Harlan trailed kisses down the base of Liana's neck. The muggy warmth of his breath caused the fine hairs of her arms to rise as she tracked their hands through his dark hair.
God, she missed him.
She had thought about punishing him for making her mother stay while he was away. But for the life her, she couldn't do it.
He moved down the length of her body, continuing to plant kisses along her exposed flesh. She lied before him in only a bra and underwear, the budge of her belly acting as a barrier between them. Harlan's hands rested on the large bump, amazed by quickly it had grown in only a matter of weeks.
"The movers'll be here next week. I think you're gonna like it." Harlan settled between her legs—his hands on either side of her belly.
Liana smiled, staring at the ring on Harlan's finger that symbolized he was her husband. It was strange, considering nothing had really changed, only the title of his role in her life. But watching his large hands move along her growing belly, that title suddenly meant so much more.
"Three beds, two and a half bath-"
"Three beds?" Liana cut in. She had seen pictures of the new house, but hadn't noticed the room count.
"Hold your horses, the first one ain't even here yet." Harlan snickered, planting a kiss on her extended stomach. "Play room."
Liana ran her hands through his hair, hoping the baby had his eyes. "I can't believe I trusted you to pick out our house. You should've let me come with you, instead of shipping my mom out here."
"Knew it was comin'." Harlan smirked. He stared at her belly, hoping more than anything his baby girl looked like Liana. He prayed she was her mother made over—lord knows he was nothing but a train wreck. The only thing he hoped his daughter took after him was his mad guitar skills.
Harlan became lost in thought, wondering what all of his own father he had taken on. He wondered if Liana knew she had her father's nose, or the shape of his nail-beds. He suddenly felt guilty. "I did somethin' while I was in New York... somethin' I shouldn't have done." He admitted.
Harlan kept his eyes on her belly—his hands on either side of her navel. He couldn't look up; he couldn't dare see that disappointed look on her face.
Liana placed her hands on his wrists, stroking his skin with her thumbs. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't worried about Harlan relapsing. Every time he was away from her, she feared he'd take a drink.
"Did you drink?" Liana asked, dreading his answer.
"No." Harlan looked up with narrowed eyes. He couldn't believe she had such little faith in him. "I already told you baby, I'm done with that. I know what road it leads me down, never again, you hear me? Never. Again." Harlan intertwined his fingers in hers, his adjacent hand trailing down the lump of her belly. "I got two beautiful girls that need me."
"What did you do then?" Liana asked, giving Harlan's hand a gentle squeeze.
"I met somebody."
Her heart dropped.
She never thought he would stray; the thought never even crossed her mind. She always thought Harlan to be loyal, considering what all he himself had been through in his past relationship.
The baby moved—Harlan could swear he saw an elbow as she twirled in the womb, the movements causing Liana's stomach to look deformed for a moment. Harlan's eyes grew wide—he had never seen her move like that before. Liana moved her hand out of Harlan's to place it on the stirring baby that continued to roll.
"Whoa, she did not. like. that." Harlan spoke softly, still trying to wrap his head around what he had just witnessed. "Can babies feel what you feel in utero?"
"Harlan... did you sleep with someone else?" Liana asked as she scooted away. She couldn't believe her own ears; having the ask Harlan such a question.
His eyes grew wide, realizing how it had sounded. Harlan grabbed Liana's wrists, pulling back down the bed toward him. "No, baby, no. Fuck no. You'd catch me drunk before you'd ever catch me with someone else." Harlan kissed her belly again, forcing her to place her hands on his. "Gotta be honest though babe, what I did may have been worse." Harlan cringed, propping his head in his hand with his elbow in the bed, gazing at her growing belly.
Staring down at Harlan, she wanted to run away from his touch. Harlan didn't have to say much—Liana knew. There was only one person in the entire world he could've met with that was worse than some whore.
"You didn't." Liana nearly growled. "You... you met my dad, didn't you?" She waited for his response, only to have him stare blankly at her belly. His silence said it all. "Damnit, Harlan." Liana sat up, quickly moving away from him. In this moment, Harlan Hayworth was not her husband, he was a traitor.
"Baby... I'm sorry, I-"
"You're sorry?" Liana recanted back. "I can't believe you went behind my back and did this."
"'Cause I knew you'd say no if I asked you first." Harlan sighed, sitting up in the bed. He sat with his legs crossed, chewing on his bottom lip guiltily. He stared at his hands, idly twirling his golden wedding band.
"Why?... why did you do it?"
"He's been contacting my manager. He lives just outside Philly, so I set up a time and a place and he met me, that's it."
"Let me guess, he knows I'm pregnant and wants to weasel his way into my life through her, is that right?" Liana's question was rhetorical, but yet, she still wanted Harlan to answer.
"Not exactly. He just wants to meet her."
"I can't believe you." Liana stood from the bed, rushing over to the closet as she frantically pushed apart the clothes on the hangers. "I can't believe you would do this to me... to us!" Liana pointed at her belly, going back to finding something to wear. "Now I've got another thing I've gotta worry about. As if I'm not already terrified of going through labor and pushing a human out of my body and you watching while it's happening, now I've gotta worry about him-"
"Whoa, whoa..." Harlan got to his feet, making his way over to her. She was going off he rails, her words tumbling out of her mouth at an alarming speed—she was scaring him.
"What?" Liana snapped. Harlan put his hand on her waist, pulling her toward him.
"Calm down, baby... it's okay. Everything's gonna be alright. I promise you, we're gonna get to a hospital in time before you feel anything. That's the whole reason we're movin'. And when you push her out... you won't feel a thing, that's what the epidural is for. And if you really don't want me watchin', well, I won't watch." Harlan chuckled, but Liana didn't find it funny. "Your Dad's not gonna come around if you don't want him to-"
"Good, because I don't want him to."
"Okay." Harlan nodded with raised brows. Anything to appease her—anything to get that livid hatred out of her eyes. "I'm sorry. I... just had to do it, you know." Harlan wrapped his arms around her, feeling her succumb to his advances. It felt nice to feel her finally relax against his touch.
"I don't know. I can't fathom what possessed you to do that."
Harlan wasn't so sure he could explain... but he had to try.
"Baby, look at me." Harlan moved back, holding her face in his hands. "I'm the luckiest man in the world. I get to call you my wife. I'm gonna be a Dad... this never would've happened had you not given me a second chance. I'm not tryin' to say he deserves a second chance... god knows I didn't, but for some reason, I got one. There ain't a day that goes by I'm not thankful for it. I'm just sayin'... second chances are sometimes a blessing. He's your Dad... you know him better than I do. And she's your daughter, just as much as she is mine, we both get a say in who comes into her life."
Liana gazed up at Harlan quizzically. Goddamnit, he was right. "I'll think about it." Liana said, raising her brow.
Harlan smirked, remembering his mother saying the same thing to him—more often than not, it meant no. He nodded, pressing his lips to hers. "Don't smack me. Just... please don't smack me. I'm sorry." Harlan spoke against her mouth, feeling her break into a smile.
"I should. I should slap you right across your stupid face." Liana giggled playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck.