A Love Like This (53 page)

I inhaled deeply. “Unfortunately, yes.” My
mouth twisted in a wry smile. “I just can’t poke at my son like
this.”

“Ryan, you’re a doctor. You know it won’t
hurt him.”

I moved my head in a small circle that was
neither positive nor negative. “Mmmm, my head knows, but I still
worry. These are my babies right here,” I pointed between her heart
and her tummy, “not just random patients.” I reached up to cup her
face, my thumb brushing her cheekbone. “We’re getting so close.
Let’s not take any unnecessary risks.”

I kissed her lips softly, my mouth savoring
hers. It was mean, but something devious drove me on. I knew that
kiss was more arousing, but I couldn’t help it. I lifted her so she
was straddling my lap. Despite her pregnancy, she was still small,
and I lifted her easily, pulling her closer. Her body was much the
same as before; her back and hips still slim, except for the baby
bump in front, perfectly round, and her breasts being slightly
larger and heavier.

“We can still play,” I said softly, kissing
the underside of her jaw and leaving a fiery trail down the column
of her neck.

“This big belly gets in the way.” I could
hear the pout in her voice, and my mouth twitched in amusement. She
really wanted me.

“Wanna bet?” I pushed her dress up over her
thighs, sliding my hands around behind her to press her closer,
groin against groin. Julia ground against me and wound her hands
through my hair. I could feel her heat through her panties and my
jeans, but I wanted to get even closer. I scooted forward on the
chaise, lifting her with me, until I was able to plant my feet on
the floor. I picked her up and carried her with me into the master
bedroom.

As soon as I laid down flat on our bed,
Julia’s hands deftly opened the front of my jeans and pulled my
boxers down. My full erection bobbed free. She licked her hand and
then brought it around me, pulling and pushing, rubbing her thumb
around the head with each stroke. It didn’t take long until I was
so turned on that a drop of clear liquid pearled on the tip.

“Uhhh…” My head fell back against the
pillows, and I closed my eyes. Julia eased off me until she was on
her knees between my spread legs. I lay there, helpless as she took
me deep into her mouth. I wound my hands in her hair as she sucked
hard, wrapping both hands around the shaft. She drove me crazy,
teasing the head with her tongue, and then sliding her lips down
and sucking on the way back out. It felt so good, and watching her
was so sexy; it didn’t take me long to come. I felt guilty coming
in the mouth of my pregnant wife, but she got me so hot so fast, I
lost control of what was happening.

Her eyes were smug and teasing as she
crawled up on top of me. “Gotcha,” she said, laying down and
curling into me, yawning. My pants still hung open, my boxers
pushed down and leaving me exposed. I reached down to pull them
back in place.

My brow furrowed in confusion. I thought
she’d still want to make love.

“Jules?”

“Hmmm?” She snuggled closer, hooking a leg
over mine, and her belly resting against and on me.

“Don’t you want me to take care of you? We
don’t have to be done.”

“Let’s take a nap.”

I kicked at the throw at the foot of the bed
until I could hoist it up with my toes and grab it with my free
hand to pull it over her. When I was satisfied she was covered, I
pulled her further into my embrace. She was already asleep.

Aaron was picking up our mothers at the
airport later, and they’d be with us for dinner. Julia’s rule of no
clocks in the bedroom had me wondering how much time we had until
they arrived, but it really didn’t matter. Julia had a quick dinner
planned, and the evening would be casual. No doubt the moms would
pitch in.

I was torn between watching her sleep and
holding her close, but in the end, I realized I was tired, too.
Soon we’d be parents, and sleep would become scarce. I planted a
lingering kiss on Julia’s forehead. She sighed my name, and my eyes
closed.

*****

“Julia, darling, do you need help?” my mother
asked. Julia was chopping up various fresh vegetables and placing
them in bowls next to one with hamburger and another with sliced
chicken.

She looked up and smiled. “I’m good,
Elyse.”

“Ryan, you shouldn’t allow her to work like
this.”

I sat on a stool next to my wife, unable to
help myself, and ran a hand down the back of her head to tangle in
the long hair at her nape. “You know she does what she wants.”

