“Like it?” I asked, knowing already that she would.
“Of course. But, you know, a simple birthday dinner at a restaurant would have worked too.” She turned back around to face me, and the look in her brown eyes … that was far more beautiful than anything else in here … anywhere.
“True.” I grinned. “But that would have required clothes.”
“Yes.” She reached up and pulled off my hat. “The last thing I want between us now is clothes.”
I pressed my thumb against her lips, failing horribly to not be eager. “Forgive me.”
“For?” She kissed my thumb.
“For not being more gentle,” I confessed, leaning to kiss her.
“Who said I wanted gentle?”
The moment the door closed behind us, everything happened far more quickly than I planned. One moment I was on my feet, the next she was pushing me on to the bed. yanking her coat off as well as my own. Her pants and boots came off and she sat right on top of me. Lifting her shirt overhead, I sat up kissing between her breasts as she shoved her hands down my pants. I kissed up her neck as she grinded against me. My hands lifted up her bra, gripping on to her breast.
“Ugh…” We moaned together as her tongue entered my mouth. She allowed me to move my hands between her thighs, and she gasped, breaking away from me.
“Levi.” Her lips parted, her hand on my chest. As I held her in the palm of my hand, I could feel her melting.
“You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted you…” I whispered, taking her nipple between my teeth. How eager I was to fuck her crazily … and make love to her for hours. But a quickie first … just to … just to … ahh fuck…
“Levi … please.” She rocked against my fingers; every time she spoke, it was glorious. I was so hard I could barely think straight, yet seeing her like this, I could handle it. I could keep holding off.
But apparently she couldn’t.
“Thea.” I jumped when she grabbed ahold of me. My head tilted back as she stroked me. She couldn’t do this. I was already on the edge, my vision hazy.
Not like this.
I wanted to be in her when I came. Gripping her waist, her brown eyes met mine, as I slowly lowered her onto me. My mouth dropped open, and my whole body shivered at how she sucked me in, her walls tight around me.
“Fuck.” She hissed, hands were gripping on my shoulder as I slide in and out of her. Sweat coated all of her, and I licked the drop that rolled down her neck.
“I can’t…” she muttered, slamming herself harder against me.
“Jesus,” I moaned, holding on to her as I thrust harder, matching her movements, the whole bed rocking with us. Sweat rolled from my forehead into my eyes, and even as it burned, I couldn’t stop myself from going deeper and harder into her.
“Levi!” She sang out, but I was nowhere near done and letting myself enjoy how her breasts bounced freely as her nails dung into my arms.
Kissing her, biting her lip, squeezing her ass as she rocked from the force of her orgasm … I took pleasure in it all.
“Thea!” I gasped, finally spent, and we both collapsed onto the bed. Her breasts against my chest. My hands on her back. The smell of sex that we both breathed in, breathing each other in.
“Both of us were a little eager.” She giggled on top of me.
Smirking, I ran my hand down her back. “Eager is good.”
“Kinda like the first time we were together?” She rested her head on my chest.
“We need to have sex in our car again,” I said, remembering.
“Not comfortable.” She kissed my chest and frowned. “Only when we’re really desperate.”
At that, I smirked. “Deal, until then…”
“Shower.”
I fucking loved her.
THEA
His hands gripped my thighs, lifting me up and toward the shower, only putting me back on my feet when we were both inside. Staring into my eyes, he turned on the faucet, and I shivered, my nipples hardening under the coldness as the water rained down on us.
“We can do this one of two ways, Mrs. Black: hot or cold.”
“Cold is…”
“Gentle.” He kissed me softly, his lips lingering on mine.
“And hot?” I whispered when he broke away.
He smirked, turning me around. I braced my hands on the shower wall as he grabbed my breast from behind and squeezed.
“Take your pick.” He bit my ear.
“Hot. Definitely hot.”
He let go of one my breasts as he changed the water temp. I shivered as the hot water poured down my back. One of his hands traveled the down my back, and gripped my ass, as the other found its way between my thighs.
