30. Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty
Shira
Me: I woke up covered in cookie crumbs.
Roman: Why do I find that cute?
Me: It really isn’t cute. Your son is ravenous. I’m afraid he’s going to be ten pounds when he’s born.
Roman: Ade was nine pounds. You should see his baby pictures. He was rotund.
Me: That isn’t making me feel better!
Roman: I’m sorry, baby. Your body is amazing, though. Have you seen how beautifully you’re growing our son? You can handle anything.
Me: I can’t cry. It’s too early in the morning for tears. Thank you for saying that.
Roman: You’re not allowed to cry, Shira. I thought I made that a rule.
Me: Then don’t be sweet, Roman.
Roman: I’m only stating facts.
Me: Sweet.
My head lolled against the seat of Clara’s car. I couldn’t remember a time I’d been so utterly relaxed. We’d spent the day at the spa. Every part of me had been rubbed, masked, scrubbed, and pampered, and my muscles were jelly.
Bea twisted around from the front seat to look at me. “You can’t fall asleep.”
“Just for a minute,” I mumbled.
“Nope. We have reservations. No time for napping. Besides, your hair looks too good to mess it up on a pillow.”
I huffed but forced myself to sit up. She had a point. After all my spa treatments, I’d gotten my hair blown out and my makeup done for the fancy dinner Clara had arranged for us. We were on the way back to the house to get changed, then we’d be off again.
“Fine. I’ll stay awake, but I won’t like it.”
Bea exchanged glances with Clara. “She’s sassy when she’s pregnant,” Bea stated.
“Very sassy,” Clara agreed. “I like it a lot.”
“That goes without saying,” Bea replied.
I waved at them. “Hello. I’m right here.”
Clara giggled. “Sassy.”
I wasn’t sassy. What I was was happy. The last two days had been exactly what I needed. Solid time with my best friends with no responsibilities away from the outside world. To myself, I could admit I was relieved to have some time away from Roman too.
I liked him, and I’d gotten used to falling asleep with his arms around me. Once Beanie was here and things went back to normal, I would miss that terribly. So, space was good and very much needed in order for me to collect my feelings and tuck them away in a jar stored in a far corner of my heart.
When we arrived at the house, Bea and Clara corralled me in front of them, which was strange, but I shrugged it off and went inside.
I very nearly peed my pants when a cacophony of voices yelled, “Surprise!”
The living room was covered in blue streamers, balloons, presents, and a banner that said, “Happy Baby Shower!” Standing in the middle were my handful of friends, including Terry, Annabelle, Gabriela, a few other women from GoldMed, and even Kit, with her baby, Brooke, in a wrap on her chest.
Behind them all was Roman. His eyes locked on me as he mouthed, “Heeyyy, Goldie.”
I burst into tears. Ugly, scrunched face, racking sobs. I cried so hard I couldn’t see or speak or move.
Warm, strong arms wrapped me up and pulled me into an even warmer chest. I pressed my face against Roman’s shirt, wetting it with the river flowing down my cheeks.
“Shhh. I know those are happy tears, but I can’t even stand those, baby,” he cooed. “Settle down. Settle and let your friends celebrate you.”
“What are you doing here?” I cried softly.
“Someone has to lug all your gifts home.” He chuckled, his arms holding me tighter. “Your girls told me this was happening, and I couldn’t miss it. That okay?”
“Yeah,” I quaked. “It’s okay.”
Bea’s soft body molded to my back, and her lips pressed against my crown. “If you go into labor, Roman will have Clara and me thrown into jail.”
I snorted a laugh and turned my face to see her. “I’m not going into labor. Everyone’s lucky we’re not standing in a puddle of pee, though.”
She curled her lip. “Okay, maybe surprising you wasn’t the most well-thought-out plan.”
Sniffling, I wiped my cheeks and eyes with the back of my hand and turned in Roman’s arms. He held me against him, his hands roaming over my belly before settling in the middle and cupping it possessively.
“What did you do, Beatrice?” I whispered, overwhelmed by the beauty of this gesture.
