Chapter Six
Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't know why she felt so nervous. They had done so much leading up to this moment. She'd been naked in front of him, he'd brought her to the brink over and over again with his hands and tongue, but there was something about taking this last step, the last barrier between them that made everything between them so much more concrete.
There were also her nerves that came with having sex and being pregnant. Her belly still made her self conscious and ever aware of just how difficult it was to get close to him.
After their clothes had been shed he lay her back, then while lying next to her, his hand caressed over her as if he were trying to discover every dip and curve of her body. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and she gasped in delight when his mouth and tongue joined in.
Though she loved his attention on her breasts, she wanted him to touch her in other places, particularly where she was aching with need. He, however, no matter how much she tried to coax him down with gentle pushes and whispered words, was not to be rushed.
It both infuriated her and made her burn for him even more. With half lidded eyes, she gazed up at him. At his toned torso, strong shoulders, and the way his eyes traveled over her like she wasn't a seven month pregnant whale but the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
Her breath caught in her chest and her head fell back as his hand dipped down between her legs. She was glad his roommate was gone because the moan that escaped her throat was high-pitched and tight with desperate need. Her hands clutched the sheets, and her hips moved against his fingers.
His lips were on her neck, dotting wet kisses as he moved up, more behind her ear and then along her jaw before she tilted her head toward his. She moaned into his tongue-filled kiss. One of her hands swept up and tangled into his soft hair.
"Now," she whispered against his lips. "I want you now."
He nodded and shifted back. He had to hover over her more than he normally would, more than she liked, but there would be time for closeness later. After the baby was born she planned to spend as much time as possible with him pressed against her. She wanted to feel the weight of him as he took her.
He pressed himself against her and that was all the warning she had before he sank slowly into her. Her hands reached up, wanting his lips back on hers, and he came down to her.
He hovered over her, and she felt his forehead rest against hers, "Alright?"
She looked up. "Yes, more than alright."
"Tell me if I hurt you."
Tears filled her eyes. Her hand settled on his cheek. His stubble was prickly against her palm. "You're not going to hurt me."
Though she assured him, he moved slowly. So slowly she thought she might lose her mind from the intensity of it. He was doing all he could to hold back. She could tell from his tense muscles beneath her hands, the way his lips pressed together, and how his eyes watched her for any sign he might do something wrong.
His slow, steady thrusts built the ache in her back up easily. The angle and the way he filled her made her toes curl and her hands clutch his shoulders. It was good, so good, and it would be enough for a while like this but she would need more and she was sure he would, too.
"God, you feel amazing," he rasped.
His head fell down and as he pressed a kiss to her neck, Regina turned her head and kissed his temple. "So do you."
"I'm sorry, babe, but I won't last long," he said.
She shook her head and shifted her hips, drawing a deep moan from him. She didn't honestly think either of them would last very long, not with her hormones and their equal time between lovers. "You don't have to."
"Make love to me how you need to."
"Regina, maybe I should pull out…"
She couldn't help it, she giggled. "I'm not going to break and you're not going to hurt her."
He mock frowned at her. "Are you laughing at me?"
Shaking her head, she looked up at him. "No, I'm laughing at us. Would you mind if I took it from here?"
"I suppose it would help me feel less anxious if you did." He kissed her lips and then letting out a growl, he fell on the bed beside her. Getting to her knees, she smiled down at the slight scowl on his face. "Once that baby is out of you I fully plan on fucking you silly."
A wide smile pulled her lips up as her brows rose. "Oh, do you?"
His hands settled on her hips as she moved over him. He smiled up cheekily at her before lightly smacking her bottom. "Absolutely."
Her smile was slow and seductive when she reached down and took him in her hand. His eyes darkened and she watched him swallow thickly before she told him, "Then you won't mind if I fuck you silly until then?"
When she lowered herself down on him it was a lot less gentle than he had been before, and when she started moving her hips in a quick steady tempo, it had him fisting the sheets and moaning her name. She took that as all the answer she needed.
