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1
The first time Tim carries Lucy bridal style is when they come home from a night out. Tim is still sober he only had a couple of drinks. He was the designated driver and he also knows how to control himself. Lucy on the other hand was tipsy and when she tripped over her feet for the umpteenth time trying to get up the stairs to her apartment he scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way.
“My hero.” She muses pressing her nose into his neck. Tim huffs out a laugh and pauses at Lucy’s door.
“I need the keys Luce.” He says. Lucy awkwardly holds out her bag and he grabs the keys and unlocks the door. It’s not easy but he manages to maneuver the door open without letting her go.
“Home sweet home.” She says. Tim shakes his head and carries her to the bedroom and deposits her on the bed. He gives her a quick kiss before he’s backing away so he can get her some water.
“Wait.” Lucy grabs hold of him and pulls him back to her. “Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right back.” He promises her. She pouts but lets him go, and he hurries to the kitchen grabbing a glass of water and some Advil then hurrying back to her. He’s not sure how much longer she would stay awake.
“Here.” He says pressing the medicine into her hand handing her the water. “You will thank me in the morning.”
“Why don’t I thank you right now?” She asks wiggling her eyebrows. Tim rolls his eyes and takes the water from and putting it aside.
“Not happening Lucy.” He says but Lucy pulls him on top of her and grins when she sees his face.
“You never say no.” She says and Tim groans—it was true he did have a heard time saying no to her. But he couldn’t help himself sometimes—the fact that Lucy was his, she wanted him all the time. Sometimes it was hard to wrap his mind around that. And he was only a man with needs who happened to have a beautiful, sexy girlfriend ready for anything.
“I know.” He says and he gives her a kiss. “And usually we both would have a lot less clothes. But tonight you need rest and in the morning you will feel better.”
“You are amazing.” She says and pulls him down to kiss her. Tim kisses her and then rolls off of her, it’s an amazing feeling knowing he would wake up with Lucy right by his side.
“So are you.” He says. “Now get some rest. You had an exciting night.” Lucy hums and when Tim looks back at her she’s fast asleep. He sighs softly and closes his eyes, it doesn’t take long for sleep to take over him too. He thinks of the way he carried Lucy inside without even thinking about it at first.
And he knows one day he will do that again and it will be for a whole different reason.
***
2.
The next time he bridal carries Lucy is when she gets hurt. She has a wrap on her ankle but it’s still hard to walk so he pauses and scoops her up with out hesitation.
“You are too good to me.” She mutters into his skin. “Thank you.” He shakes his head and he has to bite his tongue from saying the three little words on the tip of his tongue.
I love you.
He does love her—he loves her more than he can even explain and the fact that he is getting so close to telling her is amazing.
“Of course.” He says as they get to her door. And he wonders why they are always going to her place when his house doesn’t have stairs. “I will always take care of you Luce.” Lucy sighs happily as he opens the door and walks through it.
He carries her over to the couch and puts her down gently and then picks up a pillow and props her foot on top of it.
“Thank you.” She says. He nods and bends down to press a kiss to her forehead.
“What do you need baby?” He asks. She pulls him down and gives him another kiss.
“Stay with me please.” She says softly. “That’s all I need.” Tim hums into appreciation because he can do that.
“Okay.” He says. “Do you need your pain medication yet?” Lucy shakes her head and points to the end of the sofa.
“No. Just sit Tim.” She says and he doesn’t move for a minute he just looks at her wondering how he got so lucky.
“Okay.” He says and he sits down at the end of the sofa pulling the pillow onto his lap. “I can do that.” She hums into appreciation and it might not be perfect. But it’s something and he can live with that right now.
***
3.
The next time Tim bridal carries Lucy is after Nolan’s wedding and after they rescue Celina. He hasn’t been to her apartment or with her in a few days. And their little quickie at the wedding was something but it was not enough.
It was never enough with her. He always wanted more. He always fed to be with her.
They somehow end up at his house this time and he doesn’t even think about he just scoops her up as soon as meets him at the door.
“What are you doing?” She asks him. Her voice is light and airy, and she’s looking at him like he hung the moon and the stars in the sky just for her.
And he would if she asked him to. He would do anything she asked him to do because he loves her.