“Levi,” I gasped, my hand gripping his between my legs.
“Relax, and rock with me, baby,” he whispered, and I bit my lip as his fingers went in and out of me quickly.
“Levi … I…” I couldn’t even form words; my body was on fire, in all the right ways.
Breathing deeply, he pressed me back against the wall and I could feel him against my back.
“Ah…” I bit down on my lip as he entered me.
SLAM.
“Jesus,” I cried out, my eyes rolling back as he fucked me.
“No, just me.” He pinched my nipple when I turned to the side he kissed never once stopping as he thrust forward into me.
Our tongues rolled over each other’s.
“Fuck,” he groaned, when he broke away from me. He grabbed onto both sides of my waist, and all I could do was brace myself against the shower wall. The heat of the water dripping down on us was nothing compared to the heat of him as he…
Slam.
Slam.
Slam.
“Fuck … I … yes...” I cried out, barely able to breathe. Trembling at the force of him. I felt myself sliding down to the ground but he held on to me tighter. “Levi…”
“Ugh,” he moaned from behind me, kissing my neck.
LEVI
“I’m blaming you,” I whispered, leaning back and closing my eyes.
“You can’t blame me for anything on my birthday.” She laughed. “So, for the record, what are you not blaming me for?”
I opened my eyes and stared up at the wooden ceiling; “I had a plan. Show you the treehouse. Open a bottle of champagne. Make love. Listen to some albums. Dance maybe. Then eat. Eat cake. Lick icing off you. Fuck you mad. Then hold onto you until the morning, and give you your Valentine’s present. But no … someone just had to jump me.”
“Me jump you!” She gasped, turning around to face me.
I nodded. “Yes, jump me. Round one … who was on top?”
Her mouth dropped open, and she tried to move away, to the other side of the hot tub. “Someone couldn’t hold himself back, and suddenly it’s my fault. I see how it is—wait, Valentine’s Day present?”
She sat on my lap and stared me down.
Tiredly, I smirked at her.
“Levi…”
“Shh…” I knew she hated when I did that, but I also hated it when she complained that I was doing so too much. “If anything, you deserved it after the last weeks of pregnancy.”
She groaned, laughing at herself as she put her head on my shoulder. “It’s weird. I barely remember the pain.”
“Oh, I do.” I’d never forget.
PREGNANCY: MONTH 9
LEVI
“I want him out,” she cried, bouncing as she paced back and forth in the bedroom. “Why isn’t he coming out? He was due over a week ago. Make him come out!”
What could I say?
I was so tired, I knew I didn’t have anything intelligent to add to this conversation.
“Please come out … please.” She rubbed her stomach, tears streaming down her face. “I’m not sure I can do this. Levi—”
“Shh.” I got up off the bed, trying to reach out for her, but she smacked my hand away.
“If you can’t get him out, then don’t shh
me!” I sat back down on the edge of the bed. “We’ve had sex. I’ve eaten so much spicy food I could breathe fire. I’ve tried yoga, I hate yoga, and walking and rubbing my boobs! Even damn castor oil! I’ve done my time; why won’t he come out?! I’ve been trapped in bed for the last month. I’ve given up wine, and you know I like wine. I’ve had to pee every ten minutes. I haven’t see my toes in God knows how many weeks. I can’t shave anything; I swear I’ve gotten ingrown hairs. I waddle like a fat duck. I can’t sleep comfortably, because now, if I lay still, he kicks the hell out of me. Come on! Please. Please—ahh!”
When she clenched the side of her stomach, I went over to her.
“Are you—”
“No!” she screamed. “He’s kicking! He’s going to be a handful! He’s kicking me for yelling at him! Oh, you better … be so cute or else I’m returning you.”
I snickered, helping her onto the bed. “I’m not sure that’s how it works.”
She glared at me for a moment before putting her hands on her face. “I’m tired, Levi. I’m so tired.”
