Chapter Twenty-Eight

Linkin

I swear I haven’t slept a wink since the moment I saw two babies on that monitor.

As the days turn into months and the cravings turn from Mexican food to coffee cake and cottage cheese (and yes, she eats them together), my nervousness grows. The first of July has brought a heat wave like no other in Virginia that even the coastal waters can’t seem to cool.

My girl is all baby. Well, babies. At almost six months, she’s sporting a bigger beach ball than the one the boys use when we go to the beach to swim. But do you know what? It’s sexy as fuck. Like seriously, hard-on inducing sexy every time she walks (albeit a bit of a waddle) into the room, and I can’t keep my hands off her. I guess it’s a good thing you can’t get knocked up further while being knocked up because we’d probably have a dozen babies on the way by now.

Lexi is still working as long as possible, but the belly is already starting to make it difficult. Clients get knocked in the back of the head pretty much daily now, which makes them laugh and Lexi frustrated. She’s a worker, and the thought of having to stop working before nine months is stressing her out. Personally, I love it when the ball gets in the way. We’ve had to be a bit more creative in bed, which my feisty little tiger is all for. She’s insatiable, which bodes well for me, since I think she’s the most desirable woman on the planet.

I’m on my way home from work after a long, hot day in the shop. Lexi’s last client of the day should be wrapping up about now, so she shouldn’t be too far behind me. After a quick pit stop, I pull into the driveway. We decided to put my Harley in the second bay of the garage to leave her more room to get in. It’s a pretty tight two-car unit with not a lot of wiggle room. I don’t mind parking outside so that my girl can get in and out of her car easier.

Inside the house we’re renting together along the bay, I preheat the oven before slipping off to the bedroom to shower. The en suite bathroom is a bit on the smaller size with only a shower stall, toilet, and sink. Eventually, we’ll find a bigger place, but this place will do just fine for now. At least we’re not back at the apartment.

After a quick shower, I’m sporting a clean pair of basketball shorts and a sleeveless shirt in the kitchen when Lexi gets home. With the kitchen just off the garage, I hear her grumble and bitch as she tries to roll out of her car. I snicker to myself, thankful that she’s not in the house yet. I’d never laugh in her face; I love my balls too much to be that stupid. Just another reason why we should move up our search for a new car. I think she needs a small SUV so she doesn’t have to crawl in and out of a car. Something with a good safety rating.

“Welcome home, mama,” I say happily when the back door opens.

“Why are you so happy? It’s hotter than the surface of the sun out there,” she grumbles as she waddles in the door and sets her bag onto the table. “What’s that smell?”

“Soap. I decided to shower today,” I retort.

“No, that smells sexy,” she says, walking up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist, and taking a big whiff of my shirt. “I mean what’s in the dish? It smells like heaven.”

“Homemade mac and cheese with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese,” I tell her, mixing it all together and piling the extra cheese on top.

“Oh my God, that sounds amazing. You should hang out with Levi more often,” she says, reaching around and taking some of the cheese from the top of the dish.

“It’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.” I slide the dish into the oven and turn just in time to catch her staring at my ass. When she glances up, I raise an eyebrow and give her my best smirk. It always makes her horny. “How was work?” I ask, grabbing her a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Fine. Busy. How as your day?” she asks, taking long pulls from the bottle.

“Hot. Jacob finally got himself fired,” I tell her as I grab two plates and forks then join her at that table.

“Really? What did the little bag of dicks do this time?”

“Pulled a car into the shop and left it in gear.”

She glances up at me, eyes wide. “What happened?”

“It rolled into another car that was there for an oil change.”

“Oh, shit. How much damage?”

“Not a lot, fortunately. The car wasn’t going that fast. Just a dent in both of them that Ernie is now responsible for fixing.”

“Of course. So he was fired?”

“Yep. Ernie blew a gasket, told him that if he couldn’t do something as elementary as remembering to put the car in park, then he wasn’t needed around there anymore.”

A few minutes later, the timer on the oven sounds. The cheese is bubbling on top when I pull it out and set it in the middle of the table. “Drink?” I ask, grabbing a bottle of beer out of the fridge.

“I’d take one of those,” she grumbles, which makes me smile.

“Not for another three and a half months, baby,” I say gently, reaching in and grabbing the carton of milk. When I hold it up, she grudgingly nods her head. After the glass is poured, I join her at the table and watch her dive into dinner.

“Holy shitballs, this is amazing,” she mumbles with a mouth full of food. At least, I think that’s what she said.

“Thank you.”

“You’re really turning into a regular Betty Crocker these days, Stone.”

“I am. Turns out, I kinda like to cook. I like to take care of my woman and my babies. It makes me feel like I’m doing something other than just sitting here, waiting for them to be born,” I confess, shrugging my shoulders.

“You do so much,” she says softly, her green eyes honest and sincere. “You wait on me hand and foot. If you keep this up, I’ll want to stay pregnant forever,” she quips.

“That can be arranged,” I smirk back, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.

“That will be arranged. Later.”

“I love later.”

“Me too,” she says before shoveling another mouthful of food into her face.

