"What are you thinking about, love?" Tobias asks. I've been lying in his arms since my bladder woke me nearly an hour ago. He's slowly grazing his fingertips up and down my bare upper arm.

"Oh, just something Christina said to me yesterday," I say with a sigh.

"What's that?" he asks.

"That Will was complaining about sex becoming complacent."

"He said almost the same thing to us first thing yesterday morning," he says, his fingers coming to a stop. "What about it?"

"Has our lovemaking ever gotten stale or boring for you?" I softly ask, although I'm not sure I want to know if his answer is yes. I tilt my head back and look at him.

"Stale or boring?" He shakes his head. "I'll admit it has gotten a bit … routine at times but it's never once been boring or stale. I could make love to you in this bed, lights out, missionary style every night for the rest of our lives and I'd be content but I love playing our little games. I like changing things up once in a while. I like not knowing what's coming next." His blissful smile suddenly falls. "Have you ever felt that things have been stale or boring?"

"I was going to say sometimes we fall into a rut," I say. "It's easy to put us on the back burner with a faction to run and three kids to raise."

"You're right about that," he says. "Unfortunately, I think it happens to all relationships at one time or another."

"I don't want to become a statistic, Tobias?"

"That will never happen to us, Tris," he says. "Firstly, we love each other entirely too much."

"Too much, huh?"

"I'm crazy about you," he says. "You know that."

"I know," I say.

"And secondly, we would never allow ourselves to become a statistic. We both like sex."

"Is that right?"

"Damn straight," he says. "If I didn't have to do trivial things like eat or work or wear clothes I would spend all my time naked with you in this bed … or in the shower … or on the kitchen counters."

"I get it. I get it," I say with a giggle. "You are very horny man."

"I take exception to that," he soberly says. "No other woman has ever aroused me, ever. So, I wouldn't classify myself as a horny man. A horny husband, maybe." I laugh again after realizing he wasn't being serious.

"I enjoyed myself last night," I say.

"I did too, love," he says, his voice suddenly gruff and gravely with desire. "I love you."

"I love you," I say. "How about we enjoy each other again right now?"

"Tris, love," he growls. "The kids will be up soon." I glance at the clock.

"We have time, Tobias." I slide my hand down his body and wrap my fist around his burgeoning erection. "I want you. I know you want me, too. Last night we took things nice and slow … twice. This morning we can have a quickie. I'll show you a good time, Mr. Eaton." Hesitation and desire mingle on his face. "Don't make me beg," I pout.

"Oh, Mrs. Eaton, as much as I love hearing you beg I think a quickie can be arranged." He gently slips a finger inside me then circles my nubbin with his thumb. "You're already wet for me."

"I always am," I gasp as he changes up his touch, making it rougher just the way I like it.

"How about we move this to the shower then we can clean up after we get dirty?" The glint in his eyes matches the desire dripping from his voice.

"But we're already comfortable here," I moan as we continue with our ministrations. "How am I supposed to move if you keep doing that?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I grip his length harder and speed my pumping. "If you don't stop that you're going to make me come."

"Do you really want me to stop?"

"I want to be inside you when I come." I release him as he removes his fingers from my moist core. We move at once, me spreading my legs in a wide, welcoming manner and him entering me in one long, steady thrust. "Oh, Tris," he moans into my neck, his hot breath cooling on my clammy skin. "You feel so good."

"You feel better." He pulls back and stares down at me.

"I love you, Beatrice Grace Eaton. You are my heart and soul, my better half. You make each day worth facing. You and our kids. Now let me show you how I feel about you." Tears slowly fill my eyes throughout his speech.

"I know how much you love me, Tobias Eaton, but I'll be glad to let you show me again," I say as I caress his stubble-laden face. "Make love to me."

He leans down and softly presses his lips to mine as he rocks his hips forward, bringing him fully home bringing a small gasp from me. We keep the pace nice and slow, totally forgetting about making it quick. When we both feel the need to breathe, we break our kiss and stare into each other's eyes as we let our bodies thoroughly love each other.

"You are so big," I pant, our mouths lip to lip once again.

"You're perfect," he huffs between labored gasps. I tightly wrap one arm around his neck while I slide my other hand down to grasp his well-muscled ass. We kiss passionately, our tongues fighting for dominance, as our bodies hurriedly move us toward a shared release.

"I love you so much," I moan as I hook my heels around his back, changing the angle of his thrusts.

