XXI.
Erik pressed his hands against the rim of the bath tub on either side of Malika. Currently she was in her fourth month of pregnancy and she was vomiting incessantly. "Cherie. What can I give you that will stop this? Can you eat anything?"
"Don't ask me that." Malika replied weakly as she leaned her head against the tub. Erik gently wiped at her mouth as she covered her stomach with her hands.
"What my darling? You do not wish to have anything to eat?"
"No. It hurts. Oh Erik, my body hurts so much." She told him as he wiped the sweat off her forehead.
He picked her up and took her to the bedroom and lay her in the middle of the bed. "I know that you are in pain but you must eat something."
Malika drew her knees to her chest and moaned in response. "Please do not make me eat anything. It hurts terribly."
"The doctor felt that you are going to have twins. Your body needs the extra food for our babies." Erik scolded her. He sighed then finally said, "This is not a debate. I'm having food brought up and I will personally feed you if it comes to it."
Malika sighed as he left the room to get her some food. Ever since the doctor had come to visit her two weeks ago Erik had become edgy. The doctor had determined she was having twins and she would need more rest than ever. She was ordered not to do anything strenuous and even banned them from having sex. She could still remember Erik's furious face as the doctor left. Malika sighed again. She could tell that having no sex was making him high strung, but even if she tried to initiate sex with him, he wouldn't let her.
She hoped that he would let her try to as soon as she got better. However, knowing Erik, he would not. What if he took a mistress? The thought kept her awake at nights. She feared having the fifth month come. However, she could not prevent it.
Erik returned, interrupting her thoughts as he strode in to the bedroom. "I am having a tray brought up. It should be here soon."
"Erik, why won't you have sex with me?"
Her question caught him off guard. "Because the doctor told us not to."
"I know you want to Erik. You need to have sex before my fifth month ends." She retorted. 'Otherwise you'll go to someone else.'
"I can wait." Erik said to her as he plopped on the plush chair and picked up a book.
"Don't you read while i'm talking to you." Malika cried out furiously. "I am not to be ignored."
"I am not ignoring you. I am reading while you talk. I can do two things at once." He snapped back angrily.
"Why don't you want to have sex? I am perfectly fine. You know I am."
"No. A few minutes ago you were vomiting your head off. I will not have sex with you when you are sick."
"Then you do not find me attractive anymore!" Malika shouted at him then burst into tears. Erik was sure that she would stop crying with a few minutes as she always did when she had one of her fits, but she did not and he could not bear it any longer.
"No more Malika!" He shouted back as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. "I do not want to hear any more tears." He walked over to the bed and dabbed at her tear-stained face.
"Erik, I know you need sex like I do. Why won't you come to bed with me?"
"Like I said, I will not have sex with you when you are sick. It is not good for you or the children."
Malika became angered and decided swiftly, suddenly, to pull Erik over her with all her might. Erik let himself be pulled over her body. He was taken aback by her movements. "Since when did you care to follow the rules?" She snapped at him. "Take me Goddamnit. I know you want it. I know this because I hear your struggle at night when you think I am asleep. I feel it too. I have felt you try to lightly touch me to sate your need, but you and I both know that it has never been like that."
Erik angrily grasped her breasts in a harsh grip. Malika winced from the initial force then gasped as his thumbs slid back and forth over her nipples, teasing them into peaks through the fabric of her gown. "Is this what you wanted? Damn you Malika. I cannot believe you have tempted me into have sex with you. You are pregnant for God's sake."
"Several weeks ago we were having sex." Malika informed him.
"I know that!" He roared in her ear. "You are a minx, a vixen, and a seductress foremost."
"I'm doing this for you, you complete idiotic man! I'm doing this for us."
He pushed off of her and looked down at her. "No. I'm not going to do this with you. Not now." Malika looked at him with tears in her eyes. She slid from the bed and grabbed her robe. "Where are you going?"
"I want to sleep elsewhere. I don't want to sleep with you tonight." She replied as she glared at him, hurt and anger evident in her azure eyes.
"You are not going anywhere." Erik retorted as he blocked the entrance to the door.
"Yes I am. I want to be on my own for a bit since you do not want to have sexual relations with me." She pushed past him and into the hallway, colliding with a servant who had brought up food. "Take me to another room." She told the servant who was carrying the tray of food. "My husband and I are sleeping in separate rooms tonight."
Erik stood slack jaw as he watched her being led off to another room. He suddenly had the urge to ring her neck. He was only looking out for her best interests and this was how she returned his fidelity to her. He growled and slammed the door behind him as he stomped off to his study on the other side of his manor.
xxxx
Malika lay in bed with the covers pulled up to her neck. She was faintly aware of a hand on the side of her waist and the soft breathing in her ear. Somehow she knew that Erik had returned to her to either apologize with sex or criticize her for wanting to have it. She felt him brush her waist with the palm of his hand. It was terribly arousing and she wondered to herself if he was playing a game.
"You know," he whispered in her ear, "I know you will think it terrible of me, but when you were standing in front of me in your wedding dress, I almost hoped that the top of your dress would tear open." He paused for a moment then continued, "In fact I have fantasized about it and several other compromising positions and situations that we could be in."
"What is your point?" Malika asked coldly.
"My point is that I have been aching to have you. I want you...I need you. You are the one who can sate this need." He pressed his hips against her buttocks allowing her to feel how hard he truly was. "I love you."
She turned on her back then looked at his face. Raw desire flooded his amber eyes. "I love you too. Erik, I want to make you happy. Why won't you let me?"
Erik paused and looked at her, his eyes staring intently at her. "I just wanted to do what was right."
She smiled then sat up and pushed him on his back. She placed her hands on his thighs and pushed his legs apart so she could settle between them. He grinned as she began to unbutton his white shirt. "It has been a long time since I have been the one to be on top."
"You know, I never got to be properly done with you on top of me."
She raised her eyebrow and looked at him with a smile. "Oh?" She paused then smiled sadly at him.
"What is it?" Erik asked as he propped himself on his elbows to look at her.
"It seems we will be arguing a lot."
"I like arguing with you though, it leads to such passionate encounters."
"Erik, you promise me that after my fifth month comes you will let me make love to you since we will not be able to make love fully."
"What are you afraid of? I am not going to anyone to get pleasured. Believe me." He responded then watched as she now unfastened his pants. His hardened member sprang into her warm hands. "Only you can make me feel the way I do."
"I'm sorry. I should not feel so uncomfortable with myself. I know you love me and I know you would do anything for me. I am sorry for acting like a ninny." Malika said then leaned forward and kissed his lips softly.
"It is alright. Now what do you want to do with me?" Erik asked her as he slid his hands under her gown and along her thighs.
She smiled at him then said, "Let's make up."
"Sounds wonderful cherie."
Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews. I appreciate it!