Back Home Again

Ben & Liana

Ben went out to the front porch, leaned against a post and studied his wife as she stood in the yard. They had arrived home from the honeymoon yesterday, and this morning right after breakfast Liana had started some strange ritual.

First, she'd gone into the downstairs bedroom that Dan wasn't using and stayed in there for about 30 minutes. Then, she'd trooped down to the finished basement and spent about 45 minutes down there looking at everything. After that, it was upstairs to their bedroom, where she'd leaned against the doorframe between the bedroom and his study, eyeing his study thoroughly for an untold amount of time. Now she was out in the yard, shading her eyes from the sun and looking up at the log house with a critical eye.

In his usual smooth drawl, he said, "Honey, if you'll tell me what it is you're lookin' for, I'll see if I can help you find it." Ben went down the porch steps and met her on the grass.

Sighing, Liana met his eyes. "A room for the baby. I can't figure out where we're going to put his nursery! The basement and that downstairs bedroom are too far away from us. I thought about turning your study into a nursery, but I don't know..."

"Now, stop right there." Ben halted her words quickly. "I'm damned if I'm gonna give up my study! I like it just where it is." He grinned at her. "My whole idea with that was that I'd be able to sit up workin' late and be just a few steps from the bed if I decided I needed a little lovin'. And so far, it's worked out fine!"

His eyes took on a sly, seductive look that Liana had grown quite used to during the six months they'd been together. "As a matter of fact-" Ben reached out to her playfully.

With a breathless little laugh, Liana sidestepped his hands. "Ben!" She pushed at him playfully. "We don't have time for that! We're trying to figure out where our baby's going to sleep!"

Quicker than she was, Ben got to her and pulled her into his arms. "Honey, he ain't due for seven months. An' it'll prob'ly be a good little while after that 'fore he'll be at all worried about where he's sleepin'. Now, his daddy, on the other hand-"

Ben gave her a long, slow kiss that felt as though it would completely melt her. Liana opened her mouth and responded with all her heart. When Ben drew back for breath, his eyes had a wicked gleam in them. "His daddy's worried right now that if we don't get upstairs to our room, Dan or some one of the hands is liable to wander into the yard and get a nice show!"

Already knowing that Ben would get his way--partly because she wanted to go up to the bedroom too, but mostly just because he was Ben--Liana gave up protesting and they hurried upstairs. She'd worry about the nursery again later.