Just a warning – this chapter is a little more explicit.

I was looking forward to hearing Deacon play tonight. It was the end of September, but still hot in Nashville, so going out when I was nine months pregnant wasn't the most appealing thing, but I really wanted to get out of the house. Haley had come to babysit Maddie, so that Tandy could meet me at The Bluebird.

One of the things I hated about being pregnant, especially at nine months, was the wardrobe. Pants or skirts with those horrible stretchy tummy panels and big flouncy tops. Tandy had suggested those form-fitting tops, but that was just not me. And as much as I didn't like flouncy, I didn't like feeling material tight around my tummy section. I was wearing a sweet yellow sleeveless top that I did like. It had a nice flow to it, draping softly over my stomach with a nice twisted fabric detail around the neckline. I paired it with jeans and some cute Tory Burch ballet flats. Again I was grateful for the fact that, except for my stomach, I didn't look pregnant. I wasn't one of those women who seemed to get pregnant all over. It had been that way with Maddie and was true with this baby too. I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair, trying to decide if I wanted to put it up or leave it down. I smiled as I saw Deacon walk up behind me. He grabbed my arms and leaned in to kiss me on the neck. "Hey, babe," I said. "Are you ready to go?"

"You look so beautiful, Ray," he said softly.

I put the brush down and turned to face him, putting my arms around his neck. "I'm glad you think so," I said and rose up on my toes to kiss him. He put his arms around me and pulled me as close to him as he could. Feeling his lips on mine and our tongues battling each other sent quivers of pleasure rushing through my body. "Mm, I can't wait to get back home now," I murmured.

He chuckled. "Too bad we don't have any time. Anyway," and he nodded towards the living room, "Haley is here. It might be awkward." He took a step back and put his hands on either side of my stomach. After he took a deep breath, he looked at me with a hint of tears in his eyes. "I can't believe we're doing this. And that I got to be a part of all of it."

I felt a pang in my heart. Even though we had talked it all out and I knew he understood, it still hurt both of us that he had missed out on all this with Maddie. True, he had been in rehab during most of my pregnancy, but I had known I was pregnant before he left and the decisions that were made then still made me feel guilty. But I had been determined not to dwell on it, so I smiled and said, "Me too, babe. I can't wait for our new daughter to come."

We arrived at The Bluebird early and hung out in the back waiting for the early set to finish. Deacon had gotten a table for Tandy and me close to the songwriter area. I usually sat at the bar, but this time he'd made sure we had a table. I hoped there was a good crowd tonight.

"Rayna!" I turned and smiled when I saw Amy, the owner of The Bluebird. She walked up to me and took my hands in hers, looking me over. "I hope you're not planning to have that baby here tonight," she teased. I liked Amy a lot. She had always been a good friend to Deacon and me and she'd always made a place for Deacon, even when times were tough for him. She was an incredibly loyal person and had really done so much for new singers and songwriters in Nashville.

I laughed. "No, I have two weeks to go. Although in this heat, I'd be glad to see her come early."

"So it's another girl then."

I nodded. "Yes. And Deacon is ridiculously excited about it."

Amy laughed. "He always was good with the ladies. I know he'll be a formidable dad when they're teenagers. Have you picked out a name yet?"

Deacon walked up just then and put an arm around Amy's shoulders, giving her a quick hug. "Daphne," he said. "Maddie picked it out. Because she thinks this one's going to be a princess."

"I think she's going to be a tomboy," I said with a laugh. "But maybe if we name her Daphne she'll surprise us and be a sweet little princess after all."

Amy chuckled. "Well, I know she'll be a beauty. Based on your first, we know the two of you make beautiful babies." She reached in for a hug. "I know Deacon has a table for you tonight, so enjoy the show." And she was off.

Deacon put his arm around me and pulled me in. "You doing ok?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready to sit though." And as if on cue, Erika, Amy's second-in-command, came up to me and let me know that my table was available and she led me to it as Deacon went to get ready.

At the touch of a hand on my shoulder, I turned to see Tandy. Erika greeted her, then stood up, wished me well, and went on about her business. Tandy walked around and sat in the seat Erika had left, leaning in to kiss me. She squeezed my arm. "Hey, babe," she said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

I grinned back at her. "Impossibly huge. I'm not completely sure why I came out tonight, but I was really feeling restless and needed the distraction."

Tandy leaned in. "Not getting any anymore, huh?" she whispered, with a wink. At the look on my face, her eyes widened. "Seriously? Still?"

I blushed. "We're not going to talk about this," I said.

