Here's another slice of life from Cabot Cove, starring our favorite couple! This story was inspired by an OTP prompt (included below), which suits Seth and Jessica quite well. I can picture Jessica wearing Seth's shirts to bed, as a way of feeling close to him. Of course, there are many ways these two like to be close to each other...

Imagine Person A is bigger than Person B, so Person B loves to wear A's shirt to bed at night because it's so big on them.

"Hot as Hades out there... of all the nights for the air conditioning to crap out..."

"Are you still ranting? We have every ceiling fan in the house going; it's nowhere near as hot as you're complaining."

"Woman, I am well aware that we have every ceilin' fan goin' full throttle in this house. I'm still hot, probably 'cause I have the same problem whales do."

No sooner had she heard the word whales did Jessica roll her eyes. She knew what was coming before her husband even said it. "Which is?"

"Blubber. It keeps me nice and warm in winter, but in the summer, it makes me sweat more than a stallion after a race."

"Oh, Seth!" Jessica groaned, readjusting the tie of her teal satin robe. She had heard this song-and-dance before, and now it seemed as though Seth was using the summer heat and the haywire air conditioning as an excuse to say it all over again. "Will you stop it? You are not a whale, nor are you as big as you keep saying."

"I'm big enough," Seth griped through the bathroom door. "Bigger than you, anyway."

Jessica snickered. "You make it sound like I'm some skinny little thing when that can't be farther from the truth. I was slim when I was a girl, and heaven knows there was a time when I put on weight, but I've lost it since and found my happy medium. I'm not skinny and I never will be, but I'm not some lumbering tub of a woman, either. I've learned to accept my body the way it is, just as you need to accept yours."

Seth snorted. "There's a big difference between your body and mine."

"Aside from the obvious?" Jessica giggled.

"That's not what I mean." At long last, the bathroom door opened and out stepped Seth, dressed in his blue striped pajamas. "There's a big difference in our shapes, Jess. You have those beautiful curves, and I'm built –"

"Like a bear, I know," Jessica finished, crossing the room to her husband and wrapping her arms around him. "Seth, we've been through this before. I love you the way you are. And as big a strain as it must be, try not to complain about the heat. We've weathered far worse, and you know it."

Seth's expression softened into a smile. Darn her, she could always chip away at his hardest edges. "Ayuh. I guess if I can make it through a poisoning, stitchin' up a mobster, a kidnappin', and more murder investigations than Carter's got liver pills, I can suffer the heat. And there's no point in me findin' excuses to complain, 'cause you'll blow every one to smithereens."

"Now, Seth," Jessica teased, her eyes twinkling, "you are always finding excuses to complain, no matter the occasion. I wouldn't want you to have a stroke by suddenly quitting!"

"No, no," Seth assured her, squeezing her tight in a hug. "The only thing that could give me a stroke right now is the heat." He released her and tugged at his pajama top. "Ah, heck with it," he groused, shucking the top altogether. "There. Maybe now you won't hear me complainin'."

"You certainly won't hear me complaining," Jessica said slyly, her eyes taking in his shirtless torso.

Seth blushed in pleasure. As self-conscious as he felt about his body sometimes, it always warmed him to know that his wife loved him as he was, desired him that much. "Get on in there and get your bath," he ordered playfully. "I'm gonna get somethin' to drink. You want anything?"

"A glass of iced tea would be lovely."

"Comin' up."

"Don't be too long."

Jessica blew Seth a kiss as he took his leave. Before the bedroom door closed, his eyes cast a loving look upon her, one that made her knees go weak. Seth had beautiful eyes, a swirl of colors that made up a rare hazel. Emerald green, the color of life. Rich brown, the color of strength. Pure gold, the color of value. All colors that spoke highly of him – a man who, despite his years, was still lively, still strong in mind and body, and whose love was more valuable to her than all the royalties from her books. I love him so, she thought, setting about gathering her things for her bath. And to think I almost took our relationship for granted.

