15. Riley
Chapter 15
Riley
Six Months Later
The sun blazed through the window, the heat pressing against my swollen belly as I hunched over my drawing tablet. It was the first accessory I bought for my laptop after getting a mural project for the bakery Blake stopped at several days each week.
Sweat beaded on my forehead as I sketched another panel of the ad I was creating. Who knew my graphic design degree would ever make me any money, but I loved what I was doing. Even though it was getting harder to sit still for hours at a time. Despite the occasional shooting pain from my sciatic nerve, I willed my hand to stay steady as I added some fine facial features to the grandma in the drawing.
Whose idea was it for me to be at my fattest and most miserable during the summer months? It was still spring, and I wasn’t sure I’d make it to my August due date.
Arching my back, I shifted in my chair and tried to find a comfortable position. "Come on, little one. Let Daddy work." I rubbed soothing circles on my stomach, hoping to calm our cub enough to stop the kicking.
The baby responded with an enthusiastic jab to my ribs.
“Fine! You win. Again.” I put down my stylus and leaned back, fanning myself with a magazine.
The house was too quiet without Blake at home. I missed him on the days he worked. It was only four days a week, but they were long days and felt like they lasted forever. Just a few more hours, and I’d have him all to myself for the next three days.
My phone chimed with a new email. Another potential client wanted a quote. Since posting my listing for custom comic strips, I’d been getting daily requests from ad agencies and small companies looking for something creative. My fledgling business was taking off, but today I couldn't summon the energy to feel excited.
Everything felt like too much effort in this heat.
"We're doing okay though, aren't we?" I murmured to my bump. "Daddy just needs to finish this so we can be present with Papa tonight when he gets home."
As if on cue, I heard the familiar rumble of Blake's car in the driveway.
I glanced at the clock as I heaved myself up and waddled to the front door.
A moment later, Blake burst in with his arms laden with bags. The scent of fried chicken and roasted vegetables filled the air, making my mouth water instantly. "What are you doing home so early?"
"It was slow, so I took off. Thought I'd surprise you.” He handed me one of the bags. “Mom made me pick up some of her famous Brussels sprouts."
I peered into the bag, spotting a box of donuts nestled beside the chicken bucket. "You got donuts too? You really do love me."
"I do.” He plucked the bag from my hand and took it to the kitchen with everything else. “I wouldn’t dare forget what my omega's craving most."
Tears pricked my eyes as I threw my arms around him, belly and all. "You're the best alpha ever."
Blake chuckled, pressing a kiss to my temple. "Let's get you and our little cub fed."
As we settled in to devour our unconventional dinner, I felt more comfortable than I had all day. It was still hot as hell outside, but having my alpha beside me made everything so much better.
Okay, I lied. I could be miserable even with Blake at home.
“Lower!”
He pressed his thumb into my back and rocked it. “Here?”
“Yeah, but no.” I threw my head toward the armrest of the couch I was leaning over. “It’s like… internal. I don’t think you can reach it.”
Blake leaned down and kissed my bare skin. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I wish I could make it better.”
“I know you do.” As a doctor, he was used to always curing people. Having a procedure or medication to fix whatever ailed a person. But with me, the person he loved most, he couldn’t. And I could see how much it bothered him, which was why I tried not to complain too much.
At least not when he was home.
When Blake was at work, I complained a lot. Mumbling to myself and whining about not being able to tie my shoes or get comfortable in the seatbelt. But he didn’t need any extra stress.
“How about we take a bath?” I turned around so I could face him. “The new tub is one of my favorite places to be.”
“You want to?” Blake had installed a huge bathtub so we could easily fit in it together. Even though I wasn’t supposed to take hot baths, floating in the cool water made everything feel better. Especially on hot days.
“Yeah. You can wash me…” I put my hand on his chest and trailed down toward his waist. “And I can wash you.”
Blake chuckled. “Are you feeling dirty, omega?”
I raised an eyebrow. “As if you have to ask.”
“A cool bath, it is.” He kissed my cheek and then hopped up and held out his hand to help me to my feet. Once I was steady, he took off to our bedroom.
Not only did I move slower in general, but I usually needed a minute after standing up to get all my bones and tendons and creaky parts in place before I started walking. According to Mama Bev, being pregnant and being old had a lot in common. Every day that passed, I understood that at a deeper level.
At least, at the end of this journey, I’d have a bouncing baby bear.
Every time I thought about rocking our baby to sleep or holding it to my chest to feed, a warmth filled my belly. Unfortunately, warmth was not what I needed in this moment, so I started tugging off my clothes as I went to the bathroom.
The tub was only half full, but as soon as I lowered myself into it, the water moved much closer to the top. And when Blake slipped in behind me, the water level hit the drain holes at the rim.
“Oops. Too much water.” He chuckled as his hands wrapped around me, holding me in place against his chest. “Next time, I’ll add less until after we’re sitting inside.”
I scoffed. “Pretty soon, you’re not gonna be able to fit any water in here with my ginormous body taking all the space.”
Blake ran his fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp as he kissed the back of my neck. “We don’t need a lot of water, sweetheart. Just enough to make your belly buoyant so you’re more comfortable when I do this.” He slid his arms down and under my thighs, and then lifted me high enough that the tip of his hard cock pressed against my hole.
This was my new favorite way of making love.
Reclined against my alpha with him spearing me from behind and the water helping him lift me up and down so I didn’t have to exert any energy. It was the perfect way to get my daily dose of him. “Gawd, yes. I need your knot.”
He continued to kiss around my ear and neck as he slid inside me, lowering me until I was fully seated against his body, and we both moaned in contentment.
“Fuck, how are you always so damn tight?”
“My body knows what you need.” I closed my eyes and rested my head against his shoulder. “And you know what I need.”
Blake’s hand closed around my cock, and he began to stroke as he lifted me by my ass cheek with his other hand. My man was so strong and generous, always paying attention to the sounds I made so he knew when to keep going at one speed and when to mix things up when my skin became too sensitive.
As usual, he took me to the edge quickly and then backed away, teasing me as the water cooled even further.
“Are you ready for my knot, sweetheart?” His pace sped up, and he was a bit more forceful as he slammed into me.
“Yes, alpha. I need it.” And I did. I needed every wave of pleasure and every spike of pain. Every drop that was released and every extra centimeter of space his knot filled up.
As long as he was willing to give so much of himself to me, I was there to take it. Every last touch.
Blake came with a grunt, and as his knot expanded inside me, I came too, shooting a ribbon of cream into the water as it mixed with everything else.
We would shower off the mess later. But right then, neither of us moved at all.
Blake held me in his arms, his cock locked inside me as we breathed in sync, our hearts beating in unison as they always would.