LA Baby ♡ Manhattan Dreams Sequel

25. Staying Afloat

"You're right" he sighs. "I'll go give her a call. Are you gonna be okay?"

"I'm fine, feeling much better. I might take a shower though."

"Mkay" he hums, pecking my lips. "I love you." He pauses, placing his hand on my belly. "Both of you." And then he walks out of the room, leaving me with a smile on my face and my heart close to bursting.

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Josh is off the phone and lounging on his bed when I walk into the bedroom from the bathroom, drying my hair with a one towel while a horribly colored brown one hung around my figure. "Why did you pick this color for a bath towel?"

Josh tears his gaze from the television and shrugs. "They were on sale." I roll my eyes at his total masculine response and head over to the dresser where my suitcase sat open on top of it. I retrieve a pair of underwear, a black lace pair and the matching bra and drop my towel. He doesn't say anything but I can feel Josh's gaze on me and despite the couple pounds I know I've gained, I know he doesn't notice...or care.

"We should go shopping before you leave" he suggests as I turn around, clad in my lingerie. His eyes attempt to stay on mine but eventually give and roam over my figure. I'd complain if I hadn't gone weeks without the heat of his gaze on my body but now, especially as things began to grow smaller and smaller, the gaze was welcome.

"For?" I ask, stepping towards the bed.

"Well, you'll need new clothes soon. And I have an AmEx."

"Oh?" I kneel on the bed and he nods, switching off the television as I climb on top of him. "I guess I could let you spoil me...but only a little bit."

"No promises" he replies, catching my lips with his as we fall back and lose each other in between the tangled sheets of his bed. A while later, my lingerie I never had any plans of wearing out sat among Josh's clothes on the floor and my head was on my boyfriend's chest, listening to the heightened beat of his heart. "I missed this" he murmurs, kissing the top of my head while we lie together.

I hum in response. "Me too" I agree without questioning what exactly it was that he missed because lying here, wrapped in his arms I know that it's these moments. Moments when there's no sound but the beating of our hearts and nothing to do but show one another how much we love each other in ways that words will never be able to. My eyes flutter shut slowly with Josh's hand running soothingly down my back and I'm almost asleep when he speaks again.

"My mom knows you're in town."

"Oh?" I ask again. "Did you decide to tell her?" I ask, tipping my head up to look into his eyes to find him staring back at me. He shakes his head.

"I couldn't. She asked how you were and I almost told her but I clammed up." I nod in understanding, knowing the feeling well from having to endure it every single time I was on the phone with him. "She wants to have us over for Thanksgiving."

"Good" I reply, nuzzling my head against his chest. "We can tell them while they're drowsy from their food comas." He chuckles, kissing the top of my head. "It'll all be okay" I whisper softly and comfortingly. "And next year they'll all be fawning over their grandbaby and ignoring us completely."

"One can hope" he agrees, watching as my eyes start to close once more. "Enjoy your nap. I'll be here when you wake up" he assures me and I fall asleep comforted by his embrace and the sweet words that spill from his lips.

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Josh broke his promise. He's not in bed with me when I wake up but the aroma of whatever it was he was whipping up in the kitchen made up for it.