#
The room was dark when she woke hours later, sleepy, but her body still humming from their night together. She smiled to herself at his reaction to her enthusiastic love making. He ended up lasting a lot longer than both of them expected. Long enough to get them both back to the edge and him to reach down between them and send her over the edge right before she did the same for him.
They spent a long time after basking in their new intimacy with kisses and softly spoken words. She fell asleep with him spooned behind her and their hands intertwined.
Her thoughts drifted from them and to the future, and she realized just how quickly time was sneaking up on her. Her due date was only eight weeks away. Only eight weeks left and then her baby would be here.
She swallowed and her fingers tightened around Robin's.
Their baby would be here.
Thoughts tumbled through her mind from the previous evening. She wondered how it was she could remember the donor profile so vividly, but when it came to comparing him to Robin it only struck her how incredibly similar they were now and not before. How had she not seen it before?
But she was getting her hopes up.
It would be amazing that out of all the men who donated, she would meet and fall in love with the man she chose.
But there was no way.
Robin wouldn't have ever donated to a sperm bank. She just couldn't see him doing something like that. Even though there was this little voice in the back of her mind whispering to her, Just ask him…
It would put an end to her wondering, but it would open the door to her explaining how she had gotten pregnant, which she planned to do because she was no longer afraid of his reaction but of his response.
That little chance that he would then admit to her that he, in fact, had been a donor...
He can't be the baby's father! once again her mind berated her. The odds that he was were astronomical and would only leave her disappointed.
Besides, the donor didn't matter because to her and to him, he was the father. His similarities only made it all the more real and that's all that mattered.
Pushing those thoughts away, she closed her eyes and tried to quiet her mind enough to sleep. However, not long later, her eyes opened once again. Thoughts of the baby and how close she was to being born had her thinking about how much she still had to do. Her daughter still didn't have a crib or blankets or clothes even. Except for the few she had picked up spontaneously after she found out she was pregnant. But there weren't many, not nearly enough.
Robin's other hand that had been resting on top of her belly moved. It's gentle caress slid up her bump and then to her hip where it came to a halt. His fingers opened and splayed, tickling her skin and sent flutters up her spine at the same time.
She closed her eyes and hummed softly. Her hum turned to a breathy gasp as the feel of his lips, soft and warm as they pressed onto her shoulder.
"It's still early," his voice was rough and sleep filled.
She reached her hand back, leaning into him and threading her fingers into his hair. "I know. Go back to sleep."
He hummed, his head falling back onto his pillow. "You alright?"
Letting out a breathy laugh, she said, "Yes, I just have a lot on my mind."
"Oh? What's keeping you awake?"
"All the things I need to start getting for the baby."
His hand slipped back down to caress her middle. "Mmm, yes she will be here soon."
Her hand fell over his and she threaded their fingers together. "Maybe we can go do some shopping today?" She asked hopefully, liking the idea of them shopping for the baby together. Then it struck her that he had mentioned he had work to do over the weekend. "Unless you had other plans?"
"No, I would love to." He pressed closer to her and dropped another kiss on her shoulder. "I do have a quick errand I need to run this afternoon, but the rest of the weekend I'm all yours. Wherever you want to go, we can go."
She smiled softly and closed her eyes, relishing feeling him against her. "Okay."
"It'll be only a few hours this afternoon," he assured her while running his hand along her side. "Do you want to come with me?"
As much as she loved the position they were in, she turned in his arms. "I should go home and get some work done but you'll be over after?"
"I will."
She breathed him in and shifted closer, hooking her leg up and over his. She closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his then pulling away, nudging his nose with hers. "Good."
His hand fell over her thigh, holding it there. His warm palm traveling over her skin and then up and around to her ass.
She bit her lip. He was such an ass man. "And bring clothes with you."
He chuckled before his head dipped and then her breath hitched as he began trailing kisses down her neck. "Already planned on it, love."
#
He may have gone a bit overboard.
Later that morning when he and Killian walked onto the lot of Brooklyn Mitsubishi it was his intention to get something practical. Something like a little four-door sedan or roomy compact car. Something that fit a family of three and maybe a friend or two. But then the salesman, a tall black man who looked more like he belonged on a football field than in a suit behind a desk, started asking him questions.
