moments ♡

alone ♡

She was by herself on the couch -- completely alone for the first time in what felt like a few short eternities. With a husband who never seemed to stop wanting to hold her, a little girl who liked to sit beside her and color, and a little boy who didn't seem capable of playing with anything without being in Mama's lap, her space and her solitude had become downright unheard of.

He had gone to take their babies to his mama's house to spend the night, and she was by herself. It was so quiet that she was unsettled and uncomfortable. She at least wanted her man to come home so that she'd have someone to cuddle and hear. It was foreign to not have anyone touching her or talking to her or pulling at her or trying to get her attention.

She sighed and smiled when he materialized in the driveway. He's only been gone for twenty minutes or so, but it was enough to make her nervous. It took everything in her not to get up and greet him at the door. She waited for him on the couch, impatient with anxiety. Her heart swelled when he unlocked the door. "Honey! I'm home!" He came to bend over couch and give her a quick kiss. "They stayed!"

"I'm glad! I think some alone time will be good, and they love your mama."

He smiled. "She's awfully easy to love," he observed. "But then... so are you."

"I love you," she said as she pressed forward for another kiss. "I can't wait for some alone time."

His face fell. "Alone time? I -- uh -- guess I can watch Star Wars in bed if you want to be completely by yourself."

"No!" she protested. "When I say 'alone time', you don't count."

"Oh." He kissed her again. "What do you want to do with our alone time, then? Go out for a nice dinner and then come home and..." He trailed off and wriggled his eyebrows.

"That sounds great except that I'll have to be somewhere with people who aren't you," she said. "The second part sounds really nice, though."

"Would you like for me to cook some dinner that isn't kid food? Because I'll do it. With a smile." he offered.

She kissed him again, forgetting how nice it was to have the chance to kiss him whenever she wanted without constant interruptions. "How about we order a pizza and cuddle on the couch?" she suggested.

He made a show of mulling it over. "That sounds like a dream. Everything you do is, though."

"Stop," she chastised with a playful smile. "That's definitely not true."

He pecked her forehead before standing. "It is. I'm going to take off my work clothes." He stretched and yawned.

"OK," she answered, flipping the TV on as he left the room.

When he came back in his coziest, cuddliest clothes, she fought the urge to moan in anticipation. They hadn't had a proper couch night since their little onion sprout of a baby girl had been born, and she had just turned 9. He joined his lady, also clad in sweats,

"So, are you ordering the pizza or me?" he asked, scooting closer to her.

"You?" She curled into his side.

He sighed, but he smiled, too. "OK."

He called in the orders for pizza -- his with every topping known to the pizza shop and hers being a simple pizza margherita. She thanked him with a kiss once the phone call was made. He said she was welcome with another one.

The pizza came, and they ate on the couch, tangled in each other and eating slices of delectable pizza with the perfect amount of grease and long strings of mozzarella. There was a movie playing, but they were too busy being happy to pay attention.

With four pieces gone each, he put the pizza on the dining room table to free up his arms for her. She snuggled into his chest and kissed his lips long and slow until everything was blurry and bright. "Love you," she said.

He kissed her back, holding to the back of her neck, cradling her face between gentle hands until she didn't know anything but him anymore. Their kiss was interrupted by a yawn -- first hers and then his. He chuckled. "So sleepy," he observed.

She brushed his hair back from his face with her fingertips. "Mhmm."

"Bed?" he suggested.

She nodded, but she cuddled back down against him instead. "I love you."

"Love you." He pressed a kiss on her hair and trailed his fingers up and down her back.

They never made it to bed. She fell asleep wrapped up in him on the couch where they'd fallen in love, and he fell asleep holding her tight. They were alone in their togetherness.