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Last Pieces Of The Puzzle - (25)

Last Pieces Of The Puzzle.

I wake the next morning to an empty bed and it takes me a few moments to realise that this is out of the ordinary, or what has been 'ordinary' for the past few weeks.

Wincing, I wake up, pushing the covers off me. I look around the painfully familiar room, noticing that, as usual, nothing is out of place.

After a few minutes, it registers.

Oliver.

I push up from the bed, rushing out the room. 'Oliver?' I call out uncertainly, pushing open the door of the room he was sleeping in last night to find it empty.

'Ivan?' I raise my voice further, shutting the door behind me and walking towards the kitchen.

'In here,' his voice drifts towards me.

I can't help the smile that stretches across my face upon noticing the sight that greets me when I enter the kitchen.

Oliver is sitting at the kitchen island, while Ivan is perched next to him, cutting his pancakes up for him. 'Hi, Mommy!' he chirps.

'Hey, honey,' I murmur, moving across the kitchen and drop a kiss on his forehead. 'Did you sleep okay?'

He nods eagerly. 'Yes, I did.'

I smile lightly, ruffling his hair. 'I'm glad,' I say, starting to move away.

Before I can get very far, however, a strong arm curls around my waist and promptly pulls me back. I let out a little yelp as I find myself hitting his chest.

Ivan nestles his head in my neck. 'Where's my kiss?' he murmurs.

I wiggle, trying to get out of his arms. 'Ivan,' I scold. 'Not here,' I tell him. Part of the reason I don't want to kiss him is because of my son sitting right next to us, but also because we haven't actually done anything more than hug and chastely kiss each other on the cheek since I arrived last night. A large part of me is nervous.

'Why not, baby?' he asks, amusement clear in his voice. 'You wander into the kitchen, looking like that in my t-shirt, yet you won't let me ask for a kiss?'

I twist myself around in his arms. 'Not in front of Oliver,' I shake my head firmly at him, trying desperately to stop the blush from spreading across my face. I'd forgotten I went to bad last night in only his t-shirt and my underwear.

He studies me for a moment, evidently trying to gauge how serious I'm being. After a few moments, he groans, but leans forward to kiss my cheek either way. 'How did you sleep?'

'I slept well, thank you. How about you?' I respond, still trying to escape his grasp, but only half-heartedly. I'd stay in his arms forever, if I could.

Ivan's eyes are dancing as he regards me. 'Better than I have in a few weeks, actually,' he replies, a smile spreading across his face.

I gulp, very aware why he hasn't slept well recently. 'I'm glad,' I nod, not really sure what to say. 'Now would you mind letting me go so I can go and change, please?'

'What if I said I liked it this way?' he asks cheekily, his mouth curved into a smirk.

I shake my head. 'Come on, please. I won't take long.'

'It better not,' he kisses my cheek swiftly, before loosening his grip on me so I can leave the room and change.

As promised, I'm very swift and once I'm in the kitchen in the same clothes I was wearing last night, I make myself a mug of coffee. 'Do either of you want a drink?' I ask over my shoulder as I wait for the kettle to boil.