Soon more weeks had passed yet none of them had really remembered, that Gabriel had made reservations for not only him and Nathalie, but also for Marinette an Adrien. Since Nathalie had begun, to pump some of her milk into a bottle regularly, so somebody else would be able to feet her, while she was doing some of her assistant work, on which she insisted.
Then there was one day every week, that Gabriel had simply ordered her to take some hours to just rest and not care for anything. Most of the time, Marinette was more than happy, to take care of the little sunshine, as she had started to call her lately. On these days, he spent those hours together with her.
During the very few days, on which the girl couldn't babysit, he did it himself. Adrien offered his help too, but he was to anxious to look after his little sister on his own. As long as his girlfriend was with him, he was doing very well and was rather certain in his actions. But as soon as someone left him alone with her, he became stiff and barely dared to move.
And of course Hélène reacted to this promptly and started to fuzz and shortly after that to cry. The whole thing was totally odd, as the little girl really loved being with her brother and always greeted him with her toothless wide grin. She was even making more noises with him than with Marinette sometimes.
He used to tease the young woman with that, telling her, she was speaking so much and so fast, that his poor little sister could barely utter out a word.
Marinette then slapped his arm and Hélène laughed and squealed in a high pitched tone. Though she still couldn't see very well, her sight had gotten that good, that she could see movements and light and the colour red. So the most she squeaked, when Ladybug swung past her and had the same voice as the woman, she had loved before she could even see her by simply hearing that kind and loving voice.
Though Nathalie really enjoyed her alone time with Gabriel and even the times, when she was on her own, she still liked to spent all of her time with her precious daughter more than anything. But she knew, that Gabriel was right about this and she needed that time for herself too.
Right now she was standing in front of her closet, the one that was Emilie's before and had not the slightest idea, what she should pack into her suitcase. So she just kept staring, until her husband approached her and while laying his arms around her waist from behind, kissed the side of her neck and hummed contently:
"What's wrong, my love? Something bothering you?"
She slowly turned around in his arms and wrapped hers around him too. Pecking his lips tenderly, the young woman shrugged, before she answered.
"It's just.....I can't decide......what to pack. I......still have only a few things.......I already fit into again..........and well......I don't want to embarrass you or Adrien and Marinette and least our little sleeping beauty over there!"
Gabriel took a short glimpse towards his daughter, who was lying on her left side, her small comforting blanket as usual in her tiny hand and was sleeping peacefully.
He chuckled.
"She still does that every time. And people say, that babies can't turn over that early. Each time someone places that stubborn, little lady on her back, she makes it to her side or even her belly. Incroyable!", Gabriel enthused silently. Then he focused back on his wife. "If I had to decide, my dear, I would suggest, you just bring the clothes you need for the ride there and back. The rest of the time, I wouldn't mind, if you wore just your soft, warm and always so nicely and seductively smelling skin", he breathed into her ear.
A shiver ran over the woman's body as he did and she tightened her grip instantly. Then she gazed up at him and replied softly:
"You know, that we're not going there alone, right? And that our baby will be sleeping in the room with us!"
He nodded sadly.
"Yeah, I know that. But we have one night for just the two of us, don't forget about that. And even though we still can't do 'that', already, I would love to feel you close and kiss you and spoil you a little bit", the designer winked as he teasingly suggested that.
Nathalie stayed quiet, but kissed him firmly. No need to accidentally let it slip, that she had a surprise for him, to make up for almost forgetting his birthday.
"Why don't we just pack our things in the morning? Let's just go to sleep now, okay?", Gabriel now suggested.
But his wife shook her head.
"There are so many things to consider tomorrow, I want to finish this tonight. I mean, it's the first time I will travel with a newborn baby. Though it's only for the weekend. I don't want to forget anything!"
He pecked her lips with an understanding smile. Then he said:
"Well, I sadly am still as helpless, when it comes to that, as I was the first time we went there. But you can order me around, if you like!"
