The rest of the week went by quickly. The only noticeable changes were the small signs of weariness that appeared in Claire every time she got out of bed or when she sat down for breakfast. But, he noticed anyway. He noticed that the bags under her eyes became less noticeable over the following days, as did the colour in her cheeks. He observed the slight flush that appeared beneath her pale skin and noticed just how much healthier she looked. Every morning after breakfast he walked her to the bathroom, and every night before she went to sleep he kissed her lightly before she drifted off to sleep. He was proud of himself for noticing these little things. For being able to notice them and for being able to make them better. For being able to help make her look even better, even more beautiful to him. Because, of course, he loved her. What man wouldn't? Not only that, but she was absolutely incredible. He couldn't imagine his life without her. Hell, he hardly considered his life wi
"I told you that I'm pregnant?" she continued, "With our baby?"His heart seemed to melt instantly when he heard her words."Oh, Claire," he breathed, smiling warmly, "You don't have to worry about that at all. You don't have to hide it anymore. We're going to have a kid, alright? You don't need to be scared or worried about that. I promise you that I'll be there for every step of this pregnancy. From the moment you get your period until the day you deliver our child. Whatever happens between you and I, that won't change."Even if it wasn't something she planned for, he didn't mind at all. His happiness could probably compare to the one he experienced just simply living next to her. Having their own child together would certainly be the best outcome that could've ever happened to them. He didn't expect to ever feel this happy and contented in his entire lifetime. No matter how long or short their relationship might last, he'd never wish for anything more than to spend the rest of his
"We can make soup," she exclaimed excitedly.He grinned, raising an eyebrow at her."Sounds good," he responded.He stood up from his position on the ground and walked towards the sink, grabbing the nearest pot, filling it with water before setting it on the stovetop and starting to prepare it for boiling. He looked over his shoulder at her as he stirred the pot idly, grinning widely."Where should we put the vegetables?" she asked him.He tilted his head slightly, looking back at her before pointing towards the drawer below the sink. She grabbed a bowl and a spoon before walking over to the sink to fill it with water. Once that was done, she quickly set it on the counter before turning back toward him. He was already pulling open a drawer beneath the sink, fishing through it for a moment before pulling out a container of potatoes. He placed the box back into its place under the sink before slamming the drawer shut. He turned and walked towards her, handing her the wooden spoon and
"You're beautiful," he whispered.A blush dusted across her cheeks as she smiled shyly at him, ducking her head. He raised an eyebrow at her in amusement before he lowered himself to his knees in front of her, cupping her face between his hands, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. She melted into him instantly, closing her eyes and allowing herself to relish the feeling of his lips against hers for a brief moment before opening her eyes and meeting his gaze. He smiled softly at her, dropping his hands to her waist. He gently lifted her up into his lap, holding her close to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head against hers. He sighed happily, burying his nose into her neck, breathing deeply. He breathed in her scent, inhaling deeply, savoring every single detail of her. She hummed contentedly and snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder as he rested his chin atop her head. For a moment, everything seemed perfect. Everything seemed peaceful
"Thank you for being here with me today. You make everything better," she admitted softly.He smiled, pulling her closer to him. He kissed the tip of her nose tenderly, his eyes softening. He ran his hands through her hair and pulled her closer to him, cradling her face in his large hands. He smiled lovingly, his thumbs tracing circles on her cheeks."Anything for you, baby." He replied softly.He lowered his head and captured her lips in another searing kiss. She returned his kiss eagerly, moving her hands to his bare chest. She gripped him tightly, enjoying his warmth and the feel of his firm muscles beneath her fingertips. She felt her stomach rumble slightly, causing her to break free from their kiss. He smirked at her, pulling away from her and pressing gentle kisses along her jawline and along her neck before kissing his way down to her shoulder. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck."How about we get some breakfast and then go out for lunch?" he suggested, his deep vo
"Oh, yes, right. Right." He nodded his head. "Come on. Let's go and get ready."He grabbed hold of her wrist and led her out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom. He walked past his mother who had just woken up and was currently making her bed, a content smile plastered across her face. She caught his eye, a small knowing smile playing upon her lips. "Morning sweetie. Have a nice morning." She murmured, her gaze shifting towards his hand which was holding the hand of his wife. He immediately let go of the woman's hand, cursing under his breath silently. His mother raised an eyebrow at him."I was just showing her where the bathroom is." He muttered defensively, turning away from his mother's questioning gaze and entering the bathroom to change.Once he emerged from the bathroom, his clothes and hair freshly washed, he found Ethan sitting on the edge of his bed, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she stared blankly at the ground. He took a seat beside her, placing his arm arou
