Chapter 31

Hey, more fluff

Carlos POV:

I walked through the aisle of the store, tired but determined. I finally finding what I was looking for; there was only one bag left. As I was reaching for it, a scrawny arm did the same. It was snatched from the shelf, and I turned to look at the boy in front of me. He couldn't be older than eighteen. I glared at him, and he slowly offered me the bag. I nodded, turning on my heel and walking from the aisle. I checked out and carried the bag back to my Turbo. I sighed and texted Steph.

Two in the morning and she was craving Flaming Hot Cheetos Limon, and the four other stores I had visited were out. She texted back a heart emoji along with telling me she loved me.

Six months along, she was craving very few things; I tried to make sure we kept a stock of them at the house so we wouldn't have to make midnight runs, but I hadn't realized her chip stash ran out.

When I got home, she smiled at me as I tossed her the bag, crunching on the chips immediately. I stripped off my hoodie and kicked my shoes off before slipping into bed, pulling her close as she ate. Another drawback she had become an insomniac. She got burst of energy at night, and slept during the day.

Steph eventually put away her chips and snuggled into me, turning the TV volume down. She nuzzled under my chin and my hand roamed down to her stomach, tracing circles on her rounded bump. I felt a kick against my hand, and I pressed my full hand against it. Another kick and Steph laughed softly.

"He always knows when you're around," she said.

I smiled. "I would like to think so."

I drifted off soon after that. I woke up to Steph calling my name at five o'clock. She had already shut off the alarm. She yawned and stretched. "Did you sleep?" I asked, rolling onto my back.

"Not really."

"I'll get Julie ready for school," I said, sitting up and kissing her forehead and she curled up in the blankets with my pillow. I smiled and walked away, stripping off my joggers, pulling on a pair of shorts and a pair of tennis shoes. I made my way to the gym in the basement.

After a brisk workout, I stepped back into our bedroom and walked silently into the bathroom after spying a sleeping Steph in the bed with Mag and Em. I turned on the shower and stepped in under the hot spray. A minute later the door opened, letting the steam out.

Steph stepped into the shower with me, wrapping her arms around my waist. "I thought you were sleeping?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I miss my husband," she said, standing on her toes kissing me. I pulled her as close as possible with her stomach between us.

"Well, you're sleeping most of the time when I'm awake, and I'm sleeping when you're awake." I chuckled. "Feels like one of us is working the night shift."

She laughed softly. "Good news is I am starting to sleep at night again. My energy bursts are happening more in the day now," she told me with a smile. I leaned down and kissed her again.

"Soon I might actually get to see my wife." I chuckled. She rolled her eyes.

She motioned for me to pick her up, and I chuckled but obeyed. Her legs wrapped around my waist as she kissed me softly. I grinned against her lips, cupping her butt.

"Carlos." She moaned softly.

"Babe." I groaned. I pushed her back against the wall, she gasped as her back hit the cold wall. I nuzzled her neck, and she tangled her fingers in my short hair.

Steph POV:

Finally, my sleeping schedule was getting back on track. I walked through the house, a cup of decaf in my hand. I let Mag and Em out to the backyard. Elena rang the buzzer at the gate, and I let her in.

I opened the front door as she parked. She waddled up the stairs, her second bun in the oven. She was due a week after me.

"How're you feeling?" I asked her. She shot me a glare.

"Wait until you get this far along," she said. I grinned and shut the door behind her. We settled in on the couch with decaf cups of coffee and our laptops, passing paperwork back and forth.

There was another ring from the gate. Jay, my assistant, was here. She was bringing more paperwork for us and came to help get most of it pushed out since we weren't going into the office.

I got up and let her in and then walked around to the back doors and let Mag and Em in. They settled on their beds with some chews, as we filled the couch.

Susan, the housekeeper, brought in lunch. We chatted back and forth, Jay asking us about the babies while Elena and I passed back and forth stories.

"Are you sleeping at night Steph?" Elena asked.

"Most of it," I told her.

"I was an insomniac with TJ." She laughed. "I slept most of the day and was up all night. Drove Pierre nuts."

"I think I'm on my way to driving Carlos there." I laughed softly. "The other night I sent him to the store to get me some chips. It took him a couple of stores and an intimidating a high school boy to get them."

She laughed. "I know the feeling."

"What're you craving?" Jay asked.

"Pickles." Elena answered. I rolled my eyes.

"Spicy food. Abuela Rosa makes the best Empanadas." I groaned, craving them. Elena laughed.

I thanked Susan before she left. Around three, Elena and I were ready for a nap and Jay had to get back into the office.

On the sectional Elena and I spread out across the two halves. She fell asleep before I did, and I texted Tank and Carlos that she was here. We both fell asleep and woke up to our husbands and kids coming into the house. TJ and Julie ran into the living room.

"No running!" I called.

"Julie go change out of your school clothes," Carlos said as he stepped into the living room. He held a foil covered pan in his hands, and the smell gave it away as Abuelita Rosa's Empanadas.

"Pierre, there's an extra set of clothes for TJ in my car," Elena told him as he bent down to kiss her forehead.

Carlos set the pan down and leaned in to kiss me. TJ sat on the couch as Tank went to get TJ's extra set of clothes. "How're you feeling?" he asked.

"Well right now I don't know which one I want more, you or the empanadas," I told him. He chuckled and shook his head. He carried the pan into the kitchen as Tank came back in giving the clothes to TJ. Julie came down the stairs and he went up them. I laughed softly.

"Mommy!" Julie yelled. I grinned as she hugged me.

"How was your day, baby?" I asked.

"It was good! I had so much fun today."

"I'm glad to hear it, baby."

Carlos walked out of the kitchen and smiled at us. "She's growing up too fast." He shook his head.

I laughed softly, running my fingers through her long black hair. TJ came down the stairs, giving his clothes to Tank. We all followed them outside sitting on the back porch, sitting in the enclosed part. The kids ran to the play set, climbing up and sliding down. The back porch was stone paved, and covered, stones for three feet before opening up to see out, unless you dropped the bug nets. Tank grabbed two beers and two waters from the outside fridge.

Carlos wrapped his arm around me pulling me close. "How was your day?"

"It was okay after you left."

He chuckled and nuzzled my neck. I turned my head and kissed him softly. Tank and Elena were whispering back and forth. "Les and Bobby are on their way over."

"Is Luciana and Ruby joining them?"

"Luciana is coming with Les. Ruby and Bobby had another falling out," Carlos answered, resting his face in my neck.

"I don't know when the two of them are going to pull their heads out of their asses," I said. Elena nodded.

"They've been together for the past two years, on and off," Elena said.

Carlos and Tank nodded in agreement. "They have commitment issues," Tank said.

"They need time to figure themselves out," I said. "I would hate to see either of them heartbroken."

There were nods all around. Carlos went to the front door when they got here. Lucia joined us on the couches as Les and Bobby waved hello and then went to play with the kids.

"How're you doing girls?" she asked, claiming a beer of our own and tucking her feet up under herself.

"Elena is going to pop," I told her. She laughed softly and Elena rolled her eyes.

Soon we were all ready for dinner. Apparently Abuela Rosa had sent plenty; not that I expected less, she cooked for an army. Sitting around the table, I couldn't believe the family Carlos and I had built. I smiled to myself, and Carlos took my hand under the table, squeezing it. He leaned over and brushed his lips against mine.

"What're you thinking about?"

"How lucky we are," I said. He grinned.

"We are incredibly lucky, aren't we?"

I kissed him softly again, before Julie groaned. "They're sucking each other's faces again!" she announced.

I laughed, pulling away as Julie and TJ made disgusted faces. The adults at the table didn't bother trying to hide their snickers. Carlos rolled his eyes. "She takes after you too much." He chuckled.

Ranger has a dog of his own now, and these kids are cute. Four chapter left...