We broke off at the mouth of the hall after he gave my temple a light kiss.

Joker went to the couch.

I went to the kitchen, calling out to ask if anyone needed a fresh brew.

I got four yays. I took four bottles out to the boys and got a soft look from my biker when I did.

After that, I ate some crackers and cheese, washed them down with some flavored fizzy water, and shut down the kitchen. I gave verbal goodnights to the boys.

Joker’s was given physically as I bent over the couch and he tipped his head way back so I could give him a brief kiss.

He added running his fingers along my jaw with a finale of a warm look. I memorized that to give it back one day.

I checked on Travis one last time, and when I hit my room, I was suddenly exhausted in a way I knew I was crashing after a long day.

But it was the first time since the time we had the chat about my pregnancy nightshirt that I’d gone to bed without Joker. So it was the first time I went to bed needing a nightgown, seeing as Joker was always in the mood when we hit the bed and he went about disrobing me. After that, I usually had enough in me to pull on panties and pass out.

So I went to my drawers and tiredly fretted as I pawed through my pre-pregnancy nighties.

I picked a stretchy one (for obvious reasons) that had a fullish bottom (also chosen for obvious reasons) and a ruched bodice, empire waist, a tiny row of white lace across the top and hem and it was periwinkle blue.

I put it on and it fit snug at my breasts (not surprising) but otherwise, looking down at myself, it wasn’t that bad. Still, I inspected myself in the master bathroom mirror while I brushed my teeth and washed my face.

It would do. And anyway, I would be sleeping so I didn’t have to deal with whatever Joker’s reaction would be until morning.

I went to bed not thinking about my nightie but thinking about how I liked knowing my boyfriend’s buds (who were also my friends) were hanging on my couch watching TV. It felt nice. It felt normal. It felt like something that might fit in my revised dream, which was turning out better than the one I thought I wanted.

I fell asleep thinking that.

I was woken up by Joker’s kiss, which included his hand on my hip, feeling my nightie.

Thus I was woken up learning early how Joker felt about the nightie he could feel but not so much see.

And what I learned was that he liked it.

And how I learned that was, when Joker was done showing me how he felt, I fell back into a sated sleep snuggled up with my biker with the nightie on the floor, wearing nothing but panties.