by Ana Sparks
“I never dreamed it could be this good,” I murmured, moving my hips slowly. He could do little but gasp, obviously resisting the desire to plow into me. “You surprise me more with each passing day. I can’t imagine it getting any better than this,” I continued, all the adoration I felt for him spilling from my lips unbidden. He looked simultaneously touched and aroused, reaching up to caress my cheek as I began to move more rapidly against him.
“God, Ashley. I’m so close,” he murmured, his jaw tensing as he began to roll his hips in time with my own. I braced myself against his chest, tossing my head back as I shifted the angle slightly. His entire length filled me, brushing against all of the most tantalizing places at an agonizingly sensuous pace.
“I’m close, too. Oh, Jensen. Oh,” I gasped, slamming our hips together a final time as my inner walls flexed around him. I clenched up as I came, digging my nails into the flesh of his broad chest. He moaned, a low and appreciative sound as he finished inside of me, and I all but collapsed on top of him as I came down from my high, entirely spent.
“You’re so beautiful like this,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. I settled comfortably against his chest, blushing at the compliment.
“I love you,” I mumbled against his skin, aching to hear him say it one more time.
“I love you too, darling,” he said, unknowingly obliging me.
With thoughts of our future together swirling in my mind, I drifted into a peaceful slumber.
It was a bit soon to think of marriage, but…
Maybe I’d be his blushing bride yet.
Chapter 16
Ashley
Though I’d spent my share of time entertaining the thought of being Jensen’s girlfriend, I never could have anticipated what the real thing would be like. I told him we could try to keep things professional in the office, allowing him to hide our relationship if he chose, but he seemed not to care who saw our blossoming love. Loving kisses and gentle touches to my stomach became routine in the office, and if he could’ve had his way, he likely never would have spent a moment away from me.
There was still work to be done, however. While I was comforted by the idea of not having to raise our child alone, I wanted to bring something to the table. Something beyond, well, carrying our child. My rapidly growing stomach made it increasingly difficult to remain seated at my desk, as much as I tried, and I spent some time just trying to relieve the pain in my back from the extra weight I was carrying.
It seemed strange that I was gaining so much weight so very quickly. I could only attribute it to the fact that Jensen had been treating me to special dinners whenever possible. We’d been to each of the most expensive restaurants in town, though that night he planned to take me to the place it had all started, the Cerf Blanc. My heart warmed at the thought of revisiting the place our relationship had unofficially started. I planned to have the same thing I’d had that first night, minus the champagne of course.
Jensen had made the reservation weeks ago, booking out the entire restaurant to be our private love den for the evening. He’d had to pull some strings, but I was excited about the prospect of having the whole place to ourselves. He treated me like nothing less than a princess, and though it was a strange shift in my day-to-day life, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.
Finding myself pacing my office in anticipation, I paused to reach into my desk drawer to retrieve the jar of pickles I’d brought from home. The crunchy dill spears were one of my most intense cravings, so I was reluctant to go anywhere without a jar. I shoveled them into my eager mouth, humming in pleasure at the taste.
Without realizing it was time to leave for the day, I began to hum cheerfully under my breath as I ate, swaying from side to side in giddy excitement.
“Aren’t you cute?” Jensen asked suddenly, and I was so startled I nearly dropped the jar in my hands. I turned wide eyes upon him, my cheeks flaring with embarrassment.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on me like that,” I said balefully, tucking the jar back into my desk drawer. Jensen chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched me fidget around the office. While we were somewhat past the point of me having to be at my sexiest at any given time, I still didn’t want to seem outright frumpy.
“I didn’t sneak, darling. It’s time for our dinner date,” he said warmly, stepping toward me to offer his arm. I pouted a bit, looping our arms together and allowing him to lead me out of my office. I couldn’t be too angry faced with the prospect of food even more delicious than my beloved pickles.
“Oh, I didn’t even pay any mind to the time,” I mumbled, walking alongside him to the elevator. Once we stepped inside, he drew me in for a sweet kiss and I almost shrieked. “I smell like pickles,” I whined, trying to push him away. He grinned cockily, licking his lips teasingly.
“You taste like them too, but I’m not complaining. My little pickle princess,” he said cheekily.
I groaned, slapping at his shoulder in an attempt to get him to stifle himself, though he didn’t oblige. He continued to pepper kisses all along my cheeks, acting like he was going to capture my lips in a kiss before shifting his face slightly to blow a raspberry on my chin. I squealed indignantly, unable to stop the giggles once they started. He looked pleased with himself, and as much as I wanted to slap him, the urge to kiss him was stronger.
“You’re so silly. I never would have guessed,” I said quietly, considering him with a fond smile. He shrugged his shoulders, offering me a sly wink.
“I’m just as surprised. I’ve never had as much fun as I have with you,” he admitted, tugging me out of the elevator as we reached the ground floor. I allowed myself to be gently pulled, falling into step beside him as we exited the building. “Wait on this bench. I’ll come pick you up and then we’ll be on our way,” he said quickly. I parted my lips to argue, but God only knew how tiring it was to walk with the extra weight I was putting on. I resigned myself to sitting on the bench, resting a hand on my stomach.
