a thrum of nervous butterfly wingbeats. There was no way Gavin would be able to get Sparky up the driveway through all that; it was an ocean of ivory, a frozen sea of powdered pearl.

The last thing she wanted to do was make him deal with so much right after work, too; Gavin had let slip that things had been very difficult at the STF, and while he hadn’t been able to divulge all the details because of security, she’d been able to piece things together well enough.

He was often tired lately, and even quieter than he normally was. She would ask about his day, or she would make his favourite foods, or she would buy a small Lego set they could build together, and although she’d been able to coax small smiles to his face, it had not been enough to erase the lines of stress etched into his brow and around his lips.

There was still no sign that the storm was going to let up, but Rowan wondered if maybe she could still try to clear the driveway now. Best case scenario, the storm calmed, and it would be entirely clear for when Gavin returned. Worst case scenario the storm did not calm, but it would not be as hard to get Sparky up the drive.

The decision was easy enough to make, resolve strengthening within her heart, calming the flutter of her nerves. She could do this, at least, she could make something a little easier for Gavin.

Rowan made quick work of pulling on her jacket and gloves, wrapping a scarf around her mouth and nose, shoving a knit hat over her tangled hair. She snatched up her boots in one hand, making her way to the door connecting the house to the garage, Stella on her heels.

“No my love,” she cooed, when Stella pressed herself against the garage door, staring up at Rowan with wide, pleading eyes. “You stay here. I’m just going to shovel the driveway.”

Stella was unmoving, giving a quiet huff, as if to say “without me?!”

Rowan sighed, scratching between Stella’s ears. “You’re not going to let me go outside without you, are you?”

In response Stella’s tail swished, as if confirming Rowan’s words.

“Fine.” There was no point in trying to sneak by her; somehow, Stella had picked up Gavin’s stubbornness, and when she wanted something, she usually got it.

“You want to go outside with me? Should we go outside?”

Stella’s tail began to wag faster, almost frantic, as she recognized the phrase. Her front paws tapped excitedly on the floor, click-clacking against the linoleum before she hurried to Rowan’s side

Snorting, Rowan shook her head. Stella had become her little shadow, following her everywhere. She supposed that at the very least she was glad to be accompanied by such a sweet creature while she braved being out in the unforgiving storm.

She pulled her boots on, making a note to wipe up the melted snow that puddled beneath her feet when she finished her task. Finally fully dressed for the elements, and accompanied by her protective dog, Rowan headed into the garage, grabbing the shovel from where it hung on one of the walls, before finally heading back outside.

Her earlier fears were confirmed when she tried opening the outer door, snow piling at her feet as the drift that had formed before the door was disturbed.

She swore, practically crawling over the drift, snow slipping under her sleeves and into her boots, before she finally stood outside. Stella was much quicker, and far less bothered, prancing out into the front yard, snapping at snowflakes and rolling around near the small tree at the corner of their property.

Turning to stare down the driveway, hesitation rolled through her like ocean waves. A river of white stretched before her, piled high as her calves in some places. It would take an hour at the least, likely more than that, to clear the driveway completely.

Rowan pushed the uncertainty from her mind before it could take root. She could not let it grow like a weed, choking out her determination. Memories of Gavin surfaced in her mind, of his loving gaze and his comforting embrace and his sweet smiles.

For him! She would brave this fierce storm for him!

Rowan dragged herself to the very edge of the driveway, Stella barking as a cardinal flew past, a streak of vermillion like a bleeding wound cut through the storm.

At first it was easy enough. Dig the shovel into the snow until it scraped against the asphalt below. Lift it up, toss the scoop of snow towards the lawn where Stella pranced and played. Pushing the shovel from one end of the driveway to the other made it easy to clear large swaths all at once, but it made it more difficult to lift the shovel, and her muscles strained under the weight.

Rowan managed to clear a quarter of the drive before the dull ache began to ripple through her muscles. It spread slowly, starting from her back, unfurling towards her shoulders, her upper arms. It crept like thread weaving between the twisting of her muscles, guided by the pinprick of a needle. It registered in the back of her mind, but it was manageable; it was something she could handle.

Then the press of pain in her lower back began, reaching up her spine like tendrils of thorns digging into the spaces between her bones. It coupled with the ache in her upper back and shoulders, coupling together into something that she could very much not handle, not easily at least.

Rowan had to grit her teeth as her arms began to shake, cursing herself for turning down Gavin’s offers to help her build up her strength. The handful of pilates classes she had taken had helped her back and her flexibility, but they were of no help now, as she fought a fruitless battle against the cascade of snow drowning the drive.

She had to take breaks often, heaving in deep breaths as she stretched awkwardly, trying to alleviate some of the pain. The ache in her shoulders and upper back steadily grew, and it felt like a fire was being kindled beneath the skin of her upper arms each time she lifted the shovel.

And her lower back…

Oh it ached. She reached back to massage it, scrabbling uselessly, unable to fully reach the spot that hurt most, the core of that barbed pain from the heavy layers of her winter jacket. Her gloved fingers passed over the spot, barely doing more than swiping at the coiled pain, offering no more than a momentary respite before it ached all over again.

But she was determined to see this through. Even as her back and arms ached, she wanted to keep going, to make things just a little easier for Gavin when he returned home.

