I groaned as I woke up, my head pounding and eyes dry and scratchy. I blinked in the dark, disoriented. The clock on the table beside me showed that there were still several hours before morning. I sighed as I worked a hand out from under the covers and rubbed my forehead.

“What’s wrong, baby?” I heard whispered into my neck as muscled arms pulled me tighter. I smiled as Teagan nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. He pressed a soft kiss against it that had me coming more fully awake.

I rolled over and looked at him. By the alertness in his eyes that could be made out in the dim light, it didn’t look like he’d been to sleep yet. That wasn’t a good sign.

“That’s a question I should be asking you,” I murmured. “Have you gotten any sleep tonight?”

A quick shake of his head was his reply. I reached out and laid a hand to his jaw, feeling the stubble that had grown there rough against my hand. “You need to, baby. You have a big game coming up.”

“I know,” he said with a sigh. “Practice has been brutal lately. But there’s been a lot on my mind.”

I could only imagine. It had been just over a week since we’d gotten the bombshell of his newfound fatherhood dropped on us. Teagan was going about his business as usual, but it was obvious his mind was a million miles away. In the past few days I’d had to bring him books he’d left on his desk, his lacrosse gear and one day he’d walked out and left all of his senior projects notes behind.

I took over the walking and feeding of Zver since it was obvious that Teagan just wasn’t with it enough to remember the dog’s schedule. The new duties and unexpected errands were done without complaint. It wasn’t like he’d done them on purpose. But it didn’t change that I was worried about him, though.

I traced my way along his jawline until I reached his lips. A smile formed when kissed their tips. “I’m here if you need to talk, you know,” I told him.

His arms pulled me closer. “I know you are, baby. I just don’t even have things straight enough in my head to talk about it yet.” He paused and studied me for a moment. “What about you? How are you doing with all of this?”

I dropped my gaze to his chest as I debated my words carefully. I wanted to be honest with him, but I also didn’t want to add to his stress. I took a deep breath and held it for a moment before I exhaled and started.

“I’m a little overwhelmed, to tell the truth. It’s a lot to take in, you having a kid and all. But at the same time,” I brought my gaze back to his, “I love you so much that it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll stand by you.”

He was silent as he searched my face for a moment. His eyes saddened before he asked me quietly, “Is it too much, Aislinn? I know how it is for me, so I’ll understand if it is.”

“No,” I whispered, my tone firm. “I just need to adjust, that’s all. It’ll be hard, watching you go through this… But I’m not going anywhere, as I promised.”

He breathed a sigh of relief and reached out a hand to tuck a few wisps of wayward hair behind my ear. Once completed to his satisfaction, he then slipped his hand behind my neck. I watched in fascination as his eyes darkened in the dim light of the room. The gleam I could now see clearly caused warmth to rush through my body and my heart to start pounding in my chest.

He leaned into me as my eyes closed and I soon felt his hot breath across my lips. I couldn’t contain the gasp as I felt his tongue ghost over them before his mouth was suddenly on mine. He moved his lips hungrily over me, as his tongue drove deep to explore alone mine. I could taste the desperation in his kiss, a need for reassurance, and I wrapped my arms around him tight. My headache had disappeared, but had been replaced with an answering need for the same reassurance and desperation.

With a groan he rolled us so that I was on my back while he hovered me. His leg slipped between mine as his hand traveled down from my neck, along my side until it reached the hem of my sleep shirt. He broke the kiss suddenly, causing my eyes to open and look at him in confusion.

“Aislinn?” He questioned softly as his fingers played with the fabric. I knew what he was asking and nodded without hesitation. I felt his hand shake slightly as he pulled the shirt up and over my head. As he tossed it over the side of the bed, I couldn’t help but bring an arm up to cover myself. I shivered as the coolness of the night air hit my warmed skin. I turned my head to the side, shy and embarrassed suddenly. I had nothing covering me from the waist up and I felt vulnerable without it. I startled as warm fingers trailed along my cheek to cup my face before gently turning it to face him again. My breath caught at the heat and tenderness in his eyes.

He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to my lips. Lifting his head he gave me a gentle smile that had me relaxing slowly. He trailed his fingers along my shoulder, down the arm that was crossed over my chest until he reached my hand. Taking it in his, he lifted it to his mouth as he kept his eyes on mine. He ghosted a kiss across the back of my fingers.

“Don’t hide,” he whispered to me in the dark. “You’re beautiful, Aislinn.”

I took a shuddered breath and allowed him to move my arm away, baring me completely to his gaze. I held my breath as his eyes flicked and focused on what no one else but a doctor had ever seen. He gazed at me for a long moment before he started to lower his head. What followed was an experience in emotions and sensations that would never be forgotten.

~*~*~*~*~

I came back to the world finally and focused on Teagan. I found that I was gripping him to me and loosened my hold. I blushed when I realized that he was studying me closely. “What?” I asked him, feeling shy and vulnerable now that the passion and desire was settling.

“That was probably the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, you coming apart like that.” He nipped the lobe of my ear and continued, “I can’t wait to see it again.”

I could feel my face flush scarlet and turned to bury it into his chest. With a chuckle, he wrapped his arms around me and held me close. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I mumbled into his chest. His fingers tangled into my hair and tugged my head away to look into my eyes. I found that I couldn’t meet his gaze, as everything felt so bare, so exposed.

He searched my face before flashing a tender smile. “That’s just a taste of what it’s going to be like between us, Aislinn. It’s going to be amazing.” He placed a soft kiss on my lips before rubbing his nose against mine. “But right now, it’s late and we have an early morning. Let’s get some sleep, beautiful.”

I nodded and settled against him as his hold closed around me once again. I let out a sigh of contentment. I had felt desirable, wanted during that intimate moment and now I felt loved and cherished.