“I’ve got dibs!” I yelled walking to the bathroom.

“How do you get the bathroom first?” James asked in a voice thick with sleep.

“One, you can both use the extra few minutes of sleep. Two, I’m pregnant so I’m using the pregnant girl card you can’t tell me no.”

“Whatever bitch.” He mumbled.

I smiled and made my way to the bathroom. We stayed up late last night talking and them drinking. I know how long they both take to get ready in the bathroom when hung over so I needed to take advantage in case I needed to seek out breakfast before them. My appetite was insane these days.

I hopped in the shower and I heard the door open. “I’ve got to piss.” I heard Nettie say.

I ignored her and continued to shower. I was shampooing my hair when she screeched. “WHAT THE EVER LOVING FUCK IS THIS?”

Instinctively I pulled the curtain back and peered at what caused her reaction. She had a horrified look on her face as she held up my cotton prenatal underwear that I’d brought in the bathroom with me to put on when I was done.

I instantly blushed. “Those are my panties.”

She frowned. “What? You mean you actually wear these?” she asked.

“What’s going on?” I heard James ask from the doorway.

Nettie turned around and showed him my panties. I don’t think I could be any more embarrassed. “These are her fucking drawers!”

James gasped horrified. “Dear mother of god, you cannot be serious.”

“They’re for pregnant girls.” I argued.

James stomped. “No, absolutely not. Hurry your ass up in that shower because we have somewhere to go before we do anything else today.”

“Where?” I asked wearily.

“Don’t worry, hurry your ass up!” James demanded and they both left the bathroom talking about my choice of undergarments.

After we were all freshly showered and had our bellies full of pancakes they led me out of the resort and down the block to a lingerie shop. To my utter embarrassment, I was forced to buy a few lacy, racy pieces that I felt were completely ridiculous for a woman that’s as pregnant as I am. I let them talk me into it more to get out of the store and away from the curious stares that they were garnering with their antics.

We spent the rest of the day getting pampered and beautified. I had a fresh mani and pedi with a nice new hairstyle if I do say so myself. I don’t think my hair has ever looked so shiny. When we got back to the room after an hours’ worth of convincing, I finally put on one of my new bra and pantie sets. I felt completely ridiculous especially considering I couldn’t really see what I looked like in it. Thankfully, no one would be seeing this mess and I would be discarding it as soon as I got home.

As I was putting on my dress James grabbed my arm. “Actually, I brought you something.”

He went to his bag and retrieved a large box. I opened it up and gasped as I withdrew the contents. “What’s this?” I asked.

James shrugged. “A little something that I made for you. Try it on.”

I didn’t need any further encouragement. I pulled the dress over my head and went to look at myself in the mirror. It was a white dress that was loose and the material crisscrossed in the top. The bottom portion was fitted and fell mid thigh. It looked amazing on me and I couldn’t believe the way it fit, it was perfect.

“Oh my god James, this is… I don’t even have the words.” I told him.

He shook his head. “No need, satisfying enough seeing how hot you look in it.”

Dread set in on the ride back, it would be back to reality soon. The weekend with Nettie and James had been amazing spending time with my two best friends and seeing how well they got on together. If only things could always be that way. Nettie pulled up to my place; James would be staying in Jersey for a few days to help with the baby shower they keep insisting on.

“Ok James, this is us.” I informed him as I got out.

He and Nettie shared a glance with each other and I frowned. “What is it?” I asked.

“Oh uhh… nothing?” Nettie responded and my suspicion went on high alert.

“Yea, nothing.” James agreed.

I put my hand on my hip. “What’s happening?” I asked.

Nettie let out a nervous laugh. “James is actually staying with me. Bull is giving us the space; he’s staying at the club. We have a lot of preparations to make that you cannot be involved in.”

I cocked my head to the side not totally convinced. “Are you sure that’s what it is?”

“Yep, absolutely. Get some shut eye now, goodnight biotch!” James screeched and without waiting for any further responses from me they made their way down the block. At this point, you shouldn’t be surprised that Bull’s place was literally on the same block as Nettie’s only a few houses down.

I decided to let it go and headed inside. I dropped my bags right inside the door and went to my sketch pad. I studied it for a moment debating on whether I should indulge or call it day. In the end, I decided that I was still on vacation so I wouldn’t be doing any work. I went upstairs and decided to stop in the nursery. It was a habit of mine even though I still hadn’t gotten anything in there done yet. I would walk in there and imagine it was setup the way I wanted it and there was a baby in the crib or I was sitting in a rocking chair nursing him.

