Dropping down onto our worn leather couch, I let out a miserable moan of discomfort as I fan my heated cheeks. I can't be pregnant anymore. I just can't. I'm going to kill Nathan for impregnating me with this, this spawn of Satan! He shifts and kicks and… I'm just so utterly miserable. I'm fat. And it's so hot. Life basically sucks up one end and down the other for me right about now. Someone needs to just put me out of my misery already. Maybe if I ask Nathan really nicely… again.
"What are you doing?" Nathan's velvety voice brings me out of my mildly morbid thoughts, his soft laughter only infuriating me further. He must notice my eyes flare angrily because he quiets down almost immediately. "Sorry. You just look kind of ridiculous sprawled out like that, baby." Another chuckle escapes his lips and my eyes narrow menacingly.
"You really, really don't understand how close I am to just strangling you, Nathan! I suggest you bite your tongue before I'm forced to do the one thing I know will garner a fraction of the pain and discomfort I'm currently feeling." I look pointedly at the span of jean below his belt and he noticeably flinches before me, backing away slightly. Smart man.
"Who knew pregnancy would turn you into such a little monster?" He laughs. "Too bad it only seems to turn me on even more." He openly leers at me, licking his lips, and I simply look back at him unimpressed. "Nothing? Damn. I swear I used to be able to charm the pants off of you," he pouts childishly.
"You could," I deadpan, gesturing to my ever-growing belly before meeting his sparkling blue eyes again. "Thanks, ever so."
He laughs again, closing the distance between us, causing me to cringe even before he's on the couch with me. "No, Nathan. Go away. It's too hot. I can't handle any added heat. I swear I'm going to actually combust."
He doesn't listen, though, as he pushes me further into the back of the couch so he can slide in front of me, facing me. His arms wrap around my waist to pull me even closer - And has he completely lost his damn mind?! Did he think I was kidding or something? Women that are eight months pregnant just do not kid about these things.
"Nathan… I can't breathe, Nathan! Ugh." I shove at him once expecting him to back off but he only laughs, clearly finding amusement in all of this. Oh, but wait. He isn't the one carrying around a little Scott everywhere he goes. Bastard.
"C'mere. Hales, stop fighting me. I thought you loved to cuddle? Oh, how times have changed." He openly laughs as I continue to struggle against his strong arms, pausing long enough to scoff loudly at his mocking.
"Nathan," I whine pitifully. "You're making me - I'm all sticky, Nathan! God, I'm going to kill you, I swear I will!" I rage, shoving him so hard, he actually falls off of the couch, landing with a solid thud on the carpet below.
"Ow! Jesus, Hales." He rubs at the back of his head, moaning in exaggerated pain. I ignore him altogether, letting out a low moan of my own, as fresh air hits my bare skin with his absence. I pull at my already snug tank top in an attempt to cool myself off. My maternity outfits are cute but understandably conservative, so when I'm in the confines of our own home I wear as little as humanly possible, unconcerned with my appearance. Nathan never seems to mind. He even went as far as to say once that he might have to consider just keeping me pregnant permanently if those would be the benefits. Then he laughed.
I didn't.
"You're so sexy," Nathan says from below me, his voice a husky whisper. I actually laugh at that, the idea seeming absolutely absurd to me. I've never felt more unattractive in my life but the truth is there, for all to see, in his darkening eyes. While I may not feel beautiful or sexy, he clearly believes me to be.
"Wow," I breathe, embarrassed as tears actually prick at my eyes, "I think you just earned yourself a few brownie points with that one, Scott." I reach down to rub at his stubbly cheek and he quickly captures my hand in his, pushing a soft kiss onto my significantly smaller palm. My eyes flutter and close, as I bite down on my bottom lip to stop the moan from escaping my lips.
I blame hormones. Nathan thinks it's hilarious that I'm so insanely turned on by the smallest gestures lately. He can openly leer at me and I'm fine, but the minute he brushes a soft kiss onto my shoulder as we cook breakfast together, I'm ready to jump him right there. He doesn't get it and I'm not sure that I do either, really.
"You want me," He concludes cockily, making an obvious show of brushing off his own shoulder. "I still got it." My face scrunches up in obvious annoyance at his antics and he chuckles, leaning up to playfully nip at my protruding bottom lip.