“I know.” I kissed the top of her head. “I know, baby, but it’s almost over; he can’t stay in there forever.”
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone, yawning, but immediately closed my mouth when she glared at me again.
“Are you tired?” she asked softly … a little too sweetly, and I knew it was a trap so I shook my head.
“Me? No. Hello?” I asked, getting up off the bed.
I glanced down at her as she tried to sweetly talk our son into coming out, and answered my mother. “She’s … hanging in there.”
“Poor thing, just try to remain calm. Rub her feet too—”
“Mom, I got it. Enjoy the New Year’s Party, and don’t worry about us, okay?”
“It’s not the same if you’re not here … all of you.”
“Next year, all of us will be—”
“Or he could just stay in for another full year. Who knows, maybe I’m a frilled shark.” She threw her arms up in frustration.
“A what?” I shouldn’t have asked, but apparently, I couldn’t help myself.
“Did you know a frilled shark stays pregnant for three and a half years. I didn’t, but since I was stuck in bed for a month, I got to learn all about them. For three years, they are stuck swimming about in the ocean, holding up to six kids in them. Meanwhile, the male sharks are just going about their lives. Sleeping in whatever comfortable position they want. Sneaking scotch when they don’t think anyone will notice…”
“Mom, I’m going to call you back,” I muttered into the phone, only to hear her laugh at me as I hung up.
“Thea…”
“Nope. No. It’s fine. I understand you went out on business … cool.” She muttered rubbing her stomach.
At this point I was desperate, sitting back on the bed and putting my hand on her stomach. Trying not to smile when I felt him kick because I knew how much it hurt her but I couldn’t help it.
“Son,” I spoke to her stomach. “For the sake of my sanity, please—”
“Your sanity?”
“Would you like ice cream?” I cut in again; she crossed her arms and didn’t say anything.
Nodding, I got back up. “I’ll be right back.”
“Sprinkles on top!”
She didn’t have to remind me. In fact, it was hard to forget because it was all she wanted now. Vanilla ice cream with rainbow sparkles and hot chocolate. I was doing my best to be calm, but she was driving me up the damn wall. Everything I said bothered her. Everything around her annoyed her. I wanted to bang my head against the wall and beg for this kid to come out alright. And the doctors wouldn’t induce for another two days. Two days. Forty-eight hours. I could do this…
“LEVI!”
“I’M COMING!” I hollered back, grabbing the hot chocolate.
“LEVI!—”
“THEA, I SWEAR—”
“THE BABY … UHHH!”
Everything fell out of my hands as a chill worked its way up my spine. Hearing her cry out again, I ran down the hall and up the stairs three at time before making it into the room, where she at on all fours, the water stain on the bed obvious as she gritted her teeth.
“You swear, what? AH … UH!” she cried, rocking back and forth. I just stood there. “LEVI!”
“Right! Right!” I said, rushing to grab the baby bag by the door, my keys, and wallet, while trying to think what else we needed. “Do I have everything?”
“No, me! You’re forgetting me!” she screamed, and I rushed beside her, helping her walk. “Ahh ow … it hurts … ughh!”
“AHHH!” I hissed as she grabbed my arm like she was trying to break it.
“Ohhh.” She exhaled, as did I.
“Come on.” I ushered her forward slowly, holding her tightly when we got to the steps. Why she’d gone upstairs today of all days was beyond me, but I couldn’t tell her that. Slowly, we walked and walked until we made it into the garage.
“AHH! Damn it!” she cried, reaching out to grab me again but I ducked rushing to throw the bag into the back and racing in front of the corner.
“Just breathe, baby. Just breathe—”
“I am breathing! This is me breathing! AHHH.” She gritted her teeth, reaching out and grabbing my thigh as I pulled the car out.
Biting my lip as her nails dug into my skin kept me focused on the road, hitting the Bluetooth to dial our doctor.
“Levi, how is everything—”
“He’s coming!” Thea hollered into the phone.
I nodded. “We’re on our way to the hospital now, Doc—shit!”
