A Blue Hippo Named Pentunia Who: Lia and Riley When: Early afternoon Where: The festival Warnings: None
The park was crowded, but Lia figured it would be. This was the first, real social event the dome had had since opening, and she was guessing people could use a change from the strange occurrences and deaths that had been happening. It was about an hour or so before the bachelor auction, and Lia and Riley were walking side by side through the park, checking out the various booths. Sophia had gone off with a friend of hers from school, and the little girl's mother, so Lia was enjoying the alone time with him until the auction started. They had managed to get through dinner at her house the evening before without arguing again, although to Lia's disappointment, the night hadn't ended with Riley sleeping over. Not that she had thrown herself at him, or anything, and taking it slow was the smart idea, but six years was a long time to go without physical intimacy. Six long years.
"It's nice," Lia said of the festival, glancing over the booth they were passing. "It's kind of strange, because it's so... normal feeling. But nice."
The previous night, despite it's initial outburst of negativity, the scene at Eatzy's which almost made him want to laugh when he thought of it now, had been a really good one. All Riley had wanted to do was scoop her up into his arms and take her to bed. With Sophia at a sleepover he could have. But they both knew it would over-complicate an already very complicated situation. Which had made it so difficult to leave. So he had taken the walk home slowly, pondering just where they were going to end up. Thinking far in advance to wrinkles and gray hair and smiling in the filtered moon light.
Now, wandering the festival by her side, he felt content and yet antsy too. He was so proud to be at her side amidst the excitement and the myriad delicious smells. But part of him wanted to be completely alone with her. Kiss her. He was lost that thought when she spoke, snapping him to reality. "Hm? Oh, sure. Especially after the curfew and flying bitey things." And the deaths. They'd troubled him but he never brought them up. There was enough negativity under their surface. Why add to it from an external source? After a beat he added, "It is nice." But he was looking at her.
Laughing, even though it wasn't really a laughing matter, Lia looked over at him. "Flying bitey things... otherwise known as bats." She nudged him playfully with her elbow. Despite the light mood between them, Lia still wanted to take his hand and find a tree somewhere so they could hide behind it and kiss. It was amazing the various emotions Riley managed to draw from her. One minute she was feeling defensive and argumentative, and the next she wanted to get him alone and naked. But Lia supposed it was going to be an emotional struggle for quite some time, until they finally felt like they were on even ground.
The way he looked at her had her smile softening, and she had to resist reaching up to mess with her ponytail. "Do you think we can get through an entire day together without arguing?" Lia asked, her tone only holding a hint of teasing.
Riley made a soft "oof" sound as she nudged him as though she'd really nailed him and he stumbled a bit before falling back into step beside her. "Okay, okay, bats. Sheesh." He laughed under his breath, not sure why he felt so damned silly other than he was a little high on the commotion around them... and between them.
Riley chose to put a positive spin on what she'd asked because it was pretty likely not possible. "Not sure about that, darlin. What if we find something to fight about right now, get it over with, and enjoy the rest of the day. Here, I'll start." He cleared his throat, deepened his voice, and creased his brow in feigned annoyance, keeping his eyes stubbornly straight ahead. "Don't make fun of the way I refer to bats. It's rude to nitpick?" He coughed down a chuckle and eyed her sideways.
"Then don't call me darlin'," Lia countered, lifting her chin stubbornly, though it was obvious by the amusement in her eyes that she was just kidding. "It's extremely sexist of you." Honestly, some women might have lifted a brow at being called darling, or any other kind of pet name, but Lia loved it when Riley used that particular term for her. She didn't know why, but it was a bit of a turn on. Of course, that could have been six years of celibacy talking. Lia tried to keep the threatening smile at bay. "If we fake argue, do we get to kiss and make up when we're finished?"
Riley nearly kissed her then. She was so beautiful with that haughty if playful expression on her face. Chin high. Instead he lightly tweaked her ponytail. "Look, if I wanted to hang out with a sheila who whinges at everything, I wouldn't be in my best boots and hat. And I'd have in my biggest 'beer-plugs.'" He folded his arms across his chest, his shoulders quaking slightly with internal laughter. He glanced over at her then, unable to hide the smile anymore. "That's a good question, darlin. Does a fake argument lead to fake kisses? Because I rather like your real ones but I'm not sure I'm good with having a real argument to get them."