And she loves him.
“Carrying you inside.” He says opening the door but never taking his eyes off of her. Neither of them are really drunk, Celina’s rescue sobered them all right up.
“Like this?” She asks gesturing at the way he was holding her but she doesn’t let go. Tim hums softly and continues to walk inside. He kicks the door shut and then walks her to his bedroom. He pauses at the doorway of the room and then finally sets her down but she doesn’t go far.
“I do love you.” She says looking up at him and looping her arms around his neck. “You don’t need a lie detector.”
“I know.” He says and he backs her into the room. “I love you too. With or without the lie detector.”
“I know that.” She says. “You show it to me everyday. You hooked yourself up to a lie detector to prove to me you were okay with undercover work.”
“Which apparently I’m not.” He says. “I’m going to work on it Luce I will.”
Lucy just pulls him down for a kiss and doesn’t break it for a few minutes. She finally breaks it and pulls back resting her forehead against his.
“We will get through it together Tim.” She says. “You don’t have to do it alone. I’m right here.” Tim nods and gives her a soft kiss before backing her to the bed. He pushes her down gently and she falls down and he climbs up into between her legs.
“I never want to spend nights apart again.” He mutters. Lucy pulls him down for a kiss, and then releases him.
“Me neither.” She whispers. “Me neither.”
***
4.
The next time Tim bridal carries Lucy is on April 2nd. They manage to make it to his house in thirty minutes. Actually less than thirty minutes, 28 minutes and 15 seconds. It’s a record time but Lucy had her hand riding up on his leg the entire drive home and he has to press on the gas. When they make it to his house, Lucy unbuckles and climbs onto his lap.
“Hi.” She says pressing her forehead against his. He breathes her in and he can’t believe their 24 hours is going to end so soon. He wants to keep her close, he wants to always have her close.
24 hours will never be enough time.
“Hi.” He whispers back and puts his hand on her back letting it travel downward. “We should get inside.”
“Okay.” She says and she opens up the door and climbs off his lap. Tim follows her, and shuts the door before he’s turning to look at her.
“The twenty four hours is almost up.” He says. Lucy chews on her bottom lip and then stands on her toes to kiss him.
“A few more hours wouldn’t hurt right?” She asks. Tim’s heart starts beating hard and he scoops her up making her squeal loudly. She doesn’t protest though, she just wraps her arms around his neck and Tim carries her through the door.
He walks to his bedroom without putting her down and then when they get to his bedroom he puts her gently on the bed and crawls up between her legs.
“Today was fun.” Lucy says pulling Tim closer. “Thank you for playing along.” Tim kisses her and then trails his mouth down her body. The truth is, he would do whatever it took to be with Lucy.
He would pretend to be with her even though they both knew it wasn’t pretend. Everything they did today was real. And he knows deep down that she felt the same way. This was all them—all the love and passion that they both shared for one another.
“Lucy,” He mutters his lips against her thighs. “You know I love—you know I want this for real right?”
Lucy pulls him up and her eyes searches his face. “Yeah.” She says. “I had a feeling when you played along and didn’t protest.”
Tim swallows and kisses her thigh again. “How do you feel?” He asks. Lucy pulls him up again and traces his jawline.
“I love you.” She says and he lets out a soft sigh. “And I forgive you.” That’s all Tim needs to hear before he’s swooping down to kiss her.
“You do?” He asks and he doesn’t want to get emotional but knowing he’s close to getting the love of his life back is a feeling he never wants to forget.
“I do.” She confirms. “I do.”
***
5.
The next time Tim bridal carries Lucy is on their wedding night. They are coming up on the elevator and just before they step out he scoops her up in his arms. She giggles and buries her face into his neck.
“What are you doing?” She asks. He doesn’t answer until they reach their hotel room and he sets down briefly while fishing out the key card. He opens the door and then scoops her up again.
“I’m carrying my wife through the door.” He says and even just saying the word almost brings him to his knees.
Wife.
He is her husband.
