Raffo's fingers soothingly traced soft circles into Ruth's washed back, brushing the suds on and off her skin as they both laid with each other in the bathtub. Ruth's cheek rested tiredly on his chest while gazing absentmindedly at the bubbles slowly disappearing on his upper biceps. For just a while, she'd been stuck in her own world somewhere deep inside of her mind, where she wondered why life consistently threw curve balls at her.

Raffo, the lovely being that he was, had drawn her a bath the moment they got home. They took a quick shower first, and when Raffo was going to give her some time to think while taking her bath, she all but begged him to stay. It took no convincing, much to her relief, and he hasn't let go of her since.

Ruth was quiet the entire ride to the apartment. She didn't know what to say or talk about regarding her parents. Sorry you had to meet them like that? Well, she didn't know they were going to be there in the first place. My mother is a lot to handle? He already knew that. I'm so embarrassed that the entire situation happened in the first place? He probably knew that, too.

Ruth moved her lips to his skin, sighing softly.

"I'm sorry you couldn't meet your godson today," she whispered, glancing up at him through wet curls.

He frowned, brushing the strands out of her eyes. "Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault today happened, Ruth."

"I know," she admitted. She bit her lip after meeting his brown eyes full of so much understanding, that her chest ached. "I'll be okay here, Raff, if you still want to meet him. I doubt the nursery is closed yet."

"I don't want to leave you like this while you're still upset. I can just meet him another ti—"

But Ruth was already shaking her head. "I'll be fine, I don't think I want to talk about what we both already know. And besides, I want you to meet your godson. It wouldn't be fair to him or Mirana if you stood them up for another week. I'm probably just going to take a nap, anyway."

Raffo tucked his fingers into her curls and drew her forehead to his soft lips. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, trying to sound perkier than how she was feeling. "I'm more than sure. Andrés is waiting to meet you, and I don't want to take up anymore of his time. Babies have a full schedule, you know."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "What schedule? Pooping and eating?"

"And burping, bathing, sleeping, yawning, getting pricked with shots, and meeting a bunch of weird looking people that are constantly being shoved in their faces. It's a lot of work to be a baby."

"Sounds like it," he said, dryly, then paused. He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I don't think I've asked you before, but have you ever considered . . . having one in the future?"

Ruth shrugged. "I've always known that I'm going to adopt one one day. Kids used to annoy me, but after working the prenatal unit, I realized I wouldn't mind having an alien or two. As long as I get to adopt, that's all that matters to me."

Raffo smiled in response. "I like it, Semple. You would make an amazing mother to a child out there. I've never considered fatherhood because I had to help raise my sisters and the father figures I've seen have been jackasses, but I think . . . I don't know, maybe someday I'd want a kid."

She moved her hand out of the water and wrapped her warm palm against his cheek, drawing his attention to her. "And you'd be an amazing father because of what you went through, Raff. Any child would be lucky enough to have you as their dad. I think you'd blow any man on earth out the water."

Raffo was the entire package. Husband material, father material, and godfather material. She knew without a doubt that he'd treat every child in his life with love and attention, even if he didn't get that from a father figure growing up. He was so attentive to Ruth's needs and his sisters, she couldn't think of a better man than Raffo Leflore.

And when his eyes glowed, she knew she said the right thing. His soft kiss to her lips made her lightheaded with everything she was too scared to say. But it was fine. When she felt ready enough, she'd say exactly what she was feeling and thinking. 

Ruth was the first to break away from the mind-blowing kiss. "You're never getting out of here if you keep kissing me like that," she warned.

Raffo smirked, his lips already swelling red. "Is that such a bad thing?" he murmured, leaning forward to steal another when his kiss met her cheek instead.

"Nope," she said, cheerily. "You can get some later. Now get the hell out of my bath!"

"Ruth, baby, for one? I know you're five minutes away from falling asleep so you must be out of your damn mind if you think I'm leaving you in a full tub by yourself. Two, I'm holding you to that when I get home. Three, I'm staying until you at least fall asleep."

His stipulations left no room for argument. Not that she was opposed to any of those in the first place.

"Those are . . . fair deals," she admitted, moving so he could climb out first while she unplugged the drain. Despite the day she had, she still took pleasure in shamelessly checking out Raffo's sexy physique. Her eyes traced the water droplets over every muscle and lingered on his lower region for longer than necessary before he wrapped a towel around his waist.

"Don't pout, you pervert," he teased, running his thumb over her bottom lip.

"I'm not a pervert," she gasped. Then she smirked and opened her arms up to him, her body still covered in the bath's suds. "But carry me."

Raffo's gaze hungrily trailed over Ruth's naked body, and he eagerly reached for her. He picked her up quickly and allowed her to wrap her legs around his waist as he dove into her neck, his free hand twirling her nipple. His tip kissed her entrance.

"Raff, go," she all but moaned as he walked into the room.

"I have time," he whispered along her jaw. He rolled his hip into her, pushing further into the heat of her warmth. She whimpered, welcoming him in with a clench that had him almost breathless.

