Thirty
Lily
“Morning, Sunshine.” Ethan’s voice was thick with sleep. His arms cinched around my waist, dragging me flush against him. The immediate, undeniable press of his erection against my lower back was a very familiar morning greeting.
“Again?” I let out a sleepy, satisfied groan, grinding my hips back just enough to confirm he was hard. Ethan was a beast last night. We made love three times, and I didn’t know if I could physically handle another round this morning.
“I’m always hard for you, Lily,” he growled, the sound vibrating against my skin as he nipped lightly at my earlobe. A shiver, immediate and electric, ran down my spine, raising goosebumps on my arms.
“And I’m freezing,” he mumbled, burrowing his face deeper into the pillow next to my ear.
I giggled. “Then let me scoot out and grab you another blanket, you big baby.”
“No,” he grunted, tightening his hold. “You can keep me warm.”
I continued to laugh at the ridiculousness of my husband.
“Besides,” he whispered, “it’s your fault I’m like this.”
I let out a fake shocked gasp. “How is it my fault, my dear husband? Do tell.”
“You married me,” he stated, kissing the sensitive spot right below my ear. “And all I ever want is to be inside you. Even when I’m this close, it still doesn’t feel close enough.”
“Oh, my God, Ethan! What has gotten into you?” I tried to wriggle free, but his hold on me was unbreakable.
Before I could argue further, he pinned me beneath him. He braced himself on his elbows, his eyes still half-lidded and dreamy, framed by dark blond hair that looked exactly like I’d been running my fingers through it all night.
He gave me that crooked, sleepy grin that always made my insides melt like a popsicle on a hot summer day.
His gaze trailed down the length of my naked body, lingering on the pale skin of my stomach.
He leaned down and pressed a slow, deliberate kiss just above my navel, making me flinch and gasp at the delicious warmth of his mouth.
He leaned his head back, his gaze intensely focused on mine, the sleepiness replaced by a raw hunger. “I want to put more babies inside you,” he growled as he continued to trace his lips lower, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
I swallowed hard, the flirtatious mood suddenly colliding with the secret I was holding. I caught his jaw in my hand, forcing him to meet my gaze fully, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“Ethan,” I said softly, my playful tone dissolving. “You’re going to have to wait nine months before we can try again.”
He froze, his lips just above my belly button. He lifted his head slowly, his expression shifting from predatory to utterly bewildered. “Wait. What are you saying?”
I bit my lower lip, running my thumbs over his stubbled cheek, trying to keep the tears of happiness at bay.
He didn’t wait for me to confirm. His eyes went wide, and he scrambled off me and into a sitting position on the bed. “Are you… are you pregnant?”
I nodded, a huge, watery smile breaking across my face. “Yeah. I found out yesterday. I planned on telling you today.”
His smile widened, taking over his whole face, radiating pure, unfiltered joy, like a little boy who woke up to a pile of presents under a Christmas tree. “We’re having another baby. Jake’s going to have a brother or a sister.”
My smile widened. “Yeah, he is.”
We stared at each other for a long, silent moment, the kind of silence that held the weight of the world and a lifetime of shared dreams.
“I love you, Lilliana Iris Hartley.”
“And I love you, Ethan James Hartley.”
He leaned down, ready for a deep kiss, but I quickly turned my face away.
“Ew! Morning breath, baby. Let’s go brush our teeth; then we can kiss.”
He lunged, trying to trap my mouth with his. “Screw that. Give me a damn kiss, woman!”
“Ethan!” I burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Lily?” Ethan’s voice, soft but firm, gently nudges me out of a truly blissful dream. My eyelids feel heavy, stuck closed for a moment.
I blink several times, slowly taking in my surroundings. Bright, tall windows, the sterile scent of antiseptic, and the familiar sight of an IV-line snaking into my arm. I sigh. Chemo treatment. Again.
I turn my head, finding Ethan settled in the chair beside me. His blue eyes, usually so vibrant, are clouded with that now familiar, worried concern. “What’s the matter?” I ask, licking my lips.
He swallows, a visible bob in his throat. “Nothing. Just… wanted to make sure you were still breathing.”
I manage a small, tired smile. “I’m still breathing, Ethan.”
“What were you dreaming about?” he asks, a slight change of subject, maybe to lighten the mood.
My cheeks warm. I turn my face slightly away, suddenly embarrassed to tell him that, even in my sleep, he was the star of the show. “Nothing,” I murmur, pulling the fleece blanket higher.
“Liar,” he scoffs softly. “Come on, tell me.”
I hesitate. “I was dreaming of the morning I told you I was pregnant with Maddy.”
Neither of us speaks for a long moment, letting the memory hang in the air.
After a beat, I turn back to him. His eyes are shining, but he quickly blinks. “I remember that morning,” he croaks, clearing his throat. “It’s a great memory.”
“Yeah,” I respond, my own voice quiet. “It really was.”
The nurse takes that moment to enter. “Hi, Lily! How are you feeling today?” she asks, smiling kindly as she checks my IV drip.
“Tired,” I admit, adjusting my neck pillow.
She nods. “Only twenty more minutes on this bag, then you can get out of here. Do you need anything before I go?”
I shake my head and glance at Ethan. “Do you want anything?”
“No, thank you,” he responds, but his gaze remains fixed on me as if I might vanish into thin air if he looks away.
“Alrighty then,” the nurse says, scribbling something on her chart. “I’ll be back to unhook you in a bit.” She gives us a quick, warm smile and exits.
“Ethan,” I begin, reaching for his hand, “I really do appreciate you being here with me.”
He squeezes my hand, his thumb stroking the back of my knuckles. “I would do anything for you, Lily. You know that.”
And I do. I know he means it with every fiber of his being.