Chapter Text
“Mmm something smells good.” Ned walked into the kitchen, setting his briefcase down and loosening his tie. It had been a long day at work, and he’d been told things he didn’t want to hear. He was very happy to be home.
“Does it? Good. I’m trying something new tonight.” His wife smiled at him from the stove, where she stood stirring something in a saucepan. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a simple braid; little pieces of it had pulled themselves out, curling in the steam from the stove. An old sweatshirt, loose around the neck, gave a glimpse of her freckled shoulders, and bare feet poked out from under her yoga pants. Ned sized her up in appreciation. Twenty years of marriage, five kids, and working fulltime from home as an event coordinator, but Catelyn did not look much different from the blushing girl he’d wed long ago. Men still turned their heads when she walked in a room. She always turned his, no matter what she wore, but tonight, his attention was drawn to a particular part of her attire. Or rather, her anatomy.
“Cat…”
“Yes, my love?”
“Do you wear those pants out of the house?”
She glanced back at him. “Why?”
“Well……I’m not sure those qualify as real pants. I can see…everything I want to see.”
She scoffed over her shoulder. “They are real pants. They’re yoga pants.”
“Ah ha.” He leaned up against the island in the kitchen across from where she stood at the stove, folding his arms. “And have your yoga pants ever been to yoga?”
He could tell she was rolling her eyes as she nodded without looking at him. “Oh yes, yes, with all my copious amounts of free time, raising five kids and working from home, I have yoga-ed so much I’m now actually teaching classes at the Y.”
"I'd pay to see that. Mat in the front. Isn't there something called a 'downward dog' or...?"
She glared at him, but he could see her lips trying to hold back a smile. "Shove it."
He laughed. “All right. I’m not complaining about the view they provide, I just don’t want to share it with anyone.”
“Hmphh. Well, I’m sure no one looks but you.”
“Oh, I doubt that.”
She smiled down at the stovetop.
He stepped up behind her to put his hands around her waist, and she leaned back to let him kiss her cheek. She bent her head to the side in permission, and his lips traveled down her neck, across her shoulder, moving the fabric of her sweatshirt aside.
“ohhh..” he mumbled against her skin. “The bra with the lace stuff in front.”
She paused. “You can tell which bra it is from the strap?”
“Yeah. It's the green one with the lace stuff. I like how you look in this one.”
He could see her eyebrow raise as she pursed her lips, filing this bit of information away. “Interesting. Maybe I will let you see later.”
“Promises, promises.” He eased the length of his body up behind hers, fitting them snugly together so she could feel how he felt about that idea. “Honey, I’m home,” he grinned against her ear, sliding a hand under her sweatshirt and cupping her breast.
She shivered for a second. “Honey, I’m glad,” her voice came out like a purr and his grip tightened on her in response. “…but if I stop stirring this thing for one second I’m worried it will burn. And we have five kids to feed that would not be so pleased.” She turned and kissed him quickly on the nose in dismissal. “Why don’t you pour us a drink and tell the kids to come down? I got some wine at the store today.” He groaned in acceptance, squeezing her breast quickly before removing his hands.
“Hey!” She swatted at his arm.
“Just checking. Lace one, like I said.”
She chuckled. “Wine. Kids. Go.”