Clara crowded into our group, her hand on my shoulder. “We love you so much, Shira, and you and this baby deserve to be celebrated. I knew you’d never ask for this, so Bea and I decided to give it to you. Are you mad?”
I shook my head, biting on my lip to stop a fresh wave of sobs. “How could I be mad? This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
“Then come on. Let’s celebrate.” Clara took my hand in hers. “There’s cookies.”
With that promise, my feet came unglued, and I followed her into the living room, where all my friends were waiting.
Kit and Elliot’s first two children had her auburn hair. The newest one had thick, ebony hair, just like her father. She was tiny and adorable when strapped to Kit’s chest, but in Roman’s arms, she looked like a miniature baby doll.
He was holding her to give Kit a minute to eat, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He didn’t seem frightened by holding something so innately breakable. She was nestled in the crook of his arm, peaceful as he cooed at her.
Terry slid in next to where I was perched on a stool at the kitchen island. Retirement suited her. She’d cut her hair to little more than a buzz and had exchanged her power suits for athleisure. As shocked as I'd been by my departure from GoldMed, I was happy Terry finally got to relax after devoting so many years of her professional life to the company.
“I see it,” she stated.
“You do?”
“Mmm.” She rounded on me, stern and serious. “I was worried about you when you told me Roman Wells had gotten you pregnant. I truly thought you’d lost your mind. But now I see it.”
“Bright side, he’ll be a great dad,” I told her, knowing in my gut it was true.
One eyebrow winged. “That’s all?”
“That’s all. Well, we’ve become good friends over the last few months, which I think is important—”
“Okay, honey. Just let me know when the wedding shower is. I’ll be there with bells on too. That’s my bright side. I’m retired now, so I never turn down an invitation to a party.”
A laugh burst out of me. “Your bells are going to get rusty since that won’t be happening.” I squeezed her hand. “Thanks for coming all the way to Breck. It means a lot to me.”
“Of course.” She leaned closer, squeezing my hand in return. “I miss my friend, but seeing you move on like this makes his absence less hard to swallow. You need to make the most of this life you’ve got, Shira. Grab it with both hands.”
“I’m trying.”
She glanced over her shoulder at Roman then back to me. “Hope you don’t miss out on all the good that’s there for the taking.” Then she straightened and picked up a cube of cheese from the charcuterie platter on the island. “Now I’m in the mood to watch you open presents. Let’s get this party on the road.”
Presents were opened. Cheesy games were played. Everyone touched my bump when Beanie put on a wild rolling show. After Elliot appeared with Joey and Theo to collect his girls, a million hugs and kisses were given, loads of cookies and cake were eaten, and Roman and I closed ourselves in our bedroom.
We showered, laughed about the games, brushed our teeth together, and kissed in front of the mirror. He told me he’d missed me, and I shared my encounter with Francesca. We agreed Brooke was the sweetest little baby and neither of us could wait to hold our own boy in our arms.
Now, I was in his lap, his cock planted deep inside me, letting him rock me how he wanted. He’d already made me come twice, and I had become as malleable as clay. He had his mouth latched to my breast, my ass in his hands, guiding me up and down on his length.
“These are going to be full of milk soon.” He trailed his tongue around my pebbled nipples. “Will you let me taste it when they start dripping?”
“If you want to.”
He pulsed inside me. “Oh, I want to.” He pulled my nipple between his lips, drawing it deep. Imagining him drinking from me made my inner walls clasp at his cock and a flood of heat slickened my channel. He groaned around my flesh, and the vibrations made my head fall back, a sigh of pleasure escaping my parted lips.
“Can’t get enough of you, baby,” he crooned. “I think about these tits and the rest of you all day when I’m trying to work. You’re smart to keep them covered most of the time. Drives a man to distraction, knowing what’s under your clothes.”
“Roman,” I panted. “Stop talking.”
“Stop being so fucking gorgeous,” he gritted out as he arched into me, taking my breath away. “Can’t get enough. Can’t do it.”