If the storm didn’t completely ruin all her hard work before then.

The thought gave her pause, and Rowan stopped, surveying the drive behind her. Although it was a significant improvement on what it had been before, almost half of the driveway now cleared, already snow was dusting the dark asphalt, like foaming waves washing footprints from the sand.

She cursed, digging the tip of the shovel into the snow, leaning against the handle as she stood on her toes, arching her back to stretch out her spine.

“Stella, is your papa even going to notice I shoveled all this by the time he gets home?”

Stella’s ears twitched, and she swivelled around to stare at Rowan, a splash of dark brown in the sea of white, before she gave a loud bark and returned to digging in the snow.

“Good talk,” she snorted. Once this was done she was going to wrap herself in the softest blankets she had, and she was not going to move for the rest of the day.

Rowan occupied her mind with thoughts of warm blankets and drinks, with catching up on the newest episode of a show that had just released, with falling asleep after eating her fill of something very warm, and waking up to see Gavin’s smiling face.

With the scream of the wind around her, and the scrape of the shovel, and Stella’s intermittent barking, there was not much Rowan could hear. Her mind was devoted to the exhausting task she’d given herself, and even her daydreams of warmth and her husband slipped away like water through a sieve. She could not even grasp at the more fantastical of daydreams she entertained in her quiet moments, thinking about the books she had most recently read, the webcomics of beautiful women in sumptuous gowns forever having tea and enchanting their husbands when they smiled.

Sometimes she liked to imagine herself as one such woman, with beautiful gowns and a veritable palace to call home. Of Gavin as some high-ranking noble, a count or a duke, respected across her made-up, fantasy world.

She liked to imagine dancing with him at balls like in her favourite period dramas, or going for strolls through gardens drowning in more flowers than she could name.

But the scrape of the shovel and the wail of the wind coupling with the now incessant pain in her back and arms occupied her mind entirely. They left no room for even a wisp of a whimsical daydream to ease the tedium and the pain of her task. Sweat slipped down her back even as she shivered, her hair coming loose from her hat and her hood to snake across her eyes, her ears were ringing, her mind nothing but white noise, like the static of a television.

Not even the muffled roar of an engine could penetrate the bubble around her, nor the crunch of snow beneath boots.

“Rowan? What are you doing?”

The cadence of his familiar, beloved voice was what finally pierced through her mind, like an arrow shot from the heavens.

Rowan spun around, delight making her forget for a moment the pain and the cold and the way her fingers were once again throbbing.

“Gavin!” She stumbled towards him, her legs stiff from how she’d been standing as she hunched over the shovel. She opened her arms wide and he swept her into his arms, lifting her from her feet as he held her tightly.

Stella barked, bounding towards them. She ran around their legs, pawing at Gavin, although he did not let Rowan go for a moment.

“Oh I missed you,” she whined into his hair. Not even this dreadful storm could douse the warmth that bloomed like summer blooms in her heart when she saw him. Nor could it extinguish the heat of his embrace, wrapping around her so protectively, so adoringly.

He settled her back on the ground, amber eyes searching hers. The corners of his lips were quirked up, but the phantom smile didn’t quite meet his eyes, and it was undercut by the lines of his brow.

“I missed you too,” he said, hands skimming over her waist, her hips. “But what are you doing? The weather is awful, you should be inside.”

She gestured behind her, to where she’d abandoned the shovel. “I’m clearing the driveway for you. I wanted it to be clear when you came home tonight.”

At that she frowned, flicking her attention between Gavin and where he’d parked Sparky at the end of the driveway. “But why are you home so soon? It’s not even noon.”

He shrugged, his smile growing wider, sweet and genuine and warm enough to turn the snow to mist and steam. “The storm became so bad that many of the agents were worried about being able to make it home if they stayed at the office.” He found her hands, squeezing them gently. “So I ordered anyone who was doing mostly paperwork to head home for the day until the storm passes.”

“And what about you?”

“Well most of the difficult parts of this latest mission are done, so I just need to complete some reports and paperwork. But I can do that from home.” He gave her hands another squeeze, bringing them to his chest. “I didn’t want to be away from you for a moment longer than I had to.”

“I’m so glad you’re home,” she said. She felt like she was flying, dancing across sugary clouds. What could be better than being home with him, warm and comfy and safe, while the storm raged on outside? “Although you did ruin my surprise.”

He chuckled, peering over her shoulder. “What exactly were you doing, anyways?”

She gestured behind her, to the abandoned shovel and the partially cleared drive. “I was clearing the driveway for you. I thought it would make it easier when you came home, and it would be something you didn’t have to worry about.”

He was always doing physical work around the house as it was. Helping to carry heavy furniture, building shelves, changing light bulbs, mowing the lawn. Not that she didn’t do any of those things when he wasn’t home, but he was always so insistent on doing the tasks she didn’t like, or the tasks that were more strenuous.

He would even go out of his way to take heavier bags of groceries from her, and he would cut her bagels for her in the morning, and he would help with cutting up and cooking meat when they were making dinner.

She only wanted to do something for him, one less task for him to worry about.

Gavin’s brows drew together and he sighed. “You didn’t have to do that for me, pumpkin. It’s no problem at all, and what if you hurt yourself?”

“I’m not going to hurt myself shovelling, Gavin.”

