Imperfectly Beautiful (Jordan Knight Fanfic, Liadan #3)

Cookies and Cottages

A Week Later

-NATE-

A week tucked away from the world didn't seem anywhere close to enough as I handed my room key over to the guy at the front desk and Michelle clung onto my arm, placing light kisses on my shoulder blade.

It'd been a week of bliss—playing music together on the piano and guitar in our hotel living room, building a pillow fort in our bedroom to snuggle underneath and toggle back and forth between chick flicks that she picked to make us cry and thrillers that I picked that made her scream and curl up in my arms, and simply reconnecting and falling in love all over again.

She shared all the details of her time at Berklee and I told her all the stories from my time on the road and we quickly realized that more than anything else our hearts were at home. After years of working non-stop, I was more convinced now than ever to take a long hiatus and stay in Boston for a while to focus on my family—especially the one that I was creating with my wife. Beyond the fact that Michelle and I had Nicky as a perfect embodiment of all the emotions that we had for each other, in the midst of our talks and whispers we'd both agreed that we wanted to work more in children's theater and music education and we also wanted a home of our own to fill with plenty more mini-mes and mini-hers.

We hadn't quite gotten to the place of doing the act to get us another baby, but I knew Michelle well enough to know that her gentle touches and caresses meant she was ready and waiting for my move. She'd needed a plan and a commitment to assure that I wasn't just flying high off of emotion and after a week together neither of us had a doubt in our mind if we'd done the right thing. Waking up in each other's arms felt more right than anything I'd ever known and more than once I'd been tempted to show her just how right it felt, but the only thing holding me back was the fact that I'd decided I didn't want the hotel to be the place where I showed her—I had a better idea in mind.

Thus, after a few phone calls back and forth with my Uncle Jon while Michelle was in the shower or sleeping, I had everything all planned out.

"Did you enjoy your stay Mr. and Mrs. Knight?" the host asked and I smiled wildly. Hearing that never got old.

"Did we Mrs.?" I looked down at Michelle and she grinned.

"We did, but I do have one question," she said.

"Yes?" the host asked.

"Do you think maybe we could keep the room keys? Just for keepsakes?"

"Oh," he nodded and handed my key back. "Sure, you can do that."

"Thank you," Michelle smiled and I handed the key to her to slip into her purse while I settled the cost of the few extra things we'd bought in addition to Maria's gift for the room.

As soon as we were done, I led Michelle outside to where the limo was waiting for us and we climbed inside.

"Nate?"

"Hmm?" I ran my fingers through her hair and she nestled her head into my chest.

"Don't wake me up."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If this is another one of those times where I'm dreaming that I told you about Nicky and we're back together, then please don't wake me up," she tilted her head and gazed up at me and I softened.

"You're not dreaming, baby," I kissed her lips gently and ran my finger over her ring finger. "We're back together and I still need to buy you a real wedding ring."

Michelle grinned, "I don't know, I kind of like the sentiment of the promise ring turning into my wedding ring. I don't think I want another one, it's sweet and special. Maybe I can get a band to go along with it, but I don't want to take this one off."