I slip out of the bathroom and don’t worry about plugging in my phone since we could charge it on the airplane. Instead, I quietly move to my side of the bed just as she shifts. She rubs her eye and says, “Hey, you.”
“Hey, I’m sorry I woke you up.”
“It’s fine. I have to pee.” She throws the blankets off her, revealing a silk pajama set that I haven’t seen yet. A thinly strapped tank top and matching shorts that barely reach her upper thigh. It’s, uh . . . it’s really fucking sexy, especially when her hair is all mussed up like that. “How was your flight?” she asks as she walks up to me.
My eyes are glued on the way her tits sway against the silk fabric of her shirt. Is it me, or have they gotten bigger?
“Uh, it was good,” I say just as she puts her arms around me. I sink into her embrace and hug her back, moving one of my hands up to the nape of her neck. “Glad that I’m back,” I say truthfully.
“Me too,” she says as she presses her cheek against my bare chest. “It’s not the same without you.”
And then she releases me and goes to the bathroom, leaving me in a state of bewilderment. I wasn’t expecting her to say that, nor was I expecting the welcoming hug.
Nor was I expecting the warm feeling spreading through my veins from both her words and her embrace.
I’m glad for technology like FaceTime. But it doesn’t compare to being here in person. I miss so much while I’m gone. It hasn’t sat well with me that I’ve missed every single doctor’s appointment. And now I also missed being her shoulder to lean on when she told her parents about us. About our baby.
And this is only the beginning. How much more will I miss when the baby is actually born? Yet this beautiful, sleepy woman greeted me with a hug, telling me she missed me. She is fucking awesome.
Clearing my throat, I walk to my side of the bed and get under the covers. The bed is warm, and the silk of her sheets comfort me as I sink into her mattress. I used to love my bed when I’d get home from an away trip. I sought it out, looking for that bit of home after being gone for so long, but now, this bed is what feels right. A little lumpy in spots but cool to the touch and warm from the person next to me. I sleep my best here. And that’s a scary realization because I know being here is only short term. Things will change once the baby is born, and the unknown is starting to make me panic.
Penny emerges from the bathroom and slips under the covers as well, facing me. From the distant light of the moon, I can catch glimpses of her beautiful face.
“Good?” I ask her.
She nods against her pillow. “Yeah.”
“How has it been with your parents?”
“Okay. Mom said I looked frail, which didn’t bode well for me.”
I frown. “Have you been eating?”
“Not as much as I used to, but now that I’m feeling better, I’m able to stomach some things. My mom also said I have a little bump.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” She grabs my hand and places it on her stomach. “You probably won’t be able to tell, but there’s something in there.” She smooths my palm over her stomach, but all I feel is her warm skin. “I’ll try to show you in the morning. I think it just looks like I’m bloated.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t.” Instead of moving my hand, I keep it in place, holding her stomach gently.
“I’m tired.” She yawns.
“Then let’s go to sleep.” Reluctantly I move my hand off her stomach just as her eyes drift shut.
“Can I ask you a favor, Eli?” she says quietly.
“Anything,” I answer.
Her eyes open again and connect with mine. “I know we don’t do this, and it might be crossing the line, but after the past few days, I could really use the comfort.”
“What do you need?”
“Will you cuddle with me? Just once,” she says quickly. “And I won’t ask again. I just need to feel . . . protected.”
I don’t even hesitate. I’d do anything she asks of me, but I’m also so goddamn desperate to be near her. I haven’t been able to shake the feeling of her warm body pressed against mine since she hugged me before I left for our away trip.
So her request is an easy yes for me.
I scoot in close to her back, rest my head right next to hers, and then drape my arm over her waist. The moment I’m settled, she melts into my embrace, and it’s the best fucking feeling I’ve ever felt . . . well, besides the moment I sank into her. This is a close second.