Chapter 10- Surprise!...or not?
Disclaimer: No, I'm not getting the big bucks for doling out this drivel, because they belong to Janet Evanovich. BabbleFish is responsible for any/all translation errors.
Author's notes: This chapter contains plot-players' ideas from a few chapters ago for Carlos' birthday present. I'm still holding one back that I'll use in a future chapter.
Thanks to Pril C for her contribution of the Batman gift.
The Carl Sandburg gift Stephanie gives Carlos is LeiaB's response. Thanks, Babe! I'd forgotten about that particular scene in canon. Nice work!
I would like to take the opportunity to thank my beloved plot-players. This week stumped a few of you and some don't want to see any form of retaliation and have very good defenses for your reason. I've taken all of the opinions under advisement. Again, I can't tell you how much all of you inspire and motivate me!
Thanks from the very bottom of my heart to: samsarahi, concetta33, Barb4psu, rangergirl1234, Ryl, babes-tastycakes, shoegirl 01, EEG, LeiaB, ty93, time4tea and LilethFaire(I love your long PMs, and hey, I used your phrase 'baby maker' in this chapter! LOL), CindyKay, rangersluvin and PrilC.
To the real life Isabella, you're the whole deal, Babe! Thanks for everything you do for me! Now, just send Ranger over to talk to me about flour, then I'll start thinking about giving it up.
Thanks, Tracy, for the pre-read and opinion. Who needs coffee when we have smut? LOL! Thanks for all the laughs we share.
Cara, good grief, what a month you've had! Hope you feel better soon! Xoxos!
Thanks to my terrific beta, Jenny.
I hope you don't mind, but I decided to do this chapter completely in Ranger's POV.
The first smut scene (yeah, there's two!) had me a little concerned, and I almost took it out, but after an honest opinion from financebabe and her statement of, "Don't you dare touch that delete button!" I decided to keep it. Thanks, babe, for your support! I hope the rest of you enjoy it, too!
Finally, after an author's note that's nearly as long as the chapter…well, not quite, this one's a doozy. Get comfortable. Enjoy!
RPOV
My birthday was already off to a terrific start. The day began with my wife riding, long and hard, on my ever-present morning wood. What a wake-up call! Her shouts of pleasure had resounded off the walls of our bedroom. There'd been another round of hot loving during our shared morning shower.
Stephanie's mood was playful and teasing, while mine ran to full-tilt horniness. Even after two incredible interludes, I still wanted more. My appetite had always been insatiable with her.
When she bent over to load the silverware from breakfast into the dishwasher, I couldn't hold back the urge to be inside her again, nor the erotic thoughts that sprung to mind at the position she was currently in. I stepped behind her and nudged my hardness against the soft curve of her ass. Stephanie stilled, and then looked at me over her shoulder, wearing a shocked and slightly amused expression.
"Seriously?" she teased. "Again?"
I didn't answer verbally—just looked at her intensely and pushed against her once more.
"Well, it is your birthday," she conceded, straightening up as she closed the dishwasher door. "What shall we do this time?" she asked curiously.
After brushing back the hair that hung in front of her ear, I leaned down and growled, "I want to fuck your ass."
She shivered in response. Stephanie's reaction to anal sex had done a three-sixty since our honeymoon. While it wasn't something we did regularly, it wasn't taboo or a no-way-in-hell subject with her anymore. She'd taken to using a butt plug several times a month, so that when anal sex was decided, she had minimal discomfort during the experience.
So, she didn't offer any resistance; she just simply asked, "Where?"
My eyes swept over the kitchen and landed on the table that sat in front of the French doors. It was the perfect height. "The table," I said, which elicited a smile from her. Yeah, we'd spent long, pleasurable hours erasing any bad memories she'd ever had about dining room tables, since we'd been together.
"Whatever you want, Batman," she purred, and started walking towards the table. When she got there, she pulled the chair away from the end of the table, slid her panties down her legs, flipped the skirt of her dress up, and bent over, offering her pretty ass up for my viewing pleasure. I was going to do a lot more than look!
Moisture was already glistening from her pussy. I stroked my fingers through the juices and carried them back to her puckered hole. Stephanie tensed for just a moment, and then blew out a relaxing breath.
As I pushed the index finger of my right hand into the tight opening, my left hand found its way around to circle her clit.
