I look back down at the baby in my arms; a tear slips down my cheek. I wipe it away, a massive smile taking over my face. I’m really doing it. I'll be a mother soon.
The exhaustion of the baby shower hit everyone hard the second we walked through the front door. Jethro, Caleb, andOli collapsed into the nest hours ago. I try to sleep, tossing and turning in the heavy blankets, but my mind refuses to shut down.
I give up trying to rest. I slip out of bed, pull a soft, lightweight robe over my silk nightgown, and wander downstairs. I sit on the plush sofa on the covered back porch. A soft, steady rain falls over Willowside. The rhythmic drumming of the water hitting the metal roof provides the perfect white noise. The cool night air feels amazing against my flushed skin. I tuck my feet up onto the cushions, resting my hands over my six-month bump. The baby is active tonight, kicking in a steady rhythm against my palms.
The sliding glass door clicks open behind me.
I turn my head. Ross steps out onto the porch, illuminated by the dim, yellow glow of the porch light. He wears a pair of gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, his chest bare. He carries two steaming ceramic mugs.
"I thought I heard someone walking around down here." Ross walks over, his bare feet silent against the wooden deck boards. He hands me one of the mugs. “Chamomile, extra honey."
"Thank you." I take the warm mug, letting the heat seep into my chilled fingers. "I couldn't sleep. My brain just keeps running in circles."
Ross sits down next to me on the sofa. He doesn't crowd my space, but he sits close enough that his body heat radiates against my side. The smell of his ginger mixes perfectly with the scent of the fresh rain and wet earth.
"It was a big day." Ross rests his elbows on his knees, staring out into the dark, rain-soaked yard.
"It was everything I ever wanted." I take a slow sip of the tea. "I looked around the room today, and it finally hit me. I am not just surviving anymore. We are actually building a life here."
Ross turns his head, his blue eyes locking onto mine. The casual, easygoing demeanor he usually carries shifts into something much deeper. "You earned every single bit of it, Sandra. You fought through hell to get here. You deserve the peace."
He reaches out, taking the mug from my hands and setting it on the small wicker table next to his own. He shifts his weight, turning his body fully toward me.
"Come here." Ross extends his arm along the back of the sofa.
I don't hesitate. I slide across the cushions, tucking myself against his side. I rest my head on his bare shoulder. His skin is incredibly warm. He wraps his arm around me, his large hand settling gently over the curve of my stomach.
The baby kicks right against his palm.
Ross offers a slow, beautiful smile that reaches all the way to his eyes. He traces a slow circle over my bump through the thin silk of my nightgown.
"She is active tonight." Ross keeps his voice a low, gravelly rumble, mindful of the quiet night. "She knows her dads are excited to meet her."
"She knows you love her." I tilt my head back to look at him. "You have been so amazing today, Ross. Setting up the bar, making sure I had everything I needed. You always take such good care of me."
Ross shifts, his gaze dropping to my lips. The air grows heavier. His ginger scent spikes, losing the comforting warmth and turning dark, spicy.
"Taking care of you is the best part of my day." Ross leans in, closing the distance between us.
He kisses me. It’s a slow, deeply romantic slide of mouths. He tastes like honey and tea. I open up for him, letting him deepen the kiss. He slides his hand from my stomach up to my waist, pulling me flush against his chest.
The friction of his bare skin against the silk of my nightgown sends a sudden jolt of heat straight to my core. I let out a soft sigh into his mouth, tangling my fingers in his hair.
Ross pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes heavy with desire. He reaches down, finding the knot of my robe. He pulls it loose with a single, smooth pull, pushing the fabric off my shoulders to leave me in just the thin silk nightgown.
"You look so beautiful like this." Ross traces the line of my collarbone, his touch agonizingly slow. "The rain, the dark, just you and me out here. I want to worship you, Sandra."
I nod, my breath catching in my throat. "Please."
He guides me down until I am lying back against the throw pillows on the sofa. He shifts his position, kneeling on the floorboards right in front of the sofa cushions, settling between my parted knees. He handles me with absolute care, ensuring my back is supported and the bump isn't compressed.
Ross leans over me, pressing open-mouthed kisses down my neck. He laves the sensitive skin right over my pulse point, his tongue hot and wet. I arch my back, a quiet moan escaping my lips. The sound of the heavy rain hitting the metal roof masks the noise, giving us a private, isolated bubble in the dark.
He catches the hem of my silk nightgown, pulling it slowly up my thighs to pool around my waist. The cool night air hits my bare skin, but the heat radiating from his body keeps me warm.
Ross rests his hands flat against the cushions on either side of my hips. He leans down, pressing a series of soft, reverent kisses to the inside of my thighs. He maps my skin with his mouth, moving higher until he reaches my center.
I gasp, my hands finding his broad shoulders to steady myself. He uses his tongue to tease my wet folds, finding the sensitive bundle of nerves and applying a slow, steady pressure. The pleasure builds. I toss my head back into the pillows, my hips rocking up to meet his mouth.
