Chapter 37

"Oh, I dinnae really know much about plants, me bonnie lass." He chuckled, dropping a kiss on the top of Tressa's head. "But bless ye for thinking so highly of me and me abilities. I just ken some by name, and by smell, and I ken where they'll grow. I have people come in and do all of this while I'm gone." His outside interests were actually kind of dorky. Criminology wasn't exactly something someone got into just by chance, he had always been a bit of a nerd. Drew moved his free hand to her stomach, rubbing that pregnancy bump tenderly. "So, when do we find out the gender?"

"Between 19 and 20 weeks – basically, halfway through the pregnancy. I'm 14 weeks now, so I'll have the ultrasound in another 5-6 weeks, which would put us right at the beginning or middle of March." Tressa hadn't made the appointment yet, but she was planning on doing it, amongst other things, on her days off. Her first priority was getting a place in Tampa and starting the process with that since it would take a little while to finalize. "And you don't give yourself enough credit, my Highlander." She placed a hand on top of his on her stomach, which was starting to round out a little more with each day that passed, or so it seemed. "I think very highly of you." Tressa would not be here, on this swing, snuggling against him if she didn't.

"I hope so." It would make this, parenting together, a lot easier in the long run. "Have you lined up maternity leave and all that?" This was another thing he had wanted to talk to her about. "I'd like…to take time off too and be there when the bairn is born. Not in the room when ye deliver, of course, I wouldna impose that way, but afterward." He didn't want to miss those first few weeks; he just wasn't sure how to go about convincing his boss that he needed the same time off as Tressa.

Stephanie wasn't a stupid woman.

"Not yet, but Stephanie knows about my pregnancy. She just doesn't know who the father is yet. I'm going to tell her, Andrew. I was planning on doing it on Monday, actually." Why did it bother her so much he didn't want to be in the room with her? "Are you sure you don't want to be in the room with me when I deliver?" Now she was looking up at him, feeling him stop the swing and those ocean blues swept her away again. "You wouldn't be intruding. You're the father and you deserve to be there when the baby is first born, to hear his or her first cries, to hold him or her in your arms." Stephanie would probably fall over in shock upon hearing who the father of her baby was, but…things happened, and she had three children with Triple H, though they were married. This was a different situation, entirely. "Unless you truly don't want to."

"I was thinking ye might want ye mam, or sister," He searched her eyes intently, reaching out to take her hand in his, caressing his fingers against her palm. "And that it might be uncomfortable having me in there."

Not that he was planning on being front and center down below with the doctor when the baby was actually being delivered. Some things were sacred and he did not need to see how that all worked or changed…no. He appreciated the miracle that was a woman's body, Drew didn't want to see the miracle in action.

"I definitely want to be there. I dinnae want to miss a thing, Tressa." She was…a rare gem and he stifled whatever warmth that was.

Mourning, she was still mourning.

The mourning had passed, but Tressa was scared to have another relationship, to give herself completely to another man. She wasn't sure she could do it, not completely, because part of her would always be with Joseph. This warmth Drew made her feel scared her because it was intense, and it seemed to get hotter each time they were together.

"I know you don't, and I don't want you to either, so…be in the room with me. My Mom and sister…I don't know if I want them in there because they can be somewhat controlling." Not as bad as Joseph's mother was, but her family was overprotective ever since what happened. "I'm going to need your strength to get through the delivery, Andrew." It terrified her every time she thought about what she was going to endure in mere months.

There were pain management options that wouldn't harm the baby and he hoped she would at least consider them. There was no shame in lessening pain, especially when it allowed her to focus on other things, like pushing and breathing, and…Drew frowned slightly, clearing away those thoughts. Eventually, they would talk about it and whatever she wanted to do, he would support.

"So, me bonnie one," He bent down to rest his forehead against hers. "Why don't ye come inside and I'll fix dinner for us?" He didn't want her to leave just yet, which was strange since a moment ago, he had been squishing feelings he shouldn't have.

Tressa didn't want to leave either, caressing his face with her hand, and felt her heart beating fiercely against her chest. The smell of him and being this close made her heady, his lips mere inches from hers. She wanted more than just dinner; she wanted the Scotsman and wondered if he could read the desire in her grey orbs.