She sat back and smiled. "I'm impressed, babe. Really impressed. With both of you."

Just then the songwriters that were performing that night came out, signaling the start of the show, and we thankfully had to be quiet, so no more of this kind of talk. Deacon sat in the seat that was directly across from our table and as he smiled at me, the thought ran through my head that even though I was nine months pregnant, feeling huge and uncomfortable, seeing that smile was all it took to start that white hot lightning rod of desire. In mere seconds, that delicious curl of want had settled in my core and I couldn't wait until I could satisfy it.

As I watched him interacting with the other three songwriters, I thought about how I had known when I was just sixteen years old that he was my soul mate. I wondered how many people could know that at such an early age. We had been together now for over fifteen years and it still felt as fresh and new as it had that very first day. We had been through so much during that time, more than most, and yet here we were, on the other side of all the pain and hurt and anger and despair, stronger than ever. Of course, it hadn't all been bad; there had been so much love and passion and so many good times, even when things seemed their darkest. I loved everything about this man – his beautiful blue eyes crinkling in the corners when he smiled, the way his face lit up when he did. His hands, calloused from years of playing the guitar, yet soft enough to thrill me with their touch and comfort our daughter when she needed it. His strength, both his physical strength and his emotional strength. I'd seen strength in him these last two thousand six days, where he fought his addictions and beat them. I loved nothing better than being wrapped up in his arms each night as he whispered how many days he'd won the battle. I loved what a great dad he'd turned out to be. Maddie adored him and he felt the same about her. Watching them together always warmed my heart. I rested my hand on my stomach and thought about how lucky our new daughter would be to have a father like Deacon. I couldn't stop smiling, as he stole glances at me every chance he got. This really had turned into a life that was good.

Deacon played mostly his songs that night, but he did sing "Changing Ground", which had been on my last album, and was one of our songs that was not a love song. He was the last singer in each of the rounds, so he got to finish the night. I was ready for the night to be over, not only because I was starting to get uncomfortable and tired, but because I was ready to get my husband home in bed with me. And then he did something that nearly undid me right there in The Bluebird Café.

"This is a brand new song," he said, "that I've never played before. I wrote it a couple months ago and have tinkered with it a little, but tonight is a good night to introduce it. As I think you've seen, Rayna Jaymes, the love of my life, is here tonight. And our second baby is due any minute, so it was a little touch and go about her being here." There was applause at that and Deacon grinned happily. He looked over at me and I smiled back at him. "I actually wrote this for her. Hope y'all like it."

That spiral of desire snaked back through me again as I kept my eyes on him. Sometimes it feels like I'm so far away / Like everything I love has lost its place / When life gets the best of me / I just close my eyes and see / Fireflies dancing in the yard / Under a blanket of stars / Sound of that rusty old guitar / Playing songs we know / And all that I have to do / Is think one little thought of you / And I'm back home / I'm right back home.

My breath caught in my throat and tears stung my eyes. Tandy reached out for my hand and squeezed it. This was so very lovely and I was so overwhelmed with feelings.

Work so long and hard to chase a dream / Wind up some place you don't wanna be / It's such a lonely road / Especially when you know / There's fireflies dancing in the yard / Under a blanket of stars / Sound of that rusty old guitar / Playing songs we know / And all that I have to do / Is think one little thought of you / And I'm back home / I'm right back home.

As he finished the song, there was huge applause. He acknowledged the room, but then his eyes landed on me, smiling and crying at the same time. My heart was so full I could hardly breathe. I couldn't wait for us to be alone so I could tell him how much this had meant to me and how much he meant to me.

I waited impatiently after the show for Deacon to chat up the people who wanted to see him. He kept looking over at me, sitting there with Tandy, who was trying to keep me occupied, and he knew I was anxious to leave, so he got away as quickly as he could and came over to the table. I looked up at him. "You were wonderful tonight, babe. But I'm ready to go," I said.

He nodded. "Let's go then." He took my hand and helped me up. Tandy stood up and hugged first Deacon and then me before leaving. Deacon put his arm around my shoulders. "You feeling ok?"

I shrugged. "A little tired." Then I smiled. "I just really want to get home. If you know what I mean."

He kissed my cheek. "Oh, I definitely do," he whispered in my ear. "Let's get out of here." He took my hand and led me out and to the truck. Before he turned the key, he leaned over and kissed me and gave me a little preview of what was to come, leaving me a little breathless. Then he pulled back with a smug smile and started the truck, leaving me to sit with my need growing as we headed for home.

After Haley had left and after we had checked on a peacefully sleeping Maddie, Deacon took my hand and led me to our bedroom. He turned on a lamp in the corner of the room that put off a soft, low glow, as I closed the door and locked it. He came back to me and took my face in his hands, drew me closer, and gently kissed me. "Oh, baby, you're so damn beautiful," he breathed against my mouth.

I'm sure I wasn't much different from most women who were nine months pregnant, days away, really, from giving birth. I didn't particularly feel beautiful. I felt huge and heavy, not sexy in the least. But Deacon had a way of making me forget that. He could touch me everywhere, in ways that made me forget how pregnant I was and just made me want to press myself hard against him and made my toes curl with the exquisite fireworks that would shoot through me.

He looked at me, his eyes full of desire. I could feel it already. That little curl of need, like a tiny flower pushing through the dirt, opening up. I felt the heat between my legs, that feeling of heaviness that was so intoxicating. He reached up and put a strand of hair behind one of my ears and then leaned in and kissed me there. I put my hands on his waist and pushed myself against him, moaning as he continued to kiss me, as the heaviness grew more intense.

He stepped back then and started to undress me. First he lifted my top up and I raised my arms so he could pull it off. He slid his hands into the waistband of my jeans and pulled them over my stomach and then down around my ankles. I stepped out of them and stood there, in only my underwear, watching him slowly run his eyes down the length of me. Then he stepped closer and leaned in, reaching around my back and unhooking my bra. He discarded that and took in a sharp breath as he reached for my breasts, running his thumbs lightly over my nipples. My legs felt weak as he continued to stroke me and I moaned, pressing myself into his hands. He looked up at me again and I could see his need, but he just kept lightly stroking me until I reached up and covered his hands with mine. "Please, Deacon," I whispered hoarsely.

He just smiled and moved his hands down to my waist, then put his thumbs in the waistband of my panties and slowly slid them down. Then he stood back up and ran his fingers through my wetness. I rocked my hips, trying to signal to him to press them into me, but he just stroked back and forth until I thought I would lose my mind. I reached my hand down and felt him hard inside his jeans. I pressed my hand flat against him and stroked him up and down until he was moaning.

"Babe, I need you. Right now," I whispered and I squeezed gently. He groaned loudly and then slid his fingers inside me, as he kept his eyes on mine. I gasped and then bit my lip as I focused on his fingers moving in and out, swirling inside me, creating waves of pleasure. He watched me as I moaned and as I pressed down trying to increase the tension. He bit his lower lip, then leaned in and kissed me. When he pulled his fingers out, I whimpered.

He smiled, stepped back and pulled his shirt off, then unbuckled his belt, unzipped his jeans and pulled them off, all without breaking eye contact. I watched him with my mouth slightly open, breathing hard. Finally he took off his boxers, then moved back to take me in his arms. I could feel him hard against my stomach and I reached for him, sliding my hand up and down over him. He moaned, then leaned down and swirled his tongue over my breast and nipple, causing me to squeeze him harder and gasp with pleasure. Finally he stepped back and took my hand, leading me towards the bed. As we walked past the full length mirror, he stopped and turned me towards it, standing behind me. He leaned into my neck and reached around and ran his hands over my stomach. "God, Ray, you're gorgeous," he breathed into my ear. We stood there for a moment as he moved his hands up to cup my breasts and run his thumbs over my nipples again. I could feel him hard against my ass, but I was mesmerized by watching him touch me. As I watched him slide one hand down, over my stomach, then between my legs, I nearly lost it. He just lightly stroked me and I moaned. I watched myself put my hand over his and thought that I had never felt as turned on as I did right now.

Then I turned in his arms and whispered, "Take me to bed."

He led me over to the bed and helped me as I sat down. None of my movements these days were easy and I slowly and awkwardly laid down and turned on my side. Deacon was right behind me, pressing against me. "Are you ready, baby?" he murmured in my ear. I nodded. He balanced himself on his elbow and ran his hand slowly down my arm, while he leaned in and nipped me on the shoulder with his teeth. He went back up my arm and pulled my hair back and away from my neck, leaving little kisses there. I smiled and turned my head slightly so I could see his face. He leaned over and kissed me lightly on the lips. He ran his fingers up and down my arm, over my hip, then made little circles over my stomach, ending by fondling my breast. He lingered there as I pushed my ass against him, moving my hips in circles, moaning with need.