I walked inside and frowned. The shadows in the room didn’t look like they should. I walked over and turned on the light and I felt my heart drop, everything was done. The walls were painted cream and white. There were stripped patterns of multiple neutral colors painted over the window frame. There were pictures of different animals lining the wall. The crib was up and in the middle of the room on top of a grey colored rug. There was a matching dresser with a small lion lamp. In addition, there was a sofa lining the other wall that I didn’t buy and the rocking chair was setup and next to the crib. The room was completed with a bean bag chair and a changing table. This was everything I’d imagined it would be and more. I knew for sure that I wouldn’t have been able to do as much on my own.

I walked to the closet and not only was the clothes that I bought hanging up, but almost five times more. There were cases of pampers and unopened bottle packages and other miscellaneous baby necessities lining the floor. I continued to scan the room confused when I heard a creek behind me. I spun around and had to grip my chest to keep from having a heart attack.

“Babe.”

“Lucifer, what the hell? You scared the crap out of me are you crazy?” I accused.

He offered me a half smile. “Babe.” He repeated.

“Lucifer, what are you doing here?” I asked.

His arm swept across the room. “This amongst other things.”

I shook my head. “How… how’d you know?”

He shook his head. “You really asking me that?”

I frowned. “Don’t tell me you have the place bugged…”

“No. What the fuck? I’ve just been asking Nettie questions and shit. She told me about you needing to do the nursery. You don’t need to be doing this type of shit, you’re really fucking pregnant.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Oh my God. Did you guys work together to get rid of me for the weekend so you could break in and do this?” I asked totally put out. I am so not a fan of being setup.

“I didn’t break in, I used my key.” He informed me casually like there was nothing in the world wrong with that statement.

“Your key? How the heck did you get a key?” I crossed my arms. “And how didn’t I know about this?”

“One, I don’t need your permission… two, did you think this was Nettie’s place and Bull didn’t have keys? I took his and made copies the day you moved in.”

I slapped my forehead. “Your stalkerness has no bounds do they?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Look, I want to talk…” he began and I stormed past him out of the room.

“Now you want to talk? The time for talking is long gone… I’ve been there, tried that and it didn’t work.” I threw over my shoulder.

I could hear his footsteps following behind me as I walked to my room. “Would you fucking quit ya shit for a minute?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Absolutely no –“ my sentence was cut off the second I entered through the doorway of my room and his scent engulfed me. I frowned and looked around and noticed little evidence that he’d been here.

“You’ve been staying here?” I asked accusingly.

“Yea.”

“Ok, what Lucifer… what could I possibly freaking do for you?” I asked.

“Calm down and sit.” He demanded. When I continued to stand there looking at him defiantly he growled. “Sit the fuck down, shut up and listen.” He said more forcefully and I acquiesced.

“I’m not good at this type of shit… I don’t know how to do this.” He began running his hands through his hair.

“Try.” I encouraged.

“I fucking am, can’t you see that?” he asked angrily.

I shook my head. “No, actually I can’t. It doesn’t look like you’re doing anything but throwing out demands as usual.”

“You’re not giv – “ He began but I was done. I wasn’t going to go down this path again with him. I’d rather stop this now before it spiraled out of control like it normally does.

“Look, let’s not do this. I accepted everything we discussed before there’s no need to rehash anything ok.” I told him reassuringly.

“You’re not fucking hearing me.”

“I. Don’t. Want. To.” I said ensuring to punctate every word.

“FUCK! You were right, everything you said was right…” he screamed out and began pacing. The fact he just admitted I was right about something had me rooted to the spot in shock. “I was fucking mad at you for leaving but I was mad at you too because I cared. You have no idea, I was going fucking crazy not knowing where you were or if you was ok. I was mad, I was hurt, I was… out of my fucking mind.”

He stopped pacing and looked me square in the eye. “Then you told me that I had feelings for you and that made me angry and confused. Then you said you almost loved me. No one loves me, I’m nobody. No fucking body and you said almost like it was an impossible thing to do. I just didn’t know… I had too many thoughts running through my head and I couldn’t get a grip. Then I got you back babe and I realized how much I missed it. Then you wanted to fucking leave me again, change me… I wasn’t ready for that.”

He closed the distance between us and grabbed me. “I might not be making any fucking sense because I don’t know how to make sense of this. I just fucking want you and you can’t tell me no.”

He was leaning in closer now our lips inches apart. His rambling was all over the place but somehow, it made perfect sense to me. My chest was heaving with my shallow breaths because I wanted him. I just couldn’t help but think I was making the wrong choice if I let him in again. Am I setting myself up for heartbreak? “What if I want to say no?” I asked breathlessly.

He growled and brushed his lips against mine. “I won’t let you.” He said it as a promise and he kissed me. I didn’t fight him, I let him. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and I pulled him closer. He lifted me off of my feet and placed me down on the bed. “You’re mine babe. I can’t promise you happily ever after, I don’t think I have that in me but I can try.”

