“That sounds fun.” Glancing at the kids, Teddy tried to remember Nick’s duty schedule. “I can check with Nick, see if he can meet us there—”
“Oh, no, silly. You misunderstood.” Liza laughed, eyes sparkling and curls bouncing. “Parents’ night out. You drop them off, and then you and that husband of yours enjoy a night off duty. Go shopping. Go out to eat. Go wild.”
“Alone?” Teddy blinked. They hadn’t had a night alone together since the kids had arrived. He tried to tamp down any excitement at the prospect, though, focus on the kids first. “I’m not sure—”
“Please?” James surprised him with the request. “Dylan will be there. He’s my friend now.”
“See? The magic of McNally Thanksgiving. Lifelong friendships forged in snow and pie.” Liza chuckled again, reaching out to rub Natalie’s arm with her free hand. “And Natalie, maybe you’d like to be my helper? You can do labels for the chili toppings, like you did for the food at Thanksgiving, and you can be in charge of rationing out the cookies.”
“I could do that.” Licking her lips, Natalie exhaled. Liza’s plan was perfect because Natalie did love to be useful. Being of service seemed to tamp down her nerves in new situations. Natalie crooked her finger and beckoned Teddy over so she could whisper in his ear, “Maybe you can play S-A-N-T-A for James while we’re gone.”
And you, Teddy mentally added as he nodded. And maybe they could squeeze in some adult fun too. It had been far too long since they’d had anything resembling alone time or privacy, and the kids weren’t the only ones who needed a little holiday magic.
The house was almost eerily quiet when Nick entered through the garage door after removing his winter gear. No tween TV show droning on from the living room, no video game music, no Teddy asking about homework and chores.
“Hello?” he called as he came into the kitchen. “Teddy?”
“Right here.” Teddy looked up from arranging something on plates. Two plates. “And you’re right on time.”
“Where are the kids?” Nick’s heart beat faster. Had Joyce come for them? Was the plan changing? And why wasn’t Teddy more upset?
“Hey.” Teddy came around the counter to hug him before he could give voice to all the questions churning in his brain. “It’s not bad news. I would have called. Promise. The kids are at Liza and Charlie’s for a holiday movie night. James gets to play with the cousins he met at Thanksgiving, and Natalie gets to organize the snack table. I went in, made sure they were both comfortable before I came back here to make you a surprise dinner for two.”
“Dinner for two?” Nick glanced into the dining room where sure enough, the table looked all festive with holiday linens and candles. “You cooked?”
“Well…” Teddy hedged as he gave Nick the sort of impish smile he hadn’t used in a while. “I heated up. It’s mainly stuff from the gourmet case at the market. But I made it look pretty.”
“That you did.” He was coming around to the idea of a meal for only the two of them. A novelty, almost, after weeks of noisy meals and every possible combination of starch plus cheese. But strangely, it also felt like something was missing in way that it hadn’t prior to the kids’ arrival. “Weird. It’s almost too quiet.”
“Yup. Cat came out of hiding and everything.” Teddy still hadn’t let him go, which was also nice, being close like this and it not being an exhausted late-night cuddle on the way to sleep. “Honestly, I started missing them about halfway home after dropping them off. But I’ve also missed you a ton lately.”
“Missed me? I’ve been right here.”
“You know what I mean.” Teddy gave him a sultry look that warmed up certain parts of Nick that had been on hiatus of late. “Going forward, it’s going to be important to find balance. Ways to remember that we’re still lovers in addition to parenting partners.”
“I do love you. Even more so lately.” Nick pulled him in for a soft kiss. And then another. And then one more for good measure, and Teddy’s mouth started to have way more appeal than the pretty dinner cooling on the plates. Reluctantly, he broke away. “Food first?”
“We can be civilized.” Teddy’s return kiss said otherwise, making Nick’s toes curl against the tile floor. Nick backed him against the counter. Being able to make-out in the kitchen again was a nice bonus. “Or fast. Bet we can be fast.”
“Hush. We’ve done fast too much lately. And sleepy. Catching you with both eyes open is a nice novelty.” Nick indulged himself in another brush of his lips against Teddy’s smooth face. Judging by his damp hair and freshly shaved cheeks, he’d showered recently. The amount of thought he’d put into this little seduction made a thrill rush through Nick. He’d been so busy trying to take care of everyone else that Teddy taking care of him felt fresh. Tender. Loving.
“Ha. You’re one to talk. I’m pretty sure you slept through my last wake up surprise.” Teddy raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry.” It said something that Nick wasn’t entirely sure which sleepy, silent encounter that might have been. Teddy was right. They needed to make couple time more of a priority.
“Don’t be sorry. Make it up to me right now.” Not waiting for a reply, Teddy hustled the plates into the fridge before dragging Nick toward the bedroom.
“I love your bossy ideas.” Nick wasn’t going to turn this one down.
“Much as doing it in the kitchen is tempting, bedroom is probably more prudent.” Teddy laughed, tugging off his sweater as they went.
“Agreed.” Nick rescued the sweater before it hit the hall floor. “Also, I’m getting old. Bed may be safer.”
“You are not old. Stop that. And get naked.” Teddy continued shedding clothes as Nick shut the bedroom door. Damn, Nick was never getting enough of him naked—all those compact, lean muscles, freckled skin, and blond curls.
“You’re cute bossy.” Nick took his time with his uniform, setting it aside on the chair in the corner. Making Teddy impatient was too fun, all the little hurry up noises he made.
“Yes, I am.” Teddy scampered onto their big bed, shaking his gorgeous ass at Nick as he went. “And I showered.”
“I noticed.” Stretching out next to him, Nick trailed a finger down Teddy’s bare chest.
“Sparkling clean everywhere.” Teddy winked at him, and Nick’s blood rushed south, getting his cock the rest of the way there even before Teddy slyly added, “I’m ready.”
“Rather sure of yourself.” Rolling, Nick pulled Teddy on top of him. There was little better in this world than a naked, eager Teddy grinning down at him.
“You love it.”
“I do.” Nick slid his hands down Teddy’s warm torso to cup his ass. And oh, hello, Teddy had most definitely been prepping in the shower. Nick brushed his fingers against the flared base of Teddy’s favorite plug. “Mmm. Someone’s been naughty…”
“Yes, yes I have.” Grinding down on Nick, Teddy moaned softly as their cocks dragged against each other. Nick made him moan again simply by tapping the plug. “I know you said slow, but I don’t want to wait.”