"That doesn't sound boring at all," Thomas said softly. As they walked into the building, Thomas said, "Maddie, no one will ever be good enough for you. But I figure you could do worse than him."
If that wasn't her brother's seal of approval, she didn't know what was.
"How did that taste coming out of your mouth?" she teased.
Her brother's face was solemn. "Like vinegar."
FORTY
At twenty-two weeks, that avocado was starting to resemble a basketball.
"What are you doing?" Caleb asked when he entered the master bedroom. He was dirty from a long day doing restorations. Maddie knew that he had some big, demanding client, and even though he'd hired a couple guys and brought Peter on, he still worked long hours.
"I've gained almost twenty pounds," she informed him, staring at herself in the mirror. She'd been in the process of putting on her pajamas for the night. And even though she looked at her body every day, for some reason, tonight it had just struck her how pregnant she was looking. People were starting to touch her stomach. Strangers. And her boobs looked like she'd already gained a cup size; her face was also a little fuller.
He came up behind her and spread his palms over her protruding belly. He smelled like sweat and delicious musk and she felt her body already start to respond. "And what a good twenty pounds it is," he murmured, staring at her overflowing boobs, and she rolled her eyes, jabbing him lightly with her elbow. He smirked and unclasped her bra. "Come shower with me."
Maddie sighed, but followed him into the bathroom and watched him strip down, tossing his dirty clothes into the hamper. Underneath the spray of the shower and the warm steam, she watched him soap up his body and she felt like she was getting a private show, watching those muscles gleam and shift. She was half surprised she didn't faint with how fast the blood rushed from her head down to between her thighs.
"Caleb," she murmured and she knew that Caleb knew what she wanted.
He eyed her, already semi-hard himself, but he'd been denying them both for the past week now. Maddie knew it had something to do with her advancing pregnancy. Now that she was looking more and more pregnant, Caleb's delicate treatment of her had become even more maddening. They hadn't used his ropes for almost a week and a half now and when they did have sex, it was slower, not as intense. Not that she didn't enjoy it. He still restrained her hands and her orgasms were beyond powerful, but they felt more like long, drawn out, gentle waves, than a thunderstorm.
"Later," he said, swallowing hard. "Once a day, remember?"
Oh yeah, and he had that stupid rule. He thought that any more than that wouldn't be good for her. Her stomach had cramped up pretty badly after a particularly rigorous session a couple weeks ago and needless to say, it had freaked Caleb out enough to call her OB/GYN in the middle of the night.
She pressed her body against his, although her stomach didn't allow them to be as close as she would've liked. Still, she liked the heat of his skin, the feel of him.
He swallowed again.
"The doctor said it's normal for cramping. I'll be fine."
"Maddie … "
She brushed his lips with her own and his eyes closed as he grappled with control. "Just real quick," she whispered. "Please?"
The 'please' did it. With a growl, he turned her, placing her hands on the shower wall.
"Is this what you want?" he rasped, surging into her from behind.
"Yes," she moaned, eyelids fluttering closed in bliss.
Later, she was still in a daze when they turned in for the night. Maddie turned on her side, on her side of the bed, liking that they even had sides now, and smiled contentedly into Caleb's naked shoulder. He was on his back, tracing her thigh lightly with his fingertips.
Her breath hitched when she felt fluttering, soft movements from inside, the feeling still so alien that it took her by surprise every time.
"What is it?" Caleb asked.
"The baby's moving again," she whispered. A bigger thump came, near her belly button. "Oh!"
Caleb peered down at her stomach, even though the room was dark, and then she felt his warm hands. Caleb was the only person she liked touching her stomach.
"Can you feel it?" she asked.
"No," he started to say, but then the baby gave one more big thump. "I felt that."
His voice was soft, a little awed, and he kept his hands on her stomach until Maddie couldn't perceive any more movement. Caleb went silent and Maddie thought he might've fallen asleep. But then he said, "I still can't believe we're having a girl."