A soft smile spread across her lips as she blushed at his words. "Besides," he added. "We both know it's been more than three months since we started dating. We've been doing this forever now, and we're supposed to have been together longer than this."She giggled softly. "I suppose you're right."She gazed lovingly at him."Anyway, enough with the serious talk. It's time for you to meet the people I work with."He nodded his head slowly, his lips curling upwards in a small smile as he watched her stand up and place a kiss against the corner of his mouth."Lead the way."She turned around, heading towards the door and opening it for him, letting him walk past her out into the corridor. He followed her down the hallway, glancing around at everything as she led him down the hallways of the apartment complex. Finally they arrived at the end of the corridor where she stopped outside the door of one of the apartments. She reached out, opening the door and stepping aside."This is our room
She let out a small sigh, lowering her head and closing her eyes briefly as she lay there, listening to the sound of her own heavy breathing filling the air in the room. After a moment, she stood up once more, walking over to the window and pulling back the curtains, allowing the bright afternoon sun to shine upon her. The sky had already begun to turn blue, indicating that the sun would soon begin to set.Suddenly, there was a knock on the bedroom door. She looked up, frowning slightly. That was strange; no one ever knocked on her bedroom doors unless they were calling for her. But nevertheless, she answered the door anyway, opening it cautiously and peering out into the corridor."Hello?" A voice called out suddenly, causing her body to stiffen.She gasped slightly as she recognized it, immediately recognizing who the owner of the voice belonged to."Ethan?" She called out quietly, stepping aside to allow him access."What are you doing here?"He strode past her, entering the room w
Jake remained quiet as he listened to her ramble. He then let out a sigh and placed his hand on top of hers. "Claire, slow down. Everything is going to be alright. You'll find a way to explain everything."She looked down at the table, letting out a heavy sigh. After what happened last night, she was beginning to doubt herself again. Jake squeezed her hand gently."Everything will be alright."She closed her eyes and gave him a weak smile. "I hope so."When lunchtime came around, Claire and Jake headed into town. Jake didn't speak very much during the entire walk there; in fact, he hardly said anything at all. After buying their food and taking a seat in the back of the restaurant, they started to eat."So, where do you live?" Claire asked once they were done eating."In an apartment complex," he answered vaguely."An apartment building? Really?" she exclaimed.Jake laughed softly. "Yes. I don't live in a mansion like you. Actually, I only live there temporarily. But you're welcome to
She opened her eyes again after a short while. She turned her head to glance at him. She couldn't believe it. He was still staring at the water, lost in thought.A warm feeling spread throughout her body. He was beautiful. Even though the sun was shining brightly upon him, his dark skin was perfectly shaded by the rays of sunlight and glistened beautifully. His hair, which fell across his face, was slightly damp due to the salty air. She wanted to run her hand through his hair and comb her fingers through his hair, running her fingers through his thick dark locks, causing his hair to stand up wildly. His lips were slightly parted, showing off those perfect pink, puffy lips she loved kissing so much. His jawline was sharp, but not masculine. It gave him a feminine look, making it seem as though he had more curves than muscular. Her eyes traveled downward, admiring the muscles that filled his abdomen and chest. She could just imagine the feel of them beneath her hands. She licked her
"Shh," he whispered, "don't worry. Everything will be alright." It took her several seconds to realize he was talking to her, and it took another couple minutes for her to register the meaning behind his words. She pulled away slightly and looked up at him.He looked concerned but at the same time relieved that he had finally gotten her to respond.She smiled weakly at him. "Thank you."Jake nodded before kissing her forehead gently.They remained silent for a few more moments until Jake started to drive back toward his house. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist and tugged lightly at his hand to get his attention."So…what are we going to do today?" she asked hesitantly, knowing very well that the subject of what they were going to do would probably cause him to start driving faster and she had never liked speeding down the highway, but she figured that he would probably enjoy the speed.He grinned mischievously at her and winked. "I was hoping you could give me an answer to tha
