Laura lay on her side with her head propped on her bended arm.  In the quietness of the morning, she studied her husband’s profile.  He lay on his back next to her, one arm laying over his stomach the other remained where Laura had placed it after moving it from around her, when she had gotten up to use the bathroom. 

Suddenly, she jumped as the silence was broken.  “You know, I can’t sleep if someone is staring at me.”  His voice was rough from sleep as he spoke in a sexy morning growl.

She giggled.  “I know that’s not true, besides I didn’t think you were going to get much sleep after we were married.  That’s why you were going to store up beforehand.”

Without warning, he exploded into a flurry of movement, sheets flying as he pressed her onto her back and hovered over her before she knew what was happening. 

“Those are fighting words, my darling bride.”

“I’m shaking in my boots,” she sighed.

“I’ll show you shaking…”  His lips covered hers as he lowered his delicious warmth onto her. 

*** 

Their honeymoon was spent quietly with just the two of them in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.  They cooked together, talked together, walked together, and made love, settling easily into their new marriage. 

The real world was kept at bay.  After a week of seclusion, they flew to JC’s, no – their house in Florida.  Laura had never seen the house and no one was expecting them there so they shouldn’t be bothered. 

“I’ll call and get someone to deliver some groceries or food.”  He moved over to grab the phone off the wall. 

“I thought you didn’t want anyone to know we were here?”

He paused before dialing, “I don’t, why?”

“Well, if you have someone deliver something, doesn’t that say that ‘Hey, JC Chasez is in town?’  I’ll go out and get something.”

“No, I don’t want you to have to go out either.”

“Then what do you suggest, I’m getting hungry.”

A suggestive gleam snuck into his eyes, “Oh, if you’re hungry, I’m sure I can fill you up.”  He stalked around the island toward her, arms outstretched and fingers wiggling.

Squealing she quickly ran to the other side.  “Food first!”

He stopped, his eyes narrowing.  “Food, I’ll make you forget all about food.”  He again started after her. 

She took off running, sliding on the hardwood in her socks.  Getting her balance back she ran through the living room before heading toward the back door.  Unfortunately, she missed the door, forgetting which one it was when JC had given her a quick tour earlier.  Skidding to a halt, she assessed her options and found she was trapped. 

Turning around, she saw JC leaning against the door jamb, casually surveying his fingernails. 

“Now what?”  He asked still checking out his fingernails. 

In a seductive walk, she approached him, gaining his full attention.  “Now…this.”  She paused in the doorway, raising slightly on her toes as if she was going to kiss him, then took off running back the way she had come.  An arm snaked around her waist as she reached the stairs.  Laughing, he tossed her over his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs.

***

Later that evening, JC awoke from his nap to the sound of voices downstairs.  Dressing quickly he tugged his shirt on as he reached the bottom of the stairs.  Seeing no one in the living room, he headed toward the kitchen.  Freezing in the doorway, his eyes widened at the mess in the kitchen. 

Every inch of space on the counters was covered with dirty dishes and a light coating of flour.  There was a young child standing on a chair that had been pulled up to the island.  His wife was standing behind the little girl and they both had their hands in the bowl mixing the contents. 

Taking in a deep breath, he asked aloud, “Wow, how long was I asleep?”

Without taking her attention away from the bowl, she responded following his train of thought.  “Oh, about 8 years.  Leslie here is 7 so you know…”  She flashed him a quick grin. “Leslie, this is JC.  Leslie lives next door.”

He climbed up on a stool, far away from the mess.  “Hi Leslie, how did you two meet?”

Looking up bashfully, “Mommy had a ‘mergency so Laura said she’d watch me.”

“I ran to the grocery store while you were sleeping and when I got back, I met Leslie here and invited her to hang out with us for a while until her mom and dad get back.”

“We’re making cookies.”

“Yes, we are.  And pizza, don’t forget about the pizza in the oven.”

“Oh yeah,” Leslie hopped off the chair and went to peer into the window in the oven.  “It’s almost done.”

“Great, why don’t you go wash your hands in the bathroom right over there, while I finish up the cookies and then we can eat.”

Leslie rushed out of the kitchen and closed the bathroom door behind her. 

“I sleep for a couple of hours and you’re babysitting?”

“It’s not like that.  I pulled in the drive and met her parents rushing to their car.  Her mom is pregnant and thinks something is wrong with the baby so they needed to get to the hospital.  I asked if there was anything I could do and offered to watch Leslie.    Leslie’s not sure what was happening and so I’m trying to keep her mind off of it.”  She placed the last cookie on the sheet and stuck it in the oven.  

“You are going to make a wonderful mother someday,” Laura blushed as he complimented her. 