He was in no hurry this night and, while I was more than ready for him, I found myself enjoying how he was taking his time with me. I got lost in all the sensations, from the movement of his fingers and hand to the hardness that was jutting into my lower back. I concentrated on the unrelenting throbbing I felt between my legs, both enjoying it and wishing he would satisfy my need. He slid his hand over my ass and slid his knee between my legs, opening me up enough so that he could slide his hand over me. He moaned as his fingers touched my wetness and I caught my breath, waiting for him to pleasure me. But he continued to tease, by just lightly running his hand back and forth over me. I ground my hips into him, feeling oh-so-close to the edge. Finally he slid two fingers in and I came instantly, moaning loudly into the pillow.

He ran his tongue lightly over and into my ear, then softly said, "I hope you have another one for me."

The intensity of my orgasm had surprised me and I was panting as I said, "Oh, yeah, babe. I do."

He lifted my leg and pulled it behind his hips. I waited for him to enter me, but he went back to stroking me, just barely letting the tips of his fingers slide in. He leaned into my ear. "Oh, baby, you are so ready for me." His voice was deep and husky with his own need.

"Oh, my God, Deacon, I need you inside me now," I begged.

"Like this?" his whispered, his fingers sliding in just a bit more. And out. And back in.

I could focus on nothing more than what I was feeling. "No," I growled. I reached behind me and grabbed the length of him, moving myself so that he could feel how wet I was. He groaned loudly, then swiftly grabbed my ass and moved me so that he could push into me, hard and fast. I gasped from the suddenness and the sensation of being pulled open and fully and completely filled. He maintained that slow, patient stroking even now, moving in and out of me slowly and deliberately. I wanted to wait, but I couldn't. The waves of pleasure rolled over me and he pushed himself all the way in so that I was throbbing around him. I buried my face in the pillow as I groaned over and over with the sweet release. And then I felt him let go, moaning against my shoulder. I laid in his arms and focused on the feeling of him still inside me as we caught our breath. Finally he pulled out and then wrapped his arms around me, his breathing heavy in my ear.

"Can you imagine what our girls would think about the fact that we can't keep our hands off each other?" I asked, a little breathlessly.

Deacon chuckled. "They will hate it."

"Will?"

He nibbled on my earlobe. "Darlin', I can't imagine ever not wanting to make love to you. And doing it a lot. It's going to be hard to hide it from them. At least that we're hot for each other."

I smiled. "Well, I like the idea of doing it a lot. But you don't think they'll be glad we are so into each other?"

He shook his head. "Are you kidding? No kid wants to know his or her parents are having sex. They don't want to even think about it."

I thought about Deacon's protective nature when it came to our girls. "Then how are they going to learn about what a wonderful thing loving someone else is?" I teased.

"My daughters aren't going to have sex."

I laughed. "Deacon, that's crazy. You don't want your daughters to have sex, but you want to have a lot of sex with their mama."

"Not the same thing." He kissed my neck. "Once they leave home, I guess I can't do anything about it, but I sure don't have to know about it."

I smiled to myself. Poor Maddie and Daphne. They were going to have a tough go of it when it came time to date. He was lazily running one hand up and down my arm, nuzzling my neck. I turned my head so I could see his face. "Tell me the story," I said. "About the song."

He smiled. "Remember that week we went to the cabin? After Des Moines?"

"Mm hmm."

"The first night we were there, when we helped Maddie chase fireflies?"

I laughed. I hadn't done much chasing, just trying to keep up with the two of them. "I remember. Maddie was squealing with laughter."

Deacon chuckled. "Yes, she was. And then we sat on the porch and sang to her."

"Yeah." That had been sweet. She loved for us to sing together and she had sat in between us that night, leaning against me and gently patting my stomach. We had sung to her until she fell asleep and then Deacon had gently picked her up and put her to bed. Then he came back out and we'd made out like teenagers on the porch swing, our hands down each other's pants. I smiled thinking about what that had led to.

"So anyway, I guess it was the next day and you and Maddie were taking a nap together. I stood at the door and watched the two of you and I thought about everything I could have missed." His voice caught at the end and I nestled closer. He pulled me in tighter and leaned in to kiss my cheek. I could feel his tears. "I went outside and wrote that for you. Both of you."

I was crying too. "Oh, babe, I love you so much."

"Thank you, Rayna. For believing in me." He kissed me again. "Two thousand and six," he said quietly.

"I'm so proud of you, Deacon."

I had so much that I never thought I'd have. The love of my life. Our daughter. I gently stroked my stomach, thinking about our soon-to-be daughter. Deacon caught my hand and we lay there quietly for a long time before we finally fell asleep.