“What?” they both said.
Thea simply looked up and out into the traffic, and then repeated after me, “Shit.”
“We’re getting stuck in traffic—”
“How far apart are the contractions?”
“I don’t know … like four or five—”
“Three! Three minutes ... ahh … ahh…” Thea started crying, gripping on to the dashboard.
“I want you both to be calm but…
“Ohhh! AHHH!! I need to push!”
“What?” I yelled at her. “We aren’t that far—”
“I need to push!” she cried out.
“Quick, Labor and Delivery,” Dr. Cohen stated on the phone. “Levi, pull over on to the shoulder.”
“You’ve got to be—”
“Pull over!” she screamed, already yanking down her sweats.
Doing as they said, I pulled onto the shoulder lane.
“Do you see the head?”
“The head—”
“Yeah ... yes…” Thea laughed and cried and looked up to me, but I could barely see her through my blurred vision.
“Okay, breathe slowly. Levi, support her. Thea, reach down, support him.” I grabbed her shoulders, as she cried out.
“Okay, Thea, push with the contractions. As the baby's head begins to emerge, support his head, but do not pull on it. Hold the head in a slightly downward position, okay? Levi, check her hands.”
I did, and I saw him. My son, the dark brown wisps of his hair.
Thea cried out again, and I held on. “That’s it, baby. Come on … push.”
“He’s coming!” I yelled out.
“Check … the umbilical cord … it’s not around his neck.”
“No!” I called out as Thea gasped.
“Okay, easy now, his shoulders—”
“He’s coming!” Thea cried out and pushed one more time. I held my breath alongside of her. And the very next sound left me crying, as he cried out, screaming in her hands.
“Make sure nothing is in his nose or mouth, and don’t cut the umbilical cord. Thea, keep him on your bare chest, and Levi get here as quick as possible. And happy new year.”
I glanced back at the clock. 12:03 AM.
“Oh my God!” Thea cried as I helped bring her shirt down, tearing it a little bit. “Levi…”
“I know.” I wiped
my nose, and laughed as I got back in the driver’s seat. I pulled off on the exit and drove toward the backroad.
“Hi ... hi…” Thea stroked him as he cried on her chest, cleaning his face with the ripped part of her shirt.
“He’s here.” I laughed again. I couldn’t believe it. He was here. I wasn’t sure what do but just laugh and drive.
It took us another seven minutes to get to the hospital. Once he got their Dr. Cohen, he stood a head taller than everyone else, as if his red hair didn’t make him stick out enough. He was my sisters doctor and truthfully a workaholic, but it was a godsend since he always answered our calls.
Pulling to a stop in front, he and a bunch of nurses were ready. Wrapping Ulric in a blanket, double checking his mouth and nose, Dr. Cohen cut the cord, and the others carefully helped both Thea and Ulric out of the car, allowing me to breathe for the first time since … since the bloody new year.
“We’ll see you inside, Mr. Black!” Dr. Cohen called out to me, then focused on Thea as they wheeled her in on a stretcher.
Pressing the phone button once more, I made another call to the person I could count on to call everyone else.
“Levi, my boy. Happy New Year!”
“Dad … he’s here. And he’s perfect.”
BABY: DAY 45
THEA
I laughed, getting out of the hot tub as he reminded me of that day. “At least I don’t have to worry about him not listening to me.”
“How so?”
“I told him not to make me labor for hours. He listened.”
“Do you mind telling him to go to sleep between the hours of nine and six like everyone else?” He laughed, and I rolled my eyes, and yawned.
He pulled out two gifts.
“Levi—”
“It’s officially Valentine’s Day, because someone spent her whole birthday hovering over our son.”
“Someone sounds jealous…” I sang, skipping, yes skipping, over to him like I was a teenager and not a twenty-seven-year-old mother of one. Sitting next to him, I rested my chin on his shoulder.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.”
The first box … held my rings. He took out the pear-shaped diamond and slid it back to where it belongs on my ring finger.