“Yeah, well your daddy skills are still questionable, I saw the look on your face when you saw the mess!”  Moving to his side of the island, she reached out her cookie dough covered hands to him.  “Let me give you a hug and kiss!”

“The kiss I’ll accept, but I’ll wait on the hug, thanks.”  Jumping off, he put the stool in between them. 

“Ah, ah, ah, can’t get one without the other.”  Just as she was reaching for him, Leslie emerged from the bathroom with clean hands.

“Is the pizza done?”  Leslie asked as JC smiled in triumph.  Laura simply mouthed next time.  

“Ask JC to please check on it, while I wash my hands.”

Leslie turned and looked up at JC, who was smiling down at her.  “Will you please check on the pizza?”

“Only if you’ll help me.”  He extended a hand to her, which she looked at cautiously before gingerly taking it. 

They walked over to lean over and check the pizza together.  Laura grinned at the picture they made.  “I think it needs another minute or two, what do you think?”  He asked the little girl. 

She thought about it, “Yeah, maybe a minute or two.”

“Why don’t we pick out a movie to watch while we eat?”

“Okay,” she trustingly tucked her hand back into his as they walked into the family room together. 

A few minutes later, JC came back into the kitchen without her.  Laura had just removed the pizza from the oven and was checking the cookies.  Deciding they were done as well, she pulled the sheet and set it on the counter as JC sliced the pizza. 

Side by side at the counter, Laura turned her body to face her husbands’, “I know this wasn’t in your plans for the day, but –“

He stopped her.  “I don’t mind at all, this is who you are and who I fell in love with.”

“I lied earlier,” He turned a questioning look her way.  “You will be a wonderful daddy someday.”

“Well until then, I think we can use all the practice we can get, right?”

Leslie came running back into the kitchen.  “Is the pizza ready?”

“Yes, Miss Leslie it is.”  JC handed her a plate with a slice of pizza on it and a napkin.  “I’ll bring your drink; you get settled so we can start the movie.”

“Okay,” holding her plate with two hands she carefully walked out of the kitchen, followed closely by Laura with two more plates of pizza and JC with three drinks. 

Their evening went by quickly.  Leslie had settled in between them on the couch as they watched a couple of Disney movies.  Finally, toward the beginning of the third, she lost the battle for sleep.  Sometime during the movies, she had moved so her head was on Laura’s lap and her feet were on JC’s.  More than once, they had shared a conspiring look and smirk over Leslie’s head at her comments during the movies. 

JC reached for the ringing phone hoping to grab it before it woke the sleeping little girl.  He shot a look at Laura, nodding that it was Leslie’s parents, before carefully moving her legs so he could step into the hall and take the phone call. 

Hanging up, he sat back down on the couch.  “They are keeping her overnight for observation, but Jim, Leslie’s dad, is coming to pick her up and take her home for the night.”

“She could stay here if Jim wants to stay at the hospital.”

“I offered that, but he says he is coming home.  He should be here in a few minutes.  I’ll carry her over there, hopefully without waking her up.”  Laura skimmed a hand over the baby soft hair as JC lifted Leslie to his shoulder.  Getting up Laura opened the door for them, as a car pulled into the driveway next to theirs. 

Falling into step beside him, they made their way to Jim. 

Jim looked very tired and stressed as he greeted them.  “JC, man, thank you so much for taking care of Leslie.”  They made the transfer to dad without waking the girl up. 

“I did very little, my wife did all the hard work.  Jim, this is my beautiful bride Laura.”  Laura smiled as JC slid an arm around her back. 

“Congratulations, I didn’t know you were getting married.  When did that happen?”

“9 days,” he looked at his watch.  “3 hours and 23 minutes ago.”

Shock showed on Jim’s face, “Aw, we ruined your honeymoon.  I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it, Leslie is a delight.”  Laura responded.  “How is your wife?”

“They are keeping her overnight to make sure the baby is stable.  It looks like she’s going to be on bed rest for the next month until the baby is born.  I wanted to stay with her tonight, but she didn’t want to bother you guys and leave Leslie with you.”

“It’s no bother at all, do you want to go back?”  Jim hesitated long enough that JC reached again for Leslie.  “Go, we’ll take care of Leslie and whatever else you need.”

“Are you sure?”  Jim asked as turned toward his car.

“Go, give us a call in the morning, and let us know what’s happening.”

“I’m so sorry to do this to you on your honeymoon.”

“It’s not a problem.  I was getting sick of being around JC all the time anyway.”  Laura said with a wink towards JC.

“Thanks you guys, I owe you one.”

Husband and wife made their way back with their temporary charge so they could tuck her into bed. 

