#so soft!!

“C’mon Angie!” Mick shouts from the porch, grinning when the dog comes sprinting across the yard.

You were watching them play while the sun coasted below the horizon, the last few bright rays giving way to the cooler breeze of the evening. Corinna joins you on the porch and passes you a steaming mug of tea. Mick jumps from the porch and takes after Angie with a whoop.

“I think he was more excited to bring you here than he was to come home himself,” she says before blowing on her own mug. “He adores you.”

You both laugh as Angie tangles herself in his feet, both tumbling to the ground in a twist of fur and flannel. You can hear him teasing her lovingly from where you stand. “The feeling is mutual.”

When you turn back to her, she’s already focused on you, a soft smile on her lips as she watches you watch him. “I know, I can tell. Thank you, for being here for him.” She dumps what’s left in her mug into the grass and lets her free hand fall against her leg with a slap. “Let’s get supper ready, shall we? Mick! Food!”

You turn as he stands, his grin wide and hair a mess. The sunlight glints behind him, illuminating him, and you can’t help but stare as he jogs back towards you, taking the steps up to the porch two at a time. He presses a kiss to your cheek, his hands resting on your hips for a beat, before moving away, his focus on his best pal again.

——

Mick tosses another log into the fireplace and the smoldering embers hiss at the addition. You can feel the tendrils of warmth from here, the living room cozy and comfortable.

“Dinner was fantastic, thank you again Corinna.”

“You’re welcome! Thank you for your help. It’s nice to have an extra set of helpful hands around here.” She gives Mick a loving side-eye and the pair laugh. Gina navigates the Netflix screen and chooses a movie, one you and Mick had watched together a few weeks ago.

He gives you a wink before flopping down on the couch next to you, poking and nudging until you’re nestled snugly against his side. He reaches behind you and pulls a knit blanket from the back of the couch, the soft fabric smelling of clean soap and home. “Don’t tell them we’ve seen it,” he whispers in your ear as he situates the blanket over your bodies. “It will take her an hour to choose something else to watch.”

You lean into him, turning your head to press a kiss to the curve of his neck, watching the muscle in his jaw jump at the contact. “That wouldn’t be so bad.”

When he looks down at you, the blues of his eyes are bright. “I can think of a few other ways I’d rather spend the time,” he whispers, barely brushing his nose against yours.

“Mick?”

His head snaps up and Gina laughs so hard you can’t help but join in, giggling when Corinna wags a finger at him.