A/N: This is the final chapter of the first part of this story. The second part will have about ten to twenty more chapters making this story have a total of twenty or thirty chapters altogether. I hope that didn't confuse you all. lol. Enjoy and review!

The Thrill Of It All

The First Noel Of Cooking Part Two

Tiana woke up to soft kisses being placed on her shoulder. She happily moaned before turning to face the man behind those soft kisses.

"Hello." His voice greeted her.

Tiana could stare into his honey coloured eyes forever if she could. "Hello." She smiled.

"How did you sleep?" Naveen asked, moving the curl the rested on her forehead.

Tiana closed her eyes at his gentle touch. "Mmm…I haven't slept this good in so long."

Naveen smirked cockily. "It's called the Maldonian touch."

Tiana snorted, noticing his playful arrogance. "Maldonian touch?"

"As bad as that sounded it's actually the real deal." He said with confidence.

She raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really…" He pulled her over his body, under the covers, pressing his lips onto hers. "Mm…mi sweet tasting benita."

Tiana bit the bottom of her lip before burying her head in the crook of Naveen's neck. "What time is it?"

He groaned, regretfully. "Four-fifteen."

Her head shot up; eyes widen. "Four-fifteen!"

"After a quick shower we can leave." Naveen said reassuringly. "Or perhaps I can cancel this dinner—

"I thought that was last night." Tiana rolled off the prince, covering her breasts with a blanket.

"It was but the party canceled in the last minute." Naveen looked down at her covered chest. "Why are you hiding yourself? I've already seen your beautiful body."

"Oh…," Tiana uncovered herself. "Is that better?" Her tone flirtatious.

"Let me see..." He leaned forward to take one of her breasts in his mouth, his tongue circling around the nipple while his fingers in his other hand gently massaged the other erect nipple.

Tiana moaned, feeling herself quickly growing moist again. "Mm...Naveen we have to go..."

Feeling completely ready himself, Naveen shook his head. "We can leave after one more round..."

()()()()

"I would feel like the luckiest man alive if I could end my nights looking at you." Naveen held Tiana in his arms, still in the bed.

"It will happen soon enough," Tiana gave him a kiss on his lips.

Naveen returned the kiss. "How soon?"

She wanted to tell him as soon as she files for divorce but couldn't bring it to herself to lie to him. Jacques would make her life a living hell if she told him she wanted to divorce face-to-face, or even kill her at the spot. There had to be another way.

He noticed her look of concern. "Tiana, you no longer have to be unhappy in that marriage." He kissed her on the forehead. "If there's protection you need..."

"I'll be okay." She stopped him from going any further. "Just promise me that you will not give up on me."

He sighed. "I will never give up on you, and I'm also hoping that you do not give up on yourself."

She looked up at him.

"Do that for me." Naveen finished, embracing her in a warm hug. "I love you."

Tiana closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh. "And I love you."

()()()()

After getting cleaned and dressed, Naveen drove Tiana home where they shared a quick kiss goodbye.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked, caressing her face.

"Same time." Tiana said with a weak smile.

Satisfied, Naveen pressed his lips onto hers.

But Tiana quickly pulled away. "We're in front of my house."

"You have nothing to worry about." He took her hand and kissed it. "Mi rosina."

Tiana shivered at those words. The same exact words he would use after each session of their love making. She was his heart as he was hers.

"I love you." Left her lips.

Naveen put his hands on the sides of Tiana's face before pulling her into another passionate kiss. 'To hell with Jacques or anyone else.' he thought selfishly. Tiana was his and will do everything in his power to make sure that it remains that way. Even if it meant committing murder.

"And I love you, mi benita." He gave her one more kiss.

Tiana tried catching her breath after the kiss the man before her just gave. It was always unlike the kisses she received from her husband. Never in her nineteen years of living have she ever felt so happy. Perhaps she should just run off and leave behind her life to be with Naveen…

"We can always go back to my house." Naveen didn't want for her to leave, even if by law she did belong to her ungrateful husband.

"No, I should be heading in." She gave his hand a small squeeze before letting it go and leaving the car. "I'll see you tomorrow."

