Her hand reaches down between us, capturing me as she works my length up and down. By the time I have us both stripped of our clothing, I’m ready to explode the moment I slide into her heat.
15
Mia
MONTHS LATER…
* * *
“BEDREST?” I yell. “No way! I can’t be on bedrest!”
“I’m sorry, Mia,” Dr. York says. “It’s the only way to ensure these babies stay in there long enough. Otherwise, they would have to be kept in the NICU, and who knows what kind of complications they could have. It’s the only way.”
Trent steps up to my side, rubbing up and down my back. “It’ll be okay, Mia. Just think of it as your opportunity to be lazy for a few weeks before the babies are born.”
“Exactly. I don’t have time to be lazy! We have to finish the nursery. I haven’t had my baby shower yet, plus there’s still so much to decide with the new house being built,” I argue.
“All of that can be done from a sitting position, Mia,” Trent says. He places his hands on either side of my face, forcing my eyes to look at his. Here lately, I hate when he does this because looking into his eyes always calms me, and right now, I don’t want to be calm. I want to be mad. “I will take care of everything. You know I will. Your work is done, Mia. It’s time for you to kick back and relax and let me handle everything until it’s time to bring these little babies into the world. Okay?” He leans forward, pressing a small kiss to my lips.
“Fine,” I breathe out.
Trent smiles, happy that he got his way.
“But we’re still having sex,” I say, pointing my finger at him.
“Actually,” the doctor speaks up.
My head snaps in his direction. “Are you kidding me?”
The doctor holds up his hands, showing me his palms. “No penetration.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Trent laughs from beside me. “There’s still plenty of things we can do. Come on. Stop focusing on the negative and look at the positive. You’re keeping our babies safe.”
“I can’t fucking believe this,” I mutter, fighting with my giant whale body to get up. Trent takes my arm and helps me to my feet.
“A woman your size always has added risks when multiples come into play,” the doctor says, watching me stand up and grab my purse.
“That’s just great,” I say, waddling out of the room, leaving the doctor and Trent alone.
I walk out of the building and sit on a small wooden bench just outside the door, waiting while Trent checks us out and gets my next appointment scheduled. Moments later, he walks out, and he sits down beside me.
“Everything will be okay, Mia.” He rubs my thigh.
“I know. But if we can’t have sex, you really need to stop touching me.”
He laughs, and I give him the death glare. Finally, he lifts his hand off my leg. “Let’s get you home, and I’ll make you some lunch.”
We make it back to the apartment, and Trent helps me into a pair of pajamas. Settling into bed with a notebook and a pen, I make a list of all the things I’ll need to be brought into the bedroom, so I don’t have to get up. I still need to work, so I request my laptop, headphones, and basically the entire contents in my desk: paper, highlighters, pens, pencils, folders. I also request a mini-fridge stocked full of water and juice. Then just for fun, I write down magazines—I don’t have any— coloring books and crayons—don’t have any— and crossword puzzles—also, don’t have any— and since he’s going to the store, I make a list of cravings as well.
When Trent walks into the room with my lunch, I hand him the list.
“What’s this?”
“All the stuff I need. And I made a grocery list.” I smile.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Are you trying to punish me since I won’t have sex with you?”
I shrug one shoulder and take a bite of my grilled cheese. “Maybe.”
He laughs and kisses my forehead. “Stay in bed. I’ll be back soon.”
I finish eating and scoot myself lower into the bed to lay down. My phone chimes and I pick it up.
Dani: Can’t wait until our dinner tonight!
Damn, I forgot about that.
Mia: Can’t. I’ve been put on bedrest for the remainder of my pregnancy. This blows.
Dani: Girl, I’ve been there. And we’re still doing dinner. It’s just been moved to your place.
I laugh at how happy she always is.
Mia: Thanks, but you don’t have to put yourselves out. Really, I’ll be fine.
Dani: Too late. It’s a done deal. See you tonight.
I set the phone on the bedside table and roll to my side to get some sleep.
I fall asleep and wake up hours later to Trent moving things into the room.
“What are you doing?” I ask, rubbing my eyes and pulling myself into a seated position in bed.
“Bringing in your list. I had to move out the bedside table in order to fit the mini fridge, but I figured you could just use the top as a table.” He smiles, happy with his quick thinking.
“I forgot about dinner tonight with everyone.”
“Oh yeah. Want me to cancel?” he asks, looking up at me from his place on the floor.
“No, I already tried that. Dani is forcing everyone to come here for dinner instead. So, just be prepared when eight crazy people show up on our doorstep.”
“How are we going to fit everyone in this tiny apartment?”
I shrug. “No idea. You think bedrest means I have to stay in bed or is it okay to sit on the couch too?”
His brows pull together. “I don’t know. I’d say as long as you’re not standing you should be fine.”
Trent helps me to the couch and sits with me. We eat junk food, watch mind-numbing TV, and before we know it, eight crazy people are knocking on our door. Trent answers, and everyone piles inside.
“Hey, Mia,” Jazz says, leaning down to give me a hug. “You look beautiful.”
I snort. “Thanks, but I look like a whale!”