The silence between them was comfortable and they both didn't seem to mind. They had become quite close over the past few days and they had developed some sort of trust with each other that they didn't previously have. For example, whenever they met in public Jake always paid attention to her and made sure that she was okay, whether she wanted him to or not. Sometimes they would walk around Milan together, sometimes he would take her out on romantic walks along the coast, sometimes they would make plans to get together to have fun at the beach. The only thing that was missing was his presence at her side. But as long as he was nearby Claire didn't mind spending time with him. However, when he wasn't by her side, she became incredibly nervous and uneasy. Whenever she had to endure his presence, she felt guilty. She knew that she shouldn't have allowed herself to develop an attraction to him but she couldn't help it. When he looked at her or spoke to her she was unable to concentrat
Jake walked into the kitchen and placed his hands on top of Claire's shoulders. "Why did you stop working today?" he asked curiously."Oh," she answered sheepishly. "I forgot to eat lunch..."He chuckled softly. "Well I'll bring you something," he promised.Claire blushed lightly as he leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against hers. She relaxed in his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She couldn't help but feel completely overwhelmed by love for this man. He made her feel safe and content, which was something she hadn't experienced since she was little. After a moment she pulled away slightly and rested her forehead against his. She took a breath."What are we going to do today?" she asked hopefully."Whatever you want," he replied happily."Good," she whispered before bringing her lips back to his.Jake smiled against her lips and brought his hands down from around her shoulders to rest on her hips. They continued kissing for a couple of minutes before h
"Are you hungry?" he asked. "Want me to make us breakfast?"Her eyes shot open at his question and she gave him a quick nod before pulling away slightly to sit up, propping herself up on her elbows."I think I should cook something," he added. "You should also take a shower and maybe try to get some more sleep."She groaned softly. "What kind of a guest am I? Don't you think I should be helping you with anything? I mean... I don't exactly live here.""You live here just fine, Claire," he said, placing a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. "It doesn't matter where you live or who takes care of you. That's what you're my wife now. No matter what happens, you'll always have a place in my heart.""Then... I guess cooking breakfast is the least I could do.""Sounds like a plan," he said with a smile. He reached down and removed one of her legs, moving it to the side of the bed. He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Come on," he said as he stretched out his hand to help he
"Come on," he said, patting the space beside him. "Let's go get cleaned up."After changing into a pair of yoga pants, a tank top, and flip flops, Claire walked out of the bathroom. She jumped when she saw Jake sitting there. He put his magazine down and looked at her confusedly."You're taking too long."She shrugged. "Sorry.""It's fine. Go ahead and brush your teeth so we can head out."Claire did as told and brushed her teeth quickly before walking into the closet to pull out her outfit. Once dressed she went back into the bathroom to find Jake sitting on the bed, tapping his foot impatiently."How's it look?" she asked.He glanced up at her, his eyebrows knitting together. "Wow... you look great."Claire grinned. "Thanks."She walked over to Jake, placing her hands on either side of his hips. She pressed her lips against his, her tongue slipping inside his mouth to explore. He kissed her back hungrily, sliding one of his hands under her shirt and running his fingers over her bare
There were some very nice dresses that he would love to try on. He wondered if Claire would let him pick something out for her. The last time she wore something that expensive was when they were in college. He sighed to himself, knowing that this was probably the most expensive dress she owned.After the sales associate handed her the bag, she paid and thanked them before making her way back outside. They had gone to the same high school, so they were practically attached at the hip. She hadn't dated anyone since, though. After graduation she decided to focus on her degree and Jake stayed single until recently. He was happy for her. For the past four years, Jake had been a proud father of three children. One of whom he had named after Claire's mother, Rose, who was murdered by the man she called a father."What are you thinking about?" Claire questioned, noticing that he was deep in thought.Jake snapped back to reality and grinned. "Nothing. Just wondering where to take you for dinn
"Thanks, Dad." I said quietly before walking towards my bedroom. I entered the door and slid it closed before falling onto the bed. I let out a sigh and placed my head into my pillow, closing my eyes as tears began to gather in my eyes again.I couldn't believe everything that was happening. My parents had given birth to our daughter only a month ago and things were still progressing. The doctor hadn't told us much, only saying that we were having twins. As far as I knew, they were healthy babies and that was all we needed to know. I heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming closer to my bedroom door and I instinctively curled up in a ball, hoping to hide away from whoever was outside my bedroom door. I felt my breathing become ragged as my eyes began to fill with tears again, knowing full well who it was."I'm sorry, Jake, but I can't do this anymore. The stress is too much."They're standing outside a wedding dress shop at the mall in the city, waiting to go inside so that they can