Chapter One Hundred Nine

Standing in the doorway, Richie sipped his coffee and watched her sleep.  It was unusual for him to be up and about before she was, but it was Christmas after all and they had things to do and somewhere to fly off to later.  But he lingered for a moment longer before crossing the room and settling on the edge of her side of the bed.  He hated to have to wake her.  She had put in a lot of hours in the last few weeks getting the last habitat house done in time to deliver it to the homeowners for the holidays.  And she had accompanied him to every charitable function on his calendar over the last few weeks.

Then last night she had wanted to go to Mass.  St. Bernardine’s in Woodland Hills had had a midnight service for Christmas Eve so, they went.  She had been a little emotional after the poignant service when she had taken a moment to light a candle and say a prayer for Ben and Mark.  It had been late when they got back and even later when they had finally made it to bed.  It was a rough time of year for her and everything seemed to be happening all at once.

It was no wonder she was still sleeping.

He set his coffee mug on the night table.  The week away would do her good.  He adjusted the blankets, his fingers lingering on her shoulder, tracing light circles on her soft skin.  It would do them both good.  He tucked her hair back away from her face, skimming his thumb across the crest of her cheek.  He watched her for another minute before giving her shoulder a gentle nudge.

“Sweetheart.”

When she didn’t move, he gave her another gentle shake and leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.

She moaned quietly and her eyes slowly fluttered open.  “Mmm.”  Her eyes were still slightly unfocused but she could make out her handsome morning wake up call.  “My own personal prince coming to wake me up with a kiss.”  Drawing her arms up from under the blankets she pushed her hair back from her face, smiled and stretched.  “Good morning.”

Richie took the hand closest to him and kissed her fingertips.  “Good morning yourself sleepyhead.”  He kissed her again.  “And Merry Christmas.”

With her free hand she rubbed her eyes.  “Merry Christmas to-” she trailed off when she noticed his shirt.  “Nice shirt, Rich.”  It was Christmas green and in bold red letters it stated I’m Not Santa, But You Can Sit On My Lap.”

He snickered.  “What, you don’t like it?”

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped.  “It’s totally you.”  She pushed back the blankets, intending to get out of bed.

“You should see Ma’s.”  He helped her stand.  “Hers says Merry Elfin Christmas and it has a big Santa head on it.  It’s tradition around here.  We wear ridiculous Christmas t-shirts on Christmas Day, ma makes brunch and we open gifts before heading out to the airport to fly off to our separate corners of the earth.”

She wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest and giving him a quick squeeze.  “I guess it’s a good thing I have a shirt of my own to wear today.”

One well groomed eyebrow rose in question and surprise.  “You do?  Where is it?  I wanna see it.”

She laughed and nudged him toward the door.  “You’ll see it when I come downstairs.  I’m going to take a quick shower.  I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

“I could wash your back for you” he grinned, waggled his eyebrows at her and made to take a step toward the bathroom.

She laughed and shoved him away, “go.  I think I can manage to get myself clean this morning.”  Normally she would have taken him up on his very generous offer, but his mother and Ava were downstairs waiting.

“Okay, okay” he put his hands up in mock surrender.  “I know when I’m not wanted.”  He pressed a kiss to her forehead.  “Hurry up, Sweetheart, presents wait for no one.”

She was still quietly laughing as she closed herself in the bathroom.  She brushed her teeth and pulled off her cami and panties.  Just as she was about to sit down on the commode she noticed the empty toilet paper roll.  Really, Rich?  You couldn’t put out a new roll?  With a resigned sigh, she opened the cabinet under the vanity and grabbed a fresh roll.  The box next to the toilet paper had her pausing.  When had she had her period last?  Straightening, she hurried back into the bedroom and opened the calendar app on her phone.  Doing a little figuring, she hurried back to the bathroom.  Opening the cabinet, she grabbed a different box.  She was determined not to get her hopes up, but she was late and this would make an excellent surprise Christmas present for one very persistent guitar player.

Ripping open the package, she quickly sat down on the toilet and peed on the stick.