Julia took a big chef’s knife to three
carrots she had lined up on the wooden chopping block. “Believe me,
he spoils me.”

Aaron was in the living room, and Jenna was
setting the table in the dining room.

“What are you making, honey?” Marin
asked.

“Well, it’s sort of an ‘assemble your own
meal’ thing. You put butter and meat in the bottom of a piece of
foil, you add whatever vegetables you want, and then the seasoning
you want. I have a variety of sauces and spices for the rest of
you, but Ryan’s boring. He likes just salt and pepper. You put
everything you want in the foil and then fold it like a pocket.
Throw it in the oven for an hour, and that’s it. It’s really easy.
Dad used to make this when I was a kid and spent the summers in
California. He’s not that great of a cook, but this always turned
out. Sometimes we threw it on coals or a campfire.”

Marin smiled and glanced between us. “You
guys look very happy.”

Julia rubbed her lower back, and instantly,
I perked up. “Baby, are you hurting?”

“My back’s a little achy, that’s all.”

“What happened at the last doctor’s
appointment?” My mom asked, getting juice from the refrigerator and
pouring a glass.

“She’s about thirty percent effaced but no
dilation yet. This backache could be something, though.”

“Pfft. It would be too much to hope for.”
Julia began tearing pieces of foil off of the roll. “First babies
are never on time.”

“Make Aaron’s a little bigger, Julia,” Jenna
said, taking a seat across from me. “I really love this house.
Better than ours. I wish you would have been in town when I was
decorating.” Their house was about twenty minutes away and was more
modern. “Our place feels like the hospital.”

“We have time,” Julia began, but then
winced.

I reached out and placed a hand on her
stomach. The baby kicked hard. “He’s getting busy.”

“Aaron!” Jenna called. “Come in here and
tell me what you want to eat.”

I studied Julia as she made my dinner and
hers and helped with the others until they were all in the oven and
the timer was set.

“Have you decided on a name?” Marin asked
hopefully.

“Yes! Tell us! We’ve suffered long enough,”
my mom added.

My eyes met Julia’s and locked. We hadn’t
talked about whether we’d share it, but I smiled at her. I knew
what she was thinking.

“Yep, we figured that out earlier today
actually.”

“Nothing like waiting until the last
minute,” Aaron muttered, grabbing a beer and going back in the
other room.

“Well?”

“What did you decide?”

“Out with it!”

All the women talked at once.

“We’re not telling. I didn’t get my way
about not knowing the baby’s sex, so, you’ll know when you’re
introduced to the little man.”

Julia waddled a little when she walked from
the island to place the dishes in the sink, but other than her
swollen stomach, you wouldn’t know she was pregnant. I thought she
was cute. Her face was still so beautiful, but I noticed sharp pain
in her eyes.

I took her arm and pulled her a little
closer. “Baby, are you having contractions?” My hand splayed out on
her stomach again.

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so,
but I am going to take a bath while dinner’s in the oven.”

“Honey, are you okay?” Marin asked. “I bet
the baby is ready. You are all belly.”

“I’m fine, Mom. I’m glad you’re all here,
though.” She kissed her mother’s cheek and went to hug my mom.

“When I get pregnant, I bet I’ll gain a
hundred pounds,” Jenna lamented. “Julia will probably be one of
those who a week after the baby is born, you won’t be able to tell
she was ever pregnant.”

“I’m careful. Not too much sugar or white
flour. Ryan keeps pretty good track of me.”

“Yeah, easy for the dudes. They get to
imbibe and dole out orders while we have to suffer,” Jenna
retorted.

“How is that different from everyday life?”
my mother asked.

“Ryan’s good. He doesn’t eat tempting things
in front of me. I’ll be back,” Julia said, smiling and rubbing her
tummy. She turned toward the stairs and I grabbed her hand.

“I’m coming with you.” I stared into her
green eyes and they softened. She touched my jaw and started to
speak. “Don’t argue.”

She nodded, and we left the others
downstairs to watch the food. Jenna and Aaron were tangled together
on the couch watching CSI, and our moms were in the kitchen,
happily chatting about the baby.

I soon had the water running but didn’t add
any bubble bath or bath salts just in case. My fingers tested the
water, making sure it was warm and not too hot.