After Naveen finally drove off, she rested a hand on her tummy and walked blissfully into her home where Florence could be heard preparing dinner in the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready in a few, Tiana!" She heard the older woman yell from the kitchen. She was a bit hungry and wished that she brought back some of the gumbo she made at Naveen's earlier. So, walking into the kitchen, Tiana found Florence applying the spinach on the plate.

"I was just about to serve you ya dinner," said the maid.

"You need anymore help in here?" Tiana asked.

Florence noticed the younger woman's bright mood and asked, "Had a great day I'm assuming?"

"You can say that." Tiana sampled the baked chicken on the plate. "Mmm. Needs a little more hot sauce."

"Well why don't you sit in ya beautiful dining room table and tell me all about it?"

Tiana smirked, walking into the room where the dinner plate was set in front of her. "What do you want to know about it?"

"You seem like the happiest woman on earth and that could mean one thing." Florence looked her up and down.

Tiana raised an eyebrow.

"Oh I can't pretend that I don't know either." Florence laughed.

Tiana grew puzzled. "Um, okay?" She looked down at her food. "Do we by chance have anymore hot sauce?"

"I used the last of the bottle I was using in tonight's dinner. It isn't spicy enough for you?"

"The chicken is alright. Just needs a little more poof." Tiana rose from the chair. "Are there any more?"

"On the very top shelf in the kitchen. Let me get it for ya."

"I got it." Tiana hurried in the kitchen where she was quickly reminded of her day with Naveen. A warm feeling rush over her at that thought.

"There's that look again." Florence giggled.

Tiana playfully rolled her eyes, standing on her tip toes to reach up for the bottle. "Florence, I swear you really need to…ouch!" She suddenly felt a pinching sensation in her lower abdominal. "Ah!" She clenched her abdominal, dropping the bottle of hot sauce.

Florence quickly assisted the young woman. "Let's get you to your room and I shall call Dr. Martin."

()()()()

It took the doctor fifteen minutes to arrive at the home and he was very quick with his diagnostics.

"You're two months pregnant." He told her.

Tiana was surprised to learn the news. "I'm...pregnant?"

"Yes, I've been trying to contact you for days. The blood and urine tests I've collected from you on my last visit came back with flying colours."

Tiana's heart stopped. She couldn't be pregnant. "How can I..."

"Based on your last menstrual cycle you are two months." He gave her a smile. "Jacques will be pleased by this news I'm certain."

"Yes, he will." Tiana thought grimly. Wanting to cry.

The dark skin man smiled, he thought he knew what she was thinking. "It's normal to be afraid, but once you finally meet your child in seven months it will be well worth it. I think this will certainly keep Jacques home more often. The best Christmas gift a man could ever receive is knowing that he will be a father."

Tiana looked up at the doctor blankly.

"I know how busy he can be," said Dr. Martin

She nodded. "He's a business man."

"He is." The doctor agreed. "Well, if you are feeling sick or uncomfortable give me a ring."

"Thank you." Tiana said softly as tears formed in her eyes. Now she was trapped…or was she? She could go to the voodoo midwife on the other side of town and take care of this, can she?

"Tiana, darling! I'm home!"

Her eyes widen when she heard that voice. No. It can't be Jacques. Was she having a nightmare?

Jacques walked into the room to see his wife in bed. "I just saw Dr. Martin leaving our home. I asked what was he doing here and all he told me was that you have some news to share me?" He sat on the bed with a curious brow. "Are you alright?"

She couldn't look at him. She couldn't even tell him. Why was life so wrong when it felt so right?

"Let the girl rest, Jacques." Florence said at the door. "She's not feeling too well but I'm sure by the morning she will be up to your standards."

Jacques leaned over to kiss Tiana on the cheek. "If you have enough strength, I would really like to see you. I'll be downstairs in the den."

Tiana closed her eyes, hearing him close the door behind himself and let out a discouraging sigh. Right when her life was finally turning for the better, this pregnancy and Jacques coming home early had to happen. What will Naveen say when she tell him the news? No, she won't have to tell him such news if she's going to get rid of the problem, right? An innocent problem that had no fault in any form of how it was conceived. But it was still a child of Jacques Montriuel.

Rising herself from the bed, Tiana changed into an evening dress before joining Jacques downstairs.

