by Kyle Autumn
Nodding, I say, “I know.”
“We’re having a baby.” She looks up at me through her lashes.
With her gaze on me, I freeze. It’s not like I didn’t already know this, but it is like it’s finally settling over me. Last night was hectic, and today has been, well, illuminating. But I have the woman of my dreams in my arms and we’re going to be a family. I don’t think I ever knew that I was searching for it, but I certainly know I’ve found everything I could ever wish for.
“Yeah, that’s crazy,” I tell her, smiling. “But it’s going to be great. I promise.” I press her closer to me and kiss the top of her head. “It won’t be perfect, but we’ll take it one day at a time.”
“Like dating and getting to know the real people we are?” she asks against my chest.
I sway my head back and forth. “Ehh, I was actually thinking about you moving in so we can get to know the real people we are, but you know. Same thing.”
Using her hands, she pushes her top half away from me, looking me dead in the eyes. “Are you crazy?”
I cock my head. “Didn’t we already go over that?”
She tries to get away, but I hold her to me. Her laughter tells me that she’s not serious.
“Besides,” I say while steadying her from squirming, “we have a while before the baby comes. And I think we should make the absolute most of that time. What do you think?” One side of my mouth curves up in a naughty smirk.
“I think,” she starts, drawing the words out and walking two of her fingers up my chest, “that’s probably a good place to start.”
So I waste no time before I kiss her, sweep her off her feet, and, to the tune of her laughter, take her back to bed.
Epilogue
Lyra
“I cannot believe that this kid is late,” I say, dramatically falling backward onto our bed. My large, round belly sticks up in the air as I sigh long and loud.
“I can,” Blake replies. “The things I’ve learned about you in the past six months point straight to this conclusion.” He laughs as he drops next to me onto the bed.
I swat his chest with the back of my hand. “Hey now. This is your kid too. Combine the two of us and we have one extra stubborn baby on our hands.”
“Ugh,” he groans. “Can it stay up there forever? I’m not sure I can handle this.”
I bark out a laugh. “Only if we can put it inside you instead.”
“Never mind!” he quickly exclaims before rolling onto his side to face me. “I guess I’ll deal for the rest of my life.”
“Deal? That’s what you call it?” I ask through a smile.
He kisses my lips. “We’ll call it whatever you want.”
“Oh, I see how it is.” I giggle as he peppers kisses down my neck. “You’ll say whatever to appease me, huh?”
“I mean,” he says, trailing his fingers down my arm and over my belly, “right now, yeah. I’m not messing with my nine-months-pregnant angel.”
“Oh, okay,” I laugh.
“But after the baby comes?” He cups my cheek. “It’s on. Everything’s fair play again.”
“Everything?” I ask, arching an eyebrow. “Like hair-pulling, doggy style—”
“Woman!” he groans, getting harder and harder against me as the seconds go by. “We agreed. And I can’t even think about it without my dick aching. So we seriously cannot talk about it, either.”
“Okay, okay,” I relent. “But we can still have sex. The doctor said—”
“I know what the doctor said. But we just discussed this. This baby is going to be stubborn and I’m not ready.”
That eyebrow goes back up. “You? You aren’t ready to fuck me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he says, standing up. He stays at the end of the bed, my legs between his, and reaches toward my yoga pants waistband, smirking at me. “We both know that’s not even possible.”
“I’m saying.” I wink at him and lift my fat ass up in the air to help get my pants down.
Once they’re on the floor, he disappears behind my pregnant belly. I can’t see him, but holy shit, can I feel him. He runs a finger down my wet, slick folds. Then two slide inside as his tongue presses against my clit. I’m so sensitive right now that just a few strokes have me so close to an orgasm that it’s almost embarrassing. But this man has always known exactly where to touch and how in order to get me there fast. And he seems to love doing it as much as I love having it done.