***

In the middle of the night, Laura heard a small voice calling for her mom.  Throwing the covers off, she slid out of bed, just in time to see Leslie appear in their open doorway. 

“What’s the matter, sweetie?” 

“Where’re my mom and dad?”  She was crying. 

Striding over and picking the little girl up, Laura headed downstairs so they wouldn’t wake JC.  “Your mom is staying in the hospital tonight so they can make sure your little brother or sister is okay.  And your dad came home to make sure you were okay then he went back so she wasn’t alone.”

“When are they going to be home?” 

“In the morning, we hope.  Your dad is going to call and let us know.  But for now you get to stay with JC and I and have a good time.  What do you say I read you a story?”

On one of the bookshelves in JC’s study was a collection of children’s books that Joey’s daughter would read when they stayed at the house.  Leslie picked out one of the Little House on the Prairie books and they both settled into JC’s recliner to rock and read. 

***

In the morning, JC groggily made his way down the stairs in search of his wife.  He was still tired, but selfishly wanted his wife next to him while he slept.  He wanted her warm body pressed against his. 

He checked the kitchen – no wife, the bathrooms – nope, the cars were still in the garage so she hadn’t gone anywhere.  Then he noticed the study door open. 

He peeked in to see a sight that he hoped would be very familiar to them once they had children of their own.  Leslie had fallen asleep on Laura’s lap, Laura’s head was leaning against the back of the recliner, but JC must have made a noise because her eyes flew to his. 

Gingerly maneuvering, Laura picked Leslie up to move her to the couch where she could lay down.  JC brought a blanket from the next room to cover her up.  Laura walked into the kitchen, stretching and opened the refrigerator to get some juice.  She grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and headed to the island to pour herself a glass.  Taking a long swallow, she refilled the glass, and went to put the container back in the fridge. 

However, she found herself trapped before she could turn around.  His arms went to the counter on both sides of her waist, his long, lean body pressed against hers.  Moving one hand from the counter, he shifted her hair so he could have access to the side of her neck.  Nuzzling, he felt her shiver and smiled in response. 

“That was something, seeing you caring for that little girl.  I can’t wait until we have a houseful of our own.”

“I know the feeling, you will make a wonderful daddy.  But if we have a little girl, she’s going to have you wrapped so tight around her finger.”

“So?  You are a daddy’s girl and you turned out just perfect.”

She turned in his arms to wrap hers around his waist.  She merely kissed him in response.  “You know, I thought the sleeplessness was going to be caused by you, isn’t that what you promised?”

He stopped to think about what she meant, but she answered before he could ask.  “Right now, someone has been catching up on their sleep, but I’ve been slaving away taking care of house and home and child.  You haven’t caused any sleeplessness for almost 18 hours.”

“Mmmm…you’re right.  I have been neglectful.  I can fix that.  Tell you what, I’ll make sure you don’t get any sleep today or even tonight, how does that sound?”

“Like heaven.”

His senses were beginning to swim when a voice penetrated his consciousness.

“Laura?  JC?”  Groaning he put his head on Laura’s shoulder. 

She patted him on the back as she answered, “In the kitchen, sweetie.”  JC moved away just as Leslie entered.  He grabbed Laura’s cup of juice and drank deeply as Laura greeted Leslie and asked what she wanted for breakfast. 

After inhaling breakfast, getting dressed, and playing a couple of board games, JC answered a knock at the door.  Jim stood on the porch, disheveled and beaming. 

“Where is Leslie?”  Leslie heard her dad’s voice and came running, jumping into his arms. 

“You have a new baby sister.  Would you like to go meet her?”

“A sister?”

“Yep.  It’s a good thing I went back last night.  Just before I got back, she went into labor and they decided the baby was far enough along so they let it progress.  She’s small but perfect.”

“Congratulations,” husband and wife said in unison.

“Thank you so much for taking care of my little princess here, my mom is almost here to help with the baby and watch Leslie.  I hope she wasn’t any trouble.”

“Not at all, Leslie is a delight and we would watch her anytime.”  Laura said. 

“I appreciate it and thank you again.  I’m so sorry that we interrupted your honeymoon.”

“You didn’t, you take care of that new baby and if you need anything let us know.”  JC said as Jim and Leslie backed out the door. 

Waving goodbye, they heard Leslie ask, “Daddy, what’s a honeymoon?”

Bursting into laughter, JC shut the door and reached for Laura, but found she had already climbed halfway up the stairs.  “I think you have some promises to keep, oh husband of mine.”

He took the stairs two at a time, before tossing her over his shoulder.  “Gladly!  I always keep my promises!”