“Say that again.” Lucy whispers. Tim pauses just inside of their hotel suite and looks at her. He face is a little red, and he’s not sure if it’s from the alcohol or the fact that they are married. And he knows the exact words she wants him to says
“My wife.” He whispers. Lucy giggles and kisses him hard, it’s nothing like the kisses earlier today where they had to tone it down a little. But this one is full of love and passion and Tim feels it to his bones.
“I’m your wife.” She says softly. “You are my husband.” Tim sets her down but doesn’t let her go far. He keeps her close, his hand on her bare back. She’s still in her wedding dress and she’s looking up at him like he’s the only person in the world.
“I am.”
“We got married today.” She says. “We are married.” Tim laughs and kisses her again. He subtly unties her dress in the back and her dress loosens a little. She grins up at him, a playful smile on her face.
“Hell yeah we did.” He mutters and he unties her dress a little more and it falls down pooling at her feet. She steps out of it and doesn’t take her eyes off of him. “We need to celebrate.”
“So what is my husband going to do about it?” She asks. He grins at her and scoops her up again and carries her to the bed. He deposits her on the bed and he’s ecstatic that he finally got to carry Lucy in the way he wanted to since the first time he did it.
And he knows this is just the beginning of the rest of their lives.
Husband and wife.
***
+1
Lucy tries to carry Tim bridal style next but it’s. It exactly successful. It’s on their first day of their honeymoon. They arrive at their villa on the Italy coast and Lucy pauses at the door looking up at him. Tim reaches for the doorknob but she stops him.
“Wait.” She says. He raises his eyebrows at her, and she takes a deep breath. “You know how you are always carrying me?”
“Yes.” Tim says and he’s willing to do it again. “Do you want—”
“I want to carry you.” She says and his eyebrows go up further. “I mean I want to try.”
“Luce, I love you but—” He says and she crosses her arms across her chest giving him a long look. And he knows he better keep his mouth shut on this one.
“But?”
Tim shakes his head, and takes a step back. “Go ahead baby.” He says. “Carry me over the threshold.”
“Don’t joke with me Tim.” She says shaking her head. “I can do it.”
“Of course you can.” He says. “I’ve seen what you can lift.” It does help that they go to the gym together to work out. And he’s usually spotting her, it doesn’t help that after awhile their workout sessions turn into a different kind of physical.
“Then I can lift you.” She says but her voice falters a little bit. “Right?” Tim gives her an encouraging smile.
“Sure baby.” He says. “You can lift me.” Lucy nods and bends down a little to lift his leg up. He winces a little when she can’t quite get footing.
“Do you want me to—jump?” Tim asks but Lucy just glares at him and holds his hands up. “It’s okay if you can’t do it.”
“I can.”
“Okay then do it.” He says. Lucy glares at him some more and really he would be scared of her. And he was at times.
“Let me think Bradford.” She says and takes a deep breath and tries to pick him up again. She gets a little further but doesn’t quite get it.
“Lucy.” Tim says gently. “You don’t have to do this baby. I’m perfectly fine with carrying you. Okay?”
“Shush.” She says and she tries one more time before Tim is swooping her up in his arms and walking through the doorway. He sets her down and she glares at him and hits his chest.
“Tim!”
“I’m sorry Luce.” He says. “I couldn’t help myself.” Lucy rolls her eyes and leans up to kiss him. When she pulls back she has a mischievous look in her eyes.
“You owe me now.” She says. She presses herself against his chest and he grins down at her.
“Is that right?”
“Yes.” She says and she pulls him by his shirt to the bedroom that’s down the hall. Tim stumbles a little bit as she comes to a stop in front of him and then turns to face him.
“You said I was a freak in the sheets.” She says and he swallows hard. This was going to be a lot better than her trying to carry him over the threshold.
A lot better.
“You are.” He confirms and he loves when Lucy takes over. He has no complaints. Ever.
“Then let me show you.” She says and pulls him further into the room and kicks the door shut. Tim huffs out a mixed laugh that’s cut off immediately by her lips pressing against his. And he’s not going to deny her anything. She was his wife, and he would do whatever it took to make her happy.
“I know you can do that.” He says and she rolls her eyes but she’s smiling at him.
“Hell yeah I can.”
Snd he knows this is going to be a really great honeymoon. Whether he carried her through the door or she tried to carry him.
It was just them and that’s all that matters.