Yeah. They were going to give in one of these days. It was inevitable and he knew it. He loved her, who she was and everything about her. But all he seemed to be able to think about was her body right now. If he didn't get her into bed and soon he was going to go cross-eyed from the tension.
It was so much easier to tease one another, than to think about the past and give in to those particular tensions. Lia knew she would much rather feel this between them than any kind of hurt or resentment. Arching a delicate brow, Lia considered him for a moment before reaching over to hook a finger in one of the belt loops of his jeans. She tugged him after her, leading him toward the edge of the park where there were less of a crowd. The only thing keeping her from dragging him back to her bedroom was the fact that Sophia was still off with her friend. Having a daughter certainly made being alone more difficult, but it was just something they would have to get used to.
Once they were a bit out of the way, Lia turned to Riley, reaching for his waist with her other hand to draw him to her, a mischievous look in her eyes. "Let's just pretend we had a real argument," said said. "I yelled at you, you yelled at me, blah, blah, blah. Now's our chance to make up."
Riley's brows shot up in slight surprise and definite enjoyment as she pulled him along by a belt loop. "Oh so forceful," he said quietly, giving a shrug of pleased helplessness to a couple passersby who looked askance or disapproving. "I like a woman who knows what she wants, ropes it, and takes it away with her," he said once they were further out of earshot and sight of others. He did like it when she took charge like this. Sure, he was a guy. He was expected to have physical intimacy on the brain but knowing she did too. Well that made him feel golden.
He pulled her up firmly against his chest. "Sounds like a real brawl." He kissed her left cheek. "Got our blood running hot." He kissed her left cheek. "Seeing red." He kissed her chin. "Mm, let's make up. I don't want to fight anymore." He kissed the corner of her lips teasingly.
Of course she had intimacy on her mind. She had gone so long without, had devoted so many years to her daughter, rather than herself. But having Riley around again seemed to awaken those urges all over again, especially when she recalled what their first time had been like... and their last time, when Sophia had been conceived. Those memories alone got her hot and bothered, even if she tried not to show it.
Lia smiled, lifting her arms up around his neck as he kissed her face. Honestly, she didn't care if people saw them at this point. It wasn't like she was undressing him in front of everyone. Yes, her blood was running hot, but certainly not because of a fight. "Then maybe you should say you're sorry," Lia murmured, brushing her fingers through the hair at the nape of Riley's neck before pressing her lips against his jaw. "Then maybe I'll forgive you."
It was literally because they were in public that he was able to keep himself, especially his hands which wanted to go questing along her soft curves, under control. Mostly. He wasn't even considering the fact that Sophia was wandering around the same area and could happen upon them at any moment. The way they were standing would be pretty difficult to explain to the little girl. He was focused entirely on Lia, blinders to the rest of the world.
Riley's voice was quiet, barely above a baritone rumble humming against her skin as he kissed the tender spot beneath her ear. "You want a bloke to say it or to show you he's contrite?" He loved the feel of her fingers against the sun-darkened back of his neck. It reminded him of the days when they lived at least 5 miles from the nearest neighbor and had nothing to be ashamed of by christening every area of their home. Inside and out. He sighed pleasantly.
"Whatever way said bloke thinks will earn forgiveness faster," Lia teased lightly. When they were standing like this, it was so easy to forget everything else. They might have had a chasm between them...they might have had multiple issues to work through... but one thing Lia knew would be the same was their sexual compatibility. Lia had never been attracted to anyone else the way she had been with Riley. It might have been shallow, but that was one way she had known he had been the one for her. Peppering small kisses along his jaw and down his neck, Lia had to remember that even though they were smack dab in the middle of a large crowd, they were still out in public, and she had to sigh before lifting her face to look at him. "Do you think it's smart of us to wait... or are we just purposely torturing ourselves? Because I want you and I know that it's fast but at the same time... it's been too long." Hopefully he understood what she meant. Lia knew the time and distance was entirely her fault.
Riley shivered pleasantly at the sensations her lips sent across his skin. "You have twenty five years to stop doing that," he murmured. His fingers trailed up along her back then back down again, curling around her hips and bringing her closer. His smile was slow she pulled back to look at him. "You ask me that right now?" he breathed a laugh. "The things I want to do to you right now might get us arrested. Maybe it's fast but neither one of us has had this in a very long time. With anyone, let alone each other. Right?" He leaned toward her and lightly nibbled on her lower lip, kissing her softly before saying, "Right now, the only waiting I think we should be doing is until we are in private. My judgment might be a tad clouded though."