Grabbing a couple squares of charmin, she set the stick on the counter and quickly turned toward the shower.  She knew the routine.  Three minutes, and the window would either say pregnant or not pregnant.  It could take less, but she was going to give it the full three minutes before peeking.  She showered quickly, dried off and slicked on lotion, all without checking.  She combed out her hair and couldn’t stand the suspense anymore.  She peeked.

Pregnant.

Oh My God.  Oh My God.  Oh My God.  She couldn’t stop the grin or the happy little jig her feet were intent on doing.  Richie was going to be ecstatic.  She couldn’t wait to run right down and tell him.  She took a step toward the door and then she stopped and took a deep breath.  She couldn’t tell him yet.  Not in front of his mother and Ava.  No, she needed to tell him when they were alone so they could have a little time to let it sink in and celebrate before they spread the news around.

She wrapped the little stick in the toilet paper and tucked it into her toiletry travel bag. She’d tell him later, once they got to Hawaii and could escape and be alone for a few minutes.

She hurried and dried her hair and pulled on her favorite Victoria’s Secret boyfriend pants and her Christmas t-shirt.  A smile kept tugging at the corners of her mouth.  How was she going to keep this secret, even for a few hours?

She practiced her yoga breathing all the way down the stairs and into the kitchen.  It was going to be a long day.

~

“What’s going on with you today?” Richie asked her as they settled into their seats for their flight to Hawaii.  She had been just a little too giddy almost today.  It wasn’t like her to be so happy and smiley for the entire day.  She had been more than a little chatty too.  It was almost like she was hyped up on speed or something.  But he knew she didn’t do that kind of thing.  Or she was trying to hide something from him.  He frowned at that thought.  He didn’t like the idea of her keeping things from him.

She was studying the two new charms on her bracelet.  Richie had given her a snowflake, “it’s the closest to the real thing I can give you out here” he had told her.  He had also given her a silver bead with a butterfly dangling from it.  It was the Love takes Flight charm he said. “Because you make my heart soar” he told her and her emotions had nearly gotten the better of her.  She almost hated herself for keeping her secret.  Finding her resolve to wait just a little bit longer, she fastened her seatbelt and turned to face him.  “Nothing, why? And why are you frowning?”

“You’ve been, I don’t know, ‘on’ all day.”  He fastened his seatbelt as the plane started to move.  “You’re not normally so chatty and smiley.”

“Well, it is Christmas, what’s not to be happy about?” she said and she leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his arm, “I’m also a little horny.”  Her eyes darted across the aisle, Ava had her headphones in.  Good.  She wasn’t paying them any attention.  She let her fingers wander up the inside of his thigh, coming to rest dangerously close to his rapidly waking cock.  “You going to find fault with that too?”

His hand quickly covered hers and brought it to his lips.  “Not a chance, but you know you have to wait, right?”  There would be no mile high club action on this flight.

She grinned, evilly.  “I know, but I can play a little, can’t I?”  She nipped his earlobe to prove her point.

He leaned in and captured her lips.  “Be nice, Sweetheart.  Or I may not be later.”

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, “fine.”  She drew her hand from his and walked her fingers down his chest.  “I’ll be good.”

He grabbed her fingers again before they could reach his belt.  “Sweetheart” he said on a laugh, “you are gonna be the death of me today.”

By the time they landed, he was hard as a rock, her panties were drenched and Ava thought they were both out of their minds.  “God how old are you guys?  Get a room already” she grumbled as she brushed by them to get in the car.  They were worse than kids her age. She rolled her eyes when they got in the car and stuck her headphones back in her ears.  At least she didn’t have to listen to them for much longer.

Ava disappeared as soon as Richie had the door unlocked and the alarm deactivated.  He took their things up to their room, Stephanie followed close on his heels.  As much as she wanted to throw him on the bed and ride him until the cows came home, she was bursting to tell him her news.

She paused in the doorway.  This was the third time he had brought her here and this room still took her breath.  It was done in every shade of blue from the palest watery hue to the deepest of midnights.  She was drawn, as always, past the wide bed with its gauzy canopy to the balcony doors and the stunning view of their private strip of sugary white sand and deep blue water.

Richie moved up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.  “I’m going to have you” he growled low in her ear, “right here,” he was still hard and he pressed his hips against her, “right now.”

