Page 11 of Bad Boss

“I fucking love you.” He leans down to whisper next to my neck.

“I’m gross and icky,” I argue, trying to put distance between us, but he holds me tight against his warm body.

“You’re perfect,” he corrects me. “Are you finished?” He raises an eyebrow, waiting for my answer.

I gingerly sit up and wait a few seconds to see how my sensitive stomach will react to the movement. “The nausea has passed,” I tell Eric. When he stands and lifts me against his chest, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and hold on.

He heads for the door with my wrung-out body clasped tightly in his arms. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” Eric calls over his shoulder.

Our exciting evening exhausts me, and I fall asleep during the ride home. I barely wake up when Eric carries me up to the bedroom and lays me gently on the bed. He quickly strips me then tucks me in. “Get some sleep, love.” He doesn’t have to tell me twice.

In true Russo form, our unborn child makes his presence known. I spend the next eight months puking at the drop of a hat. By the time my due date approaches, I’m over pregnancy. Between sore boobs, swollen ankles, and my constant all-day morning sickness, I warn my husband that this will be our one and only child.

EPILOGUE

ERIC

I stare downat my newborn son and smile while listening to my beautiful wife softly snore. After experiencing twenty-nine hours of labor followed by two hours of pushing, she deserves a little nap. I’ve been sitting in this hard-ass hospital chair enjoying alone time with my child while Lynette rests. My phone dings in my pocket and I groan. My impatient family is dying to know what’s happening.

I snap a quick photo of my red, wrinkled son and send a group chat to all the Russos. Hopefully, that’s enough to buy me some time. A few minutes later, Caleb gives a little cry that instantly wakes my wife up. “Is he okay?” She sits up in the bed and holds out her arms.

“He’s fine, love,” I reassure her before placing the tiny baby in her arms.

Sitting back, I watch my luscious wife attempt to feed our newborn son and realize what a lucky fucker I am. Our relationship might’ve started during one of the most difficult times in my life, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

The next morning, I’m forced to let my family come by the hospital to meet Caleb. “He’s beautiful.” My mother gently cradles the baby next to her chest. “You two make gorgeous children.” Holy fucking shit. My wife literally gave birth hours ago, and my mom is already clamoring for another grandchild.

“We do,” I agree. “And Caleb is going to be our one and only child.” I need to nip this shit in the bud or my crazy family will never give us peace.

My mother starts shaking her head. “Caleb needs a sibling,” she insists, and I notice Hudson standing off to the side smirking. I bet he’s happy to have me in the hot seat instead of him.

“We can talk about this some other time.” My dad rubs my mom’s shoulder soothingly. “Let’s just enjoy our new grandson today.” I’ll have to remember to thank him later for stepping in.

* * *

Seven yearsand four kids later...

My wife’sdetermination to have only one child lasted until Caleb turned two. She forgot all about her miserable pregnancy and begged me for one more child. Her second pregnancy was much easier than the first. When our second son was born, my beautiful wife once again swore her baby-making was over. Then, two years later, like clockwork, baby fever bit her again. Too weak to tell my little love no, I caved and agreed to one last child. Or so I thought. Karma, the bitch, had a little surprise for us—twin boys.

I walk in the door and am shocked to find my mother cooking dinner. “How was your day?” She glances over and asks.

“It was fine.” I stare at the chaos happening throughout the kitchen and wince. My mother tends to let the boys run wild when she babysits them. “Where’s Lynette?” Worry cuts through me when my luscious wife fails to rush over to greet me.

“She isn’t feeling well.” Fuck no. Not again. “I came over to help take care of the kids so she could rest.”

Fucking hell. “I’ll be right back,” I tell my mother before rushing up the stairs to check on my wife.

I groan when I find her lying next to the toilet. “Are you okay, love?” I wet a washcloth before kneeling beside her.

“No,” she whines. “Your freaking robosperm did it again.”

“I figured,” I tell her and gently rub her back. I know the routine. “Are you upset?” I need to make sure my wife doesn’t regret this.

“Not at all,” Lynette grumbles. “I love you and our kids,” she reassures me. “I wouldn’t change anything for the world.”

“Me neither.” I sit next to her and wrap my arm around her curvy body. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Once her stomach calms, I lift Lynette into my arms and carry her to bed. After pulling the covers up, my wife rolls over and falls asleep while I head downstairs to face the busy tribe.

We go through another long, miserable pregnancy, but this time around, my wife gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. “I’m not changing my mind this time.” Lynette snuggles our daughter close and insists. Just to make sure, she schedules an appointment for me to get fucking snipped before we leave the hospital.