7: Chapter 7

RYAN

Ryan felt a pang in her heart as the Livingston family erupted with cheers and congratulations. She wondered if her own family would’ve reacted the same way.

She missed her family every day, and not being able to share this news with them made it worse. But she tried to be happy for Marco, and for his family’s obvious joy.

“Are you all right, kitten?” Marco murmured in her ear. He was too damned observant sometimes.

“Morning sickness is kicking in,” she lied.

Connie heard this and went into mom-mode. “You go and rest; I’ll have Marco bring you some tea to help settle your stomach.”

She nodded and let Marco help her up.

Roberto looked up at Marco as he led her out. “Are you going to marry her, son?” he asked bluntly.

Marco blushed. “We’re just taking it one day at a time right now.”

***

Up in the bedroom, Ryan felt nauseous after all, but she didn’t throw up.

“Here you go, kitten,” said Marco, handing her a mug of the herbal tea his mother had insisted he take to her. “Feeling better?”

She nodded. “Give me a few more minutes and I’ll come back down.”

“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day,” he said. He was still wearing just swim trunks and a T-shirt, so he grabbed some fresh clothes from his suitcase.

“I told them that we were just going to turn in for the night. I’m going to take a shower, and afterward we can watch a movie if you want.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. It was like he had a sixth sense for when she was feeling overwhelmed and needed a break.

“As for tonight… I can take the floor if you want.”

“It’s fine, Marco,” she said. “We’re adults. We’ve shared a bed before. I’m sure we can handle doing it again.”

She said this, but she wasn’t completely convinced. Could she really fall asleep next to him without climbing on top of his dick? She’d been fantasizing about it for so long.

As it turned out, she didn’t need to worry about it. She was so exhausted, she found herself drifting off even before she heard the shower turn on.

MARCO

Ryan was already asleep by the time Marco came out of the shower, and he crawled in bed next to her.

Every part of him wanted to pull her close and ravish her body, but he didn’t. Something about her letting him close like this felt important in its own way.

When he awoke the next morning, Ryan’s head was on his chest, an arm draped across his stomach. He had his own arms wrapped tightly around her. He let himself enjoy it for a few minutes as she made little waking-up grumbles.

Once she was awake enough to realize, she quickly pulled away. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said, placing his hand on her stomach. “How’s our little man this morning?” He leaned over and kissed her belly through her sleep shirt. “And how’s Mom doing?”

“Still a little tired.”

He propped his head up on one arm and gently rubbed her stomach with the other. “It’s early. We should try to get some more sleep; my mom’s planning to take you shopping today.” He wondered what would happen if he let his hand move further down.

“Is Maria going?” Ryan asked.

“I’m sure she will,” he said, laying his head back down on the pillow.

Ryan turned her back to him, and after a few minutes he heard her breath settle back into the steady rhythm of sleep.

Marco didn’t fall back asleep himself; he was too busy trying to make sure that his hard-on didn’t wake her. After a while he slipped into the bathroom and got dressed for the day, leaving her to sleep.

RYAN

During the promised shopping trip, Ryan quickly found herself getting overwhelmed. It was her, Connie, Maria, and even six-year-old Fiona, raiding all the baby sections at the local mall.

Ryan hadn’t bought anything yet, and staring at tiny baby socks made this pregnancy feel way more real.

Connie approached it all like a woman on a mission, navigating them to breast pumps, a set of soft burp cloths, and something called a nasal aspirator, as well as a few small toys.

“We’ll get clothes once you find out the sex,” she explained. “But it’s up to family to buy you the stuff you don’t realize you need.”

Once they’d made their purchases, Maria dragged them a few doors down into a lingerie store.

“I don’t need any of this,” Ryan protested, somehow even more overwhelmed by teddies and bras than by snot-sucking devices.

Connie waved her hand. “Nonsense; every woman deserves to feel sexy and attractive.”

“Not to mention how much Marco would love this,” Maria chimed in, holding up a red nightie.

Ryan didn’t have the heart to tell them that she’d only had sex with Marco that one night.

“Get some in your size or I’ll make you try them on and model them for us,” Maria warned.

“Fine.” Ryan grabbed a few, but Maria and Connie weren’t happy and added more to her pile.

Afterward, Fiona skipped through the mall. “I think Uncle Marco will be a good dad. He has tea parties with me and plays dress-up.”

“Uncle Marco plays dress-up?” Ryan wasn’t sure if she could picture that.

Fiona nodded. “Daddy does too.” Then she let out a dramatic gasp. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone that.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” Ryan smiled. She looked at Maria, asking, “Please tell me you have pictures?”

“Of course I do,” said Maria, pulling out her phone to text them to her.

“Where are you from, Ryan?” asked Connie as they headed for the food court.

“I was born and raised in a small town in Pennsylvania,” Ryan explained.

Connie looked surprised. “What brought you all the way out to California?”

“I did my residency here. I lost my family right after I started it, so…I don’t really have anyone out there anymore. I decided to just stay.”

Maria patted her back. “We’re glad you stayed.”

“Yes, we are.” Connie picked up the bags of burgers she’d ordered, saying, “We better get home before this gets cold.”

MARCO

The four women tumbled through the door in the early afternoon, laughing and looking pleased with themselves. “How was shopping, cara?” Roberto asked, kissing his wife.

“We’ll have to do more later,” said Connie, “once they find out what they’re having.”

Roberto laughed. “Of course.”

“Have fun, kitten?” Marco asked Ryan. After a brief hesitation, he leaned in for a kiss as well. Her mouth went tense, surprised for just a moment before melting into it.

Maria smiled at them both. “Wait until you see what she bought.”

“Things for the baby?” he asked, confused. Her tone sounded weirdly suggestive if that was what she meant.

“Nope, something you’ll enjoy.” Maria wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Ryan’s face turned red, and she looked at the floor rather than meet his eyes. Well, that was intriguing.

“Let’s eat; then she can show you.” Maria winked.

They spread out the food on a blanket for a little picnic by the lake. After a while, everyone was full and started drifting off in different directions, leaving Ryan and Marco alone.

“Fiona told me something interesting today,” Ryan said, a smile in her voice.

“What’s that?” Marco was stretched out on the blanket next to her.

Ryan laughed. “About how a certain uncle has tea parties with her and plays dress-up. Maria even sent me pictures. Want to see?” she asked, grabbing for her phone.

“Oh, no,” he said, reaching out to knock the phone out of her grasp. As they tussled for it, he ended up lying on top of her. He could feel the moment the mood shifted from playful to steamy.

He leaned down, claiming her mouth with his. The kiss quickly turned passionate, and she moaned as he deepened it, their tongues fighting.

“Eww, that’s gross, guys,” Louis interrupted them.

They looked over and both laughed at the face he was making.

“Adults are so weird,” he said, shaking his head as he walked away.

Marco stared into Ryan’s gray eyes, wondering what would’ve happened if they hadn’t been interrupted. “Sorry, got carried away.”

He helped her to sit up and then positioned himself behind her, hiding his raging hard-on from everyone.