“Really?” He crossed his arms, arching a brow. “Then how’s your back?”

“It’s…” Wrinkling her nose, she looked away. “It’s fine.”

“And I didn’t just see you trying to stretch it out because it hurt?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He hummed, although the sound was nearly torn away by the wind. Gavin gave a huff, and suddenly the shriek of the wind and the pelt of snow against her face was gone. The air was not warm, not exactly, but the chill of the snow and the wind was gone, like they were standing in the eye of a storm.

“That’s better,” he sighed. He reached for her, settling his hands on her waist. “You don’t need to worry about me, I’m more than capable of handling a little snow.”

“Well so am I.” She pouted, not that he could see it with her scarf wrapped around her face. But hopefully he could hear it in her voice. “You’ve been so busy lately, and you’re always tired. I wanted to help.”

Gavin was silent for a moment, his eyes searching hers. Stella pawed at him again, whimpering as her tail wagged, and he turned to her, scratching between her ears and beneath her chin.

“You’re so stubborn,” he said, his smile indulgent. “You’re just like your mama.”

“You’re the one who’s stubborn,” Rowan groused, crossing her arms. “You do all the physical labour around the house. You won’t even let me shovel the driveway.”

Gavin chuckled, the sound warming the frozen caverns of her bones, thawing the icicles that had formed in her veins. He straightened, turning his attention back to her.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt. I would happily do all the physical labour forever if it meant you never had to strain yourself.”

“And I would do the same for you.” She no longer needed to shout to be heard above the storm, and her words came out soft as feather down. “I would do anything to make things easier for you.”

He huffed, smiling. “I know you would.”

“Not that it matters now.” She threw her hands up, feeling defeated. “You came home early, so it’s not much of a surprise.”

“Tell you what.” He squeezed her hip. “It will be faster if we do the rest together, and then we can both relax.”

“Don’t you have paperwork to do, still?”

His answering smile was nothing short of mischievous, his eyes pinpricks of colour in the alabaster and ivory and silver drowning out everything else. “I’m sure it can wait. I have much more important matters to attend to.”

His fingers hooked around her scarf, pulling it down to expose her lower face. She didn’t have time to ask him what he was doing before his lips found hers, tender and warm. His breath fanned over her, his bangs tickling her brow.

He was so warm, so sweet. She wanted to tip her head back, wanted to lose herself in his embrace. Like a figure made of ice, she felt herself melting, puddling in the place where she once stood.

Too soon did he pull away, chuckling when she mindlessly chased after, colder already with that sliver of space between them.

“Let’s get this done,” he said, fixing her scarf so it once more covered her face. “Then we can warm you up properly.”

Rowan’s mind was a haze of warmth and the smell of pine, at least until Gavin released his hold on his power, their little scrap of serenity from the storm washed away in an instant.

The wind and the snow snapped her back to her senses, and she gave a sharp nod before shuffling back to the shovel, already covered by a thin layer of snow.

With Gavin there, the driveway was clear in no time. It didn’t hurt that Gavin was much stronger, working faster than she did.

She was almost jealous, as he straightened, the driveway finally clear, not a hint of exertion in his face while she heaved in deep breaths, her arms like rubber, sweat dripping down her back.

“Thank you for helping,” she croaked as he pried her shovel from her hands, stowing it back in the garage.

“I would do anything for you,” he said, his face bright. “Now, how about we head inside?”

She took his offered hand, letting him draw her back into the house. Stella followed at their heels, not needing to be called to return inside, sensing her duty was done for the day.

They had to work together to towel Stella off, snow clinging to her fur and her paws. She was absolutely thrumming with energy, and by the time the both of them were able to dry her she shot deeper into the house, little more than a streak of brown and the echoes of clicking footsteps against the floor.

“Well at least she had a good time.” Rowan groaned, bending down to unlace her boots, her gloved fingers stumbling over the laces.

“Let me.” Gavin crouched, deft fingers making quick work of the boots.

But he didn’t stop there, not as he carefully tugged the boots from her feet, setting them to the side to dry. Rowan made to take off the rest of her outerwear, but again he stopped her, catching her hands between his.

“You look exhausted,” he murmured, the softness of his words belied by how bright his eyes were and by the way he couldn’t quite keep his smile in check.

She tipped her head back, her words muffled behind the fabric of her scarf. “I am exhausted. That was a lot of hard work.”

He hummed the melody of one of her favourite songs, gently pulling her gloves from her hands one finger at a time. “You shouldn’t push yourself so hard.”

“You’re worth it, though.” She couldn’t catch herself fast enough to stop the sigh that fled from her lips as he blew on her fingers, rubbing them to coax warmth back into them.

Gavin’s brow arched, but he remained silent, not letting her hands go until he was satisfied.

“What?” His brow remained high as he untied her scarf, dropping a kiss to the tip of her nose as he folded it up. It made her suspicious, wondering what mischief lay hidden behind his eyes.

“Hmm?” He unzipped her jacket, folding it to the side. “I’m only thinking.”

“About?”

As she pressed him for his answer, his smile grew. “I’m thinking that maybe you did all this so I would take care of you.”

Rowan sputtered, even as she let him scoop her up into his arms, carrying her past the entrance so she didn’t step in any puddles of melting snow. “Why would you think that?”