She had barely nodded when his hand moved to the latch on the door and he urged her out onto the balcony and up to the railing.  Setting her hands on the railing he reached for the tie on her pants.  “Don’t move.”  Her pants slid low on her hips and his fingers eased them down further, leaving them to pool at her knees.  He drew a light trail up her leg, his fingers inching inside her panties.

She wiggled her legs, trying to widen her stance.  Wanting to give him more room.  Wishing he would hurry up already.  The light, stinging slap on her ass had her whipping her head around.  “Hey!”

His eyes had darkened to a rich chocolate and the gleam was slightly evil.  His grin matched the gleam in his eyes.  “Stop moving.”

She licked her lips, “but I wanted-”

He moved his fingers over her clit and up inside her.  “Is that what you wanted?”

She groaned and pushed her hips back, “that’s a little better.”  Even now she managed to find a little bit of sass for him.  It earned her ass another smack.

“Only a little?”  He pulled his hand away, taking her panties with him.

When she felt him moving behind her, she gripped the railing tighter, hoping he wasn’t going to make her wait much longer.

He didn’t.  He gripped her hips and impaled her with one steady thrust.  His head dropped back in ecstasy at the feel of her rippling and tightening around him.  “Fuck, darlin’.”

She pushed back against him, “I could say the same.”  She gasped when he pulled out and pushed back in.  “God.”

He bent over her, pushing at her hair, nipping at her ear.  “No, darlin’, it’s Richie” he chuckled quietly.  And with a flurry of frantic thrusts, he took them both over and into blissful ecstasy.

Several long, breath catching moments later, he straightened and pulled away from her.  Righting his clothes he helped her and drew her over to one of the chaises.  Cuddled together he tucked her hair back away from her face and lightly kissed her jaw.  “I didn’t hurt you did I, Sweetheart?”

She shook her head, “no, I’m just” she turned and pressed her lips to his.  “I’m not sure I can think straight yet.”

They lay tangled together, listening to the surf, watching the stars.  His hand moved and settled low on her belly and she started, remembering.  She popped up, nearly beaning him in the chin with her head.  “I almost forgot!”

“Forgot what?”  He had no idea what she could be talking about.

She moved quickly, nearly falling off the chair in her haste to stand.  “I’ve got something for you.”   She started for the door and stopped, turning back to him, “don’t move.”

He just smiled and made himself more comfortable on the chaise.  “I’m not going anywhere.”

She hurried inside and into the bathroom.  Rummaging in her bag she found what she was looking for.  Stopping to rifle through his carry on, she found his glasses and headed back outside.  She slipped the tissue-wrapped pee stick into her pocket and crossed to him.  She cocked her head and looked at him for a moment.  His eyes were closed and he looked completely and utterly relaxed.  She bit her lower lip, “hey.”

He opened his eyes.  “Hey yourself sweetheart.”  He noticed she had something in her hand.  “Whatcha got there?”

She looked down at her hand and stretched out her hand to him, “I thought you might need these to see your gift.”

His brows furrowed, “you got me something to read?”

“Sort of” she said as she straddled him on the chaise.  “Put them on” she urged.

He did as she asked, “well.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the tissue-wrapped stick.  “Here” she held it out to him.

Their fingers brushed when he took the item from her.  She watched his face as he unwrapped it and studied it.  There was a sheen of wet in his eyes when he looked up at her and the smile lit up his whole face.  “Really, Sweetheart?”

She nodded.  Her smiled matched his.

“When did you-?”  How long as she known?

“This morning.  But I didn’t want to tell you until we were alone.”

Taking off his glasses he set them and the stick aside.  “Come here” he reached for her and pulled her down next to him.  “Best gift ever” he murmured in her ear as he drew her against him.

She settled her arm over his where it cradled her stomach.  “Rich” she whispered.

“Hmm, what?”

She angled her head up, “I’m going to be careful this time.  I promise to take it easy and not work so hard.”  She didn’t want anything to go wrong this time.

“Shh” he soothed her.  “Everything is going to be fine, Sweetheart.”

Laying there, she realized he was right.  Somehow she knew that even though she would worry, everything really was going to be okay this time.

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