Innocent - Roe Horvat Page 0,60

reason, the gesture broke Zana. He couldn’t exhale; his lungs just stopped working properly. He tried to push the air through the clog…and he sobbed. On the next inhale, he choked again.

Navid cradled his head to his chest and murmured sweet promises into his hair while Zana wept.

“I love you, my sun. My master. You own my mind and my body, and I’m so blessed to be yours. Your love keeps me alive, and in return, I’ll guard your happiness, Zana. I’ll take care of our family and raise our son. He’ll be wise like you and love you with his whole heart like I do. He’ll make you proud, I promise.”

In his mind, Zana saw Navid kneeling under the cherry tree, shivering with cold, his face stained with tears. He still heard Navid’s keening cries echo in the bathroom. Then he remembered the small blurry shape on the black-and-white screen of the ultrasound. Navid tightened his arms around him, their hearts beating in harmony. Zana was delirious with relief and joy; he just couldn’t stop crying.

Four months later

Navid’s pregnancy made Zana wild with lust. The changes were subtle at first but so erotic. The swelling of his nipples, for example, and how sensitive they were. Zana could spend hours latched on to them, sucking and rubbing his tongue over the tips, bringing Navid orgasm after orgasm. And then there was the taste of Navid’s cum. It was unique, thick, and pure white, like whipped cream. Zana couldn’t get enough.

Navid often felt tired, which was to be expected, but he seemed to crave the sex just as much as Zana did. When his courses allowed, he napped in the afternoons, and Saturdays, he would spend almost entirely in bed or on the sofa, with only a short walk in between. He was catching up on the sleep he’d lost during the week.

That was why he was asleep when the bench got delivered Saturday afternoon. Three men were needed to carry the heavy carved wood. Zana had the men set the bench a few feet away from the edge of the patio so that the shadow from the cherry tree would eventually protect it from the midday sun. In the past few years, the tree had grown, but it was only a little taller than Zana.

When the delivery crew left, Zana sat down for a moment of quiet. The breeze was too harsh for the spring day to feel perfectly warm. The branches of the surrounding bushes and trees swayed in the breeze, and the leaves rustled. He had work to do, piles of reports to read, phone calls to return. Not for the first time, he felt annoyed by the responsibilities he’d so eagerly taken upon himself. The businesses were thriving, but his success didn’t make him as proud and happy as it used to. He would have preferred to come home earlier each day and enjoy the peace. Simply to watch Navid’s face, hold his hand…and caress his slowly growing belly. He could do that for hours. Yet the world didn’t stop turning, and it didn’t forgive idleness.

With a sigh, Zana braced his hands on his knees, about to stand, when the patio door slid open.

Squinting in the bright sunlight, Navid strolled toward him. He wore a dark long-sleeved shirt and black linen pants that flowed around his legs. The wind tousled his raven hair, and he pushed it away from his forehead. His stomach was starting to show, small and perfectly round. Zana had never seen anything as beautiful as Navid, pregnant with his child, walking toward him in the spring sunshine.

“You’ve been keeping secrets from me, I see.” Navid’s smile was wide as he perused the bench.

“Just innocent ones to surprise you. It came an hour ago.”

“It looks wonderful. I love the color of the wood.”

“The wood is cedar from back home.”

Eyes shining, Navid stepped around the bench, and Zana tugged him into his lap.

“That was thoughtful of you, and I love it.” He cupped Zana’s stubbly cheek and kissed the corner of his mouth. “But you know my home is here with you.”

Zana kissed him deeply, tasting fresh tea. “How are you today?”

“Finally rested. I’m sorry I’m asleep all day long. It’s ridiculous.”

“Don’t apologize for that. I’m glad you feel better now.”

“I do. Even when I’m tired, I feel good.”

The contentment suited Zana’s precious husband fiercely. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

Navid skimmed his fingers over Zana’s eyebrows. “You frown less these days.”