He shrugged, still smiling far too broadly. “Just a hunch.”

“I never asked you to help! Or to help me with my jacket and boots.”

Although she would be lying if she said she didn’t like it when he did. He reminded her of a knight, and he made her feel like she was a princess, like she was loved entirely. He would help her with her boots, he would warm her hands, he would make her teas and coffees, he would always bring her favourite snacks from the store. The list went on for eternity, all the ways he took care of her.

“You’re right, you didn’t…” He turned his head to the side as he trailed off, his breath warming her ear. “But if you didn’t want me to, you could have asked me to stop.”

She drew her lip between her teeth, looking away.

“Rowan?”

When she still didn’t respond he laughed, pressing kisses behind her ear, the scrape of his teeth against her skin making her shiver. “If you want me to stop, you just have to tell me, princess.”

Her stomach somersaulted, as though she stood at the precipice of a cliff, teetering on the edge. Butterflies unfurled gossamer wings in her chest, and she twisted her hands into his shirt without thinking.

She didn’t want him to stop, she wanted him to keep going. She just wanted to stay in his arms, to let him spoil her a little.

The pinch of his teeth over her pulse brought her from her thoughts and she gasped, turning to glare at him sharply. “Gavin!”

“I’m still waiting on my answer,” he teased, looking the picture of devilish delight.

She huffed, pouting beneath the weight of his smirk. “So what if I like it when you take care of me? I didn’t have any ulterior motives, I just wanted to help.”

He hummed, settling her on the couch. “So you don’t want me to stop?”

Rowan narrowed her eyes, glowering at Gavin’s sunny smile. “Why are you teasing me?”

He shrugged, tucking a blanket around her before sitting beside her. “Maybe I just like the colour of your blush.”

She gasped. “You’re awful!”

“But it’s so pretty.” He hummed, stroking her cheek. “It’s my favourite colour.”

She whipped her head around, face burning. “You’re unbelievable!”

“So…” He sounded like he was on the verge of laughter. “That means you do want me to stop?”

Sniffing back fake tears, she peeked over her shoulder at him. “No. Well… It depends.”

“Oh? And what exactly does it depend on?”

Shivers crawled across her arms, gooseflesh racing along her skin. The sound of the heater cycling warm air through the house could be heard, soft rumblings and clunks as air streamed through the vents in the walls. Nonetheless she was cold, a protective blanket torn away when Gavin’s arms were no longer around her.

She did like it when he took care of her, so lovingly doted on her. But he seemed committed to teasing her, and she didn’t know how to respond without him toying with her further.

Unperturbed, Gavin hummed, taking her chin before she could turn around again. “Well? What does it depend on? I’m at your command.”

It did not particularly feel like he was at her command. It felt more like he was playing around, very much like she was not the one in control.

Rowan opted to pout, hoping that would soften his resolve. At least a little. “It depends on what kind of mischief you have up your sleeve.”

“No mischief, pumpkin.” His smile was a little too wide to be believed. “I’m just trying to thank you for helping me.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe that’s entirely what it is.”

Gavin brought his face close, their noses bumping together. “I might have my own selfish reasons, too.”

“Like?” She tipped her head back, their lips nearly brushing.

“Like.” He drew out the syllables, smiling against the corner of her lips. “Wanting to be near, wanting to touch you, wanting to warm you up.”

When she shot him a sharp look he laughed, drawing away, palms held out in surrender. “Not like that. I missed you, I only want to hold you.”

“Mmm, I’ve heard that before.”

His eyes glittered, sharpened like the steel blade of a knife. “I mean, if you want-”

She chucked a pillow at his face before he could continue, laughter rioting from his mouth as he tossed it to the side. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

“I don’t think you were.” Rowan huffed, sliding away from him. “I think you were entirely serious.”

A quirk of his brow. “And if I was?”

She rolled her shoulders, a dull ache rippling along her back. Tomorrow she was going to hurt. “If you were being serious I wouldn’t say no, but just not right now.”

His head cocked to the side, strangely reminiscent of Stella when they were talking to her. His eyes were warm, his smile soft. “Of course. I’m happy with whatever you are.”

She ducked her head, smiling. “Thank you, babey.”

“But, if it’s alright.” She looked up at the earnestness in his tone, found him holding out his hands. The tips of his ears stained peony pink, the corners of his lips curved up in a crescent. “Would you be alright still being close?”

As if she could ever say no to him. As if she ever wanted to be far away either.

Rowan scooted closer, leaning into the arms he opened wide for her.

“Is that better?” She looked up at him, smiling as she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. She felt so at ease in his arms, wrapped up in his warmth, the smell of his soap filling her nose, the calluses of his hands rough against her skin as he stroked the shell of her ear.

“Much. I don’t know how I made it through the day without you.”

She smiled, closing her eyes. “Good thing you don’t have to worry about it anymore today.”

He hummed, fingers running through her hair. “Thank goodness. I don’t have to worry about anything now that I’m with you.”

Rowan leaned forward, intent on kissing his cheek, but winced instead. Dull pain radiated around her shoulder blades, reaching fingers up her neck. Her muscles locked, and she reached back, trying to press down on the pain, trying to rub it away.

