ANTONY
Everything is set for the engagement party, and I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet. I’m standing in mine and Erin’s room, staring at the outfit she bought for the party -- a stunning, full length evening gown, in dusty pink, with a bow that will rest just above her rounded stomach.
Erin steps out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, and I feel my erection pressing against my pants. She’s always been gorgeous, but none more so than now, carrying my child.
“Come here,” I say, crossing the room, only for Erin to hold up her hands.
“First, I’ll get your suit all wet, and second we don’t have time for that now. Later, I promise.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” I say with a smirk, and heat flashes across Erin’s cheeks.
I love that I can still make her blush even after months together. I hope it’s always like this.
“Are the twins ready?” she asks, drying herself off, and slipping into some form fitting maternity underwear, that accentuates not just the growing baby bump, but her voluptuous breasts, too.
“Yes, they’re ready and waiting patiently downstairs,” I say.
Elizabeth and Aaron are always good children, but today especially so, knowing how important the party is.
“Good. Go keep an eye on them so they stay that way,” Erin says as she sits down at the vanity table.
I love watching her do her hair and makeup, but I also know Erin needs a little time alone, to gather her thoughts before the party.
We’ve booked out the event room at the resort, and closed the restaurant for the night, so only those we’ve invited will be there -- which turns out to be half the town. Not that I mind, I want to shout it from the rooftops that Erin has agreed to marry me.
I head downstairs, where the twins are watching cartoons.
They look so grown up; Aaron in his little tuxedo that’s a miniature replica of mine, and Elizabeth in a blue dress reminiscent of the one Wonder Woman wears in the movie.
The princess of Themyscira is still my daughter’s idol, although she has mentioned more than once that when she grows up, she wants to be a doctor and take pictures of people’s insides.
“Are you both excited for the party?” I ask, announcing my presence in the living room.
“Yes, I can’t wait to show Evie the sword I have hidden in my dress,” Elizabeth announces, and I roll my eyes.
“You’re not taking a sword to the party.”
“But Dad!” Elizabeth whines.
The debate continues until Erin enters the room, and then we all fall silent, awestruck by how amazing she looks.
“You look like a princess!” Elizabeth says, eyes wide.
Erin crouches down and takes Elizabeth's hands. “So do you! You’re very pretty.” She turns to Aaron. “And you look so handsome and grown up.”
Erin straightens, and I see her subtly remove Elizabeth’s sword, and sneak it away out of sight. I give her an appreciative smile.
Erin takes her phone out of her beaded purse and sets it up balanced against the flat screen TV.
“I’m setting the timer, so everyone stands in front of the couch and says cheese!”
We gather around, and the twins say cheese just as the flash goes off.
The picture is a little blurry, and Aaron is looking away, but still, it’s beautiful and I know we will get many more wonderful photos as the evening progresses.
We head outside to the car, and then drive across town to the resort, which has been sectioned off for the evening to give us some privacy.
As an extra measure, myself, Dale, Auli'i, and Alicia have prepared the food in advance, and set up a series of buffet tables so that guests can serve themselves, meaning we can all have the night off.
We enter the event room, which is decorated in silver and gold balloons, streamers, banners and other such items, making it look stunningly festive.
The main floor has been cleared for dancing, with one wall hosting the bar, and the opposite wall home to the buffet tables.
Around the perimeter of the dancefloor are little tables that seat about four guests each.
Elizabeth and Aaron squeal with delight, and start throwing a balloon around, while Erin and I do a final check to make sure everything is ready before the guests arrive.
Then, for almost the next hour, we greet guests and accept their wishes of congratulations.
Ryan is first, with Alicia, who looks radiant with her rounded stomach.
Alicia’s oldest sister, Jackie accompanies her younger siblings, and as soon as Evie sees Aaron and Elizabeth, she races over to play with them.
Sebastian is next, with his date, Sarah, a woman he’s been seeing recently.
They’re followed by Auli'i and her boyfriend Kevin.
Next Dale arrives with his boyfriend Charlie, and then Joshua, who is dateless.
I’m surprised when Tucker turns up, for once not in his trademark leather jacket. Like Joshua, he’s dateless, though he did have lots to tell us about all the women he met in Florida. Too bad he didn’t win the surfing contest there.
When Erin’s friend Tina arrives, I notice Tucker checking her out, and vow to keep an eye on my younger brother. The last thing I need is him causing drama with Erin by sleeping with her friend, then dumping her.
Once we’re done mingling, the buffet table is opened, and people start helping themselves to food and breaking off into smaller groups.
I sit at a table with Erin, Ryan and Alicia, while the twins and Evie play nearby.
“I see Tucker has his eye on your friend,” Ryan comments, nodding over at our younger brother who is flirting with Tina by the bar.
Erin narrows her eyes, but before she can comment, I say, “Don’t worry. I’m keeping an eye on him. He makes one move towards her, and I'm on his ass. I don’t want any drama on our special night.”
Erin laughs. “Don’t worry, Tina can handle herself. I’m sure she knows Tucker’s reputation; she works in the salon after all. The place is gossip central.”
Still, neither Ryan nor I take our eyes off Tucker until he buys a bottle of beer, and heads to sit down with Joshua.
Once I think everyone has had at least one plateful of food, I signal for the sound system to be turned up, and those who want to dance fill the dance floor.
I stand and offer Erin my hand. “Can I have the honor of this dance?”
