Love Was Easy When We Didn't Make It So Hard

My eyes fluttered open slowly as I shifted off of my stomach, rolling onto my left side, away from Eric's side of the bed. Keeping my eyes closed, I yawned loudly, snuggling my face into the soft pillow. My ears listened for Eric or Jordan, not hearing a sound from my two boys, who had been rather loud when I drifted off to sleep an hour before.

It had been a week since we brought Jordan home and things had been going better than the two of us could have expected. Jordan was a relatively easy baby, only crying when he was tired or hungry, making it easy to figure out what he needed from Eric and I. The Bears had lost the game on Jordan's birthday, meaning that Eric would be home until training camp started the next August. He was definitely not upset about that though, instead he was relieved that he didn't need to leave me alone with a newborn baby. But even with the two of us working together, we still needed a little help coming from both of the grandmas, who helped us get Jordan on a schedule before leaving us to ourselves. They were a blessing that way- willing to help, but not overbearing about how to raise him.

I slowly stretched my legs, feeling the cool sheets of the bed against my smooth skin. I took a minute to enjoy the time to myself that Eric had made me take after I fell asleep holding Jordan while daddy went to get more diapers and dog food for Gabby. NFL star Eric Decker playing the roll of domestic father.

Speaking of Gabby, she was quiet surprised when Eric and I brought home an extra person. She was very curious about Jordan, sticking her nose by his crib and his head whenever anyone was holding him. Eric and I assumed that she found him interesting enough that she could learn to love him.

The door to the bedroom nudged open by a precious pink nose before the rambunctious dog trotted in. I watched with eyes half open as she came up next to me, nuzzling my face with her wet snout.

"Gabby/" I murmured to her, running my hand over her thick, black and white fur. She whined softly and I kissed the top of her head. "I know. You're confused. You don't understand why daddy and I are paying so much attention to that loud human." I smiled softly as her tail began to wag happily. "How about we go find daddy?" I told her, pushing the comforter aside and swinging my legs to the side. My feet hit the plush carpet as I followed Gabby down the hall and to the stairs. She bounded down them excitedly pausing at the bottom to wait impatiently. I chuckled as she dashed into the living room where the TV was droning the Patriots vs Steelers game.

When I rounded the corner, I stopped in my tracks to appreciate the sight on the couch. Eric was laying across the couch, mouth slightly open, thick, strong arms holding the tiny baby to his chest lightly, yet firmly enough for him to be safe. Eric's chest was bare, allowing Jordan's cheek to rest against the soothing warmth of his father's skin. Gabby was plopped right by Eric's head, knowing well enough to not touch him when he was holding the new person to his chest. I padded across the room to sit on the ottoman by Eric's midsection.

"Eric." I called softly to him, rubbing his lower abdomen beneath the soft cloth of the duckling patterned fleece blanket that Eric draped over the baby. "Honey, wake up." I moved my hand to Jordan's small foot, softly giving it a squeeze to wake him up as well. It was time to feed the baby, plus I wanted to get in a good snuggle session with my new favorite cuddle buddy.

Eric began to move slowly, keeping his arms securely around Jordan. His brown orbs, soft with sleep, opened in a flash as Jordan began to whine at me for waking him up. Eric's large hand began to rub our son's back in soothing circles.

"I know, Jord. Mom is mean." Eric cooed.

"Mommy is trying to keep Jord on his schedule." I murmured to the baby, kissing his cheek softly. "Er, will you take Gabby out and play with her a bit. She feels neglected." I told him, carefully scooping Jordan up and holding him to my chest. He snuggled into my breasts immediately as Eric looked on with a slightly jealous look.

"Why can't you do it?" Eric frowned, sitting up and running a hand over Jordan's brunette head. He softly pressed his lips to his soft baby hair before he looked up at me with those adorable brown eyes.

"Because you are not able to feed him." I giggled quietly before softly kissing his lips.

"Fair enough." He grinned before standing and snapping his fingers at Gabby. "Let's play Gabs." Gabby leaped excitedly to her feet and ran to the backdoor as Eric slowly followed.

