~Gael~
~Gael~
My father, especially, was proud of my choices. I've sought my father's approval for years, and I'm getting it despite trying to extract myself from the dark world we're in.
The De Lucas in New York have met pretty tough times, but the family has regained control. I love my father, but I think Giovanni taking over has been the best thing that happened since my great-grandfather's reign.
When I found out Angela and I were having a baby months ago, I was thrilled. There's going to be a new addition to our family and there's been a lot of changes ever since. It's such an interesting journey being married to my wife as I'm learning more and more about her each day, and I'm loving it.
Especially now that she's eight months pregnant. Oh, boy. Some say we're lucky that she didn't have such terrible morning sickness. But her mood swings, though… There was a point I thought she was altering between Jekyll and Hyde.
Angela is always exhausted too. She waits for me in the evenings after work, but several times I'd come home to her asleep on the couch. She started craving sweet food during our babymoon in Monaco. When we came back to Mayne, several times I came home to her with an empty tub of ice cream or any dessert on the coffee table—one time she fell asleep while eating. I think it's funny and adorable.
My wife has released three novels since Black Heart and there'll be two more upcoming releases to come out this week while the other would be during the week she's supposed to give birth next month.
I have to say, it's been a very interesting few months. At first, she tells me she wants sex for writing inspiration on some scenes in her book. But then I notice her sexual drive is through the roof and we've been having so much sex, I think she'd have enough inspiration to last her a hundred books.
Not that I'm complaining. Definitely not. I get lucky every day. I just thought that with her pregnancy, she'd be uncomfortable having sex. But it turns out she's horny all the time and I'm very much happy to oblige. What my wife wants, she gets.
The only thing that's been tricky over time was finding positions that she could be comfortable with. After all, her growing belly and the weight she's carrying have to factor in. So far, spooning sex has been great. She falls asleep right after too.
Angela going through pregnancy is such a beautiful thing to see. On top of that, she's been such a trooper, welcoming all these miraculous changes happening to her body. She's 35 weeks and our baby is the size of a honeydew melon. I've been to all the prenatal appointments with her, and on the weekends, we attend birthing classes.
We're on a level of intimacy that we haven't experienced before. And knowing that she's carrying my child? That's the sexiest thing that I've ever witnessed. There's this primal feeling I have deep inside me whenever I see her.
Moving to Mayne has been the best choice. We're far from the danger that lingers in my family in New York, but close enough to visit them whenever we want.
***
I just got home from work and I don't find her on the couch like usual. I did tell her it's better if she stays in the bedroom instead of down here so she's more comfortable, but she's stubborn and insists on waiting for me on the couch.
"Babe? I'm home!" I call as I remove my jacket and toss my briefcase on the nearest armchair out of habit.
Silence.
I'm sure she's here because the lights are on. Besides, she doesn't like going out at night. I don't make it a habit to come home late, but I've been trying to take on more load at work in preparation for my leave when the baby's here. It's only seven in the evening and she's usually either reading a book by the fireplace or watching Netflix. If I come home and she's still awake, I'd read her a book of her choosing.
"Angel?" I call again.
Footsteps padded on the second floor and then I hear her voice. "I'm in here."
I take the stairs two steps at a time. I haven't seen my wife since this morning and I missed her and our baby.
The light in her office is on and I head over while uncuffing my shirt and rolling the sleeves to my elbows. "Are you working? Shouldn't you be resting?" I enter the room and see her at the desk with a huge frame and lots of sticky notes on top of it.
"I'm not working—not really." Angela beams as she straightens, one hand on her back and the other stroking her round belly. She's wearing a stretchy tank top and leggings, her hair in a messy bun on her head, and I think she's the most beautiful woman in the world.
"Hi…" I cup her nape and kiss her slowly, my tongue stroking hers languidly and making her moan. As much as I want to take this further, I restrain myself because her energy these days is limited. I can wait until later.
Then I bend down on one knee and kiss our baby too. "How you doing in there, Bean? You didn't give your mommy a hard time today, did you?" I rub Angela's tummy and hug her for a while. I greet them both like this every day I come home.
"She woke me up while I was napping. I swear she has the timing down to a T. I felt her kicking and punching, or maybe she was dancing," she says with a smile on her face.
Little footsteps come from behind me and then Honey sits near my foot. I pet her for a bit and then she goes under the desk and lies down. She does that a lot these days—hiding and sleeping. She's already eighteen years old—too old. I honestly didn't think she'd live this long and have been preparing myself for when she passes. These months, she's been like Angela's shadow, following wherever my wife goes.
I rise to my feet and give Angela another kiss before glancing at her desk. "What are you working on?"
"Come." She takes my hand and shows me the frame. "It's a little project I'm doing."
"Wait…" I chuckle, pointing at a stack that looks familiar. "Are these the notes you stuck all over my bedroom that one night?" I pick it up and read through them as she explains.
"Yeah… And I've got others from our place in Brooklyn and Manhattan too." She shakes a plastic container that's full of it and nods at another storage on a chair. "The ones we've had here since we moved in are in that box."
"I forgot about these…" It was in storage when the house was sold. Angela got some stuff out when she filled the house.
"I've wanted to do this since we moved in, but I kept putting it off. When I couldn't go back to sleep earlier, I figured I'd finally do it."
I laugh at the note that brought back memories. It's a long one but I only read the last part. "There's a toy shop downtown named Sex You Later. I could have bought you a bag of dicks instead. Because that's what you are. A dick." The hell? "How did you even think of this? And is there really a store called that?"
Angela takes the note from me and giggles. "Oh yeah. I thought the store name was witty. That bag of dicks reference… It's inspired by one of my favorite authors' novellas. I thought it was funny. And frankly, you were a dick."
I snort, and then pick another one, smirking as I read. "Here's another one… I like to use your body wash on me so I'd smell like you when I crawl in your bed at night."
She slides her hand on my chest, fingering my collar, and wiggles her brows. "You know I still do that now, especially when you're at work and I'm all alone in the house." If this goes on, I'm not sure I can hold back anymore. I've been sporting a hard-on the moment I walk in that door.
Taking her hand, I plant a kiss on her inner arm—atop the colorful tattoo of a quill and books that covered her scar. I got a similar colorful quill on my back that the artist incorporated with my fallen angel tattoo. We got them during our honeymoon in Italy.
Flipping through the other notes, I notice a few I haven't read before. These must be the ones I didn't find.
[ But you know what? Even though you hurt me, I can't help but be drawn to you. ]
[ I can't help that I'm attracted to you. It must be the wine, but Gael, I think I like you. More than "like" you. ]
[ Do you think you could ever like me back? Will you like me more than the dream? ]
[ Can you keep a secret?
…I want to have your babies. ]
I turn my head to the side and meet Angela's gaze. She's biting her lip and looking shy.
I don't know what to say… But I do know what to do.
Carefully, I scoop her into my arms and bring her to our room where I'm going to show her how much I love her.
"Was that too much?"
I shake my head. "You are both my dream and my reality. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life making all your dreams come true, Angel."
She touches my face as I lay her down in bed. Then I tell her, "Right now, how about we practice that last note? We'll have to ask the doctor how soon I can put another baby in you."
My wife laughs, but I'm not joking. Angela pregnant with my child is sexy as fûck. And I want to have more babies with her too.