When he brought his head up, I slammed my eyes closed. We were too close for it to feel safe to keep them open. He was looking at me, I knew that, but when my eyes were closed, I could pretend he wasn’t. It was better this way. Easier for both of us.
His fingers tangled in the back of my head, and he brought his mouth to my ear. “One of these days, Shira, you’re going to give that to me. Someday soon.” Then he fitted his other hand between us to roll my clit under his finger. “Now, give me another orgasm, baby. Let me feel you coming with me.”
Like always, when Roman took, I gave, and we fell together.
Once we caught our breath and cleaned up, Roman tucked me against him and stroked my hair. We’d spent a lot of time like this recently. Even as my belly grew, he managed to curve around me perfectly. It was nice to have this while I was pregnant. Going through it on my own would’ve been lonely. Mary snuggled, but not this well.
“We haven’t talked about a name.”
I started, jerking in his arms, and he chuckled.
“Was that a shocking statement?” he asked.
“Just lost in my thoughts.” I let my hand drift away from me, spreading my fingers over his ribs. I wished I had the nerve to stretch my arm across his broad torso and hold him the way he held me, but I didn’t know if he’d want that. “Do you have name ideas?”
“I think I’m a fan of the classics. Nothing newfangled.”
I snickered. “Newfangled? Okay, Grandpa.”
Laughing, he took my timid hand and stretched it across him like I’d wanted to do. “What about you? Do you have a list of names you like?” he asked.
“Not a list…” I’d sort of hoped we could skip this conversation and I’d just show him the birth certificate after I filled it out. Not that I didn’t want Roman’s input, it was just that once I’d thought of Beanie’s name, my heart had become set on it. So…I kind of didn’t want Roman’s input unless he agreed with my choice wholeheartedly.
I realized I couldn’t actually not involve him in this decision, though.
And that sucked.
He pushed up on his elbow, a line between his brows as he peered down at me. “No list? You have one name?”
“Yes. You can veto it if you like. I won’t say it won’t hurt my feelings, but we don’t have to choose the name just because I like it.”
“Shira.” He cupped my cheek, halting my spiral. “Just tell me.”
“Jonah. My mom’s name was Joanne, and I thought it would be nice to name him something similar. Just a little piece of her. But like I said, we don’t have to.”
His eyes darted between mine, the line deepening. “Jonah,” he whispered. “Jonah…yeah.”
He knifed up, splaying his hand beneath my bump. Then he lowered his face so he was nose to belly button with me. “Hey, Jonah. Your mom and I picked out your name. I hope you like it, buddy. You’re named after your grandma.”
My nose tingled. I bit down on my bottom lip to stop from crying yet another time today.
“You like it?” I squeaked hopefully.
He turned his head to grin at me when the baby kicked the hell out of us right on cue. My sweet boy liked his daddy’s voice already.
“I do. More importantly, it seems he does too. Jonah Wells.” He took his place beside me, planting a hard kiss on my lips. “I fucking love it, baby. Giving him a piece of his grandma will be really meaningful. And not for nothing, but Jonah Lomu’s one of the best rugby players of all time.”
“Then it’s perfect.” Serendipitous, almost. “You can pick his middle name if you want. I haven’t thought of that yet.”
“Yeah?” He touched his lips to my cheek. “That’s a big responsibility. I’m probably going to have to consult my council.”
“Your brothers?”
“Absolutely.”
I laughed. “I love the way you are with them.”
“We’re a mess.” He rolled his forehead along mine. “Just wait. In a year or two, you’ll be consulting the council for all your decisions too. You can be a mess with us.”
My lonely, only-child heart fluttered at the idea, trying to lasso around it to keep it as my own.
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” I murmured.
The thing about being lonely most of my life was it was difficult to believe that would ever change—even with this big, lovely man in my bed and a beautiful offer in front of me.
“Just wait, Shira. You’ll see.”
I closed my eyes, hearing Terry’s voice. “ You need to make the most of this life you’ve got, Shira. Grab it with both hands. ” Instead of dismissing Roman, I spread my fingers on his ribs and snuggled closer, taking what I had for now.
“We’ll see.”