The chair was calling his name.  He had been dreaming of sinking into its comforting embrace all day.  Almost falling into the supple leather, he immediately placed his head back and closed his eyes, toeing off his shoes before he lifted his feet onto the coffee table in front of him.  While he enjoyed judging on ABDC, occasionally he just wanted a day to himself. 

He knew his wife was somewhere in the house and he should greet her, JC just couldn’t find the energy to move another inch.  His loud sigh covered the soft pad of footsteps behind him.  So he was surprised when soft feminine hands encircled his neck from behind.  They reached down and loosely clasped on top of his chest.  A light kiss pressed against his temple. 

“Long day, Jace?” 

Eyes still closed, JC smoothed his hands up her arms before he pulled her tighter against him.  “Mmm…yeah, I’ve been waiting for this all day.”

“Which – me or your chair?”  She asked teasingly.

“You…baby…it’s always going to be you.” 

“And that’s why you went straight for your chair, right?”

Now half asleep, he simply murmured. 

Her hands roamed over his chest before settling on his shoulders where she immediately began to work out the tension.  He moaned in ecstasy when she hit the right spot. 

Quiet and serious now, she softly asked, “Why don’t I go ahead and fill the tub?  Go get undressed and I’ll work on these muscles some more.”

His murmur was undecipherable. 

So with a smile she removed her hands and stood behind him.  “Jace, you need to get up if you want me to continue.”

“I’m up,” he mumbled, eyes still shut, but leaning forward. 

“Five minutes, JC.”

He rolled his neck in response. 

She turned down the lights in the bathroom and lit a few candles as the tub filled.  It had been too long since they had shared a bath and she was anticipating the next few hours.  All she had to do was help JC relax and put the stresses of judging behind him. 

This would be a night to remember…

***

JC was struggling to find the energy to stand.  The promise of a massage was at the forefront of his mind.  He was never sure how his wife knew the exact spot that was bothering him, but she would work on the muscles until he was putty in her hands.  And the promise of a massage in the tub?  JC was not oblivious to what that meant. 

He shifted to adjust the sudden tightness in his pants before he was startled by a blood curdling scream.  Forgetting his tiredness, JC leapt to his feet and took the long path to their bedroom in three bounds. 

The sight before him stopped him in his tracks. 

His wife – his beautiful, loving, normally reserved wife was crouched on top of the dresser they shared.  Her hands covered her mouth as she rocked back and forth, not taking her gaze from a nearby chair. 

“What in the world –”  JC started to ask, but was interrupted. 

“Jace, please you have to kill it, Jace, it’s under the chair, it ran over my foot, kill it NOW!”  She yelled at him. 

“What is it?”  He asked cautiously.

“The biggest spider I have ever seen!”  She exclaimed.  “It was at least as big as my hand, please Jace – kill it!”

JC was still trying to figure out why his wife was on the dresser.  “How have we been married for two years and I had no idea that you were afraid of spiders?”

Half laughing, half sobbing, she pleaded.  “Please JC, please kill it, what if it escapes and then lays a bunch of eggs, please Josh, just KILL IT!!!!”

Shaking his head, he moved over to the closet for a pair of tennis shoes.  Not bothering to tie them, he warily watched his wife as he crossed to where she indicated.  “Here?”

“Under that chair…go fast, ‘cause it’s gonna run.”

With one more look at his wife, JC moved the chair away from the wall and saw the object of her panic.  “As big as your hand?  This little thing?”  JC teasingly reached down and pretended to pick the quarter sized spider up.

She whined as she watched, ready to bolt out of the room, if JC came any where close to her.  “Joshua Scott Chasez!”

Seeing the spider begin to move, JC quickly stepped on it, not letting it get away. 

“You can get down now.”

She shook her head emphatically , “Not until you get rid of it.”

“Seriously?”  Who was this woman he had married?

“Jace, if you don’t, I’ll make you go with me to give blood tomorrow, all those needles…those long, sharp, pointy needles…”  She threatened.  It was enough to make him snap into action. 

He quickly grabbed a tissue and proceeded to flush the insect down the toilet.  Only then would his wife even think about coming down from the top of the dresser. 

“Are you sure it’s gone?”

“How could you be afraid of spiders?”

One eyebrow raised, she threw words back at him.  “How can you be afraid of an inanimate object?  Needles save your life…one bite from a spider can kill you.”

He held up his hands in mock surrender, just the thought of her giving blood, the needle piercing skin, was enough to make him lightheaded.  Trying to distract himself, he placed his warm hands around her waist to help her to the floor.  But she had other ideas…

With a small hop, she landed in his arms, legs wrapped tightly around his waist.  Not expecting that move, JC stumbled back a couple feet before bumping into the bed and landing on his back, his wife held securely in his arms. 

“What was that about?”  He asked.

She propped herself up, hands braced on his chest.  “What if there are more of them?”  She asked worriedly. 

“I’ll protect you…isn’t that what we said in our vows?  Love, honor, cherish, and protect each other from spiders and needles?” 

He loved the teasing smile on her face as she bent down, hair falling around them like a curtain.  “What do you say we take this to the tub?” 

He sat up underneath her, stopping her from getting to her feet.  Sweeping her up into his arms, he replied with a large grin, “Careful, I’d better carry you in case another one of those monsters makes an appearance.”

On slightly unsteady feet, he bore his wife to the large tub that awaited them as she kissed and licked the spot on his neck that turned him on instantly. 

“My hero…”  

Suddenly he wasn’t so tired anymore.