Gavin’s eyes narrowed, a line etching between his brows. His hand moved to cup her cheek, his touch gentle even as his lips pressed into a thin line. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh it’s nothing.” She kept rubbing at the spot, some of the pain easing. “I think I might have used some muscles I didn’t know I had when shovelling, and now my back hurts.”

His expression softened, turned thoughtful. “Hmm.”

“Hmm?” Rowan arched a brow in response.

“I’m just thinking.” Huffing softly, he stroked her cheek, head cocking to the side. “Would you like me to try and help with the pain?”

“What are you thinking?”

A flash of mischief, quickly concealed as he spoke. “Well you have said I’ve become quite skilled with my hands.”

“Gavin-”

He tapped her lips before she could scold him further. “I was thinking I could try massaging your back a little.”

“Oh!” Her voice came out as a squeak, breath rushing over the pad of his finger and he chuckled, giving one last tap before dropping his hand.

Gavin’s massages were very nice, never so hard that they hurt, but it seemed he was singularly adept at untangling the knots and smoothing away any pain in her back and muscles.

Maybe it was because Gavin really was quite skilled with those long, deft fingers. Or maybe it was some sort of placebo, her mind convincing her that she felt better because it was him so lovingly massaging her.

Whatever the case, it was always very nice when he did, and Rowan was not about to turn down such an offer.

“I would like that very much.” She spun around instantly, peeking over her shoulder at him as he laughed. “Please?”

“I thought you’d say that.” He was still laughing, amber eyes rolling skyward. “As you wish.”

She pouted, fluttering her lashes at him. “Gavin.”

“I know, just give me a moment, pumpkin.”

Gavin readjusted behind her, settling his hands on her hips and shifting her to the side. “You know, it would be easier if you sat in my lap.”

She gaped. “So you did have an ulterior motive!”

He looked away from her accusation, cheeks flushing brighter, a mischievous smile playing at his lips. “And if I did? Do you not want a massage anymore?”

“Well I didn’t say that.”

Amusement danced in his eyes, turning them to the gold of champagne as they flicked to her.

He didn’t have to say a word for Rowan to understand the meaning of his raised brows, the amusement flickering in his eyes.

She rolled her eyes, as if that didn’t make him smile more. “If it makes it easier I don’t see why I would say no.”

“And it’s not just because you want to sit in my lap?” His brows nearly vanished beneath his bangs as they rose. His shoulders quivered with quiet laughter, and he smiled so smugly she considered just bearing with the pain and stretching out on the floor until it went away.

“If you’re going to tease me, maybe I’ll just put up with it.” She made to stand, but a hand on her wrist stopped her. Another second and she was being yanked into Gavin’s arms, tumbling into his lap.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t look particularly remorseful, not with a massive smile on his face. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, humming like he was about to start laughing again. “I’m sorry, princess. Don’t go.”

Rowan’s breath caught, snagging as fabric on thorns. Gavin’s breath was warm as he murmured against her cheek, his lips still smiling wide. He kissed her again, murmuring another apology, followed by a downy-soft “please?”

“Okay.” How was she meant to say no to him? To such a delicate plea? She knew he was still playing, devilry in his voice, in each kiss he laid on her cheek and jaw. Yet knowing that did not make it easier to say no. Did not make her want to say no to him.

“Okay? You won’t go?” He sounded sunshine bright, hugging her all the tighter.

“I’ll stay.” And then, with a little more bite, more for her own sake than his, “But I have conditions.”

“And what would those be?”

She twisted around in his hold, back facing him. “You have to massage my back.”

She could hear the attempt and failure to stifle his snorting laughter, his body shaking beneath her with the effort. “I think I can manage that.”

Rowan straightened her back, wiggling her shoulders. More laughter, but Gavin took the hint to begin. His fingers brushed her hair away from her neck, warm and careful as though he were handling glass.

He trailed his hands over her shoulder at first, down her back, barely adding any pressure. She let her eyes fall closed as he repeated the movement, slowly adding more pressure each time.

“Does this feel okay?” He moved his hands to her neck, thumbs digging into the grooves connecting her neck and shoulders.

She hummed, smiling a little. “That feels very nice.”

His lips brushed against the back of her neck before he continued, warmth radiating from the touch as light radiated around stars, spilling through the universe.

He did that every few moments, whenever he adjusted his hands, finding a new knot in her shoulders or pain flared in her lower back. Lips found her skin as sunshine did in summertime, kisses light as a breeze curling against her as his skilled fingers dug into her skin, easing her pain until it was as distant a memory as the dismal grey of a winter rainstorm to the warmth and colour of blooming spring.

Every now and then he checked in, making sure she was comfortable, making sure it all felt nice. He pressed his fingers down on either side of her spine, gliding his hands down. He dug the heels of his hands into her back, dragging them to the sides. He even found the aching spot in the small of her back, massaging little circles on either side of her spine at first, slowly moving his hands out, until he had worked through the muscles of her lower back.

Rowan sighed, murmuring whenever he did something that felt nice. He would oblige every time she asked him to do something again, the aches in her body fading, his touch a balm that smoothed away every ache and crack in her body that seeped pain.

She swayed, fighting off a yawn. He worked methodically, a soundless rhythm building in his movements, a melody that reverberated through her muscles and sinew, echoing in the hollows of her bones. It was a lullaby for her body, tranquil and soft, steady as calm ocean waves.

