Page 64 of Brant
"I'm prepared for anything," he boasted airily and would remember those words in the next few months.
*****
"That's disgusting," he retorted and sincerely meant it. "Pickles and peanut butter." A week ago, it was purple grapefruit with soy sauce.
"Be grateful I'm craving food. I've read that some women consume dirt, chalk and laundry detergent." She grinned at the horrified look on his handsome face.
She was in her second trimester, six months in, and felt like she had swallowed a couple of elephants. And they were having a son, much to her joy. She was also driving the designers crazy, alternating on what shade of blue she wanted for the nursery. She was exasperating her husband when it came to names, and had a long list she showed him each time. He had stopped looking.
Even though she complained about how big and ungainly she had become, the fact remained that she was beautiful, exceptionally so. Her skin glowed and her hair had grown considerably. And he loved the fact that she waddled. He enjoyed catering to her simplest needs and was proud to have her on his arm whenever they went out. He was also looking forward to holding his son.
They were enjoying a quiet evening at home for a change. It was Friday and he had firmly decided to forgo the gala event put on by his company and spend the time with his wife. They had been rushing from work to functions since October started. He had called a halt to it and decided to enjoy the quiet. They were out on the balcony where she was feeding her disgusting craving while he applied cream to her stomach and massaged her ankles.
"We should call John."
"Why?" She stretched back against the cushions and purred. The man had magic fingers.
"Your ankles are swollen. It's cause for concern."
"It comes with the swollen belly and the big boobs with the highly sensitive nipples. I'm fine. Our son... Seth!"
"What?" He blinked at her and paused in the act of pressing on her left ankle.
"We should name him Seth. I think it's Hebrew, and I like the name."
"You also liked Alexander, from Alexander the Great, as well as Theodore, which is a definite no, and there were..." He pretended to consider. "Let's see... Connor, Jason, Trevor and Jackson."
"Naming a child is a very important decision. It says so in the book," she muttered.
"Which one? You've bought enough to outfit an entire library," he reminded her dryly.
"You're making fun of me." She wriggled her toes and sighed as he attacked her calves, long fingers slowly easing out the kinks.
"I'm thinking that this is supposed to be a team effort." His tawny eyes laughed at her. "You never once asked my opinion."
"That's because you've scoffed at every single name. I don't see you making a list."
"When I have you doing that?" he asked mildly. "Decided what shade of blue yet? I think the decorators are going to quit on us."
"Did they say that?" She sat up, almost upending the cup of lemonade he had poured her. "Because if they did-"
"Relax and mind your blood pressure." He simply pushed her back down. "I'm saying it, and now, as your husband and the father of your baby, I'm putting my foot down. I've told them that we're going for teal blue, and yes, the name Seth is fine."
"You're taking over."
"Someone has to," he conceded. "Darling, I love you to the moon and back, but you're driving me insane."
"I want everything to be just right," she muttered. "It's my first baby and I want it to be perfect. I want to be a good mother-"
"Don't start that right now." He capped the bottle and wiped his hands on the washcloth. "You're not your mother, and the way you're behaving shows that you will be a damn good mother. If not, I'm here to whip you into shape." Edging closer to her, he clamped his hands on her cheeks.
"I want you to stop worrying about every damn thing, am I clear? I want you stress-free. Have I been a good husband?"
"How can you ask me that?" she exclaimed in exasperation. She sighed, utterly defeated and feeling ungrateful. "I love you."
That right there would always disarm him, and she knew it, blast her.
"That's damn handy, because I love you too." Tilting her head back, he kissed her deeply, thoroughly, until she was gasping and clinging to him. It came fast and furious. Shoving aside the table with the refreshments, he stripped off her clothing. His hands raced over her body, cupping her bulging stomach. Emotions stormed through him, whipped into him like a tidal wave that had him tearing up, his throat closing. Bending his head on her belly, he waited for the flutter that indicated his son's movements.