"I love you more." He kisses his way to the little spot beneath my ear and gently sucks on it, sending an electric jolt to where we are joined.

"Not possible, baby," I pant. I answer each of his powerful thrusts with one of my own but my release is just out of reach. "Harder, baby. Harder."

"Anything, love," he grunts. He leverages himself on his forearms and pounds into me, giving me exactly what I need.

"Oh, God! I'm so close. Make me come, baby." Before all the words leave my mouth, he reaches between us and firmly circles my aching bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb. Immediately my whole body tenses. Blinding pleasure shoots from my core, makes my eyes roll back in my head, my toes curl, and my womanhood violently spasm around Tobias' thrusting length.

As I start to come down from my high, my stomach roils. I breathe through my nose as I try to catch Tobias' attention but he's chasing his own release and I fail miserably. Knowing that I have a terrible problem I yell, "Get off of me!" and push on his chest as hard as I can. He rolls off me, a puzzled and somewhat hurt look on his face, and I roll the other way just in time to vomit all over the floor.

"Shit! Tris!" Tobias jumps out of bed and momentarily stares at the mess on the floor. "Oh, love." He gathers my loose hair into a low ponytail with one hand and gently rubs my back with the other until the dry heaves subside.

"I'm so sorry," I moan. "That came on so fast."

"I was wondering why in the hell you were yelling at me to get off you." I glance down and immediately feel guilty.

"You didn't finish," I quietly say.

"Hey, don't you dare worry about that," he says. "We need to get you cleaned up."

"And this mess. Ugh!" I look at the floor and start to gag.

"You go to the bathroom. I'll clean this up," he says.

"Okay," I say. "We'll finish what we started in the shower."

"Tris, I'm fine," he firmly says. I start to argue but between the sight and smell, my stomach starts churning again.

"I'm going," I say, covering my mouth and running from the bedroom. I'm on my hands and knees when Tobias comes into the bathroom. I have no idea how much time has passed.

"Oh, love." The guilt is audible in his voice. He kneels beside me and rubs my back again.

"I don't feel very well, Tobias," I mutter into the toilet.

"What can I do to help?"

"I need some ginger cookies and a glass of ginger ale," I say.

"Stay here," he says. "I'll be right back."

"I'm not going anywhere." I'm not sure my legs would carry me if I tried. I rest my head on my folded arms and savor the cool feel of the porcelain tile beneath me. "I thought the morning sickness should be gone by now," I say when I hear movement behind me.

"Mommy?" Oh, hell!

"Tyler, honey, Mommy's not feeling very well. Can you go back to your room and play?"

"I'll go get Daddy," he excitedly says. I hear his little feet carrying him away before I can tell him that isn't necessary. My poor boy. He didn't need to see me naked on the bathroom floor, grasping the toilet.

"You go to your room or better yet go to the nursery and keep Tessa and Teags company until I come and get you," I hear Tobias say a few moments later.

"Okay, Daddy," Tyler says but I hear the worry in his voice.

"Here you go, love," Tobias says as he hands me a cookie and glass of ale. "That was embarrassing being caught in the kitchen without a stitch of clothes on. Thank God I'm not hard anymore. He's too young to explain that to."

"Not really," I say.

"What?"

"Little boys get erections, too," I say as I nibble on the cookie. "He asked me about it once, and I told him it was a normal part of being a boy. He shrugged and hasn't mentioned it since." Thank goodness.

"You never told me that," he says.

"I guess it slipped my mind," I say. "I'm glad he accepted my answer or I would have immediately turned to you."

"It sounds like you handled it well."

"I think I did okay," I say. "Neither of us freaked out so that was a good thing. You are going to talk to him about sex though."

"I know," he says. "And you get to talk to the girls."

"Can we postpone those conversations for the next 30 years or so?"

"As far as I'm concerned we can. No boy is ever going to touch one of my girls. But you already know that," he says. "Are you feeling better?"

"Well, I probably can get up off the floor now but this might be a sick day for me. I'm still nauseated. Of course, I haven't taken the anti-nausea meds yet so they might help."

"Stay home, love," he says. "There's nothing pressing on the docket. The kids would love it."

"I would love it," I murmur, breathing through another wave of nausea. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," he says. "Now let's get you cleaned up."

"What about the kids?"

"Tyler is playing with the girls. We'll take a shower then I'll get them ready for the day and breakfast. You need to lie down."

"I'm not going to argue, Tobias," I say. "I'm really feeling under the weather."