She moaned loudly, and then pushed her ass up in signal for me to add more pressure. After just a few minutes of stroking, she was ready to take my cock. I dropped my pants to the floor, kicked them to the side, and positioned myself first at her wet pussy. I drove into her hard and fast repeatedly, forcing her into a screaming orgasm.
"Ooohhh, yes!" she yelled, and even before the orgasm smoothed out, she turned back at me to say, "Now, my ass. Carlos, fuck my ass!"
Pulling out of her velvety softness, I traveled the short distance to the puckered hole. Gently, I probed the head of my cock into the tightness. She screeched out from the pleasure/pain and bucked against me.
I slid the zipper of her sundress down enough to allow easy access to her breasts, and then reached around to tease one nipple as I slowly pushed further into her ass.
One of Stephanie's hands pulled on the other nipple, and with her free hand, she rubbed at her clit. Was there anything more erotic than watching her play with herself while I buried myself in her ass? Not that I could think of.
The vision caused me to surge forward, burying my entire length inside. Fuck, she was tight! I slowly eased out, only to plunge back into her. Dios, I loved her all the more for exploring, accepting, and enjoying this sexual act with me. My wife was one hell of a woman!
For whatever reason, when we engaged in anal sex, there was always dirty talk. Stephanie's lewd suggestions only fueled my need to take her harder, drive her faster. She flew through another orgasm as I felt my balls start to tighten, and the tingling at the base of my spine begin to grow, which signaled my impending release. Taking one more long, hard stroke, I buried my cock deep and gave myself over to the powerful sensation.
I rested my upper body against Stephanie's back as each of us struggled to bring our breathing back to normal.
The tinkling sound of Stephanie's laugh filled the air and caused my heart to lighten in response.
"We so can't do this after we have a kid running around the house." Her voice was reflective and held a touch of sadness.
It was true, we couldn't be this 'out in the open' with our mating, but I didn't want to lose this part of our relationship, either. Brushing back some of her hair, I nuzzled at the soft skin of her neck.
"Babe, we'll just have to be a little more covert."
"Oh, I love it when you talk like that, Batman," she teased.
"Just wait until you see how good I am at being covert and improvising, when the need arises," I growled.
Stephanie shivered, and then nudged her hips back in an effort to stand.
I withdrew from the warmth of her body and helped her straighten up. I kept a firm hold around her waist for a moment, to make sure she was able to stand without stumbling.
She started to zip her dress, and then reconsidered and let it fall to the floor. Stephanie stood gloriously naked before me in the middle of our dining area. I quirked an eyebrow suggestively.
"Put that sexy eyebrow away," she scolded. "I need another shower," Stephanie muttered under her breath.
When I gave her a wolfish smile, she put her hand on my chest. "Oh no, I'm taking this one alone. At this rate, we won't make it to Trenton before midnight!"
It wasn't easy to watch her run naked up the steps to our bedroom, but I found the will-power to let her go. While our sex life had always been active, even after three years of marriage, the last couple of weeks had seen a significant increase of action. Not that I was complaining!
Somehow, we managed to keep ourselves out of each other's pants all the way to Trenton. Okay, so part of that was because I was flying the plane and Stephanie was sleeping in the bedroom, but still, there was the drive to the airport in Miami and back to RangeMan Trenton.
We stopped on five to check in with the guys, before we headed to seven. I placed our bags in the bedroom and went to see what Stephanie was doing in the kitchen.
I found her taking deep breaths and holding onto her stomach, while leaning over the sink. Obviously, she was battling another case of nausea. I changed direction before she noticed me and went into my office to check emails.
As I scrolled through the correspondence, I told myself if she didn't tell me about the baby today, I'd bring it up at breakfast tomorrow. I couldn't stand to watch her suffer alone anymore.
Stephanie leaned against the doorjam of the office a short time later, wearing a big smile. "You ready for lunch?"
"Sure. Want me to call Ella?"
"No. I have something else in mind, though it would be nice to say hello to her and Louis before we leave. I love Michelle, but Ella's still the best."
My aunt felt the same way about her. After a short visit in their apartment on six, we headed to the Cayenne. When we were settled in, I backed out of the parking space and asked, "Where to?"
"Back to the beginning," she said mysteriously.
"The beginning of what, exactly?" I casted her a sideways glance.