()()()()

She followed his voice along with several others and knew that there were more people in the den.

Jacques smiled when he saw his wife.

"Come in, Tiana." He put his arm around her waist. "She was under the weather earlier. Are you feeling well?"

"Yes, I am now." She gave him a warm smile, despite not having any meaning behind it.

But Jacques didn't notice and he kissed her on the cheek anyway. "I will like to introduce you to the gentlemen involved in this local charity project we've put together. You already know Derek…"

Her stomach churned at the man grinning her way.

"Jonathan Grant, Kevin Peterson and Naveen…" The prince turned at the mention of his name. He was in the middle of a conversation with another gentleman.

Tiana's eyes widen when she spotted him. "Naveen?"

He gave her a smile. "Nice to meet you…again."

"And you too, sir." Tiana played along.

"She's beautiful, Jacques." Naveen's eyes never leaving hers.

"That she is." Jacques held on to her.

Naveen saw how possessive the man held the young woman and wanted to strangle Jacques for having his arm around his Tiana. Yes, his Tiana.

Jacques laughed. "We've all met some months ago on bad terms but we've all made up for that. I never judge a person based on first impressions." He picked up a cigar from his pocket before lighting it up

"Neither do I." Derek muttered.

"It's a very old way of thinking from our parents." Naveen added, both men nodded. "Now about this charity—

"Right." Jacques cut him off. "About it. I believe that we should charge the families a fee for participating."

Naveen frowned. "Charging them a fee? But I made it everything in my power for it to remain free of charge for the families. Even using money from my own pocket."

"Well now that you have sponsors you don't have to worry about those poor excuse for people ever taking money from your pockets." Jacques said matter-of-factly.

"Poor excuse for people?" Naveen grew offensive. "Those are some of the most hardworking people I've ever met. They're far from being poor excuses."

Jacques' hand squeezed onto Tiana's side in anger. "Darling, why don't you go back into our room and wait up for me. This is man's business."

"She could stay here." Naveen offered, noticing Tiana looking a bit uneasy. "She isn't a child."

"Tiana go on upstairs." Jacques ordered her.

Tiana cared for Naveen but wasn't a fool. She knew to follow Jacques' orders without any doubt. He was still her husband after all.

Jacques inhaled his cigar before blowing out the smoke. "So what makes you think that those people deserve anything free? God knows that they breed more than a pack of rabbits do in a single year."

"They are people who were unfairly discriminated on government help based on their skin colour." Naveen answered. "You of all people should know what it feels like to be looked down on, I mean, you are a man of colour, right?"

Jacques let out of a laugh. "I'm not a negro! I'm Creole! A big difference!" He smoked on his cigar some more before continuing. "Negros are nothing but lazy, pathetic excuses for human being who deserve to be held back in slavery. Where they belong. My great-grandfather who was a Frenchman told me on his death bed that I am better than those people! My grandmother, a beautiful creole woman with blonde hair and blue eyes spoke the same words. My granddaddy echoed their words and at first I didn't believe them. Until I saw them for myself!" He wrinkled his nose at the thought. "Those piss poor niggers are too stupid to even think. Why do you think that they live the way they do? Lazy and stupid people need nothing free." His voice was bitter.

Naveen raised an eyebrow. "So you having mixed blood is your excuse for not wanting to help the people?" He thought that the man was insane. "And isn't your wife...negro?"

"She is, but very different from the average woman negro. She's bright and if you haven't noticed very good-looking for a dark coloured woman." He smiled to himself. "It took me no time to claim her. Her poor excuse for parents gave her away to me as if she was live stock." He bragged. "Best decision I've ever made. When I tell her to lay, she lays. When I tell her to get on her knees, she'll get on her knees, when I tell her to open her pretty little mouth...," He laughed. "...much like an obedient dog. Right boys?"

"That's right!" They all agreed. Some whistled.

Naveen wanted to sock the man on his back at such comments about Tiana. The man had no respect for her. He knew that if they continued on the topic of Tiana he would kill the man with his bare hands, so quickly returning to their previous topic he says, "About the charity—

"They will be charged a fee—

"I say they won't be charged anything." Naveen cut him off sternly.

