“A couple of minutes, but it might be sooner. We’re looking for two lines.” She pointed to where I’d see them.
Silence hovered. My heart was probably setting records. I knew the statistics. As far as IVF went, we had a good chance of this being successful. If it was, then we had the same chance as any other parents of this being a healthy pregnancy.
“Can you see it?” I felt her tense in my arms. “Am I imagining it?”
I saw it. “It’s positive. You’re not imaging it. You’re pregnant. We’re having a baby.”
She put the test down on the sink and turned around in my arms, throwing her arms around my neck, her eyes shining with tears.
I didn’t think, not clearly anyway. I picked her up, sitting her on the sink, her legs wrapping round my waist, her dressing gown parting so that bare skin was exposed, with just a tiny pair of white panties covering flesh up to her waist.
I kissed her knowing that I was crying too, the wetness from both of our tears mingling when she kissed me back, her mouth parting, the kiss deepening.
It didn’t last. I was aware that my cock was definitely awake and while I knew how much I wanted to explore this further, right now would be a mistake.
“I don’t want to apologise for that.” I didn’t bother to take a step back. Iris would already be aware of my erection.
“Then don’t.” Her voice was soft, full. “I’m pregnant. That’s a good enough excuse for a kiss like that.”
“Only with the father of your baby, mind.”
She laughed, her hand lifting to cup my face. “That’s the second time this morning you’ve said something possessive.” She slid back down to the floor, looking down in between us.
My cock was still very much present in this conversation.
Her eyes looked back up to mine. “I kind of feel sorry for you.”
I shook my head. “Don’t. I’ll take care of it in the shower. I’m going to need the rest of the day.”
“In the shower?” She looked a mixture of horrified and impressed.
“Sorry, no, to let it sink in.” I lowered my hand and placed in on her belly over her dressing gown. “You have a baby growing in here.”
“A tiny collection of cells. A mixture of you and Ivy.” Her hand went on top of mine, guiding it through the folds of her dressing gown.
I didn’t like that. “Ivy helped, but that’s still our baby. Yours and mine. Saying it’s Ivy’s is like saying it’s Roe’s instead of mine, ‘Ris. That’s our baby in there. Mine and yours and Ivy would agree with that.”
Iris’ eyes were overflowing even more now, her hand still holding mine against the flat plane of her belly, which in a few weeks if we were lucky, wouldn’t be as flat.
“I know. I know she would. And I know I’m lucky, so very lucky, to be here right now.” She shifted so she was pressed close to me again, my cock just about having got the message that this wasn’t the right time or place.
I held her, arms wrapped around her in the small ensuite bathroom, scared and happy and nervous and excited all at the same time.
I hadn’t known how I would feel when we got that positive pregnancy test. I’d imagined it, thought about what it’d be like to have Iris full with my child, but I’d never guessed it would actually feel like this.
I wanted to shout from the rooftops at exactly the same time I wanted to close down the shutters and make this into a fortress than would protect both of them forever more so no harm or upset could ever come their way.
“How do you want to spend today. I’m not sure this room’s big enough to be in for a long time.” I kissed the top of her head. “I think we need breakfast and fresh air.”
“Breakfast and fresh air sound good. I’d like to go down to Ivy’s Arch.” She broke away from me slightly so she could see me. “I know you’re going to be worried about me falling or something like that, but I will be fine.”
She was right. It was exactly what I was worried about. “Can we see what the weather does? If it stays dry then yes. I know you’ll be okay, but - ”
“I get it. You’re allowed a few days of wrapping me up in cotton wool, then it stops.” Her tone was firm.
I nodded, taking what I could get and saving the bartering until later. “How about today I take the boat out and we can go by sea?” We hadn’t done that yet. “If it isn’t rough.” I was decent sailing, better than either of my brothers because I’d had more experience, heading out with Thane some days when I was at a loose end and had needed to fill some time.
Iris nodded, her arms still around me. “That sounds good. Let’s do that.”