Simple questions to start like, "Is this going to be a daily driver?""What do you do for work?" and "Do you plan on travelling?"
Then with his answers, yes, I'm an architect in the city, and most likely, but not right away, they got a little more in depth. "Is it just you?" and Killian's favorite, "Are you married?"
"No, but ask him about his girlfriend and the wee one on the way." Killian smirked.
From there was where it all went downhill.
"So you're going to be needing something with room." Robin agreed because he imagined they would.
He started walking over to the row of cars, but Lance took the the opposite way. Robin's eyes fell over the rows and rows of glistening SUV's and his eyebrows shot up.
He didn't think they would need that much room.
While Killian and his salesman believed they knew better, he, on the other hand, was skeptical. It wasn't until Lance educated him on all the safety features and expounded on how much room a carseat really takes up, (he had three kids of his own) that Robin really began to get on board with the idea of something bigger.
And once Lance handed him the keys, and opened the door to the shiny, silver Outlander with the slick black interior, it only took Robin taking a seat behind the wheel, picturing his family all inside, to seal the deal.
And as Lance pointed out, the SUV was just as much as many of the sedans so it wasn't like he was paying anymore than he would have been. With all the rebates and the down payment he was able to make, it was a steal if you asked him.
After the paperwork was signed, and the keys were handed to him, he dropped Killian at the pub and left for the city to pick up Regina. He couldn't wait to surprise her.
#
Using the key Regina gave him that morning, Robin opened up the apartment door. She had text him asking him if he could pick up some cranberry pineapple juice on his way back. It took him a little longer than he planned. Finding that particular mix was harder than he expected, and not knowing where in the city to search for it, he grabbed them separately thinking she could just mix them together.
He looked over to see her tucked in her armchair with a book and smiled. "Hey babe, I got juice but they didn't have cranberry pineapple so I got pineapple…" his smile fell away noticing there were tears running down her cheeks. Dropping the bag on the couch, he kneeled in front of her, his heart beginning to pound. "Regina, what's wrong?"
She sniffed and ran a hand over her belly. "It's the baby. She hasn't moved all day."
His hand reached out and settled on hers. Thoughts, doubts, but mostly regrets for the evening previous settled in his chest tightening painfully. He swallowed. "And normally she does?"
Her head bobbed in a nod and another tear followed before she took a deep breath. "I noticed it last night... Usually she kicks a bit and I fall asleep to it, but she hadn't and all this morning... nothing."
His heart fell. "Why didn't you say something?"
"I didn't want to say anything just in case it was just me overthinking..."
"Have you called your doctor?"
"I did." Her eyes widened and then her hand turned in his to squeeze it reassuringly. "She said it wasn't anything we did," Robin breathed a sigh of relief and it must have showed how anxious he had been because she reached out and put her hand on his cheek. "She said it can happen. She told me to drink some orange juice or something sweet and if she doesn't start to move in a few hours I'm supposed to go in."
"Alright." He took her hand from his face and kissed her palm. "Have you drank anything?'
"Emma brought me some this morning." The worry in her voice momentarily became a grumble, "I've already drank half a gallon and had to pee more times than I can count."
He chuckled at that. He could imagine that would be annoying. "Fair enough, love." Narrowing his eyes, he remembered something. Something he read a while back when he spent the night and picked up her copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting while she slept against him during a movie. "I have an idea. Come here."
He helped her to her feet and then led her down the hall.
"Where are we going?"
"Taking you to your room so you can lie down."
Her head tilted at him when they reached her room. "I really don't think lying down…"
"Indulge me a moment, my love," he interrupted while kicking off his shoes. Regina let out a sigh but did as he asked. When she was comfortable, Robin got in bed beside her, but scooted down so his head was beside her stomach. "I've been reading that book of yours. She can hear us, can't she?"
Her brow furrowed but she answered him. "She can."
He smiled and then kissed her belly. "Excellent."
"What are you doing?"
