Chapter 196

Love is your mouth that's holding my breath

"Do you have our list?" Robin asked.

"Pardon?"

"Our list? Do you have it with you?"

With a small shrug, he reached into his pocket and retrieving his wallet pulled out the carefully folded list and handed it to Robin. They had been back from Paris for less than 24 hours and were waiting patiently at the Metrocourt restaurant for Mac and Noah to join them for lunch so they could share their news.

Having spread the paper on the table, she placed a checkmark beside See Paris through her eyes and then started writing.

"Are you adding to the list?" he asked as he peered over her shoulder.

"Damn straight" she smiled. She blocked his view with her hand as she wrote, snickering as he pouted. Having finished writing, she passed the list back to him.

A smile spread slowly across his face as he read her additions.

Get married

Have a spectacular wedding night

Expand our family

"You haven't even given birth to our first child" he teased, touching her belly, "and you're already working on baby number two? What if labour is awful?"

"If? IF?" she countered with a grin. "Patrick, I think we both need to accept that it will be awful but with enough time and presents from you, I'll get over it and will be happy to repeat it all again if it means that I can have another child with you."

Leaning across his chair, he cupped the side of her face and kissed her softly.

"Really?" Mac groaned as he approached the table. "You have to do that in public? In front of me?"

Noah chuckled. "Just be grateful that's all they do in public"

The young couple looked up and smiled unapologetically. "That you know of" Robin teased.

Gasping in mock horror as he took his seat, Mac shook his head. "It's not too late for me to lock you up in your bedroom you know."

Her brown eyes twinkled as she grinned. "In fact, it is." Extending her left, she showed off the sparkling blue sapphire. "Because I'm getting married."

Mac's eyes welled with tears as he sprang to his feet and wrapped her in his arms. "Oh sweetheart" he said against her ear. "I am so happy for you."

Noah smiled proudly at his son. "You done good."

Patrick nodded. "I done more than good. Look at her," he jerked his head in her direction.

Having reluctantly let go of his niece, he clapped Patrick on the back. "Congratulations."

"Thanks. Is this where you threaten to kill me?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "Haven't I already done that?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't think another warning is necessary, do you?"

"No sir."

"Patrick, I think you are going to be a great husband for Robin. I have never known her as happy as she is when she's with you."

"It's a two way street" he smiled shyly, looking at his fiancée. "I've never been as happy as I am when I'm with her."

"I can attest to that," Noah added, hugging Robin. "Welcome to the family" he told her as he kissed her cheek.

The four of them toasted with gingerale and the two men listened with interest as they recounted the story of the engagement. Mac admired the ring and asked Patrick where he bought it. Robin's jaw fell open when he quietly admitted to having bought it in Rome. She had no opportunity to pursue it further as her uncle started asking about the house and when they expected to move in.

"And have you set a wedding date?" Noah asked, tucking into his salad.

Robin shook her head. "Not until after the baby is born. I don't want our wedding pictures to feature me looking as big as a house."

"First of all," Patrick interjected, "you aren't as a big as a house. Second of all, you're gorgeous."

Mac turned to Noah and whispered loudly, "He's good."

Noah agreed. "It's genetic."

Robin rolled her eyes in mock irritation. "We can actually hear you, you know."

"And that's what makes it fun for us" Noah replied.

"Seriously, are you two going to be like this right up until the wedding?"

"Maybe longer" Mac said. "Depends on how much fun we have."

"Oh brother" Patrick sighed. Leaning over, he gave Robin a pleading look. "Please tell me we can put them on a strict visitation schedule with our child? Limit the damage as it were."

"We may have to take that under consideration," she nodded seriously. "Strong consideration."

"Oh shut up and show me your ring again," Mac replied as he took her hand.

Leaning back in his chair, Noah surveyed the scene and smiled to himself. Both he and Mac had raised children who insisted on taking the long way around but knew how to arrive in style. His son had never looked more peaceful and his soon to be daughter-in-law more joyful. The circle was almost complete.

*****
Rocking back and forth in the chair as he stared out the window of what was going to be the nursery, Patrick's thoughts drifted to his mother. It had been a busy week since their return from Paris – sharing their news with their friends and finally moving into their house. But now with a little quiet time to himself he was aware of a missing piece.

The letter his mother had written to him on becoming a parent had been a source of unexpected comfort but at the same time a reminder of what he had lost. It had been easy to just kind of go along with life never worrying about the milestones – it meant he didn't have to worry about who would or wouldn't be there to celebrate them with him.

He smiled somewhat sadly as he remembered that evening on the hospital roof just a few days after he had been exposed to HIV in the OR. He had wanted his mom there too but for different reasons. Then he wanted her comfort and reassurances, now he wanted her to see what he had achieved – despite his best efforts to sabotage himself, he had fallen in love with an extraordinary woman and they were going to have a family. He hoped she would be proud of the choices he had made and of the man he was finally becoming.

Thinking about the loss of his own mother as a teenager gave way to the dark thoughts he tried to push far from his mind. It was always there, like a ticking clock, the reminder that his child – their child or even their children – would very likely lose their mother long before they would be ready. He smirked mirthlessly and shook his head, as if loss of a parent was ever something a person could be ready for. Robin's life and her death would inevitably change them and he wondered – and worried – if he would be able to guide them through it. He was confident that he would not make the choices his father did but not diving in to a bottle didn't mean he would be able to give them what they needed.

