“Everything okay, sweetheart?” I ask a little concerned. I don't think any of us are expecting New Year's babies tonight.
Rolling her eyes and placing her hands on Nick’s, she looks over to me with a small smile. “The girls are really moving tonight, just pushing up against my back. They are losing more room each day and trying to stretch out. My organs and bones don't like to be their playground,” she says on a small laugh.
She lightly taps Nick’s hands to get him to stop, like this is an often occurrence with them. Doting husband and dad, never thought I would see this day. I remember when all this guy wanted to do was get his dick wet, shoot his gun, and bring a nice girl home for the holidays to impress his mom.
He struck it all here. This wholesome girl that threw his world on a tilt and spun it also captured the wild Italian that needed wrangling.
Just as Chantal sits back and rubs both her hands on her protruding belly, I see Andrea get up and walk over to her. I see her dainty hand reach over and touch the belly being occupied by sassy little Chantal's twin girls. The two are smiling and sharing a quiet conversation between each other that I can't quite hear.
Chantal picks up Andrea’s hand and moves it far over to her right side. Andrea's face lights up and I'm guessing she's feeling the movement. Her eyes meet mine, as she's leaning over touching the babies. The look says it all, she wants this.
She almost had it and it was stolen from her in fate's cruel game. I will make sure my Starfish will have all the babies she can handle. After all, I’m Italian and baby making is a special dance. I can't wait to see her glow with each one of our children as she carries them. I give her a wink, and she gives me her big megawatt smile that reaches so high her face might crack.
And just as quickly, the tears are brimming, her eyes shining brightly for me. It's then we hear the DJ switch the music over from dinner chatter music of jazz and instrumental, to something to dance to. As Enrique begins to sing “Bailamos”, people start to dance.
My girl stands up straight with a humorous look in her eyes. She is ready to put on a show.
We spent some years together taking professional ballroom dancing. She was such a good sport to help me with the balance I needed when I was boxing competitively. I know her favorite is the Samba and I have a feeling that's just what wants to come out and play with this song.
Following her with my eyes, she struts over to me, throwing a little more hip into it as she walks to me. I grab her hand as I stand and pull her to me for a kiss, looking directly into her sparkling eyes.
“Let’s show ‘em what we've got baby,” I tell her with a wink as I pull her to the dance floor in the middle of the room.
I feel many eyes on us as we turn to each other and make eye contact, both of us rolling our hips with the music and stepping out in the seductive steps of the Samba rhythm. God, it's been years since we've done this together, but our bodies move together like it was yesterday. The seductive sway of her hips comes to meet mine as I pull her close letting our steps and flit kicks move flawlessly together between each of our legs.
We break apart and stand side to side. She pulls the skirt of her dress up and I feel the rhythm of her steps and hip movement. This girl and her hips give Shakira a run for her money. The drum beat of a Samba is exactly how my heart feels when I look at her, she's always done this to me. I’ll never have my fill.
It's when she turns her head to meet my gaze that we hear the hoots and hollers around the room. Throwing her head back in laughter, she looks so happy. She’s loving this and the joy on her face makes my heart soar. Damn, this beautiful woman never ceases to amaze me. She's so damn beautiful it almost hurts.
Coming back to face me, she winks at me and right then I know the torturously sexy dance move she's about to pull on me. As the crescendo of the lyrics and Enrique's powerful voice come over the music, she drops down to the floor and grabs my thigh. Pulling her up with my hand in hers, she licks her lips at me as she seductively snakes her way up my body, feeling the clench of my thighs and the semi arousal state of my cock.
I spin her so her ass is right in front of me. Grabbing her around her flat stomach to her other hip, we both share a hip rotation as she reaches behind and grabs the back of my neck. Leaning down into her ear, I blow. Hearing her whimper, I know that us sharing this again has just become the best foreplay before the foreplay we've had in a very long time. The rhythm our bodies share here on the floor together speaks nothing for the allegro of our shared concerto in our lovemaking. This night will only get better, and she has no idea.
As the song comes to an end, the room roars with applause. My sweet Starfish does her little curtsy as she holds are arm out attached to my side. I bow, with a smile at the crowd.
The city and the county just saw a Carter Avery they've never seen before. All because of my girl. She hung the moon, this one. From the time I first saw her, she held my heart and she always will.
I lead her back to our table, and the smile on her face is priceless.
“You were amazing as always beautiful,” I tell her while kissing her head. Pulling her chair out for her, she sits down.
Chantal leans over to her. “Damn girl, that was incredible.”
Andrea doesn't know how to take compliments, and she blushes at her friend’s praise. “Thank you, it's been a long time since we danced like that,” Andrea tells her.
“My little Starfish here, got me dancing when I needed agility and balance in my boxing career,” I interrupt.
“The moves you have, you think you could teach Nick a thing or two?” she asks, winking at her husband playfully.
“I thought I would hate it, but just like anything else with her, I loved it. It's something I think we need to do more of together again,” I tell her, pulling her dainty hand up to my lips.
“Why is it you call her Starfish? It isn't a common nickname, that's for sure,” Chantal asks.
Andrea turns to me with a curious smile. I don't think she has ever really questioned this either. I've called her that for so long, it's just become as natural as her name. “That's a good question. There are many reasons actually,” I start. “When I was younger, about 6 or 7, our class went on a field trip to the Belle Isle Aquarium. That place used to be so incredible, and I have such amazing memories from my time there.” I relive it in my mind.
“Man, that place was incredible,” Nick chimes in.
Nodding at him, I continue, “We got to touch some of the tide pool creatures there, and the one that I was drawn to the most was the Starfish. It's the star of the sea and each one is different with its own look. There are so many kinds of them. They are beautiful creatures. We learned many amazing facts about Starfish that day that don't have anything to do with my Starfish right here,” I say on a chuckle.
“One day I was sitting with her in the ER with our families. She had fallen when we were docking back in the Detroit marina after a family outing at Boblo Island.”
Nick interrupted, “Seriously bringing up some old spirits of Detroit brother.”
“They were incredible parts of my childhood I won't ever forget. Andrea here was so young when we went for their last season in 1993. She broke her arm at the age of two and I just felt so horrible and helpless sitting there with her.
I told her all about the Starfish I learned about on my field trip. When a Starfish breaks a limb, it grows back and regenerates. It occurred to me then that she was my own Starfish. Even at her age, she was beautiful. Anyway, it seemed only natural I call her that.”
She looks to me with questions in her eyes and tears shedding. “I vaguely remember that, but you never told me since then about that story. You've called me that for so long, I guess it wasn't even a question. That's the best story I've heard you tell, Carter,” she says quietly.
Leaning over, I kiss her lips sweetly and tap her nose. “Always have been the strong and resilient Starfish that grows more beautiful every day and gets stronger every time she breaks,” I tell her while staring into her soul through her eyes. I want her to really see how truly amazing she is to me and has always been.