While Eric entertained Gabby, I fed and burped Jordan, then snuggled with him as he slowly drifted back to sleep while keeping a strong hold on one of my fingers. Eric came back in, cheeks pink from the cold as Gabby plopped onto her pillow out of exhaustion. Eric sat next to me on the couch, looking down at Jordan.

"We made a perfect baby." He whispered as Jordan scrunched his nose in his sleep. I smiled down at him before turning to Eric.

"I love you." I mused softly to him, taking my hand out of Jordan's grip to cup Eric's chin softly.

I pulled his lips to mine, kissing him and lightly running my tongue against the tip of his. He sighed quietly before pulling me slowly into his lap, and holding both Jordan and I against his chest. Our lips and tongues moved in the same, familiar rhythm that sang from our hearts, but still held the same passion that was felt in our first kiss. The flames and the lust were still as prominent now as when we were hormonal teenagers experiencing love for the first time.

When we pulled apart for air, our foreheads still touched and Eric's lips moved under both of my eyes, and then to my cheeks before traveling down to my neck to nibble on the sensitive skin behind my ear. I giggled softly as I looked into the brown eyes he now shared with out son.

"I love you more than I did yesterday, but less than I will tomorrow." He told me, laving our left hands together so our wedding bands slid against one another. His words made my heart beat firmly in my chest and a smile slide onto my face.

"How did I get so lucky with you?" I whispered as a soft grin shown on his face.

"I was just asking myself that same question."
***

I fastened my diamond earrings into my ears, adjusting them so the back was firmly in place, before checking the locked on my neck to make sure the chain was in place as well. Today was Valentine's Day, and it was also the first time Eric and I were going on a date since before Jordan was born. Our one-month-old was spending the evening with my parents, even having his first sleepover despite my concerns. My mom insisted it would be alright since she did the same thing to my brothers and I, and we turned out fine. I decided not to correct her on the outcome of my brothers and how maybe they were so crazy because of the neglect.

"Babe, you ready?" Eric asked as he appeared in the entry way, Jordan tucked securely in his carrier, equipped with a fleece cover to keep him warm.

"Yes." I told him, spinning on my red pumps to face him. He looked so good in his black button up shirt, black slacks, and black shoes, accented with a vibrant red tie. his face held the perfect amount of stubble while his hair had started to grow out from his recent cut. He was so sexy that I couldn't help but be proud.

"Wow. You look incredible." Eric smiled at me, reaching for my hand and pulling me tightly against him. "There's no reason for us to go out." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. I giggled shamelessly at him before placing a steady hand on his chest.

"No way. I need to see something beside this house and the doctor's office."

“But you look too good to share.” He insisted, his lips softly working my neck.
 
“Eric.” I warned a little more breathlessly than I intended. “You need to come to terms with the fact that you still need to wait at least two weeks.” I told him, wrapping my hand around his neck and looking at his dewy eyes. His lips dropped into a pout as he sighed quietly, stepping away, but grabbing my hand to lead me to the door.
 
“Jacket?” He asked, opening the closet.
 
“The black pea coat.” He turned to me, gesturing again.
 
“Which one?” I rolled my eyes and reached around him for the black coat with the big buttons, allowing him to slide it onto my shoulders. Once Eric picked up Jordan’s carrier, we were out the door and on our way to drop off the baby.
 
“Remember, he needs to be in his crib by eight. No later, or I’ll be pissed, and don’t think I won’t know.” I advised my mom as Eric sat with my dad in the living room, watching the Wild game.
 
“Yes, Ry. I know. Now don’t you dare worry about him tonight. I’ve raised four children and several grandkids now; Jordan will be fine.” My mom insisted, softly rubbing my son’s tummy with her finger.
 
“Then you know how hard it is not to worry.” I sighed, fixing Jordan’s onesie and giving his soft a tug up his leg.
 
“Enjoy tonight because tomorrow, it is back to the daily routine.” My mom told me, kissing my temple softly.
 
“You’re right.” I nodded, sighing and leaning down to kiss Jordan softly. “Mommy loves you.” I whispered, nuzzling his nose tenderly before pulling away. I walked to the living room, seeing Eric laughing with my dad. “Say goodbye to Jord. We need to get going.” I smiled softly.
 