As her head began to bob, as her eyes grew heavy, as her yawns became near uncontrollable, Gavin drew his hands away from her back, settling them on her hips.

“Why’d you stop?” She struggled to keep her eyes open, her words sounding strange and slow.

He chuckled, giving her hips a squeeze. “You’re falling asleep.”

“No I’m not!” A yawn belied her words, but still she tried to hold fast to her denial. “I’m not falling asleep! Don’t stop.”

Sighing, Gavin pressed one final kiss to the side of her throat. “If I keep going you’ll fall asleep and then I’ll be all alone.”

She twisted around in his arms, swaying with all the strength of a sapling buffeted by the wind. “I won’t! I promise I won’t.”

“Really?” He brushed her hair back from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. His smile was indulgent, as if he didn’t really believe her, but he was willing to play along for now. “You mean your eyes aren’t heavy?”

The eyes in question, traitorous things, fell closed, seeming to weigh hundreds of pounds each to lift open so she could fix her gaze on him once more. “Not at all.”

He cupped her cheek as her head lolled to the side, snorting. “You’re not making a very good case for yourself.”

“You’re so mean,” she grumbled. She slumped against him in a huff, earning soft laughter as he readjusted to cradle her against his chest.

“Do you want to sleep?” He stroked her hair, pushing it back from her face. “We can take a nap if that’s what you want.”

She groaned, shaking her head. “It’s still early, and it’s been so long since we’ve had a day together.”

“Well then you have to stay awake, pumpkin.” He pinched her cheek, and the sharp pain roused her. At least, it roused her enough that she could glare at him.

“That hurt.” She smacked his hand away, rubbing her cheek. “What’s gotten into you today?”

“I’m sorry, princess.” He was smiling far too widely as he said it, prying her hand away from her cheek to press a kiss to the reddened skin.

“You don’t look very sorry.”

“I’m very sorry.” His smile only widened, utterly unrepentant. “So very sorry.”

“Oh really?”

“Let me make it up to you.”

Gavin was using his most powerful weapon in his arsenal as he spoke, the saddest puppy dog pout she had ever seen. It was impossible to say no to him, even the most iron of resolves crumbling like overbaked pastry beneath the might of such a look.

Rowan’s head drooped and she huffed. “How? What are you thinking?” Something devious, she was sure.

“Something like this-” There wasn’t a moment for her to think before Gavin had cupped the back of her head, secured his remaining arm around her waist, holding her fast as he showered kisses all over her face and neck.

She shrieked, laughing against him. It was so sudden she couldn’t catch her breath, and his breath and lashes and hair all tickled her skin while his lips made her catch fire like dried kindling.

“Gavin! Gavin!” His lips brushed against her collar, and she burst into a new fit of giggles, the spot particularly sensitive and ticklish.

“Does this prove how sorry I am?” He sounded breathless, pausing his assault to speak. “Am I forgiven?”

She snorted, pushed her hair back. Gavin was watching her, a goofy grin on his face, his cheeks flushed. “I think I can find it in my heart to forgive you.”

His brows rose, his smile cutting across his face now, wicked. “Do you need another demonstration?”

“Hmm.” She tapped her lips, smiling. “Just one last demonstration, babey. Right here.”

“As you wish, my love.”

Where his kisses had been playful, teasing, now he kissed her with a tenderness that told her how happy he was. She could taste his delight on her tongue, felt the sunshine of his joy filling her. His hands moved to cup her cheeks, to hold her gently as he took his time kissing her.

When Gavin pulled away they were both breathless, warm, melting into each other.

Rowan did her best to smile, nestling her head on his shoulder. “Alright, babey. You’re forgiven.”

He pressed another kiss to the top of her head, smiling into her hair. “Oh thank goodness.”

She would have been happy to stay there, tangled together, growing drowsy in his embrace.

Gavin, however, did not seem content, pinching her side to wake her again.

“Babey.” She pouted, rubbing her side. “Why do you do that?”

“You were falling asleep again.”

“I can’t help it! You’re warm!”

He huffed a laugh, patting her back. “Why don’t I make you some tea. Would you like that? That should help you wake up.”

She peeled away, just enough to meet his eyes. “Will you make the new one I bought? The blended one?”

“I can make whatever you want me to.” He smoothed her bangs, the pads of his fingers brushing against her brow as he fixed it. “Is that the one you want?”

She nodded eagerly. She plucked at the collar of his shirt, trailed her fingers down over the buttons of his uniform shirt. The shirt was starchy, stiff, not the most comfortable thing to be pressed up against. She doubted it was the most comfortable thing to be wearing, either. “Did you want to change?”

His hand covered hers, fingers curling around her wrist. “Are you asking me to?”

She stiffened at the laughter in his voice, looking away. “Your work clothes just aren’t very comfy, I thought you might want to change into something else.”

“Like that new sweater you got me?” He chuckled, bringing her hand to his lips. “Or the blue one you’re so fond of?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Huffed laughter ghosted over her hand as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I do want to change. But I can make you something to drink first.”

“That’s okay, I can make something while you change. You’re the one who’s been working so much lately.”

“And what if I want to make you something?” He rolled his eyes, smirking. “What if I want you to stay right here until I come back?”

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll go try to shovel more snow?”

