Cold Feet 3 - Socks
by Astra <astraplain@yahoo.com 

The first thing he noticed was her feet were cold, 
having brushed against the offending appendages with 
his bare hand when he reached down to retrieve the 
bookmark that had fluttered away.  So he looked, 
knowing what he would see.  Bare feet.

"Put your socks on." He instructed in that stern tone 
reserved for being serious about little things.  She 
smiled at him absently, then returned to her task.

After a pause he tried again, his tone taking on just 
a hint of 'I gave an order and you're not listening.'  
She fixed him with a questioning stare for all of two 
seconds before becoming absorbed in her work again.  
Oh but those blue eyes could make him melt.

Relenting at last he stuffed the wayward bookmark 
into it's proper place and rose, retrieving her socks 
from where she'd left them.  Somehow in all his 
fantasies about life as a married man he'd never 
envisioned socks strewn about the living room.

He turned to her, socks in hand, meaning to scold 
her, only to find those blue eyes looking at him.  
All thoughts of scolding fled.  She could leave her 
socks anywhere and he would gladly pick them up for 
her.

She smiled them, and her whole face lit up.  She was 
beautiful.

As if to prove her power over him she wiggled one 
foot.  He went to her immediately, kneeling to put 
her socks on again.  Playfully she moved her feet 
away each time he tried.  

Giving up at last he placed the socks on the arm of 
the sofa and pulled down a throw that was kept around 
for just such a use.  He covered those cold feet, 
then lifted them to tuck the little blanket around 
and under, making sure they would be warm.  Patiently 
she let him tend her, then gifted him with a 
delighted smile.  

Finished fussing at last, he reached up and claimed 
the book he had been reading.  He was quite content 
to sit right here so he did.

The book was a good one and he soon lost track of the 
world around him, absorbed as he was in the literary 
one.  When at last he looked up he was surprised to 
find her sleeping.  

Carefully, slowly he lifted her into his arms for the 
short journey to the bedroom.  Once there he lay her 
down as gently as he could, trying not to disturb her 
slumber.  Standing upright again, he looked down at 
her, mesmerized by her.

He was still there moments later when Beverly joined 
him, greeting him with a kiss and wanting to know, 
"What were Jacqui's socks doing on the sofa?"

::: end:::