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“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.
