Maid for Him.

Chapter Eight

Right on cue, he felt a tiny blimp of action under his hand, he furrowed his brow and risked a quick glimpse at Tess, who was watching him with one eyebrow raised and a somewhat bemused look on her face.

"I...I'm sorry." He stuttered and pulled his hand away.

She smiled at him. "Don't be, he likes you." She grabbed his wrist and placed his hand back on her baby bump.

Coles' eyes lit up as his baby wriggled under his touch. He moved down in the bed so his face was even with Tess's tummy. "Hello, little guy. This is your father speaking. With a kick like that, I see sports in your future."

Tess couldn't hold it in any longer and started to laugh. The bump wiggled up and down like a basketball being dribbled by one of the globetrotters.

"I want you to stop making mommy so sick and start behaving." He continued. "We're all looking forward to meeting you so how about you make an appearance sometime soon hey?" Resting his cheek lightly against her skin he looked up at Tess. She was even more gorgeous when she laughed like that. A glint of light shimmied down her soft, rounded face giving her the appearance of someone carefree. He realized it was a trick of the light but it flashed back memories of their earlier times together. Back when she loved him. Or at least when he thought she had. How could he have gotten it so wrong?

A swift kick from their unborn child got him on the side of his face and booted him from his trip down memory lane and he was glad for it. He threw himself back playfully. "Do you see the skills this boy has already?"

She was still laughing and he fought desperately to keep her that way. This is how their life should have been. Filled with laughter and happiness, that had been the plan until she ran away. Now he was back to square one. At least he had the chance to experience it all again. If she let him.

Tess reached for her negligee and pulled it back down over her stomach. The satin stretched across her middle. She had the perfect bump, he thought. It sat rounded right at the front. All baby, the books called it. No added baby weight just all baby. Probably because she was always on her feet and didn't look after herself.

His eyes traveled up her body to her swollen breasts, the satin strained there too. "Doesn't look very comfortable." He nodded at her attire.

"I usually take it off to sleep." She said in barely a whisper, her cheeks turned a faint pink that traveled to the tips of her ears.

"Well... don't let me stop you."

Neither of them moved, the only sound was that of their breathing. Laying still, awareness buzzed between them. Unwilling to move should it break the spell, he continued to stay rigid, every inch that lay between them, taunted him like an obstacle daring him to overcome it.

Mustering some courage, he threw caution to the wind and moved closer to her. He took the scrap of material in his hands and pulled it, slowly, inching it up, over her head. She raised her arms up to help him and a feeling of satisfaction hit him and he fought to hold back a grin. Tossing the negligee to the floor he watched as Tess used her arms to cover herself.

"Don't do that. I never want you to do that." He growled and pulled her arms down to her sides so he could look at her.

"But..." She began to protest.

"But nothing, you're beautiful. Now and always. Stop hiding." He traced his hand up along the curve of her hips and he felt her relax under his touch. Leaning into him, the length of her body pressed against his obvious need for her. His eyes settled on her breasts, they were bigger than he remembered. He cupped them in his hands, gently rubbing them with his thumb. Her lips parted and she let out a groan before her tongue rolled along her bottom lip, sending the pulse thundering in his neck.

Tess moved in rhythm with his hands, before stopping to urgently seek out his mouth with hers. She fumbled in her attempt to remove his shirt and ended up practically ripping it from his body. He looked up at her in surprise but she hardly noticed, she'd moved her hands to his trousers.

He knew this was a bad idea. He read about how some women get like this during pregnancy and he wasn't prepared to be someone she could use for a good time and then throw away again later. He knew he couldn't go through this again. Last time she'd discarded him the pain was too great, he'd shut down and just kept moving. It had been the only way.

He should stop her.

He needed to stop her.

"Argh." He groaned.

He wasn't capable of stopping her.

She had him tied up in her spell.

Captured.

Her hair smelled of apple and cherry blossoms as he ran it through his hands.

His body remembered her, it responded in a way it never had with anyone but her. Their bodies intertwined, every part touching, he became unsure where he ended and she began. If only he could freeze time right at this very moment.

Right before the inevitable heartbreak that would follow.

Tess pulled back from him, "Are we doing the right thing, Cole?"

No. His brain screamed.

"Promise me, tonight isn't all we have." He whispered to her.

She didn't answer right away. "Tess." He prompted. "Promise me."

"I can't." She whispered.

Right there at that moment, Cole felt the physical pain that comes from having one's heart ripped from their body and tap-danced over. Unable to speak, for fear of what words he may say, he slipped out from under the covers, collected his clothes and left the room and Tess behind.