Real life got in my way for this story. I will apologize in advance if it is hard to follow or even meaningless. In which case it may be a little of both. I decided to go with a STEAM scene in this one so be prepared. This short story and the Halloween story are sequels to my current story "Always, Together, Forever." Hope this is okay.

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"Daddy, put me down!" Starr screamed as they came through the penthouse door. Todd did as he was told and placed Starr on her feet. "I'm going upstairs to play now."

"Shorty, here take these up to your room." Todd exclaimed as he handed Starr a bag of new toys.

"No problem Daddy." Starr ran back and grabbed her bags.

"Hey sweetpea, I'll be up in a minute to help you put those away."

"I'll get them Tee." Starr ran up the stairs.

"Good she's gone." Todd growled grabbing Téa.

"Todd!"

"Well, I've been waiting for this," he said as he kissed her neck.

"You're hopeless," she smiled. "Hey thank you."

"For what?" Todd asked her.

"For going shopping with me and Starr this evening. I know how you hate it."

"It's okay cause I had to get something anyway," Todd said placing his hands on Téa's stomach.

"What did you get?" Téa asked leaning into him.

"I can't tell you yet Delgado," he said giving her one last squeeze before heading to the kitchen to grab a beer. Téa made her way to the answering machine. She hit the play button. "What? Todd! Hi you've reached the Mannings leave a message at the beep."

"Téa this is Hank. I am closing the office Wednesday through Friday. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Téa, this is Viki, I just wanted to extend an invitation for you, Starr, and that tyrant brother of mine to join us for Thanksgiving."

Todd came back into the living room. "Tyrant am I?" He smiled as he propped his feet up on the coffee table.

"Well honey, you know your sister doesn't lie." Téa said leaning over him from behind the sofa. Todd grabbed her and pulled her onto him. He began tickling her. A few minutes later Starr came bounding down the stairs. She was highly curious as to what was going on downstairs.

"Daddy, Tee you two are worse than me and River ever were," she exclaimed her hands firmly on her hips.

"Uh, sorry honey." Téa smiled.

"No we aren't" Todd scolded Téa. "Besides if you don't wipe that look off your face Shorty I'm gonna tickle it off you. You are starting to look like your Blair."

"Todd!" Téa gave him a look. Starr quickly changed her expression.

Todd immediately got up and headed back to the kitchen. "Starr, play with your mother, I'll be right back. I got a surprise for both of you. Then it's bedtime. Little girls like you need their sleep." Todd disappeared into the kitchen. A little while later, Todd came into the living room, his arms full of ice cream. "Well, where'd they go?" He said aloud. "Delgado!!! Shorty!! Where are you?" he yelled.

"We're in my room Daddy!" Starr yelled from her bedroom. Todd carefully climbed the stairs and headed for Starr's room. The door was shut when he got there, so he kicked it as a knock. "Hold on Daddy!" Starr said through giggles.

"Starr hurry up this stuff is heavy." Todd said as he almost dropped the bowls of ice cream.

"Okay Todd come on." Téa smiled as she opened the door.

" Hey is that any way to treat a guy bringing gifts? If I didn't know better I would swear you two were up to something," Todd said eyeing Téa and Starr. Téa just looked at him, but Starr lost the battle with her giggles. "Okay Shorty spill it. What's up?" he said standing over her.

"Nothing Daddy." She giggled.

" So that is how you and your mother are playing huh? Well, neither of you gets the ice cream until you tell me. How's that?" Todd evilly smiled.

"Todd you wouldn't."

"Wanna bet?"

"Can I Tee?" Starr asked pleadingly, eyeing the ice cream.

"I suppose since your father is being hoggish with the ice cream," Téa said punching his shoulder, then went to sit on Starr's bed.

" I thought you'd see it my way." Todd smiled. Starr ran to her closet and pulled out a neatly wrapped box.

" Here Daddy Happy Thanksgiving! We love you!" Starr handed him the box and gave him a hug. He handed Téa and Starr their ice cream, and then hurriedly unwrapped the gift. As he opened the tissue paper his mouth dropped to the floor. The he looked at Téa and Starr. A tear slipped down his cheek. Todd put the box on Starr's desk, and went to join Téa and Starr on her bed. When he reached them he gathered them into a big hug, and kissed both their foreheads.

"Thank you both. I love it." They had gotten him a picture of the two of them that had been taken earlier that day, it was placed in a gold frame that had 'We love you.' engraved on it.