I held his face in my hands and looked him square in the eye. “I don’t need happily ever after Lucifer. I know we would never have that, you’re no prince charming and I’m no snow white.” I took a deep breath. “We will fight, scream, get angry… but that will be us. Because we’ll make up and have sex and you’ll kiss me to calm me down. That’s forever. That could be our ever after.”  

He let out a shaky breath and kissed me gently. He stood up by the bed in front of me, his eyes raked over me slowly from my bareless feet up my exposed legs and the dress encasing me. “You look fucking sexy.” I blushed as I thought of the surprise dress and impromptu lingerie shopping. They’d been preparing me for just this moment.

When his hands descended down on my dress I gripped his wrist. “Careful with the dress, this was a gift.” I warned him.

He gave me a light chuckle and I sat up and helped him discard it carefully. I laid back down slowly waiting for his reaction in seeing me in my new black lace. He looked down at me and licked his lips. He fell to his knees between my legs and placed his hands on my stomach. He rubbed it slowly which earned him an answering kick. His eyes flew to mine.

“Is that…?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes. I guess he’s saying hi.”

He put his face to my belly and spoke gently. “Hey there big guy.” He said to my stomach where he received a few kicks. “See, it’s a boy.” He said to me.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “We don’t know that, now get on with it.”

He laughed. “Eager little bitch huh?” he asked as he placed a kiss on my stomach and slipped his fingers into my panties.

He began easing them down slowly. “Where’d these come from?” he asked. I blushed even harder since he instantly knew these were not my normal. I do cotton, like the cute ones but I’m not courageous enough to really buy lace or see-through.

“I uh, I just bought them.” I confessed.

He gripped them in his palm and sniffed. “We need to get you some more.” He said before spreading my legs.

He trailed kisses from my ankle all the way up to my knee before moving to the other leg and restarting the process. The first swipe of his tongue made my body arch off the bed. He took his time on me like he was trying to make sure to taste every inch of me. He drew me into his mouth and used the tip of his tongue to flick me and just like that an orgasm took over my whole body.

He crawled up my body before pulling me into a passionate kiss. “Fuck I missed you.” He whispered before he kissed me again.

He got up and began removing his clothes. “Your belly is bigger, this might not be easy…” he mused.

I rolled my eyes. “Just… try.” I pleaded.

He gave a slight head nod. He gripped me by the backs of my knees and dragged me to the edge of the bed. Thankfully the bed was high so it didn’t leave that huge of a distance between us. He wrapped my legs around his waist and he crouched and slid his hand underneath my butt leveling me with him. His other hand gripped my waist and he entered me in one swift movement.

“You want this baby?” he whispered. I nodded. “Let me hear it.” He said staying buried to the hilt not moving an inch.

“Please Lucifer.” I asked.

“Ask me correctly. Ask me to fuck you.”

“Please fuck me Lucifer, fuck me please.” I begged.

With that he began moving. He was taking his time almost like he was being gentle. From the way he was shaking I could tell he was trying to hold back and I grew frustrated. “Harder please.”

“Fuck babe, the baby…” he said through clenched teeth.

“It’s ok.” I said through heavy breaths. “I’ll tell you if it’s too much.” I promised. He studied my eyes and must’ve seen something that he could trust because he picked up his rhythm and deepened his strokes. He didn’t prolong our orgasm like he usually does and we went over together.

He collapsed on the bed. “I’m sorry babe, but I needed that.”

I laughed. “Me too.”

We laid together in the silence and the dark for a while before I spoke. “So what now?” I asked.

I could feel his shrug. “I don’t know. I’ve never done this before… we live here together with the baby and just see what the fuck happens I guess.”

I pushed myself up so that I was propped on my elbow. “You’re going to move in?” I asked.

He laughed. “I already did babe.”

I plopped back down on my back. “Are you kidding me? Better yet, why am I not surprised?” I asked him honestly.

“You shouldn’t be.” He admitted.

“So you know James is here?” I asked him.

He nodded. “I do, I got Nettie in contact with him.”

I rolled my eyes. “What the heck is going on? Are you really trying to get in my good graces or something? What’s with all the good happening here…?” I asked him.

“You don’t like it?” he asked turning to face me.

I sighed and scooted until I was lying on his chest. “I do, it’s just a bit overwhelming I guess. Very surprising.”

He grunted in response. “Have you heard about the baby shower?” I asked him.

He sighed. “Yes… and I’m assuming I have to go?”

“Absolutely! Is that a real question?” I asked shocked.

“I don’t know shit about that stuff. Never been to one I just know it’s about our baby so I assumed… look, cut me some fucking slack this aint my life.”

“Ok.” I agreed.

“Alright, now go the fuck to sleep I’m tired as shit.”

I sighed and rested my head in the crook of his neck. He placed a kiss on the top of my hair and we fell asleep like that.