When he pulled up in front of the building, he leaped out of the car and rushed to open my door for me. I grinned unabashedly, sliding into my seat and fastening my seatbelt. Jensen fussed over me for a moment longer before rushing to get back in the driver’s seat.
“Don’t want to miss our reservation, do we?” I teased, knowing it wasn’t exactly pressing that we got to the Cerf Blanc right on time. We had it booked for the entire evening. Just the same, he pressed the pedal to the metal as we raced down the back streets to the restaurant. “This isn’t the kind of T-bone I was looking forward to,” I yelped as we passed in front of another car in a blur. Jensen looked chagrined, slowing down for the rest of the trip. I reached out to grab his hand, smiling gently.
“I suppose I can’t drive like a madman once our child is here,” he sighed, pulling into the parking lot. The only other cars in the lot were those of the servers, kitchen workers and various other staff.
“It’ll all be worth it, right?” I prompted, winking before getting out of the car. He chuckled, walking slowly toward the entrance so I could properly keep up.
I grabbed his hand just before we stepped inside, and we were swiftly led to the best table in the entire restaurant. It was just in front of a stage where live music occasionally played and surprisingly, Jensen seemed to have arranged for that as well. I watched with barely contained interest as the musicians stepped on stage with their instruments.
My heart skipped a beat as they began playing a rendition of my favorite song, a ballad from the early eighties. The man singing had the voice of an angel, and I couldn’t help but tear up as I tried to express my appreciation to Jensen.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” I whimpered as he stood from the table, offering me his hand.
“I vowed to myself that I would treat you like royalty. Would you do me the pleasure of having this dance, princess?” he asked smoothly. His eyes glinted, and I couldn’t deny that I was struck by how absolutely charming he was. I grip
ped his hand, allowing him to guide me in a close and intimate dance in time with the beat of the music. I rested my cheek on his shoulder, allowing my eyes to flutter shut.
Every time I was sure things couldn’t get any better, Jensen seemed to go out of his way to disprove that notion. It was as if I were living in a fairy-tale world where absolutely nothing could go wrong. I was aware that there could be missteps along the way, but I was confident that the two of us could get through anything as long as we were together.
“I want to stay like this forever. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect moment,” I said quietly. Jensen chuckled, extending me into a twirl before drawing me in close again. He rested his chin on top of my head, and we swayed slowly from side to side as the song began to trail off into the final notes.
“Well, the way I see it, we have the rest of our lives to make moments as perfect as this, my sweet pickle princess,” he said teasingly. I laughed out loud, pushing away from him and slipping back toward the table as the band segued into another song.
“Let’s order our food,” I chuckled. “You did drag my away from my beloved pickle jar, after all,” I said, sticking my tongue out at him. He smiled., I had never felt so happy in my life.
The rest of our lives for perfect moments? That sounded great to me.
Chapter 17
Jensen
Pulling into a parking space at Ashley’s apartment complex, I sent her a quick message to let her know I’d arrived. Six weeks had passed since our night at the Cerf Blanc, and I had never been happier in my life. We were going to have our second ultrasound. The first had been exciting beyond belief, but it had revealed very little regarding the health of our baby. We could scarcely see its little heartbeat. It seemed to just be a mess of shapes in Ashley’s womb, as much as that thought made me chuckle.
When she stepped out of the complex, it was all I could do to keep from going starry-eyed. The mother of my future child was getting chunkier by the day, and though I knew she felt as if she were losing her sex appeal, I only grew more attracted to her. There was something about her carrying the life that would shape the rest of our lives in turn, something that sent me into a frenzy of passion.
Getting out of the car, I circled around to open the passenger door for her. She offered me an appreciative smile, and I was so overcome with love that I was helpless to do anything but kiss her. She moaned against my lips, a sound that could drive the strongest of men to the brink of madness. As much as I wanted to carry her back up to her apartment and make love to her, I knew the ultrasound was a more pressing issue for the time being.
I fastened her in once she got inside the car, though I knew it was a tossup as to whether she’d enjoy the spoiling or insist I was babying her. That day, she seemed all too receptive to my attention and affection, and I leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek before closing the car door and walking back around to the driver’s side. Getting inside, I gripped her hand where it rested on the center console, something that had become a habit for the two of us. She squeezed my hand, her own smaller hand resting on the broad expanse of her stomach.
“I’m getting so fat. I think I’m eating too much,” she whined, rubbing circles on her baby bump. As cute as I thought she was, I knew she had gained a good bit more than was normal for a pregnancy. I could only hope she wasn’t suffering from some gestational condition, one of many things that made the day’s ultrasound so important to me. I was eager to get a better look at our baby, but I wanted to be sure my princess was healthy as well.
“You’re perfect, my love,” I assured her, though I couldn’t dismiss her concerns altogether. I didn’t want to worry her, however, so I kept my concerns to myself.