"That's my girl," he purred as she slid herself fully onto him. She pressed her fingertips harder into his arms. "All mine."

Her body and her mind couldn't find common ground as she found her pussy milking his dick. She scolded herself for doing it, but she couldn't stop herself from moving her hips and sliding against him.

"All yours," she gasped, her words full of sugar and desire. She moved her hands up to behind his neck and curled her nails into him like she knew he liked.

Raffo shivered, fighting the urge to come before her, but she didn't want that. Though she was enjoying herself and wanted nothing more than to come with him, she wanted to do it for him. She wanted to make him feel good. After all he's done for her, he deserved it.

And all it took was some dirty talk, a breathless moan or two in his ear, a promise that her pussy was his forever, the digging of her nails in his back, and the tightening of her walls.

Raffo spilled into her with a groan that made her toes curl. He moved to kiss her, his hips flexing again under her thighs.

But Ruth pulled away. Despite how badly she wanted him, she didn't want to keep him any longer than necessary. The quicker he left, the quicker he could come back.

"Nope, no more. You can have me later," she said, kissing his lips once before trying to wiggle out of his arms.

His arm held her waist steadfast, his fingers rushing to her center. She jostled against his touch with a gasp as his eyebrows furrowed incredulously. "But you're still wet," he argued, pumping them in and out of her now as his thumb circled her clit. She squeezed her eyes closed, her body screaming for him not to stop. "Let me finish you."

Ruth pressed a kiss to his nose and pulled herself off the rest of the way before she could give in. "Nope."

He pouted as he watched released her so that she could wiggle into one of his shirts. "But I want to. I like making you feel good."

Ruth crawled into his bed after covering most of her body and flashed him what he really wanted. He groaned and went to reach for her again, but she already made it under the covers. Her smile was both evil and innocent, as she grabbed his face and kissed his lips lovingly.

"You can make me feel good later, Raff baby," she promised, running her fingertips across his jawline. "When you come back."

His eyes narrowed. "Fine. But you better not have that shirt on when I get home," he warned, his teeth grazing her bottom lip.

"Whatever you say," she chimed. She planted one more secure kiss on his mouth before moving away so she could wrap her hair in a microfiber towel. "Drive safe and text me when you get there and when you leave."

"I will," he promised. True to his word, he stayed until Ruth drifted off to sleep and all she heard was the door softly closing behind him.

*****

Ruth's phone buzzing at her side was what eventually woke her from her nap. She blinked the sleep away from her eyes, caught sight of the name flashing on the screen beside her, and then rolled her eyes. She slammed her cheek back onto the pillow and allowed her mother to go to voicemail. Shantelle may be ready to talk, but she wasn't. Not yet.

Before Ruth could stop herself, she closed her eyes again and fell back asleep in the cozy confines of Raffo's bed. Her mother would just have to wait.

Soft fingers brushing damp curls finally drew Ruth completely out of her sleep. She blinked slowly at first, taking in the gentle glow of a lamp, then caught sight of her tossed microfiber towel, before making her way to the dark, familiar silhouette sitting beside her. Had she really been asleep for most of the day?

"Hey," she whispered, a tired smile pressing into her lips. She kissed his palm and then moved herself to sit up against his headboard so she could focus on him rather than falling asleep. A yawn easily followed. "Sorry, I didn't hear you get in."

"It's okay, you were tired. You feeling better?"

She paused, testing her mental state. "Much," she admitted. "But how was the little poop monster? Cuter than his pictures?"

A glow came to Raffo's eyes at the mention of baby Andrés, and she didn't miss the subtle drop of his eyes to Ruth's covered belly. "Much cuter in person. I'm glad I didn't have to lie to Mirana and Alex again over those baby alien pictures."

"Yeah, it would be so much easier if babies were born with their toddler faces," she teased and he laughed.

"I'll let Mirana know you think so," he warned, and she mock glared at him.

"You wouldn't dare," she huffed.

He smirked. "I would. But first . . . we should probably talk about speaking to your parents."

Ruth deflated, sighing softly. "Do I have to?"

"You don't have to," he promised her lightly. "But you already insinuated that it was going to happen tomorrow, so I don't think it's avoidable at this point."

She nibbled on the skin behind her bottom lip. "Do you think—do you think she finally listened to me?"

Raffo frowned and grabbed her hand. "We all listened to you, Ruth. But if she still chooses to ignore your feelings after what you said, then that's on her for not accepting who you are as a person."

"That's true," she agreed. "You'll stay with me again when I go back?"

"If that's what you—"

"Yes," she interrupted quickly.

He smiled. "Then yes, I'll stay with you."

Ruth sighed, relieved. "Thank you, Raff. You always know what to say."

"It's a ski—"

He suddenly choked on his spit as Ruth gripped the shirt she was wearing and pulled it over her head, tossing the material onto the floor. His brown eyes widened into two saucers and she gestured to herself expectantly.

"Well? You told me not to have it on when you got home," she winked, laughing when Raffo scrambled as quick as he could out of his clothes and dove straight for her naked body.