Lia couldn't help but laugh, even though her eyelids were feeling heavy from the feel of his lips pressing softly against hers. "I'm not suggesting we undress each other here. Or even find a building to hide behind..." Although that was pretty tempting too. But Lia tried to remain focused. "It's just, my brain keeps telling me to wait and take it slow. I know we still have... well, it might just make things more complicated. But my body's never been able to say no to you." Lia nipped lightly at his lower lip before she smiled mischievously. "I suppose I could tell myself it's my wifely duty to let you take me to bed... then maybe I wouldn't overthink it too much."
"No, I don't recommend public displays of that much affection," he agreed with her and laughed as well. They were possibly the world's strangest couple at the moment. Torn between emotional struggles and physical hunger for each other. A six year gap between them and yet, in this moment, if felt like they'd never ended their honeymoon. He knew what she meant though. "Mine wanted to say the same thing but I told it to switch off. It did." He trailed his tongue along his lip where her teeth had been and smiled rakishly at her. "Wifely duty, hm? You sure about not finding a building to hide behind?" His hands slid up along her sides, thumbs grazing along her stomach, her ribs.
Lia would have definitely agreed on the strange aspect of their relationship. She had no idea how they would be reacting to one another at any given time, but she had to admit, she preferred these moments over everything else. Lia was aware that they would argue again, fight even, but she did her best not to let that knowledge spoil what they had right now. Her skin grew hot under his hands, and Lia was struggling to ignore the urge to take him someplace more private. It was easier when they had been teenagers, sneaking off to make out, because there had been a sense of invincibility then, throwing caution to the wind and letting their hormones lead them. She wished for those times again, and if Sophia hadn't been around somewhere with her friend, it was possible Lia would have let her heart and body guide her rather than her head. "You shouldn't tempt me," Lia murmured, running her palms down his chest to his waist.
What he wouldn't have given in that moment to be able to touch her skin. Run his fingers along something other than her clothes and the mostly safe zones appropriate for public. He wanted her badly enough that it was fast going to become a problem if they didn't stop or find somewhere to go and relieve the mounting tension between them. It had been easier when they were teenagers and when they hadn't had a child to consider. It felt a little unfair to have to tap the brakes but, in spite of his brain being 'switched off,' he still saw the merit in prudence for the moment. "I know. I know." He didn't bother looking sheepish because he didn't feel it. "You drive me crazy though, woman." He kissed her chastely then and sighed. "What should we do with ourselves to keep out of trouble? Is that even possible right now?"
It was a bit of an ego boost, knowing that after all this time, and after everything she had done, Lia was still able to tease Riley enough to put that look in his eyes. A part of her felt as if he should still loathe her for everything, but he didn't. At least not enough to stay away from her. It was difficult working through their problems when it was clear enough that the sexual tension was affecting them both. All Lia could do is blame memories, attraction and years of celibacy. It was a miracle they hadn't given in yet. Reluctantly, Lia stepped back, dropping her hands from his waist to take his hand again and lead him back toward the heart of the festival. "Maybe we should find our daughter. That should put a damper on things pretty quickly," she told him with a small smile. "She'll keep you running around so much that you won't have time to think about anything else, I promise."
Riley gave her a look that clearly said it didn't matter what was happening, short of say a zombie uprising, it wasn't going to be much of a deterrent from his current desire to take her somewhere private and make love to her. "Sophia will be distracting, sure. But I can still taste you," he said quietly in her ear as he followed her toward the festival. He didn't mind in the least that she'd taken to leading him around. He'd follow her anywhere at this point. "And I want more," he added. Beside a large glass popcorn machine he stopped her but didn't let go of her hand. "Hey, you're okay with what just happened, right? We didn't stop because it made you uncomfortable, right?" Yes, the brain was coming out of the fog and thinking again.
Having his lips near her ear prompted a smile from her, even as it got her heart racing again. It was delicious torture, and for the hundredth time since finding Riley again, Lia was realizing just how much she had missed out on, being alone for so long. When he stopped her, she turned toward him, lifting her gaze to his face curiously. And then she tilted her head and gave him a look, her lips twitching into a faint smile. He was always overthinking things, wasn't he? "It made me uncomfortable, yes, but not for the reason you would think. Riley, you know me. You know I'm never going to do anything I don't want to do. I'm the one who took you over there so we could have some more privacy, wasn't I?"