On the verge of grabbing a satin nightdress out of her dresser, Jessica suddenly took notice of the pajama top that Seth had cast aside. Laying the teal nightie back in the drawer, she ventured to the bed and picked the cotton top off the covers. The cool, crisp fabric slid through her fingers, and two delicious scents filled her senses when she buried her nose in the fabric: spring rain, the smell of the laundry detergent she used, and fresh, woodsy cedar – Seth's cologne. I wonder... A smile came to her face with the idea that popped into her head. Taking the top with her, she sequestered herself in the bathroom and soaked in a tub full of warm water and sweet-scented bubbles. After her bath, she slid Seth's pajama shirt on and buttoned it up. The top was so long that it hit her mid-thigh, and the roominess of the fabric gave her cooling relief from the heat, far better than a nightgown. Ooh, I could get used to this. Jessica grinned. I can't wait to see Seth's face when he finds me wearing his top.

The tinkling sound of ice against glass filtered in to Jessica's ears. No need to guess if Seth was in the bedroom. Most likely, he was already in bed, drinking a glass of iced tea and reading an old adventure book from his childhood. Let's find out. Jessica turned the knob and exited the bathroom, and, sure enough, Seth was under the covers, two tea glasses by his side, reading Huck Finn for the umpteenth time. The book, however, he set aside when he saw Jessica emerge. "Jess... is that my top you're wearin'?"

Jessica smiled down at the white cotton shirt, striped up and down with blue. "Well, you didn't want it, so I thought I'd find a better use for it than just bed decoration."

"I'll say," Seth said, his eyes riveted on her as she slid into bed beside him. "That top looks better on you than it does on me."

Jessica's eyes sparkled. "I just have nicer legs," she said blithely, sipping the tea Seth had brought up for her.

"Nicer everything. What made you wanna wear my PJ shirt instead of a nightgown?"

"Well, when I picked it up, I could smell you on it, and I couldn't resist. So, I put it on after my bath, and it felt so comfortable and cool that I kept it on."

"I'm amazed it's not hangin' on you like a tent. I'd-a thought somethin' that big would've been uncomfortable for you."

"No, not at all. It's much roomier than my nightgowns, and so much cooler in this heat." Jessica held one of the lapels to her nose and inhaled. "Not to mention I feel close to you wearing it."

Seth's mouth twitched upward. "Well, I wanna feel close to you, woman." He took off his glasses, burrowed under the sheets, and opened his arms for Jessica. "Come here." She snuggled up, curling into his stomach, and he closed the embrace, holding her snug against his body. The familiar scents of roses, freesia, and a little bit of plum and casaba melon tickled his nose. "You smell good, Jess."

"You sound surprised. Do I normally stink?" Jessica laughed.

"Bite your tongue! You always smell good. I'm just sayin', you smell even better right after you've just had a bath." Seth sank his fingers into her blonde curls. "Your hair's all silky and pretty." He slid his fingers down to caress her face, then her neck, then the collarbone exposed by the shirt. "And your skin's so soft and warm."

Jessica's hands massaged his back. "So is yours." A gentle moan escaped her mouth as Seth's lips caught hers and kissed her deeply. "Oh, Seth..."

"Jessica," he whispered, pulling back to gaze at her. Huge blue eyes stared back at him, the same color as the sapphire in her engagement ring. "You're beautiful, Jess." He smiled as his eyes lowered to the top she wore. "And you look so good in my shirt."

"I must, if you're this amorous," Jessica teased him. "Maybe I should wear your pajama tops to bed more often."

"Feel free. As long as they keep you cool, you can wear 'em as often as you like."

"Same shirt, different day?"

Seth laughed and drew her close once again. "Oh, Jess, honey, you might be wearin' the same shirt a few times, but every day's different with you." He kissed the top of her head, resting his cheek among her curls. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jessica breathed. The last thought she had before she drifted off to sleep was that she felt safe – in Seth's shirt, in his arms, and, more than anything else, in his love.