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Let's see if you can figure it out."
The playful side of my wife had not left so far, even after numerous rounds of sex. It was going to be a great day! I loved a good challenge. All right, Manoso, what is she talking about?
Since we were supposedly heading out for food, the only thing I could think of was the diner where we'd first met. I wasn't sure if she expected me to vocalize my answer or not, so I didn't, and simply headed downtown towards the restaurant.
Pulling up to the curb directly in front of the place, I contemplated how this grungy little diner had drastically changed the course of my life.
I placed a soft kiss to the back of Stephanie's knuckles, and then looked over to her. "The beginning of it all," I stated simply.
"Very good, Batman," she replied and started to open her door.
"Babe, do you seriously want to have lunch here?" I mentally cringed. This wasn't exactly the sort of place I liked to eat, nor was it the healthiest choice for my pregnant wife or unborn child. Everything here was swimming in butter and fat.
Stephanie laughed. "C'mon, Carlos, live a little."
"That's exactly what I'd like to do, Babe, but the stuff they serve here will kill you."
"Oh, you've been using that line for years. Lighten up. I'm sure we can find a healthy salad or something. Besides, this place has the best cherry pie!" She ran her hand teasingly up my arm and batted her eyelashes. "I know how you like cherry pie."
She had discovered that it was one of the few desserts I enjoyed, though I rarely indulged myself. Come to think of it, that last time I'd had cherry pie, I'd eaten it off of her body.
Raising my eyebrow at her, I said, "Maybe we should get dessert to go?"
"Geez, you're insatiable today!"
There was no denying that fact, so I simply got out of the Cayenne and ran around to help her from the vehicle.
The grilled chicken salad was surprisingly good, and while we were sharing a piece of the cherry pie, Stephanie reached into the huge purse she was carrying today to extract a wrapped gift, sliding it across the table at me.
"Stephanie, I've told you before, I don't need any gifts. I have you."
"Yeah, yeah," she replied. "Just open the gift and get used to it. This is just the first of several today."
The package appeared to be a book. Opening it, I found an original copy of My Fair Lady, and had to smile.
"I've sort of got a theme going here today. You were first my mentor and referenced this book a few times. I thought it would be appropriate to add it your collection."
"Thanks, Babe," I said softly, tugging on our clasped hands to bring her lips to mine across the table.
"You surprised me that day…" She paused and laughed a little. "Well, surprised and scared the hell out of me."
"You didn't show it, Stephanie. I thought you were a little crazy for trying to become a bounty hunter, but I admired your determination…still do, actually. You don't back down from a challenge, Mrs. Manoso."
"Having you as my back-up sure is a confidence boaster. Always has been," she chuckled. "Ya know, you were such an enigma back then. I couldn't reconcile the street thug persona with the polished, well-mannered man you were with me in private."
That statement caused my eyebrow to shoot up. "Well-mannered? Is that what you called our little 'encounters' in the alley?"
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "No, that's not what I'm talking about. I meant your mannerisms, the way you carried yourself, the way you treated me. It was more… gentlemanly, I guess."
"Yeah, that's all thanks to my dad and a little bit of the military."
"I can see that now, of course, especially after seeing your mom and dad together. We'll be good parents like them, won't we?" she asked, concern showing on her face.
"Stephanie, we'll be great. Don't worry. Our children will know love and respect and have every opportunity to thrive. You'll be a wonderful mother."
"I hope you're right." She blew out an unsteady breath, her eyes swimming with unshed tears.
"I know I am, Babe." I squeezed her hand in reassurance. Now? Is this when she tells me she's pregnant?
There were several long minutes of silence while I waited…
She seemed to draw herself up for something, and then pushed it back, smoothed her hair nervously, and said, "You ready for the next stop?"
I nodded my head, and we walked arm in arm to the Cayenne, not letting my disappointment show in any way. Once we'd settled in, I turned to her for our next destination.
Stephanie gave be a beautiful smile. "The first time you rescued me."
My eyes skimmed down her body in remembrance of the first time I saw her naked. She shifted a little in her seat under my intense gaze. Sweet fuck, I was ready for her again. After checking the mirror, I pulled out into traffic and headed towards her old apartment.
The parking spot directly in front of the door was available, so I parked there. Stephanie mumbled under her breath, "Figures. Some things never change."