"I do, yes," he admitted to knowing her. Though it had been six years ago, she didn't seem to have changed too drastically. But this was an situation that'd had them running the emotional rollercoaster often. "Starting something is not always the same as finding yourself in the middle of it and not wanting it." He gazed into her eyes, searching to be sure he wasn't missing anything he should've been aware of earlier. "And, you know, in the middle of it is not exactly when I'm thinking my clearest. Fell clean out of my dad's hayloft in the middle once, remember?" He smirked at himself in retrospect. He wasn't that hormonal teenager anymore but he still got lost in the moment with her pretty easily. He really didn't want to overstep and miss the cue.
The memory was one she had almost forgotten, and being reminded of it had Lia tilting her head back and laughing. "Yes, you did, didn't you? I would have said it ruined the moment, but I think I was too busy being torn between laughing and making sure you hadn't broken any bones when it happened." Lia could understand Riley's desire to make certain she was on the same page as him. Things could head down a bad path pretty fast if they weren't, and certain lines were crossed. Her smile eased a bit, and Lia squeezed his hand before bringing his fingers up to her lips. "I won't start anything I don't plan on finishing this time," she murmured. "I promise." It probably wasn't smart of her to say so, but Lia wanted to reassure him that things could be different this time. She wanted to believe that they could be.
Riley felt relieved he hadn't missed anything and smiled at her squeeze. That was all he needed to hear though he bit back the desire to teasingly say, "Guess that means no more kissing." He held his tongue. He was not prepared to let that go, not by a long shot. "To this day my ribs warn me of the rain," he laughed, referencing how he'd managed to crack two or three of them. "Didn't even feel it then though. Climbed the ladder and continued to spout poetry in worship to your body. Drove me crazy then. Still driving me crazy." He grinned and held his side with his free hand. "But I don't mind. It's worth the pain."
"Yeah, well, you were a horny teenage boy," Lia reminded him. "I don't think cracked ribs were going to keep you from finishing." And just because she could, Lia lifted her hand to press gently against his ribs. It was difficult to keep from touching him, even though this wasn't the time or place to be pawing at one another. "Maybe when we have time, and some privacy, I'll be able to kiss it and make it feel better, like I did back then." It was suggestive of her, sure, but apparently those particular boundaries were forgotten for the moment. Besides, Lia liked to drive him crazy. She always had. And it felt normal, and right and she desperately needed that right then.
"No," he answered with a laugh. "No, there wasn't a way I was going to leave off. Cracked bones and bruises or no." This time her touch didn't make him go warm with excitement. Rather it had a comforting, grounding effect. It felt good and natural. This, like the near frenzied need for each other of moments ago, was also part of them that he never wanted to end. When they could remember the past fondly and laugh about it together. He was falling in love with her all over again and in a somewhat different way than when they'd first been in love. He couldn't help but have seemingly inordinate appreciation for the quieter, thoughtful times he'd taken for granted when he'd been younger and before he'd known what he'd lose if she were gone. If she looked, she'd see it in his eyes. Along with how it pleased him that she be so forward with him. "You have a date, Mrs. Pollard. For kissing all the boo-boos."
Lia wouldn't have believed it was possible to rediscover buried feelings again so quickly. It hadn't even been a week since she and Riley were reunited outside of her house, but in some ways, it felt like they hadn't been apart for as long as they had. It was difficult to sort through the various emotions she had, both the good and the bad, but Lia found she was willing to try, no matter how terrifying it was. It probably spoke volumes that she had a few dates here and there, though nothing serious. She had never felt any urge to sleep with another man. And after only a couple of days with Riley, she was seriously considering risking getting busted for public nudity just to drag him somewhere and have her way with him. Lia laughed softly before pushing up on her toes to press a kiss to his lips again. "The sooner the better, then," she said once she pulled back. It was somewhat strange to be referred to as Mrs. Pollard again. Lia had been going by her maiden name for years, but she couldn't say that it bothered her. "How do you suppose we should distract ourselves? We've got a full day to get through."
To Riley these feelings were simply a matter of re-training his brain to think of her as alive rather than dead. Because he'd never stopped loving her in some way. He'd never buried it though he hadn't wallowed in it after some years had passed. He'd tried so hard not to think about her that he'd thrown himself into combat like he had a death wish some days. When he got back and really forced himself to face things, he'd come to the realization that if he wasn't thinking about her ... who would? She deserved to be remembered. So he had. And now she was here. In the flesh, and he couldn't think of anything better. He'd take whatever he could get and attempt not to hold on too tightly, afraid to lose her again.
He grinned as she stood on her toes to kiss him. He kissed her back and gave her ponytail a playful tug. "Mmm, yes, the sooner the better." He was tempted to hold her there and kiss her some more but he contented himself with holding her hand. He thought he'd seen Sophia gamboling alongside her friend not too far away. He didn't want that level of distraction just yet. He loved the little girl and there would be plenty of time to get to know her. He wanted to focus on Lia right now. "Well could always go find out if I still have what it takes to win you the 'biggest teddy bear in the fair,'" he said with a grin, indicating the row of games and their stuffed prizes with a nod of his head. "Or maybe we could find the music and have that dance I seem to recall I was promised."
Both sounded like a fun way to distract themselves, although Lia was afraid if they danced together, it would be hard to get her mind off of what she really wanted to be doing with him. "Maybe it's best to have you try and win me some kind of ridiculous stuffed animal," she murmured, slipping her finger into his belt loop again to give it a small tug. "I don't know that I could keep my hands off of you properly if we're dancing. At least not yet." Plus, if they were playing games, she could keep an eye on Sophia. And if Sophia saw the potential to get prizes handed to her, their daughter was likely to tag along too. "Is that okay? Maybe once I'm not fighting the urge to get you alone, we can dance."
Riley nodded, hearing the sense of what she was saying. He put his hand over hers as it tugged at his belt loop, loving it yet knowing where that was going to lead his mind again. "True true. There's no telling what we'd get up to but it'd be good to dance with you again some time. I think Sophia promised me a dance too so perhaps later when we're all together I'll dance with both my girls together?" It was his turn to tug her and he started toward the row of games, it's noise and smells bringing back more good memories of other times together with her. "So, do you want the large green bear, the massive blue tiger, or the behemoth pink dragon?" He gazed at her sideways. "Or are you going to insist on trying to beat me to them yourself?"
"How about all three?" Lia challenged with a mischievous grin. "If you think you've got what it takes. And I'll resist trying to win them myself, although you know I could." Yes, Lia could get competitive. And it had been a really long time since she had done anything like this, but Riley had always been fun to play against, no matter what it was. He seemed to challenge her in every aspect of her life, and Lia realized again how much she missed that. "If you can't get them for me, I'll win them for you. Then you can walk back to your ranch and show all your ranch hands your brand new pink dragon."
Riley's father had always been extremely competitive, squashing Riley's spirit with it. It had been a negative thing for a very long time until he'd met her. And with Lia he could play one-upmanship safely and for the fun of it. He loved it when she got competitive because he loved challenging her. Life had often felt like an ongoing duel between them, mostly in a positive way. He was glad it seemed like it would continue. He stopped pulling her and came to a stop beside a game of ring toss. He fought back a grin, instead choosing to furrow his brow and scrunch up his mouth as though insulted by the image of having to walk home with a large pink stuffed animal. "Oh, you know what, woman? It is so on. And I will win that pink dragon and I will put it on my mantelpiece. What do you think about that?"
Laughing, Lia rubbed her hand up and down his arm before she stretched her arms out and cracked her knuckles. "All right, Pollard, we'll see if you've still got it. Mind you, I've still got amazing aim. And you know I don't like to lose." She didn't, though she had never been a sore loser by any means. Riley had always made everything fun. She had to wonder again what she had been thinking when she disappeared so long ago. Lia blocked that from her mind quickly, not wanting to go down that path again. At least now not. "I bet if you win that dragon, it won't go anywhere near your mantlepiece. Unless you think you can take the teasing."
Riley lifted one brow slightly as she cracked her knuckles. "Glad to see you mean business. Better bring you A game." He took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and pretended to spit on his palms, rubbing them together. "Not like it's a masculinity issue to have a pink stuffed animal on a man's mantlepiece. Lots of blokes have 'em," he said as though it were perfectly true. He liked this. It was the easiness between them that he really enjoyed. He grabbed 3 rings from the vendor and tossed the first one. It arched promisingly toward a bottle then pinged off the rim, flying spectacularly off into the back of the booth and out of sight. "That was just a warm up."