“A very beautiful whale,” Dani adds on, trying to keep me positive. I know all about Dani’s rough pregnancy, so I think she’s trying to make me feel better about mine. Up until now, it’s been great other than being tired, sore, and fat. My morning sickness was only slight and disappeared after my first trimester.
“Now, I’m going to get to work in the kitchen while you guys sit and catch up. Enjoy this time, hon. It’ll be hard to come by once those babies are born,” Dani says, picking up her grocery bags and heading to the kitchen to cook for the group.
“I’ll help,” Val says, following along behind her.
Maddie takes a seat at the end of the couch. “I can’t believe that all you guys are having babies, and here I am, still hanging out like one of the guys.”
I don’t know Maddie all that well yet, but since we’re going to be living so close, I look forward to growing closer as friends. “When do you plan on having children?” I ask.
Everyone in the group other than Bennet laughs.
“Well, actually, Bennet and I thought this would be a good time to tell everyone that—”
“You’re pregnant?” Jazz asks loudly and excitedly.
“No,” Maddie says. “Bennet and I have decided to adopt!”
“What? That’s great,” Jazz says while everyone else claps and sends them best wishes.
“We just figured there are already so many children out there that need loving homes, why not help out a little. Next week, we’re going to China to meet a little girl who was just born earlier today.” She smiles wide.
“That’s awesome, guys. Congrats!” I feel my chest begin to warm as my eyes feel the threat of tears.
“Oh, hun. Why are you crying?” Maddie asks.
I fan my face. “That’s just the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. You guys are the best people I know. You’ll be making a huge difference in that little girl’s life.” Tears overfill my ey
es and roll down my cheeks.
Trent sits next to me. “She’s a little emotional lately.” He rubs his hand up and down my arm to soothe me.
“I am not!” I bawl and wipe the snotty tears from my reddening face.
As the night drags on, I can’t do anything but sit back and listen as everyone talks like old friends. My life has made a complete 180. I remember when I didn’t leave my apartment for days on end. I did nothing but work and barely even talked on the phone. I was a shut-in. Now, I’m pregnant with twins, married, and have more friends in my home than can fit comfortably. I never thought I’d have all of this, but now that I do, I can’t imagine going back. These people, they’re not just friends. They’re family now. We’re all connected in one way or another. We’re like a quilt. If you remove one of us, the whole thing comes apart.
“Dinner is done. Taco bar!” Dani says, sticking her head into the living room.
Trent presses a kiss on the top of my hand. “I’ll make your plate.”
“Thanks, babe. Remember, load it down with sour cream. And black olives! And extra, extra hot sauce!” I shout after him.
Everyone gathers around me in a big circle with their plates. We sit—some of us on the couch, some on the love seat, and the rest on the floor—we eat, we talk, and we joke around. I find myself laughing more than I’ve laughed in a long time. I love the way I’ve grown to love each and every person here. And more than anything, I love having them around. They inspire me to be better, to love harder, and to stay in the moment. Nobody here had an easy time getting to where they are, but they remained persistent, knowing exactly what they wanted. I don’t know where we’ll all end up, but I know that we’ll end up together.
As the weeks pass, I get bigger and bigger, but the house is also getting closer and closer to being done. With any luck, by the time it’s finished, I’ll actually be able to fit inside it. I can’t be up long enough to go check it out, but every day Trent comes home and shows me new pictures of things that have been finished.
I’m finally at the thirty-six-week mark in my pregnancy, which means I no longer have to stay on bedrest, and the babies are safe to arrive any day now. I’m taking full advantage of being able to stay on my feet too. I’m packing. I’m cleaning. I’m organizing. My back is killing me, but I’m finally able to get to the list of things I want to get done before the babies arrive.
“Is this going or staying?” Trent asks, pointing to the couch.
“Staying. Did you order the new one?” I ask, going through my stack of movies and boxing them up.
“Yes, it will be delivered by the end of the week with the rest of the furniture.”
“I’m so happy to have all brand-new furniture that actually matches. Most of this stuff I got from the side of the road or second-hand stores. I’ve never in my life had a piece of furniture that’s only ever belonged to me.”
Trent laughs. “Well, from here on out, you’ll never have to buy second hand again… unless you want to.”
“How’s the babies’ rooms coming along over there?” I close up the box and slide it toward the door.
“All done. Want to go see? Now that you’re off bedrest, we can take a trip.”
“Yes!” I throw down the pillow I just picked up.
He laughs. “Alright. I’ll get these boxes loaded up, and we’ll take them over.”
While Trent loads up the car, I use the bathroom before hitting the road. These days, it feels like I’m running to the toilet every five minutes. It makes doing anything hard.
As I’m washing my hands, a cramp forms in my lower back. I lean against the sink and breathe deeply, clearing the pain. I guess I really overdid it today. I really should have been taking things a bit slower. I went from crawling to sprinting.
When the cramp passes, I dry my hands and leave the bathroom.
“Ready?”
“Yep,” I say, grabbing my purse as we head toward the door.
The drive to the country feels like it takes forever, and being cramped up in the car causes my cramp to come back. I try not to complain. This is our first time out of the apartment in I-don’t-know-how-long. I’m not going to let a sore back put an end to my fun. I need out. I need sunshine. I need fresh air.
We eventually pull into the driveway, and when I see the house, it takes my breath away. The siding is a dark navy blue, and all the accents are done in a deep-colored wood. The landscaping is to die for: green, lush, and tons of multicolored flowers line the front of the house. It reminds me of the vacation house in Hawaii.
“Come on,” Trent says, taking my hand and helping me from the car.
He leads me to the door, and the key slides into the knob easily. As I’m about to walk in, Trent grabs me and picks me up next to his chest. His face turns red, and he tries to hide his grunt as he carries me over the threshold.
I laugh. “Put me down before you throw your back out!”
He grunts again and places me on my feet in the foyer before he leans against the door frame to catch his breath.
“This is beautiful,” I say, looking around the foyer that’s already decorated and everything. “You did all this?” I ask, motioning around the room.
“I planned the layout. Bennet’s construction team built it. And Dani and Maddie have been doing the decorating. All but our room and the babies’ rooms. They figured you’d want to do those.”
“You guys,” I cry as the tears begin to fall.
Trent comes up and hugs me from behind. “We all love you. We just want to help.”
I spin around in his arms and hug him close. “I love you all so much,” I cry into his shirt.
“I love you too, sweetheart. Come on. Dry those tears, and let’s check out the rest of the house.”
He walks me through the living room that’s awaiting furniture—it’s painted a light tan color with dark blue carpet. The kitchen is perfect with subway tiles and white grout. There’s a big island in the center with dark navy-blue cabinets and a white marble top. There’re two staircases—one in the kitchen and one in the entryway. We go from the kitchen, up the stairs. The first bedroom is the master. It’s huge enough to have a big bed and a sitting area. There’s a walk-in closet and a full bath that’s modeled after the Hawaii house.
“The babies’ rooms I kind of made special. They each have their own room, but they’re connected together by a playroom. I figured while they were little, they could share the playroom. Then when they get older, they can each move to their own rooms while sharing the center room. We can change the room as they grow. It could be a nursery first, then a playroom, then it could be a cool little hang out room for them with desks for their schoolwork. What do you think?”
I walk through the three connected rooms. “This is amazing. I can’t believe you did all of this!”
He smiles widely. “I just want you and these kids to have the best life I can offer.” He walks closer, placing his hands on my stomach as he leans in for a kiss.
A cramp hits again, and it makes my knees buckle. Lucky for me, he catches me.
Panic is written all over his face. “Mia, are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“I have this cramp in my back. I think I overdid it a little too much today.”
“Are you sure? You’re not in labor?
“My water hasn’t broken…I don’t think.” I tell him as I get back to my feet.
“You don’t think?” He practically shouts.
“Well, I thought I just peed in the shower this morning, but yeah…okay, it could have been my water breaking.”
“Mia! That was hours ago! These babies could fall out of you at any second!” He’s frantic now.
“Oh, and my mucus plug came out a few days ago…shit, I forgot about that!” Now I’m panicked, realizing I’m most likely in labor.
Trent takes a deep breath, “Come on. I think we need to head back. You need your rest.” He takes my hand and leads me down the stairs. By the time I get to the bottom, I’m
doubling over in pain. The back cramp, it seems to be moving through me. It’s no longer in my back, but now in my lower belly. I think back on the breathing techniques I read about and put it to good use.
Trent locks the door behind us and helps me to the car. I lift my leg to get in, but a massive contraction rips through my lower stomach and back.
“Aghhhh!” I double over in pain again. “Oh god, Trent, I feel like the baby’s head is coming out!”
“What are we going to do? The hospital you’re supposed to deliver at is an hour away, and God forbid we hit traffic.”
“I need to sit,” I tell him.
He walks me back up to the house, and I sit on the bench outside the front door.
“Should I call for an ambulance?”
I nod. “Yes! Call now!” I grip my stomach and bend, trying to endure the pain.
I’m withering away in pain, and time seems to drag. However, it feels like the ambulance is there within minutes—that or I just passed out completely from the pain. I’m loaded into the back, and Trent sits beside me, holding my hand as we speed toward the hospital. We’re only halfway there when an EMT says, “I’m sorry, Mia. But it’s too late. We have to start pushing. The babies are showing signs of distress, and you’re fully dilated.”
“What? No.” I shake my head.
The man nods. “Come on. Push.”
Trent holds my hand and one of my legs while I bear down and push. I push until I can’t anymore, then lay back to breathe, tears running from my eyes. “I can’t. It hurts,” I cry, but they cheer me on, giving me the strength to do it again.
On the second push, I hear the baby cry.
“Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby boy!” They wrap him in a towel and hand him over to me.
It’s only minutes before the EMT hands him to Trent. “Okay, come on. Baby number two.”
I’m tired, in pain, sweaty, and happy, but oh so exhausted. I force myself to go again. I lose track of how many times I have to push. I think I just block it out and move about robotically at this point, but finally, another cry fills the ambulance.
His Every Desire (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 71