He snorted, shaking his head. The corners of his lips twitched, like he was using all his strength to fight against his smile. “Maybe. Maybe I’d just like to spoil you a little.”

Rowan had no response for that. Like the unfurling of petals at the first signs of spring, heat bloomed beneath her skin. She was a field of wildflowers, leaves and petals wavering in the wind, reaching towards the sun, the centre of their world.

Gavin took the opportunity to extract her from his lap, settling her on the couch. He didn’t give her a chance to argue, already on his feet. “Your new tea is the one with the picture of a forest on the label, right?”

She nodded, tugging at the sleeves of her sweater, pulling them over her hands in lieu of fiddling with a blanket. Most of their blankets were folded neatly on the little chair next to the couch, out of her reach.

Seeming to sense her thoughts, Gavin reached over to grab one of the blankets, unfolding it and tucking it around her.

“So you don’t get cold while I’m gone,” he said. He smoothed a hand over her hair, pressed a kiss to her brow. “Don’t miss me too much.”

“Too late.”

He nuzzled her cheek, laughing. “I already miss you too.”

Before he could vanish from the room she called to him again, twisting the blanket between her fingers. “Gavin? Are there any snacks left?”

“There should be some of those squares we made left.”

She sat up straighter, craning her neck forward as if that would reveal the hidden snacks to her. “The raspberry ones? Or the nanaimo bars?”

His brow furrowed. “I’m not sure, I saw the ones with the pink icing this morning before I left. And the s’mores ones for sure.”

“Could I have one of each? If that’s okay?” She clasped her hands together, pleading with him as a disciple pleaded with their god. “Please?”

“Anything else, princess?” He smiled, arms crossed. “I’ll get you whatever you want.”

“When you go to change can you get the book I left on the bed?” She tugged the blanket up higher, hiding her face behind it as she flushed. “And can you come back quickly? I miss you.”

Nodding, his smile tender, Gavin said “as you wish,” before vanishing into the kitchen.

Rowan smiled to herself, clutching the blanket closer. It was cold outside, snow still careening from the storm-clouds that had gathered overhead. There was no sign that the storm would let up any time soon, and as she leaned close to the window her breath fogged against the glass, obscuring the ivory waves cascading across the world.

A flicker of movement caught her eye, Gavin’s reflection in the window. She turned to see him waving from the doorway of the kitchen, his smile bright enough to melt the snow and bathe the world in sunshine.

He had her book and her favourite sweater in his arms, and he crossed the room quickly to lay them in her lap.

“So you don’t get bored while you’re waiting.”

“Thank you, babey.” Rowan ran her hands over the fabric of her sweater, the sky-blue yarn soft and faded like it had been left too long in the sun from how often she wore it. Gavin was still in his work uniform, only the top few buttons undone, like he had started to change and thought better of it. Like his mind had been preoccupied, something else at the forefront of his thoughts.

His smile was spun-sugar sweet, and her teeth ached, just getting to revel in his sunshine smile like eating her fill of chocolates and cakes and candies.

“I know you get cold easily, and I didn’t want you to get bored, or fall asleep before I get back.”

“I wouldn’t fall asleep!” Her rejoinder was automatic, a knee-jerk response to his saccharine teasing. As Gavin raised a brow, his barely contained smile dripping with amused disbelief, Rowan shrank, picking at a thread on her sweater. “I might fall asleep.”

He sighed. “Well at least wait until I come back. We can pick out a movie to fall asleep to together.”

“But you’ll be back soon?” Rowan wouldn’t lie and say she wasn’t clingy; it was a rare occasion that Gavin was home early and she was loath to waste even a second of his company. There were moments where she would wish to bury herself in his skin, to stretch across his chest and refuse to let him get up in the morning so he couldn’t leave.

“I promise I’ll be right back.” He smirked then, something like smugness in his eyes. “But if you’re missing me you can always come find me.”

She scoffed, snatching up her book and flipping it open. Her cheeks were warm, her chest aching as her heart pressed against the prison bars of her ribs. “I’m perfectly content right here.”

“Oh? Is that right?” He leaned forward, seeming intent on teasing her. But his brow arched as his eyes flitted to the fogged window, bangs spilling across his brow as he cocked his head to the side. “Oh, what were you looking at earlier?”

“Hmm?” She turned, spotted the foggy part of the window, still opaque. An idea occurred to her then, a spark like flint striking together, catching flame.

Rowan leaned over, breathing on the glass again before beckoning him closer. “Come look!”

He was practically on top of her as he leaned over, his brow furrowing as he stared at the window. “So you fogged up the window?”

“No, just wait!” She quickly sketched her finger across the clouded glass. A heart, and then their initials in the centre.

“See?” She beamed as she looked up at him. “What do you think?”

Simple as it was to coax a blush to Gavin’s ears and cheeks, Rowan never tired of seeing the dusting of pink on the tips of his ears quickly deepening to vermillion, spreading over his cheeks and down his neck. Colour seeped across his face, soft as dawn, darkening to the last heat of dusk. When his eyes met hers they were bright as galaxies, and she could have picked out the individual stars in his gaze, their light making him glow.

“I think it’s very cute, pumpkin.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, his lashes tickling her skin as his eyes closed. “Maybe we should write that somewhere else, somewhere more permanent.”