Laughing, Lia shook her head. "No way. We never agreed on warm ups. This is the real deal, and no do overs." She was fairly confident she could do a decent job. Lia had perfected her aim over the past few years, when she'd had to use a gun. That wasn't really something she planned on telling Riley about but it has been necessary for survival before the domes. Arching a brow, she folded her arms against her chest. "You've got two more chances to impress me, sweetheart."
Riley had gotten fairly good over the years with a gun and crossbow, and lobbing a grenade didn't come too far behind in accuracy. But somehow tossing the tiny rings seemed to be outside of his abilities. His second and third rings pinged off in random directions even though the third had looked like it might hit its mark. It popped off at the last second. He groaned and looked chagrined. "Well that wasn't supposed to happen like that. I think it must've been the sun. You're blocking it or something." He poked at her folded arms. "Really think you can do better?"
"Excuses, excuses," Lia said. It was possible her cheeks would get sore soon from smiling so much. "I can absolutely do better." She stepped forward and took three rings for herself before getting her feet planted. Lia concentrated and threw the first ring. It missed, but not by much. "Don't you dare say anything," she warned Riley with a sideways glance. Then she returned her attention to the game. By some miracle, she actually made the other two rings, and Lia threw her arms up in victory, jumping happily. "Even with you blocking the sun," she teased.
"Excuses? Have you seen your ego? It's eclipsing!" He chuckled, teasing. Riley glanced down her back and legs as she planted her feet. He had his own arms crossed over his chest and he nodded. "Wouldn't dream of saying anything," he said as she missed. "But that's some good posture you've got going on there. Mmhm." He glanced at her rear end then, just in time for her to catch him doing it. He watched her make the last two rings and laughed happily as she celebrated. He liked seeing her so carefree and alive. She was so beautiful. He almost said it out loud but instead he said, "Well, nobody's perfect. At least I missed all three times."
Stepping in toward him, Lia poked playfully at his chest. "Don't you dare try and diminish my domination over you. I get a prize, so why don't you pick out what neon colored animal you want so I can hand it over." What she really wanted, unfortunately, wasn't behind the booth. Nor was it anything she could claim there, in front of everyone. Maybe later. Or soon, if she was lucky.
"Oh fine. You rule, I drool," Riley conceded playfully. He laughed and slid an arm around her to kiss her cheek. And to be closer. He breathed her in and set his own cheek against her hair as he looked over the animals. "What do you think? The garishly pink dragon or the equally offensive blue hippo in a tutu?" He thought a moment and continued, "I'm leaning toward the hippo. Would go better with the decor in my bedroom."
It was so nice being close to him. Lia set her hand on his hip, closing her eyes to enjoy the warmth of his body when he spoke again. The person behind the booth was probably getting a bit uncomfortable with the constant little displays of affection, but she didn't care. Giggling, Lia lifted her face to look at him. "Any animal with a tutu is a must have. Although I think I may need to see your bedroom to make sure it fits with the rest of your decor, you know? Can I really trust your judgment when it comes to interior design?" What better excuse to get into Riley's bedroom than a tutu clad stuffed hippo?
Riley was also beyond caring if the vendor appreciated their affection. He had six years worth of it pent up and waiting to be given to her. And by the looks of it, they weren't the only ones who were expressing their feeling for each other in public. Some hadn't even taken the precaution of moving to the edges of the crowds before they had some pretty steamy connections. He wasn't watching them though. He had eyes for her only. "It is a must have, you're so right. I'm pretty sure that my judgment on decor is sound however, it's always good to get a second opinion. Please, let me know when you have a few minutes in your schedule to come over and help me decide just where to put Petunia," he said and laughed, taking the animal offered by the vendor who was clearly not as amused as Riley.
Lifting a brow, it was difficult for Lia to keep from laughing. "I may need more than a few minutes. It could take hours..." And no, Lia wasn't talking about checking out bedroom decor whatsoever. She looked over at the hippo and finally released a laugh. "Petunia, huh? Lovely name. She's going to feel right at home at the ranch. Make sure you introduce her to everyone who works for you." She tugged playfully at the hippo' s tutu.