And he also seems to love gardening. Who knew? Once the weather started cooperating, we planted two new flowerbeds and even some vegetables. I didn’t think he’d have much time while being the head honcho, but he’s made the time—like he promised. And, like he promised, it has been great, even if it hasn’t been perfect. We’ve butted heads on many things, but they haven’t been make-or-break things. Though who knows—we haven’t yet agreed on a baby name, so we still have things that might break us.
So far, though, it’s been more than I could hope for. He’s been sweet, super freaking sexy, and way more nurturing than I could have imagined. Throughout these past six months, he’s really stepped up to the plate. And his actions have led me to do the same. When we’re with each other, we want the other to be happy. We constantly work to bring out the best in one another.
Even when we’re not with each other, we’re always there. Thirsty Thursdays with the girls have turned into girls’ dinner night for us and boys’ night for Blake and Chaz. But we’ll text each other throughout the night to make sure the other is having a good time. And we always come back home to each other refreshed and renewed. Well, maybe not always—it’s not perfect—but most of the time. And we love it.
Personally, though, I love the way he’s making me feel right now. I’m a total cow at the moment, but he doesn’t see it that way. He just sees the woman he’s fallen in love with. The woman he moved into his house the day after we’d decided to be in a relationship. The woman carrying his child. The woman currently coming all over his fingers and his tongue.
“Ahhh!” I yell out as my orgasm washes over me. “Oh my god.”
He places kisses on my inner thighs. His unshaven scruff tickles my sensitive skin, and I laugh and squirm.
“I hope you’re ready for another one,” he says, crawling over me. But, when he goes to roll us over so I’m on top—the only comfortable way I can have sex with him—my phone rings over on the dresser. He moans. “No. No, no, no.”
I giggle. “It could be important!” I exclaim, pushing him toward it.
He lets out a groan but goes to get it anyway. “You owe me, woman.” When he reaches it, he answers the call with, “This better be worth my not getting laid right now.”
I push up to my elbows and watch him as his facial expression changes from irritated to totally serious. What the hell is going on?
“Got it,” Blake says. “We’ll be right there.” Then he faces me again. “Angel, we have to go.”
“Yeah, I heard,” I tell him.
“That was Chaz.” He puts my phone in his pocket and holds a hand out to help me get up from the bed.
“Shiree’s having trouble with the twins?”
He nods. “Yeah. I guess Harlan is colicky and Lara won’t stop shitting.”
“Oh, wonderful. That’s gonna be tons of fun.” I grab his hand to pull myself up to standing. “Why didn’t they call Patti and Zo? I’m a thousand months pregnant.”
“They did,” he says, holding on to my hand. “They didn’t answer their phones.”
“Great.” Once I’ve steadied myself, I say, “I’m gonna need some pants though.”
However, as he bends to retrieve my yoga pants, I feel a weird popping sensation, and then it’s like someone turned a faucet on between my legs. Water hits the floor, and Blake, still on one knee, looks up at me.
“I guess that’s gonna have to wait,” I tell him slowly.
With my pants in his hand, he rises and smiles. “Yep. Because we’re finally having a
baby.”
***
Blake
Outside the nursery, I stare through the window at my son. Because I have a son now. I have a son with the woman I love. The woman who lives with me. The woman who loves me back and accepts me as I am: a work in progress who’s trying every day to get better at this relationship thing. The best part about it is that being with her makes it easy. Without even trying, she makes me want to be that man. I knew she would, and I’m glad she gave me the chance.
And, now, we have a son. Holy shit.
Chaz slaps a hand on my back. “Congratulations, man. It feels good, right?”
Slowly, I nod. “And kinda strange. But yeah. Really fucking good.”
He nods too. “Who would have thought nine months ago that we’d be in serious relationships and have kids?”
A laugh bursts out of my mouth. “No kidding. You’re fucking married, man. That’s crazy enough.”
“I know. And we had two kids at a time.” He chuckles. “I wouldn’t want it any other way though. Yeah, your whole life changes when you have kids, but it’s seriously the best. Nothing makes my day quite like holding my son and my daughter. Their smiles…” He huffs out a breath. “I’m in trouble, man. They’re gonna get me to do whatever they want.”
“Good thing you have enough money to make all of their dreams come true,” I joke. Then I think about how much we’ve spent on a crib, a changing table, diapers, wipes, and clothes. Fuck, the clothes alone could bankrupt someone. “Or at least enough to send them to college. Babies are expensive as shit.”
“So it’s a good thing you have that fancy job.” He chuckles again. “What about you though?” he asks, turning serious. “You two live together, and you have a son now. Are you gonna man up and make an honest woman out of her or what?”
“You know… Funny you should ask.” I reach into my pocket and grip the small, black, velvet box with her engagement ring in it.
“No way,” Chaz says, his eyes widening.
“Yes way.” I grin at him. “She told me not to bother, but fuck that. We’ve spent six months getting to know each other, and I love her more and more every single day.”
His mouth splits into a smile as he faces the window again. “Sounds like shit you should be saying to her, not me.”
“I’ll tell her. I have a plan.” I rub my hands together and stare at my son. “Actually, we do.”
The nurse comes out and asks, “Are you ready to take your son to his mommy?” with a big smile. “It’s discharge day!”
“Indeed,” I tell her, flashing another grin at Chaz. “We’re more than ready.”
~~~
Once the nurse is gone, I sit on the edge of Lyra’s bed to wait for the doctor to discharge my family. Patti and Zo are in the two chairs at the end of the bed. On the other side of the bed, Chaz and Shiree, stand in front of the window, without their babies for the first time. My beautiful angel is holding our son, smiling down at him, totally in love. Just like I am with both of them.
“Okay,” Shiree says, “it’s my turn!” She claps and then puts her arms out, asking for our son.
Lyra gestures for Shiree to come closer with her head, and Shiree gently takes our son out of her arms. Patti and Zo both stand up and approach Shiree, who shifts so the other two women can see our baby too. As a result, Chaz walks over to stand next to me and get out of the ladies’ way.
“He’s so precious!” Zo softly coos, brushing a hand down his blue blanket.
Smiling, Patti nods then looks over at me and Lyra. “Have you decided on a name?”
Lyra aims her gaze at me, and then we both shake our heads. “Nope,” we say in unison.
“At least you both agree on something for once,” Shiree teases.
“Oh, your wife has jokes,” I say, nudging Chaz in his side with my elbow.
He laughs, dodging my arm. But, honestly, I don’t even care about any of it. The jokes, the fact that we don’t have a name yet… Chaz was right earlier. Having kids changes you.
I thought I knew what it’d be like the moment it settled in that I was going to be a father. But there’s nothing like hearing the first cry of the life you created. Nothing like seeing the mother of your child nourishing that life. Nothing like holding that life in your arms and knowing you made that. Everything this child does will stem from me and Lyra. And he’ll depend on us for everything. I can’t wrap my head around that, but I’m already wrapped around his little finger, just days after he was born.
Speaking of his little fingers… “Hey. I think it’s Dad’s turn now.” I round the corner of the bed to take my son.
“You’ll get him all the time,” Shiree pouts, her lip jutting out.
“And you have two of your own,” I playfully throw back at her, holding my arms out.
She huffs a breath out. “Fine.” But she smiles as she hands him over.
Once he’s in my arms, Lyra pipes up. “I will never get enough of seeing you two together.”
What a perfect lead-in. I couldn’t have asked for a better one, honestly.
“Well,” I say, balancing our son in one arm and reaching into my pocket with the other, “not that you had to before, but I’d like to make sure you never have to.” With one hand, I manage to flip the box open.
All the women—my angel included—gasp. Shiree looks like she’s about to cry, while Patti and Zo give each other some kind of look I don’t understand. I risk a glance at Lyra. Yes, she said that she didn’t care if we ever got married, but she’s not that kind of woman. She wants the commitment, and we both know. So I’m pleased to see her pleasantly surprised expression. Though she appears closer to crying than Shiree. Which is oddly satisfying. She’s surprised and happy, which makes me happy.
Chaz steps in to help me. He holds the box for me so I can remove it and put it in the hand I’m holding my son with. Once I have it out of the box, I carefully get down on one knee and take her hand in my free one.
“Lyra, my angel, I love you,” I say, zoning in on just her. As I kiss her hand, everything else around us fades away. “I love you and our son so much, and I know we’re already a family, but I want us all to have the same last name. I want us to take that next step to commit once and for all to each other forever. So we can spend weekend mornings eating breakfast and drinking coffee together at The Steam Room. So we can tend to the gardens after work and cook dinner together. So we can raise our son together. All as a family. Forever.”
Our son makes sleepy noises in my arms, and we all turn our attention to him for a moment. It adds a warmth to the room I didn’t expect but am so grateful for.
With a soft smile, I keep going. “You didn’t have to tell me that this is what you want. I know you better than you think. And I know that it isn’t what I was looking for when we met, but I want it more than my next breath now. Because this life is nothing if I don’t have you, and our son now, next to me. We could keep things the way they are, but I want you happy. And this will make me happy too. So please, angel,” I say, rising to my feet. I put the ring in our son’s hand, carefully close his little fingers around it, and place him in my soon-to-be fiancée’s arms. Once he’s settled, I sit on the side of her bed and ask, “Marry me?”
Lyra sniffles, her watery eyes glittering with love. She takes the ring from his hand and stares at it like she can’t believe that it’s real. Honestly, I can’t, either. Not for a moment in my life before I met her did I ever think I’d be getting engaged. But here we are. In a hospital room. About to go home with our first child—because I sense more in our future with how electric we are in the bedroom. So yeah. This is real.
The pink in Lyra’s cheeks hits me right in my heart. She’s so beautiful, and I’m the luckiest man in the world because she gave me another shot. A real one where we were honest about who we are, what we’re like, and what we really want. We’re here now because of fate, love, and a whole lot of luck. Trust too. So I trust in her silence and wait until she’s ready to gi
ve me her answer.
She fingers the ring with her free hand. Then she wipes a tear from her cheek. As I rub a hand up and down her leg, she gazes around the room, making eye contact with all of her closest friends, until she settles her gaze on me.
“Thank you,” she says, a slight quake in her voice. “I love that you want to garden with me, make dinner with me, and get coffee with me.” Out of nowhere, she chuckles a little. “Speaking of, I still have that gift card to use.”
Now, I laugh too. “Oh yeah. That’s right. You stood me up and never used it, huh?”
“Excuse me,” she laughs. “Do you want me to accept your proposal or not?”
“So sorry.” I wink at her. “Please continue.”
“As I was saying,” she says before she clears her throat and starts gently rocking our son. “Well, that’s all I was saying.” She grins. “Basically, I love you for being the man you are. And yes. Please give me your last name and commit to me forever.”
The whole room collectively releases the breath we were all holding. The girls cheer while Chaz pats me on the back. When Lyra hands the ring back to me, I take her left hand and place it on her ring finger.
“Thank you for sharing this moment with all of our family,” Lyra tells me.
“Yeah!” Shiree agrees. “We’re so happy for you two!”
I kiss her hand again now that my ring is there. “When you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“Are you all going to help me plan?” Lyra asks her friends.
Shiree is the first to answer. “Hell yes! I didn’t plan anything for mine. Not even the date,” she says, laughing. “So this is going to be so much fun!” She claps lightly so as not to wake the baby and faces Patti and Zo. “Right, ladies?”
The two women look at each other before turning back to the crowd staring back at them. Zo fans herself with one hand then puts both hands in her lap. After gazing at Zo one last time, Patti scoots to the front of her chair.
“Yes, of course. Zed and I would love to,” she says, pasting a smile on her face.
