CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“I thought I was done with this.” My vision’s blurry, but I’m definitely staring down at toilet water.
Behind me, the bathroom door clicks open and Rock’s heavy boots thud over the floor. “Baby doll, are you okay?”
“No,” I moan, unable to lift my head.
He sits on the floor behind me, wrapping his body around mine. He threads his fingers into my hair, pulling it back from my face. “What can I do?” he murmurs against my shoulder.
“Let me barf in peace.”
His warmth seeps into my body, driving out the nausea that brought me to my knees fifteen minutes ago. I heave out a deep breath and sag against him.
“Better?” he asks.
“I think so.”
He moves to pull us off the floor and my stomach lurches.
“Nope. Not okay.” My head spins as I rush back to the toilet. Not much comes up since I’ve barely eaten all day.
Rock brushes a hand over my forehead, then smooths my hair away from my face. He touches his lips to the back of my neck. “I’m so sorry, baby. You know I’d do this for you if I could.”
“I know,” I whisper.
When I’m finished, I lean my head against his shoulder and let him rock me back and forth.
“How about now?” he asks.
I lift my head, waiting for the queasiness to return. “I think it’s passed.”
He unfolds himself from the floor, then gently lifts me. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
This is a purely perfunctory shower, but Rock takes his time cleaning me and toweling us dry.
“I think I’ve got it now,” I protest when he opens one of my dresser drawers.
He throws me a look over his shoulder. “Let me do this for you, please.”
The flannel jammies he picks out are thick and warm. Everyone told me pregnancy would make me hot all the time, but I’m usually freezing. Rock bundles me up and tucks me in to bed without any lingering touches.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, studying my face.
“This is the end of everything. You didn’t try to cop a feel once.”
He laughs softly. “Trust me, it’s not easy.” His expression darkens and he squeezes my hand. “But I’m still shaken from finding you sick on the floor.”
“Sorry.”
“You want me to start a fire?”
“Please.”
Another sensation stirs inside me as I watch Rock light the fire—such a simple caveman act—and slip on a pair of shorts. The hotter I need the room, the fewer clothes Rock wears. Win-win for me all around.
“Why are you smiling like that?” he asks as he pulls the covers on his side back.
I rub my hand over my belly and grin. “Just thinking of my pregnancy perks.”
He gives me the side-eye. “Like what?”
“Well, I hate being cold all the time, but I do enjoy you being mostly naked.”
He rumbles out a laugh and shakes his head before climbing in next to me. “Silver lining?”
“Yup.”
“How do you feel now?” he asks as I snuggle up against him.
“Better.”
“Good.”
I turn and look at the clock. “It’s so early. I don’t want to be one of those couples who goes to bed before nine o’clock.”
He slowly strokes his hand over my hair and down my back. “You need your rest.”
“But you’re a night owl,” I murmur.
“This is nice. I’m not complaining.”
The weight of Hope’s soft naked body on top of mine wakes me from sleep.
She straddles me, hugging my hips with her knees and rubbing her hot, wet pussy against my half-hard cock. Even sound asleep, my body recognizes and responds to her.
“Hope?”
“Shh. Let me have my way with you.” She places a finger over my lips and I suck it into my mouth. The searing heat from her center pulls me fully awake. I shift flat onto my back and grab her hips.
By far my favorite way Hope’s ever woken me up.
“Rock.” She yanks at my shorts, not even bothering to pull them off before her pussy squeezes down my length. I groan as she takes me completely inside her.
My eyes open, taking in the beautiful sight on top of me. Dark shadows and slices of light play over her pale skin, enough to highlight the curves of her breasts, her hips, the line of her neck, slope of her shoulder to her fingers digging into my chest. She rocks forward, moving up and down.
I grip her ass, rocking her faster. A raspy groan pulls from my throat. Mist of sleep still surround us, giving the moment a dreamlike quality.
Coming fully awake, I circle my hands around her waist, shifting our bodies until I’m sitting up with my back to the headboard.
“Rock,” she whispers, voice full of urgency.
“Right here.” I tighten my hold on her, continuing to guide her up and down my length.
Her nails dig into my shoulders as she works herself harder and harder.
“Oh.” She gasps and grinds her hips into me harder.
“Fuck you’re beautiful when you come.”
“Wow. That was intense.” She blinks at me and I roll us to the side.
“I’m about to show you intense.”
Intense is right. But then again, everything with Rock is intense.
He turns me on my side and gathers me in his arms. He nuzzles against my neck as he slides back into me.
“Rock,” I gasp.
He tightens his hold on my hip and groans in my ear as he lets go.
“Fuck, I planned to last longer than that.” He kisses my cheek, but makes no move to release me.
“No complaints here.” I wriggle against him and he presses another sleepy kiss to my shoulder.
I’m on the verge of falling asleep when a quick pulsing sensation wakes me.
My eyes blink open and I stare into the dark. Did I imagine it?
There it is again. A fluttery-quiver unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
“Rock,” I whisper.
“Hmm?”
I grab his hand and place it over my bump where I felt the movement.
“Holy shit,” he says, coming fully awake. “Is that? Is that the baby?”
“I think so.” Laughter bubbles out of me from the excitement of feeling the baby move.
“Oh my God.” The wonder in his voice makes me tear up. Few things in this world have the power to awe my husband.
I trail my fingers through his hair while he runs his hands over me, trying to feel another kick.
“Here.” I move his hand to a different spot.
“Did we wake you, baby?” he asks as he kisses his way down my belly. “Sorry.” He smiles against my skin. “But not really.”
“Don’t tire yourself out too much. Big day tomorrow,” I say to the baby. “We want to know if you’re a boy or a girl, so we can stop calling you “it.”
Rock rumbles with laughter and I think our little bean likes his voice, because there’s more fluttering.
“Oh my God. That’s amazing.” Tears run down my cheeks. This is real. This is really happening. And it’s amazing.
“Why you crying, baby doll?” Rock asks, settling down next to me and kissing my tears away.
“I’m so happy,” I whisper.
It takes a while to fall asleep after that. We keep waiting and checking but there’s no more movement.
“She must’ve gone back to sleep,” Rock mumbles. “You too. You need your rest.” Even half asleep his tone leaves no room for discussion.