“Alright.” He walked to the kitchen, dipping his head into the carrier and softly kissing Jordan’s head and cheeks. “Bye buddy. I love you.” He gave him one last kiss before giving my mom a squeeze. “Thank you for watching him. We appreciate it.”
 
“No problem. You two have fun.” My mom began shooing us from the house.
 
“If you need anything, call.” I reminded her before she nodded and slammed the door in my face. I stood there for a moment, irritated, before Eric chuckled and enclosed my hand in his.
 
“Come on. We need to leave now if we’re going to make our reservation.” I nodded and laced my arm through his before gently resting my head against his bicep as we walked down the sidewalk and to the car.
 
We arrived at Gianni’s with a few minutes to wait due to the large crowd occupying the tables. We were seated within five minutes of arriving and given a table with relative quietness and privacy. We settled in, ordering a glass of wine for Eric, while I stuck to water since I was still breastfeeding Jordan. It was weird to be with Eric and not have Jordan around. He had been such a large part of our life and what we did for the past month, that it felt like something was missing.
 
“He is fine.” Eric insisted without raising his eyes from the menu. I sighed, flipping my menu shut and glancing at him across the table.
 
“Why aren’t you having a hard time?” I questioned him, watching as he slid his menu closed before taking my hands on the table top.
 
“Because I know he is safe with your parents and because I have been looking forward to this for awhile. I love Jordan more than anything, but I miss the alone time we used to take for granted.”
 
“We don’t ever get that kind of time back, Eric.” I told him, lacing our fingers tighter together before wrapping my feet around one of his ankles, locking it in place.
 
“Exactly, so can you try to relax and enjoy this?”
 
“Easy for you to say, you have wine.” I teased softly, relaxing back into the booth.

We ordered our dinners when the waitress came, along with salads, because they looked too good not to try. We talked about the upcoming months as we ate our salads, when we needed to head back to Chicago, along with the things we needed to get done before leaving Minnesota for the season. We shared secret smiles and several kisses before Eric finally couldn't handle sitting on the other side of the table. He slid into the booth next to me, saying that the other one just wasn't comfy enough for him.

Right as our waitress was setting our dinners in front of us, a laugh sounded that made my whole body tense up. My finger paused over my fork as I looked across the restaurant where a blonde sat with an older gentleman, who I knew wasn't her father. Eric kept eating like he didn't notice my pause as I stared at Lindsey, wondering how I missed her when we walked in. She laughed again and my blood began to boil beneath my skin, and I twisted my mouth into a foul expression.

"Babe, eat." Eric told me, nudging me softly.

"I'm not hungry." I stated through gritted teeth. He lifted his gaze to where mine rested before he knew enough to snap his eyes away.

"Don't let her ruin anymore things than she already has. We're married, we have a beautiful baby boy, and I'm so in love with you that I can't function properly if we're not together. There is no reason for you to worry about her." He softly turned my chin, kissing my lips until I could taste the sauce from his pasta.

"Wow, it is a good thing my meal has garlic in it so I can stand you tonight." I stuck my tongue out at him, laughing quietly. He gave me a large grin before smashing our lips together again.

The pressure of his fingers digging into the back of my neck, and the soft feel of his tongue against my lips, made tingles travel down my spine. I greedily tugged at his tie, keeping him close when he drew in a breath. I studied his face, my heart swollen with love as I took in his glazed and dewy eyes, his puffy lips, and the pull of his smile.

"I love you, Eric. Thank you for everything. I know things haven't been easy the past couple of years, but you never gave up on us, even when I did." I gave both corners of his mouth a soft kiss.

"I could never give up on us." He whispered to me, pulling me tight to his chest, our lips so close that when he spoke, they moved against each other. "You're a part of me, Ry. Without you, I can't be whole." He kissed my nose before turning back to his meal. "Now eat, I want to get cracking on dessert." He gave me a wink, making me chuckle.

'I hope you're insinuating food." I reminded him again that no matter how much our bodies pulsed for each other, it wasn't going to happen.