“I’d love to,” Erin says, lacing her fingers through mine as I help her to her feet.
We glide around the dancefloor with my hands on Erin’s waist, and her arms looped around my neck. Everything but the beautiful woman before me ceases to exist.
“You make me so very, very happy,” I say, gazing down into her warm brown eyes.
She smiles up at me, radiant like the sun, and I almost have to pinch myself. To fall in love once in a lifetime is rare, but to find love a second time after tragedy is even more precious.
“You make me so very happy too.”
When the song ends, I take Erin’s hand, and as she plugs a mic into the sound system, I call for silence. Everyone stops what they were doing and focuses their attention on us.
“Family and friends, thank you for joining Erin and I to celebrate our engagement. As many of you know, I tragically lost my first wife -- and mother of my twins -- May in a car accident almost four years ago. I never thought I’d find love again, but fate had other plans, and this remarkable woman entered my life.
She held my family together for years, and helped Elizabeth and Aaron grow into the wonderful children they are now.
I’ve been lucky enough to find true love not just once, but twice in my lifetime.
And soon, I will be blessed with another child. ”
Around us everyone starts applauding, and I hand the mic to Erin.
“Thank you, Antony. Beautifully said. But I’d like to add one thing -- Aaron and Elizabeth, you are the most wonderful children and I’m blessed to be part of your lives. I want to make it official, and let you know that whatever happens in the future, I’ll never leave you.”
Erin steps over to our table to retrieve her beaded purse, and then takes out two certificates, which she hands to Elizabeth and Aaron.
“Aaron and Elizabeth Braddock, will you allow me to adopt you, please?”
The twins start crying tears of happiness, as everyone around us cheers and applauds.
Erin and I sweep Elizabeth and Aaron up into our arms, hugging them tightly, until the twins calm down and give us their answer.
“Yes you can adopt us, Merin,” they say in unison, using the new pet name they’ve given her. Then they each kiss Erin on the cheek.
Celebratory music begins to play, and soon everyone is cheering again. The four of us stay huddled together for some time, and my heart feels light.
-----
It’s late when we return from the party. So late in fact that Aaron and Elizabeth fell asleep some time ago and had to be carried from the resort to the car, and then from the car to their bedroom.
Erin and I undress the twins carefully, and they only stir a little, before giving us sleepy kisses and snuggling under their comforters.
We remain in the doorway for a few moments just watching as they sleep.
“How did I get to be so lucky?” Erin whispers, the light from the hallway softly illuminating her face.
“I’m the lucky one,” I say, lacing my fingers through hers and leading her down the hallway to our room.
I watch, transfixed by her beauty, as Erin removes her makeup and braids her long, blonde hair for bed.
As she slips out of her evening dress and hangs it back in the closet, I admire her curves.
Her breasts are full and high, just the hint of nipples poking through her underwear, and I feel my arousal building.
I hurriedly remove my own clothes, taking much less care of my suit than Erin is doing for her dress. At that moment, I don’t care about a few wrinkles. All I care about is having my lips on her body.
I pull Erin to me, sucking on her bottom lip, before moving slowly across her throat and down her neck. I elicit a little gasp from her as I suck on the pulse point, and then, I trail my lips down towards her breasts.
I quickly remove her bra, and lead Erin to the bed, then remove her panties too, so she’s naked before me.
For a moment, I don’t know what I want more -- to have my cock buried deep inside her, or my head between her legs. In the end I decide plunging into her is always much more satisfying when her opening is slick with juices from coming, and I move down the bed.
I grasp Erin’s knees, pushing them apart, and kiss up from the knee bends to the apex of her thighs. I nestle myself into position, and lap at the juices already glistening on her pussy. My tongue swipes up from her opening, to circle her clit, and Erin’s hips buck.
I increase my pace as her back arches, and she rocks in a rhythm to match the speed of my tongue.
I suck on her clit until the little nub is throbbing, and I feel Erin’s legs tremble.
Easing back a little, I sit up, and insert two fingers inside, pumping them vigorously, as her inner muscles clench around me, and she cries out.
“Oh my god!”
I love the sounds she makes when she comes, and it makes my dick twitch in anticipation.
I give her a few moments to catch her breath, then move to position myself above her.
Erin opens her eyes, a lazy grin covering her lips, and she says, “Make love to me, Antony.”
I smile down at her. “I’d like nothing more.”
I plunge into her and for a moment the sensation is so intense I worry I’m going to come prematurely. Then Erin locks her legs around my hips, and we fall into a familiar rhythm. I reach out to entwine my finger with hers, my gaze never leaving her face.
I feel my peak coming and pound harder, flesh slapping against flesh. The sensation of Erin coming a second time, and her inner muscles squeezing my cock tips me over the edge, and I let out a groan of pleasure as I explode inside her.
We lay in a tangle of sweaty limbs, catching our breath, until our heart rates return to normal. I’m almost drifting off to sleep when Erin climbs out of bed, and insists I join her in the shower.
Once we’re cleaned up, and changed into pyjamas, we snuggle in bed, me spooning Erin so her butt is pressed against my lap. I bury my head in her hair, inhaling the scent of her perfume and let out a contented sigh.
“I love you, Erin Holland,” I whisper gently.
“I love you too, Antony Braddock,” she murmurs back sleepily.
I fall to sleep stroking her rounded stomach, where our baby grows within.