"Think you might like to come with me and help introduce her? She might need a woman's perspective to explain the particular supposition of the something or other." He stopped talking and simply laughed. "Petunia says that you can take as long as you need to in the room. Just so long as you find the perfect place for her in the long run." He knew what she was talking about and he liked it. Liked the playfulness of it. And the implied promise too. "You know, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be at this moment than right here with you. Thank you for that."
"No way. You're the one who wanted a hippo named Petunia, so it's your job to introduce her to your ranch hands. It would be far too easy to pass it off as mine." Lia's smile softened as she slipped her arm around his waist to keep him close. It seemed like lately that was all she wanted to do. "You don't have to thank me," she said. "I want to be here too. I feel like we have a lot of time to make up for."
Riley snickered as she saw right through his ploy to pawn off Petunia as hers in front of his ranch hands. "I guess there's no escaping it, is there? I now own a large hippo in a tutu. Do you think there are support groups?" He sighed contentedly as she slid her arm around his waist. Being close was all he seemed to want to do lately. His ranch hands probably wouldn't care a bit about the hippo in light of the fact he'd delegated all of his work off onto them to spend time with Lia and their daughter at the festival. He could handle their annoyance though. They'd get over it. "Yes, we do. And seemingly plenty of time to make it up in. I'm just happy for this chance, you know?"
"Me too." Lia had never expected to be here, and while it still scared her on some level, she was grateful for the second chance. Hopefully she and Riley could keep up the positive momentum for a while. Smiling again at the hippo, Lia poked it with her finger before lifting a brow. "Should we go find Sophia? She might be willing to be your female buffer between the hippo and your employees. Who's going to judge a cute little girl with a blue hippo in her hands?"
As much as he didn't want their alone time to end, it wasn't feasible that they'd be given the entire day to themselves. It wasn't entirely fair to ask Sophia to spend so much time away from her mother or to ask the mother of her friend to continue keeping an eye on her just so he could be alone with Lia. He knew it. He nodded. "Yes, I think it's time to collect the little sprite. I'm in the mood for some cotton candy and maybe a pony ride, if you're okay with it. I stabled some shetland ponies for a trader who ended up locked outside the dome. They're going to good use today and I'll bet Sophia would love to see them. Hm? But first..." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the mouth.
The kiss was quite nice, and Lia lost herself in the feel of his lips again. It would be so easy to just stand there and neck for a while, ignoring the occasional passersby or wandering eyes. But Lia worried that Sophia would happen upon them, and her daughter had no idea what Riley was to her mother yet, or that he was even her father. If they were caught, Lia would be plied with questions she wasn't sure she was ready to answer. Pulling back, Lia sighed with a soft smile. "You've become extremely adept at distracting me."
Riley grinned at her comment and stepped back a bit from her, sliding away just enough to hold hands which wouldn't raise nearly so many questions (he hoped) as hugging or kissing might. "Have I? I hadn't noticed." Something about that moment felt like the end of something. Nothing drastic, nothing like they wouldn't last or even kiss ever again. But something about turning his focus outward away from her made him feel suddenly edgy. Maybe it was that he'd mentioned the locked dome because it led to a lot of other thoughts about their current situation that no amount of hard work between them could fix. Mental note, don't mention that again during good times, Pollard. "What do you think the munchkin has been up to while we've been up to no good?"
The mention of the locked dome had gone completely unnoticed by Lia. She was still of the mind that the problem would be fixed soon enough and that would be that. It didn't occur to her on any level that there could be a bigger problem, because it had yet to directly affect her. Lia was completely comfortable with his hand in hers, and it amused her to no end that he was carrying around a blue hippo in a tutu. Knowing her daughter, Sophia would probably love it and want to carry it for him, which really meant trying to sneak it home at the end of the day without Riley realizing it. "She's probably got dirt all over her, or a couple scrapes here and there. I've tried hard to keep her from turning into a daredevil, but she can't help herself. She loves being outside and getting into trouble. So if we find her with her hair a mess and a hole in her jeans, that's normal."
Riley hefted the blue stuffed animal up a bit in his free arm and lifted his chin and his brows in challenge to one of his ranch hands who happened to pass him with an interested expression regarding both the hipp and Lia. The man passed with a cough of laughter and Riley turned his attention squarely back to Lia. He imagined a scruffy Sophia, knee-deep in mud and laughing. It fit. He laughed and squeezed Lia's hand. "That's my girl. She sounds like a Pollard," he said with pride. "She keeps you on your toes, it sounds like."