“Can I have it hot, honey?”

Julia was undressing behind me. When we had
the bathroom redone, we picked a wider tub with Jacuzzi jets, big
enough for the two of us. I lit a candle and turned off the
light.

“Not too hot, baby. It’s not good for either
of you.”

“I know, but my back hurts so bad.” Dropping
her dress, Julia grabbed the edge of the vanity and gasped, her
whole body tensing.

“Jules, honey, you’re having
contractions.”

“Does that mean I can’t have a bath? Labor
will be long, right?”

“Generally on first babies, it is.” I picked
her up in my arms and gently lowered her into the tub. “Hold on.” I
shot into the bedroom and pulled out the stopwatch I had hidden in
my underwear drawer. Technology was great, but my iPhone would
time-out in between contractions, and I didn’t want to mess with
it. “It’s going to take some time, baby. I’ll start timing the next
one. We don’t have to go into the hospital until they’re ten
minutes apart.”

She reached for my hand. “I trust you.”

I sat on the floor next to the tub, holding
her hand and cupping her face with the other. “It’s finally
happening. You’re going to be the most amazing mother.”

We sat there together, just gazing at each
other, and her eyes began to water. “Don’t make me cry.”

My own eyes started to burn and I blinked.
“Nah, this is going to be an incredible experience. It’s going to
be okay. I wish I could take the pain for you, my love.”

We’d talked about the baby’s birth several
times. Julia reiterated how she wanted me to deliver him alone with
her, but I could tell she needed some reassurance. She told me she
didn’t want an epidural or medications at all, but I’d seen women
in labor and knew how much it hurt.

“So, if you change your mind about the
epidural, I’m on board.”

“Ryan, no. Someone will have to come in
then, and I don’t want that. We agreed; it’s only us from the
minute we get me hooked up to the monitors until Aidan is out.”

I smiled and my heart tightened. This was
the first time she’d referred to him by name.

“Please. Just us, okay?”

“Unless something happens. But, that’s my
call, and you have to trust me on that.” Our fingers moved and
threaded together. I understood why she wanted us to be alone, and
the thought of it filled me with emotions I couldn’t put into
words, but there was no way I’d take any chances with her safety.
She nodded. “Is the water helping at all?”

“Maybe a little.”

I reached in and tested it. It was a little
cool so I turned on the hot faucet and moved the water around to
blend it in.

“This baby is going to be amazing.” I
settled in to talk to her. The contractions would start slow and be
short and most likely the baby wouldn’t be born until well into the
next day. “Is it selfish to hope he looks like the picture you
drew?”

Her mouth curved in a loving smile. “No. I
hope he does, too. There are worse things than looking like
you.”

My hand wound around hers again as I leaned
against the side of the tub. “Have I told you how absolutely
thankful I am for psych 101?”

Julia swallowed, and tears flooded her
eyes.

“I have everything I could want, and it’s
all because you love me.” I lifted the hand I held to my mouth and
said the next words against it. “I’ll never find the words to tell
you how much you have meant to my life. I love you more every
single day. You’re so… precious to me. I never want to lose
you.”

Two tears tumbled down her face, and she sat
up and opened her arms to me. I gathered her close, not caring if
I’d get wet. “You’re never going to.”

I turned my head and kissed her cheek, then
her temple; my throat beginning to ache. She tensed again, and I
quickly grabbed the stopwatch, clicking it on. “Tell me when it’s
over.”

“Okay. They’re not too bad yet. Like really
painful period cramps.”

Her fingers curled around the edge of the
tub, and her face grimaced. It was hurting worse than she let on.
“Ugh….” She let out a little moan.

“Will it help to breathe?” We’d taken the
natural childbirth classes three months prior, and I afterward,
we’d joked about all the huffing and puffing.

“It’s over now.”

I stopped the watch. The contraction was 40
seconds. “They’re not too long yet, sweetheart. Do you want to get
out of the tub? I want to keep an eye on you, and we won’t be able
to tell if your water breaks in the tub.”

She nodded, and after I noted the time and
set the watch back down, I lifted her from the tub and wrapped her
in a towel.