In some ways, it felt like they'd always known each other. They connected so strongly and so deeply, it was like their souls had always been matched. But they'd really only known each other for less than a year, and sporadically at that. In a lot of ways, they were still learning each other.

And they were both scarred from the people of their past and scared to lose this.

There would be the odd bump.

"It'd be okay if she did," Malcolm admitted, pushing to his feet. "I have a high pain tolerance."

Physical pain, anyway. He stepped around the highchair, but before he unbuckled Willa, he leaned over and buried his face in Raylan's hair for a moment, an arm over his shoulder and across his chest, then he lifted his head to press a gentle kiss to Raylan's temple.