We’d visited Finland too, which had been interesting because of course it had been in the middle of winter, and I’d never felt cold like that. We were going to go back next summer, once his parents got settled there for their retirement.
Everything in our lives was going well, almost scarily so. I was trying to stay optimistic, because even after three years, we were still hopelessly in our honeymoon phase, and I was starting to think maybe that whole concept was a lie. If you worked on loving your partner and yourself, maybe there was no such thing. Maybe it was all just… life, and love, and making the most of both.
I took off my shoes and jacket, then quietly scarfed down a sandwich. I was ready to get to bed with my man.
Except, shower first. Damn it. Sighing, I tiptoed into the bathroom, then reconsidered and figured I might as well take a bath while I was at it.
I went into the other bathroom, trying to be as quiet as possible. It had been a long week, and I could really use the soak. I turned on the water, then stripped and took the clothes to the hamper I’d left at the washing machine that morning. I’d do the laundry tomorrow, probably.
Peeking in through the cracked open bedroom door, I saw Luukas asleep, face down, the sheets pooling right below his naked ass. I bit my knuckles to stay quiet. That man was pure temptation in a sometimes grumpy, tattooed shell.
He had some grays in his hair and beard now, and he’d never looked more attractive to me. I couldn’t wait to grow old with him.
When I settled myself into the almost too hot water, I poured in some bubbles. Not too much, I’d learned that lesson soon after I’d taken my first bath here. I leaned back and groaned happily.
This was the way to self-care after a long week for sure.
I extended my leg and wiggled my toes to get the bubbles to move. Then I repeated it with my other foot. It was funny.
As I glanced around the bathroom, I saw my small army of rubber duckies and other bath toys in their basket on the shelf next to the tub.
I really shouldn’t…. I felt the itchy feeling under my skin as I tried to stick to the headspace that would get me to bed quickest.
But maybe just a few minutes….
Luukas
A sound started to nibble at the edges of my mind. Slowly but surely, I began to wake up to it. I’d taken a shower after work, forgone getting dressed again, eaten something standing in the kitchen, and then I’d faceplanted on the bed.
Now, I groaned as I rolled over and listened. I smiled slowly. The splashing and giggling from down the hall was so joyous it made me chuckle under my breath.
Quietly, I got out of bed and stretched my aching body. I wished I’d listened to my mentor when he’d told me to start making ergonomic choices as soon as I began to tattoo people. I could only hope that Zain, who now worked for me full time instead of renting a chair—his choice—had listened to me giving him the same advice.
I made my way to the bathroom doorway and peeked in.
Bear was pushing his rubber duckies under the water, then letting them bounce back to the surface, giggling madly.
“Baby boy,” I said gently. “Are you having a good time?”
Bear startled and splashed, then giggled again. “Yes! Daddy, look!” He did the trick with his biggest rubber duck, and I chuckled.
“Okay, but you know it’s bedtime, right?”
He whined. “But, Daddy….”
“Don’t you ‘but, Daddy’ me, little boy. It’s really late and Daddy woke up to you playing in the tub.” I tried to appear stern, even though I knew he’d sorely needed this time after the week he’d had.
“Okay….” He pouted as he pulled the plug and then rinsed all his toys under the tap. He put the shower on next and rinsed himself with the same offhanded efficiency he’d given his toys.
I held his towel open and waited for him to smush himself against me so I could dry him a little. I’d let him do it himself in the past and I’d learned my lesson. Little boys weren’t very good at making sure they were dry for bed.
I leaned down to dry his legs and winced.
“Oh no, Daddy. Are you hurty?”
“Yeah, baby. Daddy’s back is a bit sore still. It should be better in the morning.”
He seemed to ponder on this while I finished drying him. When we were finally in the bedroom, he asked, “Daddy can I try to give you a back rub? Maybe it’ll help?”