Giving his head another shake, he tried to rid his mind of those thoughts on concentrate on what lay before him. They were two months from the arrival of their child, they were engaged, and they were living in a house they were slowly transforming into a home. He was also ready to start running his own surgeries again. His world had expanded and stretched and he was ridiculously happy.

"You're deep in thought" Robin said, standing in the doorway.

Turning his head towards her, he smiled. "Just picturing what this room is going to be like in a couple of months."

Crossing the floor, she eased herself onto his lap and curled her fingers through the fine wisps of hair lying at the nape of his neck. "It was awfully nice of your dad to send us the rocking chair your mom used."

With one hand on her belly, he slowly rocked them back and forth. "It's a good chair" he observed. Reaching up, he brushed his lips over hers.

"So….I have a question for you" she started somewhat tentatively.

"You already know the answer to what's my favourite position," he teased. "Inside you."

Her cheeks flushed deeply and she playfully slapped his chest. "You are awful"

"Guilty," he replied in a sing song voice. "What's your question.?"

Staring down at her left hand, admiring the ring, she smiled. "You really bought this ring in Rome?"

It was Patrick's turn to flush. "Yes" he admitted softly. "The day that Brenda sent you to the spa, we went ring shopping."

"You really knew then?"

He shook his head. "I knew way before then. I don't know the exact moment the light bulb went off but I do remember looking at you and picturing a future. When I….when I woke up from surgery – despite the memory loss – I still knew. Robin, I have never been as sure of anything in my life as I am and have been about wanting to marry you."

Dipping her head, she kissed him, running her tongue along the seam of his lips. "I've wanted to marry you for a long time too," she admitted. "But as you know, I had a few issues. Patrick – everything changed for me that night in the cabin – the first night we made love. And I was lying to myself then that anything with you could ever be casual. I am just – I am grateful that you waited."

"Not patiently," he corrected. "I waited but I was impatient. I'm just so proud of the leap of faith you took."

"That we both took" she corrected.

A broad grin formed on his face and sliding his hand around the back of her head, he gently pulled her to him. "Come here" he whispered before fastening his mouth over hers.

As they kissed, Robin's hands went in search of the hem of his t-shirt and grabbing hold, tugged the soft cotton upwards, separating only long enough to pull it over his head and toss it to the ground.

"Undressing me again Scorpio?" he queried breathlessly.

A small seductive grin appeared on her face. "It's the hormones. And it's bad luck not to give a pregnant woman what she wants."

"Oh?" The amusement was evident in his voice. "And what exactly is it you want?"

"You" she stated boldly. "In your favourite position." Feeling his body twitch underneath her, she slid from his lap and got to her feet. "Get up" she ordered.

Patrick grinned as he slowly rose from the chair. "You're bossy, I like it."

Her fingers fumbled with his belt and the button on his jeans. Finally succeeding, she grabbed hold of the waist band and yanked them down his legs, letting him step out of them.

"Here?"

Robin nodded as she reached into her bra and retrieved a condom. "I told you, we have rooms to christen."

Patrick stepped forward and enclosing her in his arms kissed her nearly senseless. Their tongues tangled together as his hands slid down her back and slowly cupped her behind. Tunnelling under her dress, he ran his hands over her soft skin; moaning, Robin started to frantically pull at her dress, suddenly craving skin on skin contact. Withdrawing his hands, Patrick stilled hers and then in one motion pulled her dress away.

"No undergarments at all," he observed, his voice thickening as he drank her in. "Naughty girl."

She gently pushed him back to the rocking chair with a feline smile. "Let me show you just how naughty I can be."

His eyes grew hazy with lust as he sat down and shocks ran through his body as she kneeled between his legs and kissed her way up one thigh and down the other. His body responded to every touch, every lick, every taste and his breathing became ragged as she dragged her tongue along the underside of his arousal.

"Fuck" he hissed.

"Yes, we will" she replied, looking up at him from underneath her eyelashes.

Tearing open the condom, she sheathed him slowly, teasing him along the way and enjoying the twitches and tremors he was responding with. Getting to her feet and placing her hands on his shoulders for balance, she carefully threaded her legs through the sides of the rocking chair before slowly, agonizingly sinking down on him.

Patrick moaned as their bodies made contact and he feverishly kissed her – her mouth, her cheeks, her neck. His hands flew to her breasts, larger every day, and he weighed them in his hands as his thumbs teased at her nipples. He pressed his face to the valley between her breasts, his tongue working the sensitive skin in tiny, precise circles.

Robin threw her head back in ecstasy as they continued to rock back and forth – the chair matching the movement of their hips. She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding his head to her breasts as he laved them with his tongue.

Strained gasps emanated from the back of Patrick's throat as their movement picked up. The rocking sensation threatened to push him over the edge before he was ready. His hands travelled her body, kneading her bottom and eliciting a loud moan from her.

The rocking rhythm gathered speed and momentum. As he dipped a hand between them and urgently stroked the bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs, Robin dropped her head to his shoulder, biting down as her release took hold. He continued to thrust against her until his climax washed over him, leaving him breathless.

The chair stilled as they collapsed against each other, gasping for breath.

"How…how many rooms left?" he asked.

Raising her head and pushing her bangs from her face, Robin smiled sleepily. "At least five more."

He brushed his lips over hers. "That works for me."