Things had changed in this apartment building, though. RangeMan owned it now. After discussing it with Stephanie, we decided to purchase it and do the much needed rehab on the building, while keeping the rent set for the many fixed income seniors that lived here.
Stephanie thought it was a small way to pay them back for the years of chaos that happened when she lived in the small apartment on the second floor. This building also provided a nice cover as a safe house for RangeMan clients when need be. Everybody won.
We got out of the car, but instead of walking to the door, Stephanie pulled me to a parking spot a couple of places over. She stopped, turned, and pressed her lips to mine. Our first kiss. Years ago, I'd initiated the contact; this time, she did. The result was still the same. Just the feel of her mouth caused my heart rate to kick up.
Stephanie buried her fingers in my hair as her tongue dove into my mouth. I tightened my grip around her waist and lost myself in the kiss. Our tongues dueled and teased, while teeth nipped lightly at each other's lips. I don't know how long we stood there making out, and I didn't care. Kissing her was still one of my greatest pleasures.
As always, though, kissing—especially intense like this—usually led to clothes being shed, and that wasn't happening here in the parking lot. Just as I started to pull back from Stephanie, I heard Mr. Wolseky's loud whistle, which brought several more seniors out onto their balconies.
"Now that's the way it's done!" Mr. Wolseky commented to his neighbor.
"Oh, Stephanie's back," an older resident said enthusiastically. "It's always exciting when she's around—especially when Ranger is with her."
Stephanie groaned and rested her head against my chest. "What is it with me and Trenton? Can I ever come here and not cause a scene?"
"Babe, you know how nosy they are. They've probably been watching since we pulled into the lot. We weren't causing a scene."
"Yet," Stephanie added to my statement. "Another couple of minutes, though, and things were going to get interesting."
"No, I was getting ready to stop us," I told her as I brushed the hair off of her forehead and placed a kiss there.
We waved up and spoke a few words to the seniors that were out, before we went into the building. Stephanie hesitated at the elevator, but then pulled us to the stairs. I started to stop her, but she just said, "It's your birthday. We take the stairs."
The apartment that had once been hers had undergone a drastic change. Stephanie had decorated it herself, choosing everything from the paint to the furniture. The apartment was currently empty. We stepped inside, and Stephanie blew out a shuddering breath as she crossed the spot where I'd been shot by Scrog.
"I'll never forget that moment," she murmured, her brilliant sapphire blue eyes looking up at me as I wrapped her in an embrace. "It was the first time I realized how much I loved you, and then the shots were fired." She trembled. "I could have lost you that day."
"We were always meant to be together, Babe, and he didn't stop that from happening. We beat him and all the other obstacles that stood in our way."
"We are a pretty good team," she said cheerfully.
"The best," I agreed.
Stephanie hitched her purse up on her shoulder and told me she needed to use the bathroom. She pressed a kiss to my neck, and then walked away.
I went over to look out the window while I waited. A few minutes later, my cellphone vibrated. I took it off the clip on my belt and checked the display.
With a smile on my face and in my voice, I answered, "Yo."
"Ranger?"
"Who wants to know?" I answered her, using the same tone I had the first time we'd had this conversation.
"Stephanie Plum Manoso. I have a problem."
The adding of Manoso caused my smile to get bigger. She was all mine! "What's the problem?"
"I'm handcuffed to this shower curtain rod, and I need someone to open the cuffs."
"Are you naked this time, too?" I asked, veering off the original way this had gone down, because my dick was demanding an immediate answer and wasn't in the mood to wait.
"Oh, yeah," she purred.
Snapping the phone shut, I raced towards the bathroom. My shoulder connected hard with the door as the knob was unexpectedly locked. That was a twist, but not a problem.
"You're pulling the tiger's tail," I cautioned her through the door. I grabbed the multi-tool from the pocket of my pants, working quickly at the lock.
It took minimal effort to unlock the door. I slowly pushed it open, to find Stephanie wearing nothing but a nervous smile and her heels. I took two steps into the room, closed the door, and then rested against it, taking a long, leisurely look at my naked wife. Her nipples were already pebbled, and I could tell by the expression on her face that she was as aroused as I was.
