I feel this weird bursting feeling in my chest. I think it’s happiness, but I’ve never experienced it quite like this before. Nothing so whole or complete or excited as this.
And I don’t want to let it go.
For the first time, I reach for him without any shred of self-consciousness. Anton leans in and we kiss again, long and slow and gentle.
His hand traces the line of my back and I shiver against him. My hands clutch at the front of his shirt and even through my trembling, I manage to undo two buttons.
Of course, all that does is make me think about everything else that’s underneath his clothes. I can feel the throb of my heartbeat in my chest and lower, flooding my entire body. My clit is pounding so hard that I wonder if Anton can feel it, too.
Just as his hand wraps around to my waist and I think he’s going to cup my breasts, he finishes the kiss and pulls back.
I sway, unmoored and breathless. “What just happened?”
"There’s nothing I want more right now,” he clarifies. His hand grips my waist possessively, his eyes raking over me in obvious need. “But you just fainted, and I don’t want to be the cause of another episode.”
I roll my eyes. “You certainly have a high opinion of yourself.”
He shrugs and leans back a little, revealing the hard ridges of his chest. I actually feel a little lightheaded looking at him.
“Which is justified, in your case,” I add.
He laughs and leans in to kiss me one more time. “Get some rest. We can continue this when you’re up to it.”
I am disappointed, but I like the way he’s taking care of me. And I especially like the way he confirms that we’ll pick this up later.
The future—something I never thought I’d look forward to again.
My hand settles over my belly, and I look up to see that Anton is watching me.
'I still can’t quite believe it,” I admit.
Anton nods. “We’re having a baby.”
We.Anton and me.
We’re having a baby.
“Get some sleep," he says softly. "I have to go down and deal with a few things. I just wanted to talk to you first.”
“Okay. You’ll come up later?”
He smiles. “You couldn’t keep me out of here if you tried.”
He doesn’t kiss me again, but he brushes the side of my face with his hand before he goes. One is as good as the other. I watch him walk out of the room, and I feel a new sense of pride.
He’s mine.
But when he’s gone, nervous energy buzzes through my body, adrenaline thrumming through my veins. It makes me fidgety, desperate for an outlet. I realize that I haven’t checked my phone since I woke up.
It takes me a moment to locate it on the bedside table beside me. The first thing I notice is a bunch of missed calls and text messages, mostly from Chris and Freya.
“Shit.”
The happy little bubble I've been living in for the past few minutes pops.
When it was just Anton and me, everything seemed possible. Everything seemed manageable. But the moment I think past the two of us, I realize how complicated this will be.
I need to talk to them both, but I'm too much of a coward, so I text instead of call.