Jacques gave Naveen a sneaky smirk, not liking the man himself. "It is much too late for debating Naveen. Perhaps we shall continue this at my aunt's charitable dinner this upcoming Saturday evening?" He asked the prince.

"Perhaps." Naveen said, angered at the way the ruthless man thought less on the those who barely had income and of his own wife, the same woman he love.

Soon Naveen and the other gentlemen left the home. He wondered what Tiana was thinking at the moment? And already knew that he wouldn't see her until Saturday evening. Maybe then he would be able to talk to her.

Derek smirked. "Just when everything was getting exciting."

Jacques looked back at his friend. "I actually need to speak with you."

"What about?" he asked.

"Tiana. You said that she's been out of the house more often?" he mused.

"Yes, going to that idiot Charlotte Oliviers estate."

"That is going to end." Jacques promised himself. "I've heard that this Naveen fellow is staying there and I didn't like the way he was looking at my wife."

Derek snorted in humor. "I wouldn't trust him around her either. Or her around him."

Ignoring his friend's comment, Jacques continued. "Travis is a great businessman but his wife is a little too wild for Tiana. I'll need to contact my aunt and cousins. They would make better company for Tiana anyway."

Derek nodded his head. "But Celestine can be quite the gossip queen as well as her daughters."

Jacques wrinkled his nose. "It's good for Tiana."

"Good for Tiana or good for you?" He asked.

"Both." Jacques answered curtly before clearing his throat. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a beautiful woman upstairs waiting in my bed."

"Very lucky man indeed." Derek chuckled. "Whatever happened to Mona?"

"I had to get rid of the old drunk." He headed up the stairs. "I'll tell you about in the morning. Florence will send you out."

()()()()

Tiana sat at her vanity table brushing her hair. She's already taken another bath and changed into a royal blue night gown. Putting her hand over her lower abdomen she could feel the slight hardness and truly hated herself for getting into this predicament. If anything, she wish that this was Naveen's child she was carrying.

"Tiana darling? Are you still up?" Jacques walked into the room.

"Yes?" She rose from her chair.

He looked her up and down before grinning. "You look beautiful." He walked towards her.

Tiana took a step back. "H-how did everything go?"

"With what?" He brought her in his arms.

"The trip? For the corn business? The cha-charity...," She shuddered when she felt his lips on her neck.

"Good as usual. I stayed in Savannah for a while with family also there." He then frowned, running his hands down the small of her frame. "You waist feels fuller. You've gained weight."

Tiana grew nervous. "I'm…it's—

"I knew that Charlotte would have you blowing up like a pig!" Jacques let go of her to examine her figure. "But the little weight looks really good on you in certain places." He slapped her on the derriere, startling her.

"Jacques." She said.

He laughed. "Don't gain anymore weight if you know what's good for you." He began undressing.

Tiana closed her eyes as she rested her hand on her tummy again. Something that was beginning to come natural to her. She knew that it would be a manner of time before he notices her…condition and Naveen would most likely end things with her. But everything happened for a reason right?

With another sigh Tiana closed her eyes and confesses, "Jacques, I'm pregnant."

No answer.

"I said I'm pregnant Jacques." She repeated.

Still no answer.

Frowning, she turned to see her husband snoring away on their bed. His shirt half unbuttoned and still in his boxers.

She rolled her eyes at the scene and turned off the lights before getting into the bed herself. No matter what she did life would always be against her.

"Mm Tiana." Jacques turned, pulled her back onto his front.

She sighed, miserably.

'I'm so sorry, Naveen.' Were her final thoughts before falling asleep.

()()()()

A/N: That's it for part one. Will be posting part two soon. I know that this story is all over the place and a bit dark but that's why I labeled it hurt/comfort-romance because that's what this story is basically.

And just because Tiana is pregnant doesn't mean that it's the end of her and Naveen. You'll have to see what happens between those two. I mean, Tiana is now in a crossroads in deciding whether or not to terminate her pregnancy or tell both men about it. And there's also wanting to divorce Jacques. She has a lot to face with the men in her life. And that's charitable party held by his aunt Celestine, who will be one of the newer and important characters added into the story. So stay tune to that and I truly appreciate you all reading and to those reviewing thank you, thank you, thank you!

Okay, will try to have in the next chapter soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing!