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“You do make it better. All of you do.” This was something he really needed to understand. Every single one of them made it better for me. “We should be experts at this pregnancy thing by now…”
“Yeah,” Ian agreed with an almost wry note in his voice. “Save for the fact that you are carrying twins and as stubborn as ever.”
“Hey now, being stubborn is one of the things about me you love.” The chastisement pulled a real smile out of him.
“God help me, it definitely is, Angel.” His smile made my heart flutter.
“I love you,” I whispered. “I keep thinking we’re going to hit that maximum amount somewhere—like you can only love someone so much. But every year, it just feels like I love you more.”
“That’s excellent for us,” he teased. “Come on, walk some and then shower.”
I groaned, but let him help me to my feet. Currently, I was wearing one of his old football jerseys. We’d discovered with Izzy that it hit me about the top of my thighs with the belly and I still had room in it.
Made it easier to get comfortable. Though right now, the twins might make us have to use alternatives.
One arm around my waist, he balanced me easily as we started to walk. The soreness was there and I had to fight the urge to be ginger about each step. The best way to handle the cramps was to do full stretches. Use each and every muscle so that they could warm up again.
The shower would be better still. I’d rather soak in a bath, but not allowed at the moment. Though I could put my legs in I supposed. Eh, it would probably be awkward.
“And I love you too, Angel,” Ian said as we walked. “I get it when you say it’s more every single year.”
I grinned.
“You’re an excellent mother. A phenomenal wife. An absolutely amazing partner. The best and only lover I ever want.” The pride resonating in every word made it impossible not to believe him.
Despite the fact I flushed a deeper pink, I didn’t shy away from the praise. It had taken me years really to accept not only how much they loved me, but also how much they demonstrated it.
I leaned into him, slowing our pace. When I turned toward him, he wrapped me into his arms. He cradled me there, rubbing my back slowly. I could have stayed there forever, but he nuzzled a kiss to my forehead.
“Shower time.”
I groaned. “I hope there’s enough room in there for both of us.”
He chuckled. “Don’t you worry, Angel. I’ve got this.”
Fifteen minutes later I stood under the rainfall shower spray. I had my back to the water and as much as I wanted it to be super hot, that was another luxury that had to wait until after the babies were born.
The warmth though, penetrated the tight muscles as he worked his magical hands up and down my spine. When I began to sway, he put a hand on my hip.
“Am I losing you?”
“No, but you can keep doing that forever.” I was half-floating from the combination of massage and shower.
He chuckled as he moved his hands up to my hair. “We’re going to wash this now.”
“Okay.” My awareness of him grew as he worked the shampoo into my roots. If I’d thought the foot and leg massage had been agony and ecstasy, while his work on my back had left me floating—the scalp massage? It absolutely untethered me.
I moved where he put me, he rinsed out my hair then added conditioner. A few minutes later he was soaping me from head to toe. The gentle rub of his hand over my belly got the kids moving.
“Nope,” he murmured, flattening his hand to the side of my belly. “Back to sleep, both of you. Mama is getting a break tonight.”
Probably not, but I loved the way he was thinking. The simple fact was, my bladder was the size of a microdot at this point and the quieter it was around us, the more active they became.
Then again, maybe they would learn to listen to Dad too. A grin curved my lips.
“Hmm, I recognize that smile,” Ian said as he knelt to finish rinsing my legs. Then he pressed a kiss to the bump. “What are you thinking about?”
“Just—you’re a great dad. All of you are so amazing as fathers. Granted, I don’t have as much experience—even if I think Hank is the best.” My dad. I didn’t meet him until I was eighteen and more than done with all the growing.