He knew that would make Nathalie smile. She was good at following orders, but she was even better at distributing tasks. She had never before dared to take his offer, to tell 'him', what to do. But now she began to send him to get things without hesitation. He smirked each time, she couldn't see it. And he didn't mention at all, what she woke inside of him by doing so.
Though having everything thoroughly planned out and prepared, the next morning started very chaotic. First both teenagers weren't finished with packing, then Hélène's comforting blanket was suddenly gone and it was the only thing except her mother's breasts or her bottle, that could get her back to sleep if someone or something accidentally woke her up. Luckily it had just fallen into the bag with the baby's diapers and stuff. Otherwise they would have delayed their departure into the afternoon, because they didn't want to be in the car too long and tried to avoid the main traffic early in the morning and between 2.00 and 5.00 o'clock PM.
But somehow they still managed, to leave Paris and the city traffic and were on the country road towards that small place in the champagne.
They had the same room, as they did before, while Adrien and Marinette were on the same floor, but at the other end of the hallway.
"That complicates things a little bit", Nathalie noticed thoughtfully, "not that I don't trust those two, to take care of Hélène, but I'd rather keep her closer. I know, it's just across the floor, but still. I would at least like to lay her down to sleep myself. And like this it feels, as if I was leaving her behind, if you know, what I mean."
Gabriel had approached his wife, who was holding their daughter on her shoulder and looked out of the window into the pasturage, which laid before the forest. Now in the first week of June, the green was still fresh and the grass looked juicy. He hugged her from behind and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, but not without kissing his daughter's head lovingly first.
Nathalie relaxed against his chest, relishing in his warmth.
She chuckled softly.
"May I ask, what you are laughing about my love?", Gabriel asked her and kissed her neck.
The woman nodded.
"I just remembered the first time, I stood here and looked outside", she narrated, "and what happened after that."
"I see. I would happily replay this scene for you, but it somehow feels inappropriate with our daughter in your arms", he mused and started to caress her skin with his lips and tongue.
A content moan slipped her mouth, as she tilted her head a little to the side.
"Mh, Gabe, I really like what you're doing", Nathalie hummed.
"Oh, really? I never would have thought that, Miss Sancoeur. Do you think I should do it again?", he said with a playful voice.
"Well, Sir, I think it is totally inappropriate to do things like that with your assistant. And not just that, but also in bright daylight and in the presence of a newborn. I don't know what I should think about your behaviour, 'Sir'!", she teased cockily.
Then both began to chuckle.
"Honestly Gabriel, I missed that. It feels.....I don't know how to say it.....but it.....feels like... Do you know that feeling, when you're outside with short sleeves and then it's getting cold because the sun has set, and you haven't brought a jacket? The warmth you feel, when you finally put on a sweater or a cardigan.....that's the closest thing, I can think of to explain it to you!"
"Mh, I do understand what you mean. It's like being thirsty for a long time, to then drink a glass of cool, fresh water. Or when it comes to you, my love, I'd rather say, to then drink the rarest and most expensive, most delicious and selected glass of the finest wine, one has ever heard of!", he enthused.
Nathalie began to giggle.
"If we had recently met and you were a stranger, I would accuse you, of just telling things like that to get laid!", she teased, "but knowing you, I feel flattered, and I am 'sure' you want to get laid!"
She broke into a fit of laughter now, to what the baby on her shoulder flinched and tried to lift up her head on her own. She brought it up from her mother's shoulder but after just a second couldn't hold it any longer and let it fall back down.
Nathalie immediately stopped laughing and whispered to Gabriel excitedly:
"Did you just see that? She lifted her head up a little. Isn't that great? Soon she will be able to look around on her own!"
Tears brimmed Nathalie's eyes as she looked pridefully at her child.
Gabriel beamed at the sight. Seeing 'his' Nathalie and their daughter together made him feel utterly blissful. He turned her around, so she was facing him and looked into her beautiful turquoise eyes. Cupping the woman's cheeks with both hands, he tenderly kissed her lips. As both soon started to deepen that kiss, their tongues exploring the other's mouth, while Nathalie interlinked her free left hand with his right. The other was still holding on to her fully awake and very soon squirming and kicking little girl.