After dinner, we stretch out on the couch. Lexi sits at one end while I sit at the other, her feet resting in my lap. With her working on her feet all day, they’ve started to swell and sometimes, when she finally kicks them up at night, you can barely tell she has ankles.

Like I do most nights, I start to knead and massage her feet. Her head falls back on the couch and a smile plays on her lips. She always says this is her favorite time of night, but the thing is, it’s mine too. The part of our evening where we’re starting to unwind and just hanging out. Tonight, I stopped off and picked up a total chick flick for her to watch in hopes that she tries to relax. Not only are we dealing with a little swelling, but her blood pressure has been slowly creeping up.

“What’s this?” she asks when I press the start button on the remote.

“That new Julia Roberts movie.” When she doesn’t say anything, I glance over and find her staring at me with tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong, baby?” I ask, concerned that I’ve somehow managed to fuck up our night already.

“You rented me a movie?”

“Don’t tell anyone, okay? I have this total bad boy reputation to uphold.”

“You’re a total badass, babe. I won’t tell anyone that you had to help shave my legs last night.”

“Pssh! That was total badassery,” I defend, pulling her leg a little farther into my lap. “Besides, it was a total badass strategic move to get into your pants.”

Her laughter fills the room. “Well, it worked.”

“Of course it did. You can’t resist me.”

“You’re so full of it.”

“If you’re good later, I’ll make sure you’re full of it,” I say, waggling my eyebrows and grinning like a loon. “Now, stop talking. The sappy chic flick is starting.”

It takes approximately seven and a half minutes before she falls asleep on the couch. Instead of watching the movie, I find myself watching her. She’s like a sleeping angel, all relaxed and softly snoring. I also use the opportunity to wiggle in closer to her stomach. It’s my favorite time of night where I get to talk to my babies and tell them all about their awesome mom.

“Hey, guys,” I say softly to her stomach. “Well, not guys, because you could be girls too. But I’ll be honest,” I continue, placing my hand under her shirt and resting them on her tight belly, “that thought kinda freaks me out a little. Boys I can handle because I’ve had my hands full for nine years of your two rowdy uncles. But girls? Your mama’s gonna have to help me out with that one. She’s got five older sisters so she’s a pro at dealing with girls.”

My hands are still until I feel that familiar kick that never fails to make me smile. “I feel you in there. Good evening, baby,” I say, bending down and kissing where I was just kicked. My other hand wraps around to the other side of the stomach and I wait until I feel movement. It doesn’t take long before the entire left side rolls.

“That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” I whisper aloud, smiling down at the place my babies play. “Now listen, kids, I know you’re all wide awake and ready to play, but your mama is feeling a little tired tonight. Her energy is already starting to run out as the days get closer and closer to your arrival. I want you two to take it easy on her, okay?” I ask to the belly. Holding my breath, I wait a few seconds until I feel movement and more kicking. “I don’t think you’re listening. You’re both going to be a bit of a handful, aren’t you?”

“They take after their dad,” Lexi whispers, a soft smile playing on her lips, but her eyes still closed.

“I’m pretty sure that’s a false statement,” I defend, content with watching and feeling the babies move around. Lexi’s hand joins mine on her abdomen and I link our fingers together.

The clock reads ten when the movie ends and the babies simmer down. Damn I hope Lexi’s able to get decent sleep tonight. Gingerly, I slip off the couch, careful not to wake Sleeping Beauty. Once the house is locked up and the lights are off, I bend down and scoop her up in my arms.

“What are you doing? I’ll break your back,” she asks sleepily.

“I doubt that, and I’m carrying the woman I love to bed.”

When we reach the room, I set her on the bed, pulling the blankets up around her.

“I have to brush my teeth,” she whispers without moving.

“I think you’ll be fine to skip one night.”

“I’m still in my tank top and shorts.”

“Sleep, baby.”

“What about sex?”

“I’ll sex you up tomorrow night,” I tell her, crawling into bed and waiting until she curls up beside me. Her in my arms is my favorite place to be.

“I’m sorry,” she says softly, her eyes still closed.

“Don’t be sorry, baby. Sleep.” I kiss her on the forehead and turn off the lamp.

“I love you, Linkin.”

“And I love you, Lexi. You and the babies.”

She falls fast sleep in my arms, for at least a little while. She’ll be up at least once or twice to pee, thanks to the added pressure of babies dancing on her bladder. As for me, I’m content with just holding her in my arms and feeling her breathe next to me.

Someday, I’ll tell our kids all about how their mom batted her gorgeous green eyes at me and stole my heart. I’m probably gonna leave out the part about stripping, Viagra brownies, and jackass ex-husbands who liked to cause trouble. Instead, I’ll tell them that I fell madly in love with her quick wit and her attitude. Her breathtaking smile and her stunning green eyes. I’ll tell them that just by being around her, I wanted to be a better man.

Cheesy, but true.

My life began the moment this woman tore me a new asshole in the middle of the hallway of that apartment building. This woman in my arms owns my heart and soul.

Her and our babies.

One big happy family.

Our perfect mess.