Blue Plaid

Risks

In which Stella has a defining moment.

//

"Good morning, beautiful."

Those weren't words that I'd ever woken up until about two weeks ago, the exact time I started sleeping with Tyson. I hadn't really thought much about what a relationship with Tyson would be like because mostly, I had just wanted to get in his pants, but it turned out the sex was just a nice side benefit to the rest of it.

I still wasn't entirely sure what we were because it wasn't as though we'd ever had a conversation which defined our relationship, but I hadn't pushed the issue either, because putting a label on it was quite frankly terrifying. It would make it real and I was rather enjoying this honeymoon like phase.

Blinking my eyes to adjust to the light, I slowly turned my head to the side to see Tyson standing next to the bed with his black boxer briefs riding low on his hips and his fingers curled around a mug of what I assumed was tea.

"Hey," I groaned, keeping my head against the pillow. "How long have you been up?"

"Like half an hour," he shrugged, bringing the mug to his lips. "I heard Cooper on the monitor so I went to go feed him."

"Thanks, babe," I sighed, my eyes immediately widening with horror as I realized what I had said. 'Babe' was the kind of endearment you used on a boyfriend and I didn't want Tyson to think that I would automatically assume that just because we slept together, we were boyfriend and girlfriend. So I diverted his attention as quickly as possible. "Is he done with his breakfast?"

The smirk on Tyson's lips as he nodded indicated he had heard my slip of the tongue, but he didn't comment, his gaze drifting out to the common area. "Yep. Wanna say hi?"

Before I could respond, Tyson was already calling out to our son through the open doorway. "Hey, Coop! Come say good morning to your mumma."

Now that we'd had multiple encounters sans clothing, Tyson had gotten into the habit of walking around the apartment in just his boxers, and although I had no objection to that because his body was actually pretty glorious, the fact that I was currently very, very naked beneath the sheets was a bit horrifying. So before something could slip and I ended up scarring Cooper for life, I bolted upright and pulled the navy cotton sheets up over my breasts, clamping them down under my armpits just as Cooper toddled into the room, a bright smile on his face, his blue eyes wide with joy.

"Mama, mama!" he called out, racing towards the edge of the bed, "Goo maawning."

"Hey, baby," I smiled, my voice coming out breathy because my heart was racing. Making sure the sheet was securely wrapped around me, I leaned back against the headboard to keep it held tight and held out my arms. "Come give me some love."

He wasn't actually tall enough to climb onto the bed himself and Tyson snickered as he recognized that I couldn't lean forward to help Cooper without flashing him in the process, so he wrapped one arm around Cooper's middle and lifted him effortlessly atop the mattress, sending the eighteen-month old crawling towards me.

I had just about enough time inhale deeply before he swung his arms around my neck and fell against my chest. After I had successfully cradled him in my arms, I smiled widely. "Hey, Coop...do you know what today is? It's Christmas Eve!"

"Cwisma!" he repeated excitedly, clapping his hands together.

"Yeah!" Tyson grinned, plopping down on the edge of the bed and bringing his tea cup to his lips. "And guess what? We're gonna see Auntie Dani tonight!"

"Yay!" Cooper squealed again, his blue eyes lighting as he smiled at Tyson. He had grown quite fond of Dani and vice versa, to the point where sometimes she even offered to babysit Cooper with us having to ask.