He looked up seeing tears begin to pool in her warm eyes once again. He propped his head up and ran a hand over her belly. "I'm going to have a conversation with our little girl." He hadn't meant to make her cry, but he felt like this just might work. So he shifted his gaze and took a chance. "Hey, in there, little one…" He rubbed her belly the way she had showed him before when he wanted to get her attention for a little kick and went on, "you know, you're worrying your mum and me by not moving for her. She's a little upset, and it breaks my heart seeing her cry like she is. If you could move for us, I promise, after you get here, I will spoil you absolutely rotten. In fact, I'm taking your mum shopping later today and we'll fill our car with all you need. Fancy pram, clothes, and toys all your little friends will be jealous of…" He chanced a glance up at Regina to see tears still falling, but the look she had for him pushed him on. "If you could just get your mum to smile for me. Give us one little kick. Alright, darling? Do that for, daddy?"
He waited a few moments, moments that seemed to go on forever until he felt the slightest jab against his palm. His eyes widened and his heart filled right along with his eyes.
His gaze pulled up just in time to see Regina's smile right before she began to cry in earnest. "I'd say she agreed?"
"I think she did," Regina whispered.
He kissed her belly once more. "See you just needed someone to talk to you, didn't you?" He could hear Regina's light laugh through her tears and decided shopping could wait a bit. He was going to spend some time with his daughter and her beautiful mother before they went anywhere. "Your mum says you like music… Now, I'm not brilliant like your uncle Killian, but I'm gonna give it a go and you tell me how you like it, alright?"
"You're not…" Regina's voice trailed away as he began to sing.
"I know a girl… She puts the color inside of my world…"
#
The sun was just starting to dip down over the city. It was later in the afternoon than they would have liked for their shopping excursion, but after laying with Robin singing and talking to their daughter for over an hour, her now active little one reminded her just how little she had to eat that day and Robin reminded her he had promised to spoil the baby.
Some dinner and shopping were just what she needed after her emotional day.
They walked outside, hand-in-hand. There was a light breeze in the air most likely from the storm that was supposed to come in the following day, making her glad she didn't have to be anywhere very early.
"I don't think we'll be able to get much tonight. Most of the stores probably won't have time to deliver tonight…" They came to a stop and she tiled her head at him when he opened the door of the car parked beside them. "What's this?"
His dimples made an appearance when he told her, "This is your ride from now on."
She pressed her lips together to keep herself from smiling like an idiot at his smug smile. "You went and did it, huh?"
"I did." He moved away from the passenger side and opened the back door. "Look, there's plenty of room to stuff as much as your heart desires in here and also room for the baby when she comes. I was told car seats were a bit on the bulky side…" he began, then started to rattle off the safety features but she wasn't listening. Tears sprang to her eyes for what she felt was the millionth time that day. Just when she thought she couldn't love him anymore he went and did something like this. "So there is space for us and our girl and all her things as she grows and… Regina, what's wrong?"
She shook her head at him and then reached up bringing him down to her because more than anything she needed his lips on hers. She didn't care that there were people walking by them or the one who grumbled for them to take it inside. When she did pull away, she held him as close as she could with her belly between them. "I can't believe you went and did this with her in mind."
He tucked the hair that blew in her face from the wind behind her ear. "Of course I did."
She laughed and swiped the wetness from her cheeks. "I'm sorry I don't know why I'm crying… again."
He kissed her sweetly before replying, "Because you're full of hormones and feeling a little overwhelmed with everything maybe? So much to do and all, but don't worry, we'll take care of it all together."
Her throat closed up, and so she didn't answer him with words, only stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his one more time.
With a smile, she dropped back down and bit her lip. "Do I get to drive it, too?"
#
They had a late lunch at a little greek restaurant near Union Square. Seated in a little booth near the window, they took their time eating and talking about the baby. Mostly about the things she needed now and the things that could wait. Things she researched on the safety and things that many mothers commented weren't really needed.
Robin listened with an arm around her back. His hand resting on her side, caressing the side of her stomach as she talked.
When they made their way into the store, Robin grabbed a cart and looked over at her. His eyes were bright with excitement. "What's first?"