He gently helps me up off the floor and within 10 minutes, I'm drying my hair. While we were in the shower I tried to help him finish what we started but he wouldn't hear of it. As a matter of fact, he got mad when I suggested it. I know it sounds crazy that I want sex when I'm feeling the way I do but my crazy, hormone-riddled body always wants sex right now. I could have pouted but I graciously accepted his no. I guess I'm still guilty for not only coming when he didn't but then pushing him away while we were making love and hurling all over the floor and leaving it for him to clean up. The only way it would be worse is if he wouldn't have moved in time and I'd have thrown up on him. I shudder at the thought.

"Are you better, Mommy?" I hear Tyler ask when I shut off the hair dryer. I turn around and he's shyly standing in the doorway.

"A little," I say.

"Is it the babies?"

"Yeah," I sigh. "One of these days I won't have morning sickness anymore."

"Promise?" he asks so hopefully.

"Most definitely. Even if the morning sickness lasts until the babies are born," Dear God, No! I shudder at the thought, "it will go away once they're here."

"Is it a long time away? Until my brothers are here?" So optimistic.

"Could be sisters, too, you know," I say causing him to frown. "January." The frown remains on his face indicating he has no idea what that means. "Well let's see. This is July so the babies will be here in another six months."

"That's a lot of sleeps," he states matter-of-factly.

"Yes, it is," I say.

"Do you want breakfast?" he asks, changing the subject so quickly that it nearly causes me whiplash. "Daddy sended me."

"Sent," I correct. "I don't think so but I will sit with you, Daddy, and your sisters."

"Okay!" he excitedly says. He takes my hand but I stop him before we leave the bathroom.

"Were you scared when you found mommy on the floor this morning?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry," I say, hugging him tightly.

"It's okay," he says. "You didn't mean it."

"No, I didn't."

"Okay. I'm hungry. Let's go." Well, he got over that rather quickly. I'm not sure how I feel about that. "Come on, Mommy!" He pulls me out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

"Mama!" Tessa and Teags call out when they see me.

"Good morning, girls," I say then press a kiss to the top if each of their heads. "How's your head, Teags?"

"Huwt," she pouts, pointing a finger at it. I immediately lean over and gently kiss her forehead. "Is that better?"

"Yeah," she says with a brilliant smile.

"That's what you said when I kissed it too, you little stinker," Tobias says.

"Is that right?" I ask her. She grins and nods. "You are a little stinker." She laughs hysterically when I tickle her.

"Do you want breakfast, Tris?" Tobias asks.

"No, her gonna sit with us," Tyler says, getting up into his chair.

"Actually, I think I'll have a slice of toast."

"You change your mind!" Tyler says excitedly. "All right!"

"All right," Tobias repeats, amusement written all over his face. "Pancakes for everyone else?"

"Yeah!" they all exclaim as one. Mm. Pancakes.

"Actually, I would like a pancake," I say, suddenly famished.

"Are you sure?" he asks, obviously worried.

"I hope I'm making the right decision but yes," I say. "Would you like some help?" I go to get up but the look on his face freezes me.

"I've got this," he says. "You sit and relax." I plop back into my chair feeling like a chastised toddler. Seeing my reaction, he comes over and glides his lips up my neck until they are pressed against my ear. "No pouting, love. I just want what's best for you." He gives me a quick peck on my mouth then goes into the kitchen.

"Guess what, guys?" I ask gaining my kids' undivided attention.

"What?" Tyler asks.

"I'm staying home with you today," I say.

"You awe?" Tessa asks, her eyes wide then a brilliant smile dawns on her face.

"Yeah!" Teags says, clapping her hands. Tyler is the only one who doesn't look entirely happy by this news.

"What's wrong, buddy?" I ask.

"Is it cause you sick?" He's very perceptive. His question stops Tessa and Teags' celebration.

"You sick?" Tessa asks.

"I'm not feeling very well this morning, little one."

"It's the babies. Again." Tyler sounds exasperated. I really hope he doesn't hold it against them once they're born. He actually might if it turns out they are both girls.

"Bad bebes," Teags says.

"We've talked about this," Tobias says from the kitchen. "It's not the babies fault. It's just a normal part of when Mommy's have babies."

"I make 'ou sick?" Teags asks.

"You sure did," I say, caressing her frowny little face. "But I wouldn't change anything about it."

"Why?" she asks.

"Because I got you," I say. A chorus of ooh's and ah's erupt around the table.

"Lub 'ou, Mama," she says.