"I didn't want to make it too easy on you," she explained. Her tongue traced the outline of her lips as I began to unbutton my shirt and tossed it to the floor. "So I locked the door," she continued, watching intently while I toed off my socks and shoes, and then went to work on my pants. "I knew it wouldn't be a problem, being as you're my Batman and all."
My cock sprang free as my pants fell to the floor. Stephanie groaned. I stroked myself a couple of times while she watched, causing her to rub her thighs together anxiously. I knew she'd be wet and ready for me. As I closed the distance between us, I noticed another gift sitting on the counter. I set her cell phone that she'd been holding in her hand next to the package.
"Is that anything we need now?" I asked, wondering if she'd brought a toy to add to our bigger, broadly-expansive black box. This gift was a larger rectangular box that took up most of the countertop.
"Hmm," she considered. "I thought I might like to see you in it, but now that you're naked, I can't wait. Maybe another time?"
I had no idea what the box contained, but I fully agreed with the not waiting part. My cock was painfully hard. I stepped into the tub with her and ran my hands gently up her arms. "Are you okay like this?"
"Yes, so far the only throb is between my legs."
"I can definitely help with that," I told her and traced my fingers down her body until I got the delicate folds. Parting them tenderly, I found that she was indeed wet and ready. "Dios, I love how you respond to me," I whispered, as I plunged two fingers inside her.
Her squeak turned into a long moan of pleasure. Grabbing her left breast with my free hand, I brought it to my mouth and sucked greedily at it. She pushed against me with her upper body as her hips bucked and rode my fingers. I pulled my mouth free of her breast and flattened my tongue, moistening the entire areola with a couple of long licks, before blowing softly on the area.
Stephanie's breasts had become extremely sensitive in the last couple of weeks. I done some research online and found that was a common thing among pregnant women. I carefully gauged my attention to them, because I didn't want to cause her any discomfort.
In fact, I knew during this pregnancy, I'd have to be even more conscious of where her comfort levels were, as her body changed and grew with our child. We'd have to make some adjustments along the way, but I saw that as a pleasurable challenge, and not a problem at all.
While I directed my attention to her other breast, Stephanie panted through an orgasm. My fingers stilled as her walls clenched around me. When she settled some, I began stroking her again, building her up for another. It didn't take long, and just as she was ready to go over again, I stopped and withdrew my fingers.
"Arrgghhh," she dragged out.
"Patience," I breathed into her ear, as I positioned myself to her dripping center, and then slowly pushed into the velvety softness.
I lifted both of her legs and looped them around my waist, taking the weight of her body easily and easing the pressure of having her arms held above her head. Stephanie tightened the inner muscles of her pussy, causing me to groan. I took three steps forward, the cuffs dragging along the rod, until her back connected with the wall.
With my hands planted firmly at her waist, I was able to hold her in place, while I drove up with long, steady strokes. She alternated between biting at her lip and moaning. I watched her face as the pleasure built. When we were both close, we stared into each other's eyes until we began to climax, and then our mouths gravitated together in a deep, passionate kiss.
"Should've done this the first time," Stephanie panted out, still trying to catch her breath.
"And miss all the other fun we've had?"
She laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right, but I could have foregone some of the stuff."
"Okay?" I asked, as I withdrew from her and held her until I was sure she was steady.
"Yep. Can you get me free now?"
"Sure thing, Babe." I reached into the pocket of my pants lying on the floor, to withdraw the cuff key I always carried with me.
The cuffs were released, and I spent some time rubbing the circulation back into Stephanie's arms. She handed me the gift and asked me to take it into the bedroom, while she finished in the bathroom.
I picked up my clothes and left the room. The box was heavier than it looked. I placed it on the bed and got dressed.
Stephanie didn't take long, and when she came out, she sat down next to me on the bed.
"This room had a first, too," I remarked casually.
"It did. The first time we had sex," Stephanie told me with a slight grin.
Neither of us mistaked that for the love making we shared now, though that night changed everything for me about her. Instead of staunching the lust that flowed between us, it had caused it to flare up, and I thought stupidly at the time that sending her to Morelli would fix it, bring it to an end. Probably the dumbest move of my entire life. Gracias a Dios, she forgave me!
Stephanie seemed to sense where my train of thought had gone and patted my hand in understanding. We'd both made mistakes in our early relationship, but we'd learned from them and grown.
"Open your gift!"
Reaching around, I picked the gift up, placed it in my lap, and began unwrapping it. When I pulled back the tissue paper, I had to smile at what lay underneath.
A Batman Suit, complete with mask.
"Babe."
"I know you sometimes hate that I thought of you as some super-hero, but I couldn't resist. It's from the same company that made Christian Slater's Batman suit."
I picked the pieces up and found several comic books underneath.
"Did you know Wonder Woman and Batman sort of had a thing?" Stephanie asked.
Shaking my head, I said, "No, I didn't. Comic books never really interested me."
"Well, you're going to have to read up! Dads should know these things. They're important."
Was this the way she was going to tell me? With a Batman reference?
"Are you trying to tell me something important?" I questioned.
"No," she stated firmly, looking at me with a strange expression. "I'm just speaking in general. Dads should know about super-heros."
"If you say so. Looks like I've already got some books to get started with. Thanks. The costume is cool, too."
Stephanie clapped her hands together. "Maybe you could wear it for Halloween this year?"
I mentally groaned. It was her year to pick out our costumes. We alternated. Shit, I guess there wasn't going to be much of a surprise this year.
"It's your year."
"You're right, it is! Yay! I've been avoiding going with the obvious, but I think we'll just do it this year. Now, I've got to find a Wonder Woman costume…"
One that expands, I thought, wondering if she'd be starting to show by then.
We spent the rest of the day visiting other firsts that we'd shared here in Trenton, including a dinner at Rossini's. I thought for sure she'd tell me about the pregnancy there, tying it into when I'd first told her about Julie, but she didn't.
It was nearly eleven by the time we headed back to RangeMan, and instead of my wife being half asleep as she usually was at this hour, she was fidgeting in her seat, unable to sit still.
"Steph, is something wrong?" I asked, giving her hand a squeeze.
"Have to go to the bathroom," she said in a rush, that didn't sound completely like the truth.
She shifted her weight from foot to foot in impatience as the elevator climbed to seven. As soon as the door opened, she burst through and stood outside the apartment door, waiting for me to open it. The fob clicked the lock open, and she grabbed the handle before I could.
"I have a couple more presents for you," she told me over her shoulder as she walked towards the bathroom. "Could you wait in the bedroom for me?"
Nodding, I dropped the keys into the side table dish and undid my shoes. I decided to grab a beer from the refrigerator and take it with me to the bedroom while I waited. It was nearly half gone when Stephanie finally emerged from the bathroom.
She was a vision, wearing a blue satin robe that hid what lay underneath, but white stockings attached to a garter belt could easily be seen. Fuck, she knew how I liked garter belts.
"This is where I first told you that I loved you and where we agreed to start our relationship. Happy Birthday, Carlos," she said, tears welling up in her eyes as she handed me another gift.
I tore the wrapping away to find a book of poems by Carl Sandburg, and I remembered I quoted him to her once during a take-down. I'd always enjoyed his work, and at the time, the quote seemed appropriate. I was surprised she'd recognized his work back then, and even more surprised that she remembered it now.
I knew where she was going with this, and wasn't disappointed when I found the quote already highlighted and marked in the book.
"A baby is God's opinion that life should go on…"
When I looked up to confirm my suspicion, I found her standing in a lacy white bra and panties, with a white bow tied around her belly.
"We're going to have a baby!" she announced.
Finally.
If I'd thought I was prepared to hear the words, I wasn't. They went straight to my heart. I reached forward, untied the bow, and leaned in to place a kiss on her still flat stomach. I was so happy that I didn't stop to think before I said, "I know, Babe."
Stephanie's body tensed at my words. Her hands plowed into my hair to tilt my head up so she could look at me, and I saw confusion lining her face. "You know? For how long? Who told you? Did Raphael tell you? I'll kill him," she began to ramble, threatening to chop Raphael's 'baby-maker' off when he got back from his honeymoon.
Wait, she told Raphael she was pregnant before me?
"Stephanie, stop," I said gently. "No one told me. I figured it out myself when your period was late. I know you've been nauseous frequently, and your breasts are bigger, more tender."
She let out a long breath and smiled down at me as the tears began to spill from her eyes. With my thumbs, I wiped them away and pulled her down into my lap. "Even though I knew, hearing you say the words… Dios, yo no podría estar más feliz. Te amo, nena. Gracias por el regalo más grande." (God, I couldn't be happier. I love you, Babe. Thank you for the greatest gift.)