Gabriel placed his left on his daughter's back, trying to calm her down a little bit, but Hélène had worked herself up and wanted to practice her movements.
Nathalie pulled a soft and thick blanket out of the baby's diaper bag to spread it on the ground, then laid her newborn on top of it, so she would be warm and safe. The designer watched her do so with narrowed brows.
To his questioning look, the young mother simply said:
"If she wants to do that, she's going to need a little space. Just look, she likes it", then with a whisper, "come, let's just enjoy the moment. As long as she is happy with being on her own, I would like to have another kiss like that one just now!"
Gabriel began to smirk, as Nathalie took a hold of his hands and pulled him towards the bed.
"Uhm, not that I don't like, where this is going, but......I mean....Hélène......she....", he reluctantly muttered, "and...... uhm...as you still should not do stuff like that probably....well...I am aware, that you still....I know you don't like to talk about those things...so...I don't want you.....to get frustrated, if...", he gave her a pleading look, desperately trying to explain what he meant, without giving her the feeling to not want her.
But she just dragged him further, until they were both standing beside the bed.
"Hélène is doing fine and she is safe and happy on that blanket. And you don't have to be so anxious, that I won't understand you. I know that it's not really nice, if your wife is 'leaking' over weeks. At least that's what I felt like", she shrugged and looked to the floor.
Afraid, that he had ruined the moment, Gabriel lifted Nathalie's head up, by placing two fingers under her chin and pulled her into a loving and tender kiss.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you. Why don't you just close your eyes", he pecked her lips, "and despite the stupidity of your husband", he kissed her a little longer, "try to enjoy the moment!"
The remorseful man now snaked his arms around her and with a quick move laid her on top of the duvet, instantly hovering above her, and kissing her again. Firmly and demanding this time. Feeling his wife instantly react to his kiss, by arching her back to press tauter against him, he started to kiss along her chin, her throat, to the side of her neck and along her shoulder.
Gabriel propped himself up on his forearms, yet staying as close as possible and whispered:
"Would you like to know, what I like most about this actual moment?"
She nodded reluctantly.
Gabriel looked deeply into her eyes, captured her turquoise ones with his greyish- blues and rasped:
"The way you aren't hiding yourself anymore, the way you are just showing your skin, without any turtleneck or makeup. I really like having access to your neck all the time, my love. But I like this particular piece of clothes even more, because.....well....", he kissed her neck again and then down between her collarbones, reaching the gap between her breasts, as Nathalie's top was one from before her pregnancy, and though she fit into most of her pants already, her breast had grown at least one cup size, maybe even two. Her special bra wasn't just supporting them, but also pushing them a little up and together, making her cleavage look even more beautiful as before and by being a little too tight, gave him deeper insight.
Though still blushing to his compliments, the young woman replied cockily:
"Well, now I would like to know, how you would like it without this particular piece. And I would like to feel your skin on me eventually. It feels as if it had been forever, since we were cuddling without our PJs. But, today, I would like to take our daughter for a walk in the fresh air, so she will be tired and sleepy, before she is going to join her big brother and his girlfriend. Because, 'I' can plan surprises too, my dear husband. And I have booked us not just one, but two hours in that nice, hot Jacuzzi, I almost drowned in!"
He gave her a surprised look.
"I thought you weren't supposed to take a bath already", he said pensively. "But I am very happy for you, because it means, that you and Hélène can soon take a bath together, like you wished and hoped for."
She smiled at him as she pulled him down again, kissing him passionately.
Then out of nowhere he pulled back and stared at her. His voice was calm but hoarse and his body was trembling,
"If you can finally take a bath again, are you trying to tell me, that we...."
Nathalie giggled and nodded.
"Well, when I went through all those info pages about postnatal things, I also read about starting to have sexual intercourse again, and that it would be best to try that, before the visit at the gynaecologist, so that I would know if there are any problems after giving birth and can tell him about that. So...."
Gabriel swallowed hard.
"You can't imagine, how very much I waited for this day!"