She chuckled and pointed to the corner of the store. "Let's just start with the furniture and then go from there."
He nodded. "Lead the way, darling."
An hour later and an extra cart later, Robin was leading them down an aisle filled with car seats. "Now what about one of these? She'll need one now."
"True," she said slowly, her eyes looking at all the price tags as they passed.
"I wonder what the difference is?" Robin was saying, then stopped in front of one of the most gaudy looking car seats she'd ever seen. "Ah, look this one looks sturdy."
Her nose scrunched. "And ugly."
Robin chuckled. "Alright so aesthetics is also a factor…" He moved the cart that was filled with heavy boxes of furniture, and came to a stop in front of another. "This one here is an infant toddler seat. It'll adjust as she grows… all black. No silly polka dots."
It was nice but also expensive. She saved enough over these last few months that her budget allowed for almost everything she needed, but with a car seat it would be more than she planned on spending. The crib she originally wanted was out of stock so she went for a more expensive one and now she was regretting it "Maybe I should get the other crib instead?"
His brow furrowed. "Why?"
She didn't want to admit it, but any other excuse she could give he would be able to see right through. Especially since she had mentioned how much she loved the crib they had. "Because this and the more expensive crib will put me a little over my budget."
Robin's face softened. "I'm sorry, babe… I should have mentioned I planned on getting the car seat and quite a bit of this myself."
"What? Robin, no…"
"Regina, it's because of me buying the car that she needs one and if we're really in this together I should be allowed to provide for our daughter as well, right?"
Regina felt her eyes begin to burn, but she pushed them back. She would not cry again, damnit. That's all she'd been doing lately, and as touched and as much as she loved him, she was bound and determined to keep herself together. Taking a breath, she let it out in a soft sigh. "We are in this together... I just planned on doing this myself is all."
He walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her cheek before telling her, "Well you can unplan all that starting now. Tell you what, let me get the carseat and the crib and we'll spoil her a bit more."
"Robin…" she began while shaking her head, "you just bought a car."
"I did, but it's leased with reasonable payments and nothing down." He chuckled at her look of exasperation. "Come on, love, let me do this for her."
"She's going to wrap you around her little finger…"
Another kiss to her cheek and a whispered, "She already has," in her ear had her laughing.
"Alright, but I don't know how we're going to get this all to fit."
He grinned at her. "I'll make another trip back."
She watched him walk over and take the box with the car seat from the shelf, listening as he began reading off the features, when a small little girl with long, dark curls came running down the aisle. She was giggling and looking over her shoulder for someone. Regina smiled at the little girl's bright eyes that looked up at her as she hid behind a display.
The sound of a woman's voice had her looking back down the aisle. "Olivia, come on now sweetie, I see you over there."
"I'm hidin' Momma," the little girl called.
Regina met the mother's eyes and they shared a knowing look of amusement. "Come on, sweetheart, we need to go. Daddy's waiting for us."
The little girl peered out from around the display. "Can't you find me really fast?"
"Okay, but really fast."
She dashed across the aisle and hid between Regina and Robin, giggling all the more.
Robin looked down and Regina reached out taking him by the shoulders to keep him from moving back and told him, "She's hiding."
Robin chuckled. "So I hear."
At the mother's approach, the little girl jumped out in front of her. "Boo!"
The mother feigned her surprise and shared a laugh with the little girl before holding out her hand. "Come on, sweetheart."
"Yes, Momma."
Regina met the woman's eyes once more and she said, "I'm so sorry. "
Regina shook her head. "She's fine." She watched them go, and as she did, she murmured the little girl's name, "Olivia."
"Hm? What's that, darling?"
"Nothing."
"What do you think?" He held up the box. "This one then?"
She smiled. "Yes, I like that one."
#
"Alright, I'm an architect and I can tell you there is no sense to these bloody instructions."
Regina looked over from her spot on the floor. Robin had already put together the changing table and a small dresser. While he had done that, she was taking stickers and tags off clothes, toys, and blankets.