"Te amo, Carlos! Estoy muy feliz, también. Usted no sabe lo difícil que era para evitar que esto usted." (I love you, Carlos. I'm so happy, too. You don't know how difficult it was to keep this from you.)
I held her tightly against me, while she rested her head on my shoulder. The material of my shirt became wet. I pulled her back and slowly kissed the moisture from her face, before finding her lips. I cradled her head between my hands as I kissed her with all the emotion I was feeling right then. It was overwhelming.
The need to be skin to skin with her became an obsession, and she seemed to feel the same way. We were frantic to free each other from our clothing. Once we were naked, we cuddled together under the covers of our bed. I continued to kiss lightly at her neck, while she ran her hands up and down my back.
This was an emotional intimacy that was as great as the feeling of being buried inside her, and something I'd only ever shared with Stephanie. We lay like that for a long time, each of us savoring the closeness and the thought of having a physical representation of our love... our child!
Stephanie was resting on my chest, while I played with her hair, when I decided to broach the subject of my brother knowing about the pregnancy. As far as I knew, he'd only suspected, as I had, and didn't actually know. Maybe that's what she meant, or had he slipped up about my suspicions? If he had, Stephanie would have to get in line behind me in her 'killing of Raphael.'
"Babe, you went a little crazy earlier." I paused as she chuckled, and I couldn't stop myself from laughing, either.
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I thought I'd done a pretty good job of keeping it from you." Stephanie blew out a long breath. "I should have known better. You're a hard one to keep a secret from. You're so damn observant!"
"Should I apologize for that?"
"No, of course not. It's one of my favorite qualities about you…most of the time," she giggled.
"You said, 'Did Raphael tell you?' Does my brother know you're pregnant?"
"Argh," she groaned. "That didn't get past you, either, huh?"
"No. Care to explain?"
"Well, he got the first idea about it when I threw up in his Porsche."
A bark of laughter erupted from my chest. "Really?"
"Uhh, yeah, right after we left McDonald's. Our little munchkin apparently doesn't like their food any better than you do."
"I'd have paid good money to see the look on his face."
"It was probably pretty funny, but I was too busy doing the math from my last period. I'd been trying not to think too hard about getting pregnant for fear I wouldn't, so I'd lost track of the time."
"Have you taken a test to confirm it?"
Stephanie rose up from her place on my chest to look into my eyes. "Yes. Please don't be upset that I didn't do it with you." She frowned for a moment. "After the last false alarm…well, I just wanted to make sure this time before I told you."
"I'm not upset, Babe. I understand."
"The test is actually how Raphael found out. It fell out of Isabella's purse. He thought it was hers."
"Oh, shit! Bet he was pissed."
"Yeah, at first, but then he was pretty smug because he'd figured it out before me."
"That sounds like my brother. So you found out in Vegas?"
"Yes. Are you sure you aren't mad that I waited until your birthday to tell you? I just thought this would be the perfect day."
"Quit worrying about it. I'm fine, and it is perfect. When's our due date?"
Stephanie looked confused for a moment. "Uh, nine months from our anniversary? I'm pretty sure that's when I got pregnant. It's that powerful Bat-sprem, I'm telling you!"
I shook my head at her in amusement.
"This might have a more specific way of telling us though," she said as she handed me yet another gift.
Opening the box, I found several books on pregnancy, including a father's guide for dealing with their pregnant wife. I'd read that one from cover to cover, not that it would provide much insight, though, as my wife was rarely predictable.
I wanted to have a very active part in this experience, as I'd missed all of it with Julie. Plus, this was a decision we'd made together, and I couldn't be more thrilled to share this wonderful experience with Stephanie.
We spent over an hour looking through the books, before I turned out the light and we spooned together comfortably. As I lay listening to Stephanie's even breathing, our fingers twined together, resting protectively over our child, I considered just how charmed my life was right now. It was so much more than I'd ever dreamed it would be with the perfect woman by my side to share it with, and a new, tiny life growing inside her. Fuck yeah, life was pretty damn good!
TBC
Author's notes: Awww, are you enjoying the happy contentment of our favorite couple? I hope this chapter kept you entertained. I appreciate your support. Please take a moment to review. Have a great week! See ya, next Wednesday~Angie