month. Now, he wore a permanent glow and affected a relaxed demeanor. His practiced laughs and tight smiles were things of the past. Everything about him was heartfelt and genuine now.
He was eager to learn how to cook, often humming some song to himself as he concentrated on a recipe. He was…playful. Which, according to his family, was Nico’s true personality coming back out. During a conversation I had with Cris one night, he’d divulged that Nico had been losing more and more of himself over the years…until he met me.
He suddenly looked up from his rowing to flash me that wide, toothy smile that was coming naturally and often these days.
I was a goner.
“How’s the nausea?” he asked.
I barely caught the question. I was too distracted by the way his forearms tightened and rippled as he worked the oars through the waters of the Adriatic Sea. The boat rocked against the gentle waves as the Mediterranean sun beat down on our heads. With the aqua waters beneath us, the rugged coastline of the island of Capri behind us, and the vast ocean spread out before us, it was an incandescent sight to behold.
“Um.”
I blinked, forcing myself to focus on something other than my raging hormones. Unsurprisingly, my husband had been more than accommodating of this particular pregnancy symptom.
“Better. I think he might like the water as much as I do.”
We didn’t know if it was a boy or girl yet. I’d just automatically started referring to the baby as a he because it felt wrong.
Nico chuckled. “Well, considering the fact that I knocked you up the first time I ever got inside you, I’d say I’ve got some strong swimmers. We might have a little Michael Phelps on our hands.”
I laughed loudly, heartily.
Because these days, I actually could.
Just when I’d thought I couldn’t possibly love him more, Nico had to go and get baby fever so high it was off the bloody thermometer.
He’d panicked in the very beginning, knowing next to nothing about babies. But he’d quickly shucked that attitude and bought up every book ever written on the subject of babies and parenting. Every day, he told me to buy up more of whatever I thought we needed for the nursery, saying there was “absolutely nothing” he’d deny me or our child. He’d even been watching YouTube videos on how to properly swaddle a newborn and practicing on a baby doll that he’d bought. I think he was secretly hoping it was a girl.
I could only imagine how good that man was going to look cradling a tiny little baby against his bare chest, swaying her in a gentle dance in the middle of the night, his deep voice lulling her back to sleep.
Talk about ovary overdrive.
Maybe I should start referring to him as a her.
“When will you start showing?”
The oars continued to slice through the water as we drifted closer to a rock face along the coastline. Wherever Nico was giddily taking us in this motorless boat was a secret. He’d been adamant about that from the moment he started rowing us away from the dock.
“It’s different for every woman. They say around the third or fourth month for your first child.”
He grinned. “Is it weird that I can’t wait to see you in maternity clothes?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “You say that now. But believe me, you’re going to miss this in seven months.” I waved down at my body.
He tsked his tongue as his arms continued to pump. “Still have so much to learn about me, wife. While I love your little teacup breasts, how could I not love them even more when they plump up with milk? How could I not still love your ass when I’m pounding into it from behind after sex gets too uncomfortable for you on your back? And how the hell could I not love seeing your belly grow as your perfect body works to literally create our child?”
My heart tripped over itself. “Well, when you put it like that…”
He made the boat rock precariously when he lurched across the space between us and stamped his mouth over mine in one of his trademark displays of ownership. These kisses were distinct in the way his tongue moved to claim every inch of my mouth, leaving no corner unexplored or unmarked.
His grin was knowing and smug after he pulled away. And had every right to be. The man knew what he did to me, and it made him devious.