She giggled, tickling him when he tried to kiss her again. “Like where? A tree in the backyard?”

“Maybe. Or somewhere in the house. We could paint it ourselves somewhere special.” He snorted, batting her hands away as she tried to tickle him again. “Careful or I’ll have to make an arrest.”

“You can’t arrest me!” Her voice rose in mock distress. It was difficult to hold back the bubbles of laughter lodged in her throat, the glee curving across her lips like the rising moon. “I’m your wife! You said you would make me tea!”

She did tickle him again, then. Reached out to his sides, to all the little spots that made him snort and laugh, much as he tried to pretend like he was not so vulnerable.

“Alright! I surrender, I surrender!” His shout dissolved into more laughter, his face red as ripe tomatoes.

“That’s what I thought.” She beamed, smug as she pulled her hands away. Gavin’s chest heaved, his eyes blazing as he stared at her. He looked dishevelled, bested by her attack.

Something about the flush in his cheeks made her stomach twist, her breath catching like a leaf snatched from the wind. His eyes flashed, mischief and bemusement twining together as they sat for a moment, waiting for the other to move.

It was Rowan who surrendered this time, moving to perch in his lap, compelled by the animal part of her brain to squeeze his cheeks between her hands.

“Is this further punishment?” He was smiling as he spoke, his eyes holding fast to hers. He tilted his head back in her grip, his lips grazing the line of her jaw. “What else do you have in store for me?”

“No punishment,” she murmured, adding a quiet “this time” that had him laughing. “You just looked so cute I had to squeeze your face a little.”

His eyes closed, a serene smile on his lips. Sitting there he painted such a pretty picture, like something she would see hung on the walls of a museum. She could imagine the name of such a piece, ‘serenity’ or perhaps ‘a prince in repose.’

She could have stared at him forever, lost in the lines of his face, like purposeful strokes of a brush. In the threads of his hair layered in gold and umber. In the light dappling over his cheeks, illuminating him as though a sun glowed from beneath his skin.

When Rowan didn’t move, Gavin’s brows rose, and he cracked one eye open. “Are you satisfied, princess? Or should I stay still for longer?”

Heat rushed to her cheeks, itchy as insect bites. She pulled away, scooting back into her previous spot, yanking the blanket up to her face so he couldn’t see her flush. “Weren’t you going to make me tea and get changed?”

“As you wish.” Gavin chuckled as he stood, ruffling her hair even as she scowled up at him. “And when I return you can stare at me as much as you want.”

He was gone before she could come up with any kind of reply, the sound of the kettle boiling and glass clinking the only indication he was in the kitchen.

“Unbelievable.” She grumbled under her breath, snatching up her sweater and shrugging into it. “He’s utterly unbelievable. Teasing me like that.”

“I can hear you, you know!”

“Good!”

She continued grumbling, louder this time so he heard every word. Gavin’s laughter echoed through the house, trailing after him even as he climbed the stairs to their room, fading only when she heard the click of the door.

With nothing else to do, Rowan picked up her book again, flipping to where she’d left off. The soft click of nails on the floor told her that Stella was on the move, and only a moment after she’d opened her book she felt Stella shoving her nose against her arm, whimpering.

“Do you want to get up?” She did not have to ask twice, Stella’s tail wagging so quickly it was little more than a brown blur before she leapt up. Air rushed from Rowan’s lungs as the dog stood on her stomach, wincing as she turned around and around, trying to get comfortable. Her tail smacked into Rowan’s face, and she leaned back as best she could until Stella finally settled, curling up into a ball on her lap.

Both Stella and herself now settled, Rowan returned her attention to her book as best she could. But she was only half paying attention, her ears straining for the sound of Gavin’s footsteps, her heart thrumming when she heard the door open and the stairs creaking as he made his way back downstairs.

Soon he would be back, and they would cuddle, and maybe he would rub her back some more, and she would get to spend the rest of the morning in his arms.

What a gift, to be able to be with him, to share a quiet morning together.

When the storm had first begun she’d looked at it with trepidation, with annoyance. The snow had been a hindrance, a hurdle to overcome. But perhaps it had been a blessing, a godsend from the universe. The screaming storm laced with magic, bringing Gavin back to her, giving them another day together.

The sound of humming spilled from the kitchen, the melody of a song Gavin had been practicing on his guitar lately. Maybe she would ask him to play it, maybe she would try to join him on the piano. He always loved that, always beamed brighter than any star when she did. Sat beside her on the piano bench, his hand on her thigh as he listened.

Or maybe they would break out one of the Lego sets they hadn’t built yet, spend the day building it together. They could play a movie in the background, could indulge in the sweets leftover from the holidays, make warm drinks and spike them with the leftover rum in the cupboard.

Or they could bake some more, trying out some of the recipes they hadn’t gotten to yet. Gavin always seemed so excited to make something new with her, although she was beginning to suspect it was only because he liked to eat the leftover batter and dough while they waited for their treats to bake.

Whatever their hearts desired, they could do. Whatever would make them happy, whatever would bring a smile to Gavin’s face, whatever would make his heart glow.

They were caught in the eye of the storm, and in their little pocket of peace they could do whatever they wished, whatever kept their hearts warm and their bodies close.

She smiled, watching as flurries of snow streamed just beyond her reach. Snow days were the best.

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