"Andrew…" She whispered his name and felt his arm tighten around her to press her closer on the swing. Deciding to take a chance and hoping he didn't push her away or reject her, Tressa leaned forward to softly press her lips against his, a shiver coursing down her spine.

Even kissing was more sensitive while pregnant, who would've thought?

It had been quite a while since the last time they had been intimate, and he hadn't taken any other woman to bed since. It hadn't felt right, especially after finding out he had impregnated her, bringing another woman to his bed when he had one already knocked up. Maybe he did possess some shred of nobility or whatever she called it. Tightening his arms around her, Drew deepened the kiss, feeling her shivering against him, and arched an eyebrow.

"Cold?" There was no way.

"No, definitely not cold."

How could she be in the arms of this man? They started kissing again and that connection, that fire, and passion between them were stronger than ever. His tongue swiped across her lips and she immediately gave him access, both tasting each other for the first time in months. She moaned softly in his mouth, shivering again and that only made the kiss grow deeper and a little harder. Only when they needed oxygen to breathe did the kiss break, both doing it simultaneously, and her breathing was labored, lips swollen.

Now he was wondering if this was a side effect of her pregnancy, or maybe of her sobriety. She had been a drinker when Drew had first started taking up with her and he had definitely noticed the changes. He wouldn't have pegged her for an alcoholic, other than drinking a lot, she hadn't exhibited that many signs, or at least ones that weren't noticeable at the time. Her eyes were so much clearer, and the whites were genuinely white, and now the roses in her cheeks were all natural instead of Vodka -or whiskey-induced. Regardless, he was learning she was sensitive, the way her body was still pressing into him, and how she softly moaned when he ran his fingertips along her upper arm, he liked it.

It hadn't been fun to get over two addictions at once – cigarettes and alcohol, but after what happened to her first baby, Tressa refused to take any chances with this one. The doctor assured her everything was fine and the Zofran had helped during her first trimester, along with curbing the addictions. Now her new addiction was pineapple – she had to have everything pineapple or pineapple in it. It was the weirdest and best craving she'd ever experienced in her life; pregnancy really was an experience unlike any other. Tressa missed this, missed being with Drew and the intimacy between them, her hand caressing his beard to feel the little prickles against her fingertips.

"I've missed this," She pressed her forehead against his again, locking grey on ocean blues and those tingles flowed through her body. "I've missed you, Andrew."

Even though they worked for the same company, they had barely seen each other ever since this pregnancy came about besides the doctor visits. Jon was there, so it was a very awkward situation and they hadn't been alone, like this, since the last time they had sex…right before she became sick. Prior to that, they had gone a month sharing hotel rooms and having sex, unable to get enough of each other. Simply seeing each other wasn't the same as being held in this man's arms, feeling his lips against hers or any part of her body, and she was relieved to see the intimacy between them had not vanished with the pregnancy.

He had missed this too. The raw chemistry between them was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. He didn't vocalize that, however, he would take what she offered and no more. Drew wasn't going to put himself in the position Jon had. Never. If she could only get past her grief, he would have, maybe, shown her that life didn't have to end all together just because of unexpected tragedies and new, uncertain paths. He smiled, realizing that, eventually, Tressa would pull herself out of the mental grave she had buried herself in and he would be there. Drew would be there for a long time to come.

"I have as well, lass." He admitted, brushing his nose along her cheek. "Mmm, remember when I said I wanted to lay ye out on me plaid in the heather?" Well…now was his chance.

"Yeah, I remember that." Tressa remembered everything and had replayed their moments in her mind, making her believe maybe she knew all along who the father was without the test.

She and Jon had only screwed once in that time frame and it was an estimate based on her menstrual cycle. There was a far stronger connection to Drew than she ever felt with Jon in all the years she'd known him. Maybe deep down inside, Tressa knew this was Drew's baby and that was part of the reason why she felt so drawn and connected to him. It was obvious he still desired her, even with her bigger belly and she contributed that to the fact this was his child, his offspring. Food could wait because her hunger for this man outweighed everything else at the moment, including actual sustenance.

"Come inside and take a moment, lass, if you need one. Just don't get too comfortable, we're coming right back out."

