I run downstairs to quickly retrieve Ciara's bag so that I can see the sonogram picture of our baby. Our baby. I never thought that I would feel happy let alone absolute joy after I was released from Bayview. Ciara and this baby are my everything.
Ciara was right, she did drop her purse after I pinned her against the wall. I find her purse laying on its side, but it's zipped tight, so nothing has come out. I pick it up and jog back up the stairs. When I get back to the room she is tangled in the sheets of the bed, looking like an exotic goddess. She's laying on her side clutching her belly. I wonder if she knows how often she does this. I never used to see her do this and realize it must be instinct for her to do it, like my need to protect her.
I slide onto the bed next to her and place her bag between us. Ciara sits up and I think she's as eager to show me the sonogram as I am to see it. She opens her bag and pulls out a picture frame and hands it over to me with what I can only describe as a 1,200-watt smile.
I look down at the frame she has given me. It contains the picture which sits on top of a green background. At the bottom, in her floating and loopy handwriting it says, 'Two peas in a pod.' I look more closely at the picture and now notice an 'A' and a 'B' on the photo. I feel my jaw go slack for a moment and then close. I swallow trying to compose myself, "Ciara…does this mean what I think it means?"
"Well, if you think it means we're having two babies, then yes."
"Two babies…wow." I'm shocked, stunned, and anxious. I was worried about how I was going to provide for Ciara and one baby and now we have two.
"Ben, are you okay?"
"Hmm?"
"I said, 'Ben, are you okay?'"
"What? Yeah. I'm okay. I'm just surprised…and happy. Oh my God Ci, I'm so happy." I place the photo on the nightstand and then lean down to kiss her lips and forehead and then take her into my arms. I take in a deep breath and sigh, "I'm nervous too."
"Ben, you don't need to worry. I know you are going to be an amazing father. But it's okay if you are nervous because I'm kinda nervous too."
"So how long before our packing peanuts make their debut? How far along are you?"
She blushes, "Aunt Kayla says I look to be 12 weeks along."
"12 weeks," I think about it for a moment. 12 weeks is 3 months, and that puts us at the end of April which means… "That was the first time we made love."
"Yeah, the first time," she giggles.
For some reason, I feel ultra-masculine. I was able to get my woman pregnant the first time we make love and we weren't even trying for that result; and the kicker, with twins. I chuckle back at her and kiss her one more time. "Are you hungry?"
"I was wondering when you were going to feed me."
I spring up off of the bed and all but strut when I go to collect the tray of fruit containing strawberries, grapes, pineapple, and melon and what I hope she'll be most impressed with, peanut butter. I want her to know that I was listening and that I'm going to do everything I can to take care of her and our babies. Babies…I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact there are two.
I walk the tray over to her and set it on her lap. Her eyes light up and I know I've done well and made my girl happy. I sit down next to her, grab a strawberry and dip it in the peanut butter. I take the berry to her lips and she takes a bite.
"Mmm…Ben that's really yummy. You remembered the peanut butter," she says through bites.
"I pay attention."
"I know you do. Thank you."
I take a strawberry for myself and dip it in the peanut butter. I wouldn't normally think to pair strawberries and peanut butter, but since that is what she's craving I'll give it a try. "This isn't bad at all, even better than the fortune cookies."
She keeps munching on the fruit and loading up on the peanut butter. "Benny…"
"Don't even say it."
"Boo," she giggles, "will you go get some more peanut butter and maybe some chocolate syrup. I think that is the only thing that will make this even better," she says pointing to the tray.
I roll my eyes; she knows I won't deny her anything. "Sure, I'll be right back."
I trot down the stairs and can't stop myself from whistling I'm so happy right now, and I'm sure if I looked in the mirror right now, I would have an enormous grin on my face.
"Mr. Weston, you seem to be in a particularly good mood."
"Stefan, I didn't know you were back." I stop in my steps.
Stefan gets up from the couch and walks over to me, "Yeah, I've been back a couple of hours."
I can feel a cold sweat begin to gather at my neck. If he's been here a couple of hours that means, "Oh God, if you've been here a couple of hours that means that you heard Ciara…"
"Screaming. Yeah, and you too for that matter. I think anyone on the entire estate could hear," he chuckles and begins to clap, "Bravo, by the way."
I can feel the color drain from my face, "I'm so sorry. You said that you weren't going to be back and that we could stay in the house until you returned."
"Ben it's fine," he says, raising his hand as if to stop me.
I breathe a huge sigh of relief and the grin is back on my face.
"You can't keep that grin off of your face. You seem particularly happy, Ben."
"I am. Ciara just told me we're having twins. She's 12 weeks along."
"That's around when Ciara was kidnapped by the cartel." He takes a sip of his drink, "You followed my advice that night, didn't you?"
I try to reign in the grin, but I can't help it, "I'm not going to answer that."
"You don't have to. I'm not a moron. I'm guessing that was the first time you two finally consummated your relationship. She basically hasn't left your place since that night and your mood has been different too. You've been more relaxed and happier."
"Okay, …your point."
"You got her pregnant the first time out of the gate. He chuckles again, "You fertile bastard," and he claps me on the back.
I'm blushing now. I just know it, "I'm not saying anything more," and chuckle along with him.
"You don't have to. As I said I'm not a moron and I know I'm right," he takes my hand and starts to shake it, "Congratulations, Ben, to you and Ciara both."
"Thank you. We were surprised but we're pretty happy about it."
"As you should be. A baby, or babies in your case is a wonderful thing."
"Stefan, I've gotta get back up to Ciara, she's been having these cravings so…"
"Go, go, you need to keep her happy. I get it."
"Thanks, Stefan. I'll take the peanut butter and chocolate up to her and then we'll head to the gatehouse."
"You can stay Ben. I'll be heading out again, but I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Are you sure?"
"I insist, please."
"Thanks."
"Go, take care of Miss Ciara."
I walk into the kitchen and grab what Ciara has requested. On my way back through the living room, I see that Stefan is already gone. I run back up the stairs and take the peanut butter and chocolate syrup to Ciara. This time when I get back to the room, she's put on a black silk robe. She's absolutely radiant. She's eaten almost half of the fruit and the peanut butter is completely polished off, to the point where I think she's even licked the bowl clean.
I sit down on the bed and hand her the peanut butter and the chocolate syrup, "It's about time you showed up, Ben!"
Ciara puts the peanut butter jar on the tray and then opens the bottle of chocolate syrup. She takes a piece of pineapple and covers it in the chocolate and eats the entire piece. She moans, and I see her eyes roll up into the back of her head. "That was SO good. But I think I know what will taste even better."
She takes the tray back to the desk and walks back to the bed with her hands behind her back. She's plotting I can tell.
When she gets to the bed, she begins to crawl toward me on her knees until they are touching my side and then takes her hands from behind her back. She's holding the chocolate syrup and biting her bottom lip. Ciara opens the cap on the bottle and licks her lips.
She tips the open bottle over my chest, drawing stars over my nipples. The syrup is cold and makes them pucker a bit. My pulse begins to race, and I have a hard time taking in air. I'm hard already and my dick is straining against the zipper of my pants.
Ciara takes the bottle and starting just above my bellybutton she writes her name in chocolate. She pushes the nozzle shut on the bottle, then licks the chocolate from her finger, and I find myself wishing she was licking my cock. She puts the chocolate syrup on the nightstand next to her. When Ciara returns her gaze to me, her eyes are the darkest green I have ever seen them, almost emerald. "You're mine Ben Weston, and don't you ever forget that."
