Two years later
Max
“Hey, beautiful. It’s time to get up.” I have to shake Callie’s shoulder a few times before she finally rouses.
“Oh, it’s you.” Her voice sounds sleepy but also surprised.
“Did you think I was Miles?”
She reaches for my arm to keep me close. “No, I was dreaming that I was trekking along a jungle path. I was wondering why the guides kept calling me beautiful.”
I chuckle and tousle her hair, then bend to kiss her forehead. “Probably because you are. Did you sleep okay?”
“I was up twice to use the bathroom, but I got some solid hours in between.”
“That’s good. Are you hungry?”
“Always, but right now, I’m hungry for you.”
Callie’s belly has gotten so big that she gets worn out walking, and as her pregnancy progresses, I keep waiting for the day when she’ll be too tired or uncomfortable to have sex, but if anything, her sexual hunger has grown right along with her appetite for food.
Concerned about possibly harming the baby, Miles and I suggested we modify our bedroom activities several months ago, but Callie wouldn’t hear of it, and sent us articles attesting to the safety of sex during pregnancy.
Lucky us, because Callie has never been more gorgeous. It’s been exciting watching her body change, and though Miles has always had a particular thing for her ass, the way her breasts have swollen has been a distraction for both of us.
There’s also some sort of primal satisfaction in knowing that my brother and I are responsible for the way her body has changed. She’s ours, and one of us put that baby inside her.
I slide into bed behind her and nuzzle her ear. “I suppose we have time. What are you in the mood for?”
“Mmm, some of that good lazy morning sex.”
My arm wraps around her to toy with her nipples while I kiss her shoulder. My cock is already hard for her, and when I reach between her legs, she’s slippery wet.
“Were your jungle guides hot?” I tease.
“Mm-hmm. They looked exactly like you and Miles.”
My lips tug at her earlobe, as I part her legs with my knee. “Silly girl. Hormones are giving you some wild dreams.”
“They’ve been happy dreams, but not nearly as good as real life.”
“That’s good.” I’m glad she’s happy, because from my point of view, it’d be pretty damn hard for life to get any better.
Miles walks in fresh from a shower just as I’m pressing inside our wife. “Feeling lazy and horny, huh?” he asks Callie.
“Drop your towel and get over here,” she says.
Callie’s already in the middle of our big bed, so there’s plenty of room for Miles to lie down on her other side. Together, we make her come twice, and after I erupt inside her, Miles takes my place, I continue to tease her breasts, and we get her off once more before Miles finishes.
“No better way to start a day,” Callie says, sounding much more awake than she was a half hour ago.
Miles
Max goes into the bathroom, but I keep my arms wrapped around Callie, and stay inside her as I gradually go soft. She told me she loves it when I do this, and so do I.
“As soon as you have the baby, I want to get you pregnant again.”
Her head pulls back and she arches a brow. “Slow down there, mister. Even though my pregnancy’s been an easy one compared to stories people have told me, it’s no walk in the park. I’ll need a break before we go for number two.”
“I know. I’m mostly teasing, but I’ll be eager to knock you up again as soon as you’re ready.”
“From what I hear, we’re going to be lucky if we can find time to sleep once the baby comes, so we should probably wait and see how things go.”
I kiss her cheek and caress her arm. “Having three of us here should make things easier.”
“That’s true, and the two of you have definitely helped make my pregnancy easier. You spoil me.”
“We’d carry the baby for you for all nine months if it were possible.”
She gives me a goofy grin. “You can make up for it with diaper changes.”
“It’s a deal.”
Max reappears in an old t-shirt and shorts. “I’ll make your smoothie while you get ready, Callie. Would you like strawberry or peach today?”
“Oh, surprise me. Thank you.”
She chose to give up her coffee habit when she found out she was pregnant, and Max and I had the idea to substitute smoothies. She likes them, but she’s definitely looking forward to enjoying coffee again as soon as she can.
When our schedules allow, the three of us usually shower together, but we’re short on time today, so Callie goes in and takes a quick one on her own, and I jump in right after to rinse off again.
With only a little over a month until the baby comes, it’s time for the baby shower, and though Callie’s mother is the official host, the party’s being held at our house, since we have more space.
We moved into this house last year, and it’s been perfect for us. My favorite room is the one we set up for Callie for yoga, and I think I’m enjoying it even more than she is. We lined one wall with a mirror, just like a yoga studio, and it’s taken naked yoga to the next level.
There’s also office space for all three of us.
Max and I mostly work at the new field office that’s nearby, but it’s nice to have dedicated space at home, too.
We travel occasionally, but now that the baby’s coming, we’ll travel less and go separately, so that at least one of us will always be home to care for Callie and our child.
We recently got the good news that John Hargrove was convicted and sent away.
The supplier, Willie Gardner, was sent to jail several months ago, and Callie’s ex continues to be under investigation.
It turns out that Callie wasn’t the first woman he’d scammed, and his involvement with Hargrove wasn’t his first foray into drug dealing.
We hear there’s a big case building against him.
In the grand scheme of things, Callie was lucky that Rick Jansen robbed her and left, because things could have been so much worse for her if she were still involved with him.
And while his life is now in a definite downward spiral, our Callie finished her bachelor’s degree and passed the exam for her paralegal certification.
She’ll find a job when she’s ready, but she wanted to start a family first. When our kids are in school, or sooner if she’s ready, we plan to urge her to go for a law degree, because she’s well up for the challenge.
“You look beautiful,” I tell her, when I find her looking at herself in the full-length mirror in her walk-in closet.
She turns slowly, continuing to check her reflection. “This dress is a tent.”
I step in close and run my hands over some of my favorite parts of her body. “Tents don’t have curves as sexy as yours.”
“Mm … thank you.” She kisses me, then asks, “What are you and Max going to do today?” When I frown at her question, she adds, “You don’t have to stay for the party, you know.”
“I think we’ll hang around. Your mom might need help.”
As I say that, the doorbell rings, and Callie laughs. “Look what you did. You summoned her.”
Smiling, I give her one more quick kiss. “I’ll get it.”
Downstairs, both Ms. Baker and Sadie are at the door, their hands full of boxes and bags with gifts, decorations, and food.
I take their things from them, invite them in, and then go out to bring in the remaining items from Sadie’s car.
While I’m gathering things from her trunk, another car pulls in.
I was told the shower doesn’t start for another hour, so I’m surprised to see Callie’s great aunt climb out of the classic red sports car.
“Max, is that you?”
“It’s Miles, Aunt Iris. How are you?”
“I’m good, dear. Excited to come help you, Callie, and Max prepare for your beautiful baby’s arrival. Can you help with this?” She pulls a large yellow gift bag from her back seat, and hands it to me. “Which way’s the door? Can you escort me in?”
I offer her my arm, and she wraps her hands around it, leaning into me as we make our way inside, even though I know she’s perfectly steady on her feet without my help.
I’ll always be grateful to Aunt Iris for the part she played in kick-starting my romance with Callie, though I now believe that things were inevitable, even without her help. Something as right as the love we share was bound to find a way.
Callie
From the comfiest chair in the living room, I sit and finish my smoothie while I enjoy the view. I could look out toward the ocean, but I’d much rather watch Max and Miles as they hang streamers under Mom’s direction.
Other than the pastel crepe paper and some balloons, the party decorations are going to be fairly basic.
A couple of months ago, I got word from Sadie that Mom was researching baby showers and proposing elaborate ideas, so I had a talk with her, told her I wanted to keep things simple, and to my amazement, she immediately agreed.
Along with my husbands’ muscles, I also have my eye on the cupcakes that are on the counter, but I’ll wait until more guests arrive before I snag one.
“How’s Adam doing?” I ask Sadie as she arranges bowls of snacks on the coffee table.
“He’s good. He and Alexis are actually going to visit their mom today. If there’s been one silver lining to everything that happened, it’s that he and his mom are closer than they’ve been in years.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah, it really is. He had a lot of anger to work through about his dad, along with other emotions. It’s been like a grieving process, really.”
“I’m just glad you’re there for him.”
My sister flashes a smile. “Always.”
Over the next hour, I talk with Aunt Iris and make attempts to pitch in on party preparations, but each time I do, either Max or Miles immediately takes over for me.
“You know I don’t like sitting around,” I tell Max when he takes the stack of paper plates from me.
“I’d suggest you and your aunt walk down to the beach, but people will be arriving soon.”
So I hover around for a bit until the bell finally rings, and I’m excited to see that it’s my former roommates, Marissa and Ana.
Their lives—or more specifically, their men—have taken them in different directions, and they’re no longer roommates with each other either, but all three of us have remained great friends. They’re going to be honorary aunties.
We manage hugs, even though my belly and the gifts they’re holding make it difficult.
“You’re glowing brighter every time I see you,” Marissa tells me.
“I could say the same about the two of you, and I know neither of you are pregnant, but I have a pretty good idea what’s making you so radiant.”
The two of them exchange looks and then crack up. “When I went to pick up Ana to come here,” Marissa says, “I didn’t think her men were going to let her leave.”
“We had a busy morning,” Ana says with a shrug and a grin. “And it’s more like they weren’t going to let me get dressed.”
As the three of us laugh, someone else arrives behind them. Ms. Collins. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her, even though Max and Miles check in with her regularly, and still help out around her home and rental.
People start to flow in steadily after that, including Max and Miles’s mother and sister, and other relatives and friends including my former bosses from Big Daddy’s, who bring along a platter of mini sandwiches, which I suppose could be called Baby Daddies?
I get caught up in mingling, chatting, and snacking, and I’m not sure how much time passes before I happen to run into Max and Miles, who are stationed in the kitchen, refilling food and drinks.
“How are you doing?” Max asks, with the look of concern in his eyes that I’ve been seeing ever since we found out we’re expecting.
“I’m having a great time.”
“Did you see Ms. Collins and Aunt Iris talking?” Miles asks. “Apparently, your aunt asked her for her brownie recipe, and I overheard Ms. Collins telling her about the secret ingredient she adds when she makes a batch for herself.”
“Oh my gosh, no. Those two might be trouble together.”
“Yeah, they might,” Miles agrees.
“We were thinking of slipping out and going into work for a couple of hours, if that’s okay,” Max says.
“Sure. We’ll be fine here.” Despite my shock when I first found out about their profession, I’m so proud of the work my husbands do. They’re helping to make the world a safer place for our future kids and everyone else’s, and it’s so admirable, even if it does entail some sneaking around.
“We’ll be back in time to clean up,” Miles says. “Don’t you dare touch a single dirty dish.”
“So bossy. But don’t worry. We’re about to start playing games, and that will probably go on for a while. The first one’s going to be about guessing the baby’s gender and arrival date.”
Both of my men give me private smiles, their eyes sparkling. We know we’re having a daughter, but we haven’t shared the news with anyone else yet.
“Call us if you need anything,” Max says, as each of them gives me a tender kiss and a gentle caress on my belly.
What could I possibly need, when I have the two best men in the world? They keep proving themselves to me day after day, even though I don’t ask it of them. They’re steady, dependable, and loving, and they’re going to make wonderful dads.
I have everything I’ve ever wanted.