We finished dinner and ordered a decadent chocolate mouse equipped with candy hearts and kisses to eat. We fed each other bites, being so sickly in love that I was sure the other couples in the restaurant were jealous. We left the restaurant at about ten-thirty, both of us yawning, stuffed and tired from the food he had consumed. We arrived back home fifteen minutes later, walking into the quiet house. Gabby greeted us at the door, eager to go out and also happy to see us.

"I'll bring her out, you get ready for bed." Eric murmured gently, steering me towards the stairs, leaving with a soft kiss to my cheek.

I smiled and glowed as I ascended the stairs, padding softly to the bedroom and grabbing my phone from my purse. I sat on the end of the bed, twisting the back of my earring off as I waited for my mom to pick up.

"Riley." My mom answered with a tone of annoyance.

"I just want to make sure everything is alright. We're done with dinner and home." I insisted, tugging out my other earring and setting both of them on the nightstand.

"He is fine. He ate, he popped, and now he is asleep." My mom told me, making me chuckle softly.

"Alright. We'll be over around ten to pick him up." I told her before she rushed me off the phone. I sighed, wondering why she didn't understand what I was feeling.

I hoisted myself off the bed, running a hand over my loose curls and heading into the walk-in closet. I slid the zipper of my black dress down, letting the straps fall gently, and the dress to pool at my feet. My eyes scanned the clothes, trying to decide what to slip into. I bit my lip, sighing, and unclasping my bra. A sharp intake of breath stole my attention from the clothing and to the door.

"Christ." Eric muttered as he crossed the door, eyes focused on my breasts as his hands reached for me. "I miss this." I wrinkled my nose at him, hating how my stretch marks and baby fat were so visible to him. "Stop." Eric insisted quietly as I tried to shield myself from him. His calloused fingers trailed over the smooth skin of my side and hip before sliding to the small of my back. Both his hands slid down until he cupped my backside in his large hands. "You're going to bed like this." He pressed my hips into his, pressing his arousal into my lower abdomen. He let out a soft moan as I gripped his shoulders, eyes closing shut as he lifted me into his arms.

"I should not be the only one this naked." I breathed to him, my eyes wild with lust as I threaded my fingers through his hair.

"Babe, you're supposed to stop me." He whispered as I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder.

"It is so hard." I mused to him.

"Trust me, I am away of how hard it is." He chuckled as I giggled, pulling away to look into his brown eyes. His eyes dipped to my puckered nipples. He leaned forward to pull the left one into his mouth, making me grown in frustration.

"Eric, if you don't stop. Things are going to get bad." I breathed to him, arching my back so my breast pressed against his face.

"I don't want to stop." He hissed to me as he walked us through the closet, setting me gently on the bed.

He rested my head against my pillow before he kissed his way down my neck and along my collar bone, sucking the skin into his mouth with a delicate pressure. His tongue flicked over my nipple before kissing his way down the center of my stomach. He flicked his tongue along the edge of my underwear. But just when it came to the time where his mouth was supposed to dip lower, he retraced his course, his lips eventually coming to rest on mine.

"I want you, but I know." He sighed deeply, pressing a kiss to my cheek before resting his forehead against the bed beside my jaw. "I know."

"I'm sorry." I whispered, lacing my fingers through his hair and pressing a kiss right below his ear.

"Its not your fault I knocked you up." He chuckled, a huge grin stretching his lips apart. He began to tug at his tie before I shoved his hands away, stripping away his clothing until all he wore were his boxer briefs. "It is going to be weird tonight to not get up in the middle of the night to soothe Jordan to sleep." He whispered once I was curled up to him tightly, our bare chests pressed together as his hands ran over my back comfortingly.

"I'm sure I can poke you awake at three if you want." I assured him as he shook his head no.

"The only way you can wake me up is if you decide to tell your doctor to go to hell, which would be pointless because I would be too worried about hurting you and less about the deed at hand."

"You just need to stop talking about it." I laughed at him, snuggling my nose into his neck.

"Alright, alright. I love you , Riley. I had a great time tonight." He murmured softly as our eyes began to droop.

"I love you too, Eric. Thank you."

"Sleep tight baby." He whispered to me, kissing the top of my head three times quick before we both drifted off, glowing from the love that consumed both of us.