New Year's resolutions: Part 2

An R.L. Mathewson Chronicle

(If you haven’t had a chance to read Part I, click Here)

“What the hell is wrong with you?” came the outraged demand, followed by a curse and a pained grunt that had Bryce sighing heavily as he closed the door behind him.

That was followed by several muffled pained grunts, the little bastard muttering, “Evil little leprechaun!” and another, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

While the muttered demands continued in the other room, Bryce took his time putting away the ginger ale and ice cream that he picked up on the way home with the hopes that it would help settle his wife’s stomach. As Sean demanded that Cayley stop moving, Bryce threw some ice in a glass and grabbed a can of ginger ale and made his way towards the pained grunts and muttered demands.

“Stop wiggling and let me help you!”

“Rot in hell, you psychotic bastard!” Cayley snapped while she tried to wiggle her way to freedom only to go still when she spotted him.

Bryce ignored them as he made his way to the nightstand, absently noting the way that his brother’s eyes narrowed on him as he set the glass down on the nightstand before opening the can of ginger ale and asked, “Why is my wife wrapped up in a comforter?”

“She left me with no choice,” Sean bit out while Bryce took his time pouring ginger ale into the glass.

Absently nodding, Bryce followed that up with, “And is there a reason why you’re straddling her legs?”

“She’s a pain in the ass,” Sean bit out and since Bryce couldn’t argue that one, he simply nodded as he placed the can down on the nightstand before he reached over and-

“Violent bastard!”

-dragged the little bastard off the bed by the back of his neck and dragged him down the long hallway.

“I’m trying to help you!” Sean snapped as he reached back and tried bitch-slapping his hands away.

“By pissing off my wife?” Bryce drawled as he ignored his brother’s ineffectual slaps and dragged him towards the front door.

“Yes!”

“How’d that go?” Bryce asked, flipping the deadbolt open before he pulled the door open and shoved the little bastard into the hallway.

“About as well as you’d expect,” Sean murmured, shrugging it off as he ran his hands over his shirt, smoothing it out with a satisfied sigh.

“Is there something that you wanted to tell me?” Bryce asked, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the doorframe while he considered his brother.

“Besides the fact that your wife is evil?”

“Besides that,” Bryce said, gesturing for Sean to get on with it.

“No,” Sean said, shaking his head as he made a show of inspecting his nails.

“So, there’s nothing that you want to tell me?” Bryce asked, watching the way the little bastard’s gaze flickered past him.

“Not at the moment,” Sean said, dropping his hand away with a heartfelt sigh.

“So, my wife didn’t tell you anything?”

“Besides professing her undying love for me?” Sean asked, blinking at him.

“Besides that,” Bryce said dryly, glancing back as he heard his wife mutter to herself as she shuffled down the hallway and made her way into the bathroom with a grumble and-

“She’s pregnant, isn’t she?” Bryce asked, glancing back at his brother to find his brother opening his mouth only to close it and swallow hard as his gaze flickered past him and-

Had Bryce’s eyes narrowing on his brother as he watched the little bastard slowly, ever so fucking slowly, take a step to his right and kept going. He watched as the little bastard slowly made his way to the front door before clearing his throat, nodding to himself, murmuring, “Good talk,” before he made a run for it, leaving Bryce standing there, releasing a shaky breath.

Needing to hear it from her, Bryce pushed away from the doorframe and stepped back into the apartment and closed the door before he made his way back the way he came, absently noting the second trail of water leading to the bathroom. He paused outside the bathroom and took a deep breath before he made his way into the bathroom only to feel his heart break when he found his wife curled up into the fetal position on the shower floor.

“I’m fine,” Cayley mumbled weakly before he had a chance to say anything.

“You look it,” Bryce said, stepping into the bathroom as he took in the soaked comforter crumpled on the bathroom floor before taking in the small woman squeezing her eyes shut.

“I know,” Cayley mumbled, following that up with a sniffle as she curled more tightly into herself while Bryce took in her tee-shirt and cotton shorts that were completely soaked.

“Is there anything you want to tell me?” Bryce asked, watching her for a moment before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small prescription bottle that he’d picked up on his way home after he’d called in a favor.

“I love you?” came the hopeful answer that had his lips twitching as he opened the prescription bottle and carefully dumped two small pills in his hand.

“I love you, too, sweetheart,” Bryce said as he crossed the large bathroom and knelt down next to the shower. “Take these.”

“What are they?” Cayley said as she blindly reached over and took the pills from him.

“They’re for the nausea,” Bryce explained, watching as she briefly went still before she placed the pills in her mouth.

“For the food poisoning?” Cayley asked, cracking one eye open to see if he was buying the excuse that she’d been using since they got back from their honeymoon.

Considering what happened on their honeymoon…

He really didn’t want to think about what happened on their honeymoon. Not yet and definitely not until after he stopped having nightmares about what happened when they made the mistake of turning off that light and-

Slowly exhaling, he focused on the stubborn woman that was driving him crazy. He stood up and reached back, grabbing hold of his shirt and pulled it off before tossing it aside and focused on pulling off his boots. Cayley watched him for a few more seconds before she closed her eyes with a grumble that was just too fucking adorable for words.

Once he was naked, Bryce made his way into the shower and began carefully pulling off her clothes, ignoring her adorable grumble as he stripped her naked and tossed her wet clothes in the corner before he pulled her into his arms and-

Felt his lips twitch when she quickly adjusted herself so that she was lying between his legs with her back pressed against his chest so that the spray of hot water was hitting her. “Better?” Bryce asked, kissing the top of her head as he leaned back against the wall.

“Much better,” Cayley murmured as she placed her arms over his.

“Good,” Bryce said, kissing the back of her head before he closed his eyes and gently ran his fingertips over the back of her arms, losing himself in the comforting touch that never failed to leave him feeling whole.

Christ, he loved her, Bryce thought as he continued running his fingertips over her skin and-

“How long have you known?”  

To Be Continued…