He chuckled at the theme she developed as they were wandering through the store. The idea came to her when she picked up a sleeper set with musical notes. It reminded her of the song Robin had sung to her belly earlier that day, and she had to have it and everything else in the store with a music theme, which turned out to be quite a bit.
"Do you want some help?" she asked.
"Absolutely not. You just keep doing what you're doing, I've got this under control."
She giggled, but it turned into a frown hearing the buzz of the door. Robin raised his eyes to hers and she shrugged. He got to his feet first, then came over to help her up.
When Regina opened her door minutes later, it was to a smiling Emma looking at them with hopeful eyes. "Hey, I know it's last minute but do you think you guys could watch Henry for us for a while?"
"Sure," Regina said, while reaching for the baby. "What's got you looking so happy?"
The question only made Emma smile more. "Neal made us reservations at that new restaurant over on Broadway. He's agreed to me keeping my job and to stop working so much. So we're going to celebrate."
"Really?" Regina turned and handed the baby to Robin, then reached out for Emma, giving her friend a tight hug. "That's so great, Emma."
Emma pulled away. "Yeah it is. So we're gonna try and fix things. Starting tonight."
"I'm so happy for you."
From behind her, Robin said, "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Emma handed her Henry's diaper bag. "Everything you need is in here, but call me if you need anything."
Regina smiled. "Don't worry, I've got him. Go fix your marriage."
"I will." The blonde smiled.
#
Hells Kitchen was making her hungry. She should have changed the channel a while ago, as much swearing and yelling that was going on but in all fairness, the words were bleeped out and the volume turned down, and it wasn't nearly as bad as what had just came from the baby's room.
"Ah! Bloody… fuck!"
Regina giggled and then dropped her jaw open in a dramatic gesture that made the baby on her lap smile. "Uh oh. What's he doing in there?"
Henry's eyes widened a second before he started babbling away. She bounced him on her thighs, looking up only when Robin stepped into the room.
Suppressing her smile at the image of him shaking what she could only assume was his injured hand, she tiled her head sympathetically. "Are you alright?"
He scowled down at his hand. "I'll live." Coming over to her he held out his hand to her. "The princess' crib awaits, my lady."
"It's done?" It was late, nearing eleven, he had been working on the crib over two hours now, stopping only to have a snack with her and Henry, who woke after a long nap, and to steal some kisses from her before returning to it. She tried to tell him he could finish it tomorrow or even next weekend, but he shook his head and assured her he was nearly done.
"It is." His smile was proud and adorable and she couldn't wait to see it.
She held up Henry and he took him from her with ease. His confidence with the baby had grown the more he was around him. Fatherhood, it seemed, had come to him more naturally than he thought it would.
When they entered the baby's room, her smile was an instant thing. The crib sat finished along the wall in the middle of the room, her changing table beside it, and along the other wall was a matching dresser. All of them a soft slate gray that went well against the white walls.
She ran her fingers along the rail of the crib. Robin had put the mattress inside as well. All that was left was the bedding which needed to be washed.
"I love it."
"The sore thumb was worth it," he told her grinning.
Turning towards him, she asked, "Do you need me to kiss it better?"
He chuckled and she watched his top teeth as they sank into his bottom lip. God, he was so attractive. "I'd never turn down a kiss, soothing or otherwise." He took the few steps that separated them and kissed her. "Should we let him try it out then?"
She looked at Henry, whose head fell against Robin's shoulder. His eyes growing heavy. "Do you doubt your building skills?"
"No, of course not. This thing is as tight and secure as a… uh, drum."
She shook her head then reached up to softly pat Henry's back. "No, it's fine. Besides, he looks comfortable where he's at."
Robin gave her a lopsided smile. "That he is."
Curious, she asked, "What were you going to say before? Tight as a what?"
He looked at her sheepishly. "It's just something my father used to say. I assure you crude and not appropriate at all." She raised a brow and waited. Finally, he said, "It's as tight as a duck's arse. Meaning…"
Regina rolled her eyes. "I know what it means." Looping her arm around his waist, she looked around the room. It was perfect. "Thank you."
She felt his lips on her temple and then his voice whisper, "You're welcome."