"And then some," Lia replied dryly. "Kids have so much energy. And it amazes me, because she seems to have come out of the past several years relatively unscathed. It wasn't very easy being out there..." She motioned toward the edge of town, toward the dome. "She was pretty tough... I guess she reminded me of you in that way." Yes. Sophia had proven herself to be a Pollard through and through. Lia had been grateful for it, even if it had constantly stirred up painful memories. "I think she's excited for the movie tonight. She's never seen one before, since she was too young to really remember television when everything else went to hell."
"No, I can't imagine it was at all easy for you." He wanted to apologize for not having been with them to protect them himself but they didn't need to talk about that right now. They were happy but suddenly Riley wanted to know how they'd survived. How had Lia ever made it through a zombie-filled world with a tiny girl to protect, not just herself. He supposed having a good group to surround themselves would make it physically possible but how had Lia survived emotionally? He thought he might have been a total wreck if he had to ensure Sophia's safety. But then, there was something to be said for how mother's do whatever need to be done for their children without a thought about it. He'd seen it himself in the various groups he'd been part of during that time. Another time, another time I'll ask, he thought.
He caught sight of the little girl again and he immediately smiled. "I see what you mean. She's like a walking smile with dirt on it. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie with you two. Think you'll be bidding in the auction?" He wondered if he'd be precluded from seeing the movie with Lia and their daughter if he was won by someone else. The auction seemed like a bad idea just then.
Lia did her best not to think about the years she and Sophia were outside of the dome, trying to survive. She had done some things she wasn't proud of, but she didn't regret them. Riley was right enough in his thinking that a mother would do whatever she had to do to ensure her child's safety, and anything Lia had done had been done without hesitation. Things inside the dome felt safe. Normal. But that didn't mean there weren't memories that haunted Lia every now and then.
His question drew her attention as they neared Sophia who was still running around with her friend. "I'm not sure yet. There's something tempting about throwing money at a handsome, eligible bachelor though, huh?" She grinned and nudged him playfully.
"I wouldn't know. I personally never bid on handsome men. But you're more than welcome. Just so they are aware that any body part that comes within 3 feet of you will be removed." His tone was simply matter of fact. He even shrugged and nearly lost his hold on Petunia. The blue hippo let out a loud squeak and Riley immediately looked horrified. "It makes noise? Yeah, that is not coming home with me. The tutu I can take, but the squealing? No way."
Lia lifted a brow, slightly amused by his comment, because a part of her wasn't entirely sure if he was serious or not. But then the hippo squeaked and she burst out laughing. "No! You have to keep it. I won that for you, Riley. If you give it away, you'll hurt my feelings." That was a complete lie, but Lia figured she could pull a guilt trip on him, if only to make him carry the squeaking, blue hippo with a tutu home for his ranch hands to see.
"Oh right, right. I forgot I got my butt whooped by you and this is your trophy," he said and chuckled. "Of course I won't give it away. Unless Sophia wants it. You're okay with me giving it to her, yes? Because, if past experience serves me, she's going to make a play for it if she wants it." He grinned and glanced sideways at Lia. "Though, I suppose if I'm now in the doghouse, I have to make up for it. What can I do to make it better?"
"Sophia is acceptable." Lia nodded, because she already knew her daughter well enough to know she would want the hippo as soon as she laid eyes on it. Looking up at Riley, Lia lifted a brow and felt her lips curve again. "I don't know that this is the right place to ask that question. Anything I suggest might be considered inappropriate for listening ears around us."
"Ah yes, better to keep things hush for now. I can wait to find out later." He meant it. Because it was good to know he wasn't in the doghouse. Not anymore. Things felt like they were settling some between them. Marching toward comfort instead of storms. Though he was sure it would never be 100% easy for them. They'd have their ups and downs but if they could successfully survive an hour or two on their own without blowing up, there was hope. "What do you say? A pony ride and some lunch? All of this alone time has made me ravenous."
Lia was well aware that there would likely be a rocky path ahead of them. Things felt nice now... comfortable and familiar, but she wasn't naive enough to think it would always be this way. The important thing was knowing she was willing to stick it out, and it seemed like Riley was as well. At least this time, if it didn't work, it wouldn't be because they didn't try. "I think that sounds great." They could eat and spend some time with Sophia before the movie. And with any luck, the evening would go as smoothly as the rest of the day had.