"Nathan!" I squeal, a little surprised, though I'm not sure why. This is, after all, Nathan just being Nathan. A flirt through and through, he just can't help himself. I kind of love him for it. I'm far too stubborn to admit that to him, though. I can just see the self-satisfied smirk on his face now. I would never live it down.
"If I go bump the air to, I don't know, 32 degrees, would I be allowed to touch you? I'm fully willing to make the sacrifice. Touching is priority for me." I giggle, nodding my head, and he smirks triumphant. His large hand lands on my bare knee and his fingers dance across the skin behind it, tickling me, before continuing on to my upper thigh.
I slap at his hand and he jumps back, clearly surprised by the action. "Not so fast, hotshot. Air first, groping later," I remark, watching the look of pure shock wash over his handsome features. I feel laughter bubble in my throat at the site of him and bite the inside of my cheek to stop it from reaching the surface.
"I've been pregnant eight months, babe. Eight long months. You would think by now you would understand that I never joke about," I raise my hand to count on my fingers, "food, sleep, and being hot." He simply gapes back at me, opening and closing his mouth a few times.
"Hop to it!" I shout a little louder than necessary and he jumps to his feet, glancing at me over his shoulder several times on his way to the thermostat. I hear the heavenly sound of the air conditioner kicking on and I sigh happily, moving fully onto my back again and outstretching my arms, closely mimicking the position Nathan had first found me in.
"Is that cool enough for you, Master?" Nathan quips as he makes his way back into the living room. "Can we please get back to the touching now? I greatly enjoy the touching," he nearly growls, launching himself on top of me, causing me to squeal in delight. He's careful to keep his full weight from hitting me, though. Nathan's always been careful with me but he's even more careful now.
"I have no idea why you're so eager to get back to the touching, Nathan. Apparently you're into groping basketball sized bellies," I grumble childishly, laying my arms over my protruding stomach in an attempt to cover it. Ha, fat chance. Literally.
"I love the belly, baby, you know that. You're always sexy Haley, and this belly? Just makes you that much sexier to me," he encourages, slipping a hand under my tank top to caress the skin there.
"Liar," I mumble through a pout. "I love you for it, though," I continue on, my face lighting up with a pleased grin. He chuckles at my childlike expression, dropping an innocent kiss on my lips- as innocent as a kiss from Nathan can ever be.
"Okay, I'm totally in the mood now," I giggle girlishly. "Let's make out." I fuse our lips together before he can form a response, sliding my tongue along the crease of his lips, smiling as he groans loudly. His jaw loosens instantly and I dive into his mouth, eager to feel his tongue brush against my own. It's my turn to groan when I get my wish.
My hands leave his face, sliding down to his hips and eventually his back, as I gather his shirt in my hands shoving at it until I feel skin. I drag my nails down the length of his sculpted back, something I know he especially loves, and he moans against my neck as he presses heated kisses there.
He moves then, sliding further down my body, pushing at my tank top until my belly is fully exposed to him. And me. I sigh at the sight, still not comfortable with my appearance, despite his many attempts to convince me that it was, in fact, sexy. I just don't see it.
"Nathan," I sigh softly, trying to subtly push the shirt back down. Nathan is having none of that, though. His wet lips push kisses across the entirety of my belly, pausing to slide his tongue over my belly button, which causes me to moan, despite myself. "Nathan…" I whisper, stopping short as his hands roam freely over me. "Nathan, don't-"
"Shh, baby. Let me do this for you, okay?" My eyes meet his intense gaze and I immediately quiet down, allowing him to continue. He clearly wants to do this, for me, I realize. It seems important to him, for whatever reasons, and I'm more than willing to give him that. More than willing to set aside whatever hang-ups I have.
I realize belatedly that he hasn't moved. He's still staring back at me, so I nod, giving him the okay he's clearly waiting for. Only he remains still above me. It's then that I notice a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes that I know all too well…
That never bodes well.
"What?" I question, more than a little suspicious. "You look, what's that look, Nathan?" I prod, but he simply continues to leer at me. "Nathan!" I finally snap, uncomfortable with the silence.
"Be right back!" He enthuses, jumping off of me and leaving the room altogether. I just… what the hell? He's on drugs. There's just no other explanation. Freak.
He's back before I even have a chance to ponder what he could possibly be up to. I slit my eyes up at him as he approaches, regarding him silently, trying to put the pieces together. He has one hand behind his back and I have no idea what he could possibly be hiding behind his back that would make him so… cheeky.
He continues to grin lecherously as he whips his arm from behind his back revealing… a popsicle?
"Wha- huh?" I sputter, completely confused, simultaneously backing away from him as I question him. I have no clue what he's planning but, I mean, this is Nathan. My husband. Hell, this is the boy I heard girls in the school bathroom whispering about long before he was my… anything. So, yeah. Whatever he's up to, he's up to no good.
"Nathan Scott," I warn. "You better have just gotten a sudden craving for a cherry flavored popsicle, buddy." I point an accusing finger at him, trying my best to ignore that all too familiar look in his eyes.
Crap.
"Relax, Hales. This'll be good. Trust me." He quickly removes the wrapping from the popsicle, licking at it a few times, before looking back at me, his face the picture of innocence. Yeah, right. Sell it to someone that's buying it, pal.
"Lay back," his voice was clearly aimed to persuade, and I reluctantly relaxed into the cushions of the couch. My eyes wide open and aware, ready to run if need be. God, it's a popsicle, Haley. It's not like he's going to attack you with it. No need to run from the apartment screaming.
I'm brought out of my random thoughts by Nathan, as he pushes the popsicle toward me in offering. I bit my lip, shaking my head, and he shrugs unaffected as he brings it back to his own lips. Lips that are quickly turning a bright shade of red, making them appear that much more kissable.
No! Focus. Nathan's up to something all… Nathan-like. Must focus. Look away, look away. I do just that, turning my head away from him to look out the apartment window, shrieking loudly when something entirely too cold and wet brushes against my bared stomach.
"Nathan!" I admonish, when I see that he's slowly tracing a portion of my stomach with that damn popsicle- the bane of my existence! Other than him, of course.
He raises his eyebrows at me in question, as if he's completely innocent and oblivious as to why I'm calling his name at all. Again, with the, ha!
"Nathan," I whine. "That's really, really cold. Just, Nathan, please!" I continue to whine, until I feel Nathan's lips on me, sucking a trail where the popsicle had previously been. His hand grips my thigh tightly, pulling my leg to wrap around him, as his lips continue to nip and kiss my belly. I sigh at the feeling of his lips on me and of him being so close, as close as we can possibly get with my current size.
"Too cold? Now, baby, that just doesn't sound like you at all," he teases, his laughter creating a delicious feeling against my exposed skin. I instinctively reach out, pushing my hands into his thick hair, in an attempt to pull his head closer to mine. I want to kiss him. I need to kiss him now.
He refuses to budge, though, and I let out an annoyed breath, huffing petulantly. "Nathan, come here." When he doesn't come, I nearly growl in frustration, "Nathan, now!"
He chuckles loudly at the order, finally relenting and crawling back up my body, hovering over my parted lips. I lean up, willing him to close the small distance between us, and he leans that fraction closer. I'm practically aching at this point, to feel his lips on mine, to feel him, and when he leans away at the last minute I have to fight the strong urge I feel to hit him. Hard.
"Don't tease me, Nathan," I grit out forcefully, tired of the teasing. I reach behind him to press down against his lower back, causing him to be that much closer to me. His eyes noticeably darken at my tone, coupled with our intoxicating proximity.
"I want you so much right now," He breathes directly into my ear. "I've always wanted you, Haley. You know that, right? I love you so much, baby. Sometimes I can't believe all we've been through. All we've overcome to get to this great place we're at now… to get here. And now we're going to have a baby, a family…" His voice cracks with emotion and I feel the tears I'd tried so desperately to keep at bay fall, unchecked.
"I love you, too, Nathan," I whisper, emotion thick in my voice as well. "And we are going to have a baby soon. A little mixture of both of us. I'm so excited to be pregnant with your child, Nathan. Even when I'm complaining, you know that, right? I can't wait to have a family with you." I press gentle kisses along his cheek, as I feel him nod, his face buried deep in the crook of my neck.
Eight long months.
In one more, four short weeks, the rest of their life together would finally begin.