“All right, then,” I say, holding up my water glass. “Estes Park, here we come!”
CHAPTER THREE: BABYMOON
OWEN
The hourand a half drive from Denver to Estes Park usually wouldn’t be a big deal, but it’s a whole different experience when traveling with a woman who is almost eight months pregnant.
Stacey is uncomfortable. She’s trying to hide it, doing her best not to complain — that’s how she always is — but I can tell she’s struggling. She shifts in her seat, clenches and unclenches her hands, and presses her lips together as if fighting to hold back her groans and exhausted sighs. Though it’s snowy and cold out, she has shrugged out of her coat and removed her scarf and cracked the window open. I’m frigid by now, but she still seems hot.
I can’t help my stab of worry. We’re only thirty minutes into the trip, and she’s already this uncomfortable. From what I’ve been reading, I know the DVT risk is higher with long car rides. The drive is an hour and half total…is that too long? Will she make it the rest of the way? Is this really safe?
“Maybe this is a bad idea,” I say, keeping my tone casual. “What if something happens and you go into early labor? Maybe we should just go home…”
“Absolutely not!” she insists, turning to glare at me with narrowed eyes. “Don’t you dare turn this car around. This is going to be our last trip together before we’re parents of two, and I’m declaring this a babymoon for us.”
“We could have a babymoon at home,” I suggest. “Have a spa day. Get your favorite takeout. Make a weekend of it, just closer to our hospital.” I lower my voice suggestively. “I’ll tie you up and use that new bullet toy on you until you’re screaming for mercy.”
She bites her lip and gives me a cheeky smile, her cheeks flushing. “Okay, I’ll admit that sounds pretty amazing … but I do want to go, Owen! I want to have fun with our friends. I promise I’ll be okay. If at some point I feel differently, I promise I’ll let you know.”
Damn it, I can’t blame her for wanting to go, and I can’t deny her if she’s so determined. All I want is for her to be safe and happy — okay, I’d also love for her to be naked and moaning around a gag while I fuck her from behind — so I sigh and nod. I’ll try to keep my worries to myself.
“All right, we’ll keep going.” I squeeze the steering wheel and focus on the road ahead.
Soon, Stacey falls asleep, which I’m glad for. It’s good that she can get some rest, and maybe it’ll make the ride easier for her.
God, I love this woman. I would do anything for her, and for Millie, and for our baby. It’s sometimes still hard for me to believe how lucky we were. How we were able to find each other again after being forced apart for so long. I wasn’t there for her pregnancy with Millie or her birth, and I missed so much of my little girl’s early years that I’m determined to be at Stacey’s side every moment I can be this time around. It might be making me a bit overprotective, but I’m trying not to smother her with my anxieties.
She’s right. This weekend will be good, not just for her, but me, too. I can relax and just enjoy myself. Enjoy Stacey and our friends.
I’m going to make this weekend special for her because it’s not just a do-over Christmas for us.
It’s a babymoon.
As I pull up to the cabin Jayce arranged for us, I can’t help but let out a low, impressed whistle. Christ, sometimes I forget just how loaded Jayce really is and the rich people circles he runs in when he’s not slumming it with us. The exterior of the house combines massive hand-peeled logs with meticulously stacked river stone. The blue-shingled roof is steep-pitched to shed snow in the winter, and each of the four stone chimneys is wide enough to walk into and capped with wrought iron spark guards.
The windows — tall, elegant sheets of crystal-clear glass — reflect the world outside with mirrorlike clarity, and the wraparound balcony on the second floor is broad and sweeping, framed by dark timber railings with carved pinecone accents. Cozy seating areas are arranged around an outdoor firepit, and a built-in hot tub steams quietly in the cool evening air. I think I remember Jayce mentioning there was a second hot-tub out back, too.
Below are massive double doors of aged walnut, carved with mountain peaks and elk antlers. Warm light spills out from oversized lantern sconces, and beneath the balcony, a wide flagstone patio leads to an outdoor dining area complete with a stone pizza oven and an iron chandelier hanging from the eaves. The entire driveway is free of snow thanks to heated electricmats running the length of it, and similar heated walking mats run all the way to the front door.
“Oh, wow,” Stacey gasps. I glance toward her. I didn’t realize she’d woken up. “This place is massive.”
“Yeah. Jayce really did us a solid. Looks like plenty of room for everyone.”
I park in the wide driveway, which is just about full of everyone else’s cars. Looks like we’re the last ones here. Getting out of the car, I make my way around to Stacey’s side to help her out and back into her coat. She lets out a gasp as she looks around and I realize I was so taken in by the house, I didn’t notice how breathtaking the area surrounding it is. Snow-capped mountain peaks offer a stunning background to the house, and towering pine trees add splashes of green across the white, wintery landscape.
Stacey shivers and I snap out of my awed daze. I hurry to get our luggage out of the trunk and then take her hand.
“Come on, let’s get inside.”
She nods, and I lead her up to the wide porch and then to the front door. I don’t bother to knock or ring the bell. Opening it, I step inside and into the warmth of the cabin.
The inside is even more impressive than the exterior. The first floor is open, with a high ceiling and railing along the second-floor landing. Everything is warm wood, designed to look rustic and unfinished. There’s a huge stone fireplace to one side of the open space, along with leather couches and chairs, and a large plush rug covering the shiny wood floor. Straight across from the front door is the kitchen, with a large marble-top island and stainless steel appliances.
I frown, though. Where is everybody else?
“Hello?” I call out, shutting the front door. “Where is everyone?”
“Hey, guys!”