"Daddy your smooshing me!" Starr broke the silence and her father's embrace. They all started laughing. "Daddy, Tee, you don't have to read me a story tonight."

"Getting all grown up on us huh?" Todd smiled.

"I'm trying." Starr said.

"Okay sweetpea, if you need us, yell and we'll come running. Night." Téa pulled the blankets over Starr and kissed her forehead. Todd went behind her and tucked Starr in tight, then kissed her.

"Night Daddy, Night Tee!"

"Night Shorty." Todd flipped off the light and shut her door. "Where are you going?" Todd asked Téa, as she headed toward the stairs.

"I was just going down to lock up."

"Oh well hurry back."

"I will." "You took to long Delgado." Todd's soft-spoken words immediately made Téa's knees go weak. She flicked the doors lock and slowly turned around. To her surprise she found Todd standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"So impatient Mr. Manning." Téa smiled drinking in his disheveled look. His characteristic black dress pants, a little more snug than she had realized, and his untracked unbuttoned shirt hung on his broad shoulders. She looked him up and down. She fixed her eyes on his lips. Lips that she knew would excite and entice her. She stepped out of her shoes and headed toward him. "Can't blame you though, cause you're pretty irresistible yourself."

"I want you Téa. I want your hands all over me." His words set her on fire. She stopped leaving mere inches between their bodies.

"That could be dangerous," she said grabbing his collar and tugging, bringing his face closer to hers. He grabbed her shirt and hurriedly undid the buttons, and slid his hands inside her shirt. Téa's left hand found his scared cheek and she ran her thumb gently across it. Her other hand found his thick mane, and ran through it. She held his mouth against hers, as his hands found her breasts. He brushed his thumbs across her nipples. Téa groaned against his mouth. He delicately traced her lips and open mouth with his tongue. The sensation sent shivers over her body. She moved her hands inside Todd's shirt, and traced the muscles in his back and chest, as she left butterfly kisses over his face. She nibbled his jaw line.

"Delgado, you're driving me crazy," he said against her neck.

"I try." Her hands roamed slowly over his back again. He stepped into her bringing her in close. He slid her shirt off her shoulders. Todd delicately began to bit her neck from ear to shoulder. "Where'd you learn to do this?"

"My wife, she's a great teacher." He smiled against throat.

"She'd be impressed." Téa purred. She encircled his head in her arms again, and their lips met briefly, each teasing the other, heightening their mutual arousal. Todd's hands began to roam over Téa's body in a soft sensual manner. He let her know that he enjoyed every part of her, as he unfastened her black lace bra. He found her breasts and began to knead them softly. Téa let a soft moan escape her. Todd found her hard nipples and allowed his fingers to present her a sweet torment.

"Why are you still wearing clothes?" Todd asked as he unzipped her skirt. She took a step away from him. He groaned his protest. She gave a small shimmy against him, as her skirt fell to the floor.

"You're still pretty clothed yourself." She grinned as she tugged at his pants.

"I thought you'd take care of that for me." He kissed her forehead. She pushed his pants to the steps and dropped to her knees in front of him. She kissed his wash board stomach , as her hands found the waistband of his black silk boxers. Todd ran his fingers through her hair. Téa looked up at him with a wicked grin, then pulled his boxers to his ankles.

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"Todd, It's your turn. What are you thankful for?" Viki asked him. Everyone looked at him.

"Huh" He rolled his eyes. "This is stupid. I want you to know that I think this is stupid." He said as he grabbed a roll.

"Well Uncle Todd we could just skip you." Jessica smiled, as she took the rolls from him.

"No! You already started. You already asked me." He said as he swallowed. "Well, lets see. I am thankful for my money. for my paper...I suppose for you all…well you and Jessie, Viki. I'm definitely thankful for Shorty, and last but not least for Téa, I'm so glad that she gave me a second chance." He gave her a quick smile and wink. "Hey...can I tell them?" He looked at her questionably.

"Yeah, go ahead. I am sure they already know." She smiled. He loved her smile.

"Okay. I 'm also thankful that I get to be a dad again. Téa's pregnant." He beamed.

"What? When? How long have you known?" Viki asked shocked.

"Uh, for a couple of weeks. I told Todd on our anniversary." Téa smiled. The rest of the meal, and day were spent watching football and talking about the new Manning heir.