We arrived at the ob-gyn’s office a few minutes later, and Ashley seemed somewhat nervous as I went to help her out of the car. She clung tightly to me as we walked across the parking lot, hesitating for a long moment before stepping through the door.
“Do you think everything will be okay?” she asked timidly.
While I wasn’t positive, I certainly liked to think everything would be just fine. I nodded, tightening my grip on her hand as we stepped into the office, where a plethora of couples lingered in the waiting area. I checked us in as Ashley settled in one of the armless chairs, apparently made to accommodate sizeable pregnant women.
The nurse made an attempt at idle chitchat with me, but as soon as I had checked us in, I dutifully returned to Ashley’s side. She shifted uncomfortably, looking from one couple to another. She was one of the larger women in the waiting area, though it was all in her stomach. I could tell she was flustered by the fixation that the other women seemed to have on us, so I spoke in hushed tones to distract her.
“I bet all of their husbands are jealous that I landed the best catch,” I murmured teasingly, giving her a little nudge in the side. She huffed, considering me from the corner of her eye with a small smile.
“I hardly think it’s the men who are jealous,” she replied a bit sourly. I rolled my eyes, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.
“I’d be jealous, if I were them. Just look at you, my princess. You’re absolutely radiant,” I whispered, pleased with the embarrassed little smile I was rewarded with.
I settled in my seat while all of the other couples were called back in turn. My poor Ashley only seemed to grow more anxious as we waited, and I could only hope they would call us back soon enough. I could have likely bribed the ultrasound technician into seeing us first. I had even suggested it as an option to Ashley. She had quickly shot that idea down, however.
“They’re probably just as nervous as we are,” she muttered, smiling at another woman as she stepped through the door that led to the back examination rooms. The woman returned the smile absently, but it was clear her eyes were on me. Ashley and the woman’s husband simultaneously uttered bitter sighs, but I wrapped an arm around my lover to comfort her.
“We should be next at the very least,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her earlobe.
She shivered, shooting me a glance that was likely intended as a warning, but I only smiled cockily, reaching down to pinch her rear. She jolted upright, unable to swallow a soft giggle as she settled back down against my side.
“You’re so naughty,” she said with a grin.
“Guilty as charged,” I agreed, glancing up as our names were called.
Any ounce of confidence she had been able to muster seemed to evaporate as Ashley rose to her shaky feet, clutching my arm as we were led back to one of the ultrasound-equipped rooms. The technician was kind, offering us a reassuring smile as she provided Ashley with a gown to change into.
We were allowed a bit of privacy as my princess changed into the gown, pouting as her stomach poked out from the opening in the front. I smiled, reaching out to rub her stomach. She batted at my hands, flopping melodramatically onto the examination table.
“I’m nervous,” she said quietly, and I felt my heart ache at the fear in her voice. She wiggled in her seat, obviously agitated as she waited for the technician to return.
“Don’t work yourself into a tizzy, that will only make you feel worse,” I said firmly, and Ashley looked as if she might argue. Fortunately, our ultrasound technician chose that moment to step back into the room. If she sensed any tension, she gave no indication either way. She simply began to rub the gel on Ashley’s stomach, making sure to apply an ample amount.
“Are you two excited? First time parents, right?” she asked idly, absently trying to make conversation as she prepared the machine. Ashley nodded, seeming not to trust her voice.
“We’re absolutely thrilled. We just want to make sure everything is progressing as it should,” I replied, bringing my lover’s hand to my lips. I kissed her knuckles gently, releasing her when it seemed she wanted nothing more than to anxiously clench her fists.
“Just relax, honey. Everyone panics a bit at this point during their pregnancy, especially if it’s your first time,” the technician assured Ashle
y as she grabbed the wand and began to probe her stomach, watching the screen with a pensive expression.
“I wasn’t so nervous with the first ultrasound, but I just have a bad feeling this time,” Ashley said shyly. She grunted as the probe seemed to touch a particularly sensitive area, and I glanced toward the ultrasound screen.
“Well, here’s number one,” the technician announced, shifting the wand so we could get a better look at our child. Her words didn’t truly strike me initially. “Now for the others,” she continued, shifting the wand to the side a bit.
Sure enough, there was another tiny body forming inside Ashley. My eyes widened, and I turned to her with a wary expression. Her lip was drawn between her teeth, clamped down so tightly that it appeared that she might draw blood.
“Is it healthy?” Ashley implored, not seeming to have caught onto the ultrasound technician’s references to multiple fetuses.
“Oh, yeah. Healthy as a horse. All four of them look like they’re going to be perfectly fine. It’s the first time we’ve seen quadruplets in this office, so I have to say I’m quite honored to be the one doing this,” the technician continued conversationally.
As the woman finished up the ultrasound, she offered Ashley something to wipe the gel off with. My poor princess looked entirely tuckered out, though the panic I may have expected was completely absent. I could only wonder if she had actually listened to anything the technician had said.
When the technician left the room, I rose from my seat and looked at the image she had left up on the screen. Suddenly, the inexplicable mass of shapes in Ashley’s womb seemed to make all too much sense.
Now it was just a matter of breaking the news to the mother-to-be.