She was pregnant, and if she had to use the restroom, now would be a very good time for it. Pregnant women and overactive bladders were a thing. He gently guided her off his lap and stood up, leading Tressa into the house. His property was surrounded by an 8-foot -he had to get special permission for it and the fact that was a requirement was mind-boggling- privacy fence, so he wasn't worried about anyone spotting them. He left her in the living room before disappearing upstairs, rifling in an old, oak chest for one of his few plaids. His kilts that he wore for work events were all custom-made and fit like a…skirt, he'd imagine. An actual tartan took some skill to properly use outside of just being a 'blanket'.

Tressa did use the bathroom and grabbed water from the fridge, her mouth incredibly dry from kissing Drew and how he made her feel. She was nervous, wondering if he would be appalled or disgusted by the change in her body. The bump wasn't that big, but…she still felt fat since she was so used to having a flat stomach. The change was astounding, and it made her self-conscious, which was why she wore tunics and leggings. Pulling the band out of her hair, Tressa fluffed it out a little to hang about her shoulders and down her back. A haircut was definitely needed in the future because there was no way she'd have long hair by the time the baby was born.

Chewing her bottom lip, Tressa was staring out the window again and was so deep in thought, she didn't hear Andrew come back downstairs with his plaid until his hand landed on her hip. She didn't jump and shivered at the feeling of his lips against the side of her neck, simply brushing her flesh. It was cute how she thought tunics were hiding that baby bump, they weren't. The way the fabric draped highlighted it and every time he saw her, trying so hard to hide her pregnancy, he had been both amused and pleased. Pleased because that was HIS baby she was carrying, rounding her stomach. That had to be a primal male thing.

"What're ye thinking, me bonnie one?" He asked in a husky rumble, his hands skimming down her sides to rest on her curvy hips.

He really, really liked this dress.

"The change my body has taken. I'm…nervous about you seeing me naked, Andrew." Tressa was never one to sugarcoat anything and was truthful, for the most part.

Granted, she had lied to Drew at first when he kept approaching her, but it was only because he intimidated her, and she was still mourning over her dead husband. It was crazy how so much could change in the span of nearly a year. The tunics HAD hidden the pregnancy until she popped two weeks ago and now everybody knew she was with child in the company. One could only hide the fact for so long until the body physically showed the proof.

"It's my own insecurities and I'll get through it."

"Ye beautiful, Tressa," He reassured her, gently cupping her baby bump with one hand, the other on the back of her neck. Drew had the plaid draped over his shoulder, now bare from the waist up because he had removed his tank top. "That's what bonnie means, ye ken, me beautiful one." And he was learning, now that she was letting down her walls, she was beautiful both inside as well as out. "Come let me show ye."

He laced his fingers with hers, tugging her towards the patio doors. She was radiant, growing new life in her body. There was nothing unsightly or unattractive about that and he would very happily spend the rest of the day convincing her of it, if she let him. She had wondered what that meant because he'd started calling her 'bonnie' and figured it was some kind of Scottish or Gaelic term. She let him guide her back outside, having removed her shoes, so her feet in the cool grass felt amazing. Tressa watched as Drew spread the plaid on the grass, right by the heather before taking her into his arms gently, but firmly and captured her lips with his. This man was chiseled out of stone and could easily break her in half, in pieces, if he wanted to. The way he held her, however, told her he would never do anything to hurt her or their baby.

Carefully, Drew swept her feet from beneath her to lift her in his strong arms, the kiss not breaking, and Tressa felt her back collide with the plaid. This wasn't just sex between them anymore – they weren't just fuck buddies either. Something was developing between them and Tressa was powerless to stop it, already knowing deep down inside, this Scotsman had a hold on her heart. She just wouldn't admit it to herself, not until she was ready because once she did, all bets were off. Her fingers delved into his long black hair as he hovered over her, being careful not to smash the baby and his lips left hers to start a trail of fire down her neck, making her purr and her toes curl.

Everything was definitely more sensitive.

Once she was writhing just from his kisses down her neck alone, Drew pulled back to kneel on his calves, just admiring her. Her face was flushed, rosy red lips parted, and sprawled out on his plaid with her hair sprawled beneath her and around her. With the Mexican Heather in full bloom and creeping in around them, it was indeed a lovely sight. Almost as good as how he envisioned it the first time. If he had his way, sometime in the future, he would get the proper experience, in Scotland. He had to shove those thoughts aside, wondering why he was thinking that far ahead into the future when the only thing certain between them was the fact that they were going to be parents together.