Time for Ribs

By Marie S.

“If I eat one more bite, I’m going to fucking explode, Hon.” Bud reached down to pat his stomach with a huge smile on his face. Marie had surprised him with a Memorial Day feast with all his favorite foods. Despite his words, Bud picked up a rib and gnawed some more of the sweet meat off. The little one started giggling at him. She seemed to do that every time he swore. Christ, didn’t Curry ever curse?

Marie started to laugh too. He loved when she did that. She heard him swear all the time. He must be doing one of those amusing things again that he had no idea about. He thought it was only Marie he amused, but the little one had been staying over so much lately that she’d picked up Marie’s habit. Sometimes the two of them were so alike.

“What?” He really shouldn’t ask.

“If you eat many more ribs, your belly will grow bigger than mine, Bud. Though that’s not why we’re laughing.” Ashley looked at Bud and then Marie and giggled again.

“Ashley, stop torturing my husband.” She was laughing the whole time she said it. Marie approached Bud armed with a napkin. “You need a bit of a clean up, Bud.”

She wiped around his mouth with the napkin and frowned when she examined her handiwork. “That didn’t work at all.” She moistened the napkin with her tongue and went to work around his mouth again. More satisfied this time she smiled at him when she finished.

“You had barbecue sauce all around your mouth. You did look rather like a naughty bad boy.” She smiled at him and lightly kissed his now clean lips.

Bud gave her a look. His voice was low and husky when it came out. His eyes sparkled. “I suppose I can do that if that’s what you want, Marie.” He leaned in and kissed her properly until the little one groaned.

“Ugh, too much information, Bud. I don’t want to hear about your role playing. Well, maybe later.” She giggled again as she teased. Her hand strayed down to her belly. The smile that lit up her face meant that the baby had kicked again.

Bud reached out and pulled Marie down onto his lap. He’d miss the look of longing that occasionally crossed Marie’s face when she watched Ashley in awe of her pregnancy. He wasn’t ready for that conversation yet. First things first.

Once they got the little one healthily through her pregnancy maybe then they could talk about themselves. Ashley was his responsibility now. Curry had entrusted him with that. Bud took that responsibility like everything he did. Full on. He gently kissed Marie’s cheek.

“That’s okay, Bud. It’s my time to be naughty, not yours.” Marie waggled her eyebrows and winked. All three of them laughed.

“So is everyone about ready for some homemade cherry pie? I know you like ice cream. Both of you. I got some vanilla for ala mode. Do you want your pie warmed first?”

Marie was met by a duo of groans. She laughed, entirely aware she’d made too much food and they’d probably all overeaten. She’d had so much fun preparing the barbecue for them. She only wished Lachlan could have been here. Her cousin was missing him terribly.

“Can we hold off on dessert, Hon? Besides, I’m still working on my ribs. These are really good. Warm and with ice cream…later.” He grinned at her. Bud balanced her on his lap. He wanted her to stay just where she was.

“I agree…” Ashley trailed off as her cell phone started to ring. She squealed with delight which could only mean one thing. Curry was on the phone for her. She struggled to get up. As her belly grew it got more difficult. She still managed to do so fairly quickly. Motivation.

“I’ll be back soon.” She grinned at them as she flipped open her phone and dashed toward the porch swing to talk to her husband in private.

“No hurry, Ashley.” Marie called after her and then focused on Bud. “Not like she will hurry,” she giggled.

“Hardly.” Bud rolled his eyes. As soon as Curry was out of the sky, he was on the phone with Ashley. Every day while he was gone. Marie had told her that Ashley was working on finding a way for Curry to start his own business and spend more of his night’s home. Bud thought that was a good idea. He wasn’t sure how Curry could be gone so much with Ashley in her condition. No fucking way if that was him. But, you had to provide for your family too. That was a man’s job.

Bud was distracted by Marie kissing his face. He hugged her tightly around the waist and pulled her to him without getting barbecue sauce all over her. “Thanks for the great meal, Hon.”

“You’re welcome, Bud. Ashley helped me a lot too. It was fun having her over today. She is really missing Lachlan.” She kissed him again. Glad that Bud was right here. Bud had been working more hours for the Sheriff’s department, but he was still close by.

Bud nodded and eyed the rib on his plate. It still had a lot of meat on it. He bit a piece off and held it out for her to take a bite. Marie leaned in and took a bite…rather suggestively. His eyes widened. She leaned in and kissed him. She tasted like barbecue sauce now too. He licked across her lips.

“Sweet.” He grinned at her.

“Just don’t forget, Bud White. It’s my turn to be naughty tonight.” Her lips captured his before Bud had a chance to say, or think another thing.

He wouldn’t forget.