slid around her waist and up her ribcage. When it reached the underside of her breast, her brushed a thumb over her clothed nipple. "These will swell, that won't suck," his voice grew husky.
Samantha caught her lip in her teeth. "I'm told they hurt and you won't be able to touch them. That will suck."
He leaned forward. The heat of his breath filtered over her lips. "I can handle all those sucky things if you can."
"Is that a challenge?"
His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Maybe."
"It sucks that you know how to push my buttons."
His lips lingered over hers, not touching, but so close. "I suck already?"
"I can handle it."
A brief brushing of his lips over hers wasn't enough. She leaned forward wanting more. But he pulled back a tiny bit. "I'm glad it's you having my baby," he confessed. "You're going to be a wonderful mother."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do." He kissed her, really kissed her to the point where stars sparkled in her head and she forgot she was outside where the world could watch.
In Blake's arms, as he nibbled and kissed his way around her lips, neck, and jaw, the world didn't suck.
Chapter Twelve
The morning sickness got worse instead of better. And that sucked! Each day Blake, trooper that he was, agreed that her morning queasies sucked but he was going to help her through it until it got better. They agreed to keep a lid on the pregnancy through the first trimester, mainly because of the risk of complications and miscarriages. The doctor had assured them both after the second month they had nothing to worry about, but they waited to tell anyone anyway.
Samantha didn't even reveal anything to Eliza, which wasn't easy. But she thought it was best to keep her friend in the dark to avoid any slips in conversation.
True to his word, Blake stood beside her. There were times he needed to fly to Europe, but the trips were short, three days at most. It sucked when he was gone, but was always wonderful when he came home.
The days started to drift together, the nights always a memorable experience in Blake's arms. Then, just as the doctor had predicted, the morning sickness fairy stopped her daily visits.
Blake returned home after a day in the office when Samantha had spent her time removing furniture and wall hangings from a room across the hall from theirs.
She was hoisting a small table from beside the bed when Blake's alarmed voice yelled from the door. "What the hell are you doing?"
She dropped the bedside table, nearly hitting her toe. "You scared me," she told him.
Blake stepped beside her, hands on his hips. "You shouldn't be lifting furniture." His eyes swept the room. "Have you cleared everything in here?"
All that remained was the big dresser, the bed, and tables. "Yeah, so? We talked about this being the baby's room," she whispered, careful not to let her voice carry to Louise who was in their room cleaning.
"This is not okay," he said under his breath. "Louise, Mary?" he hollered.
"What are you doing?"
Louise made it to the room at a run. Her eyes wide in alarm. "Is everything okay?"
"Go get Neil," Blake demanded.
Samantha grasped onto Blake's arm, her confusion muffled with alarm. No matter how much she nagged him to tell her what was wrong, he waited until Louise, Mary, and Neil stood before the two of them before he opened his mouth.
When he did, Samantha was shocked silent.
"Samantha's pregnant."
Her jaw dropped. They weren't going to say a thing to anyone until her next appointment with the doctor in a week. Within seconds, she understood his motivations.
"I knew it," Louise said, glancing at Mary.
Mary shrugged her shoulders and offered a motherly smile. "Of course she is."
"You knew?" Samantha asked.
"Dear, we live here. Of course we knew."
Blake's face shifted to Neil.
"Don't look at me. I was in the dark."
"If you ladies knew Samantha was pregnant then why would you allow her to move all this furniture up here?"
Neil's gaze darted around the room.
"She didn't want our help."
"I didn't need their help," Samantha defended herself and them. "What's the big deal?"
Neil stepped forward. "Pregnant women shouldn't life heavy stuff."
Blake smiled and patted Neil's back. "Someone who understands."
"Is that what this is about? You don't think I'm capable of clearing out this room?" Oh, now she was just getting pissed. Of all the sexist things...
"From now on I don't want Samantha lifting anything other than a dinner plate or shopping bag... and if the