"I love you, too, Teags," I say. "And I love you, Tessa and Tyler." I lovingly rest my hand on my small bump, which is getting larger each and every day. "I may not like feeling this way but I love Button and Bean, too. I love all of you very much."

"Pancakes are ready," Tobias says, interrupting our lovefest. He sets a lone pancake down in front of me and asks, "What about me?"

"What about you?" I frown in confusion.

"Do you love me?" he asks, a twinkle in his eye.

"Do you even have to ask?" I cup his cheek and he leans in for a kiss. Before his lips meet mine, we hear groans and giggles but we don't let that stop us. We keep it chaste but I pour every ounce of love I have for him into it anyway. He breaks away but then presses his lips to mine again, just once.

"I love you, beautiful," he says.

"I love you, too, handsome."

We have a nice leisurely breakfast, chatting about this and that. The girls tell us all about going to the park the day before, and Tyler talks about swinging so high he almost touched the sky. I chuckle when Tobias cringes each time Teags mentions Liam's name. I swear that one day those two will get married but I better not mention that if I don't want him to lock her away in a tower some place in the city. I could actually see him doing that just to keep her away from Liam.

"All right, guys," Tobias says shortly after Bridget arrives for the day. "I have to go to work. I want you three to do me a favor." They all nod. "Take care of Mommy for me." Ah!

"We will," Tyler says. "I promise."

"We pwomise, too," Tessa says. "Wight, Teags?"

"Wight!"

"That's my kids," Tobias proudly says. "I'll check in at lunch. You all be good for Mommy and Bridget. I love you." He passes out hugs and kisses then turns to me. "Are you okay?"

"Are you?" I ask. He immediately knows what I'm talking about.

"I'm fine," he says. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about it."

"I'm sorry," I say. I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my cheek above his heart. "I love you so much." He kisses the top of my head.

"Take it easy, Tris," he says. "You need your rest. I know the kids are excited about you staying home but try to get some sleep. They'll understand."

"I will, Tobias," I say as I release him. I slide my hand into his and lead him to the door. I go up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. I open my mouth and invite his tongue in. He doesn't disappoint. He tastes every inch of my mouth and I return the favor.

"Mm. Maple syrup," he says as he breaks away. "I've really got to go. By the way, I love you, too. More than anything." He kisses my forehead then as he turns to walk away I see it.

"I'll be right back," I yell out into the apartment then I follow after him. "Tobias!" He stops at the bottom of the stairs. I fly down them and into his arms. He effortlessly catches me

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"I want you to stop being so selfless," I say. My hand slips between us, and I run my fingers over the hard bulge in his pants. "You're hard. Why should you have to start your day off this way?"

"Come with me," he says. This time he takes my hand and he leads me into his office. Once the door closes, he turns back to me, his Four mask in place. I sigh. "I love you. I only want what's best for you. We were making love this morning and you got sick. Sick, Tris. You puked all over the floor. Honestly, that should have been enough to kill the mood but for some reason every time I look at you all can think is that I didn't get my rocks off. Do you know how that makes me feel? Like a miserable excuse for a human being. My pregnant wife isn't feeling well and all I want to do is stick my dick inside of her."

"Baby."

"Don't baby me, Tris," he scolds. "The way I'm feeling right now isn't right."

"Why isn't it?" I honestly ask. "I can remember a few times of you finishing before I got to come, and it's not a pleasant feeling. I know how frustrating it can be."

"You didn't not come because I puked all over the place."

"Why are you so mad at me?" I ask, my voice little.

"Fuck," he mutters under his breath. "Come here." He pulls me into his arms and wraps me in his strong, loving embrace. "I'm not mad at you. I'm frustrated on many levels. Sexually and intellectually among other. I'm mad at myself and every time I get hard and you offer to help me with it, it makes me feel like a first-class jerk. I care too much about you to objectify you. You're not my sex toy or my plaything. You are my partner, my inspiration, my joy, my life, my wife. So, until you are no longer feeling nauseated, we are NOT having sex. You got that?" I feel a full pout coming on and tears irrationally fill my eyes but I refuse to let them fall. He closes his eyes and sighs. "I just made you feel like I don't want you, didn't I?" He opens his eyes and I stare up at him. "Tris?" I nod. "That's not what I intended to do."

"Damn hormones," I mutter under my breath.

"I second that," he says. He leads me to the couch and pulls me down onto his lap. He holds me close, and we sit in silence for a long time. Soon I feel my eyelids becoming heavy and sleep carries me away.