Chapter 9

My chest warms when I hear the bathroom door open, and my husband walks out with a towel wrapped around his waist. My eyes drop to his smooth pale skin, rippled with muscles everywhere.

His blue eyes shine when he sees me, his lips spreading out into a grin. “Holy fuck, gorgeous. Where the fuck do you think you’re going dressed like that?”

I love Aiden’s eyes on me. I loved them the first time he ever looked at me, and I love them now, eight years, and one and a half babies later.

But I also love teasing him, so I smirk as I hold his gaze in the mirror when I say, “The girls and I are going to a strip club tonight.”

His bright blue eyes darken as he narrows them at me, and lets out a low groan, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I know that’s bullshit,” he whispers against my skin, pulling me back into him. “I already warned Gabi about strippers and she assured me there wouldn’t be any.” Dammit . “But I also know why you’re teasing me. I know you want this .” His lips find my neck and I melt against him. “You want me to be jealous and stake my claim on you, don’t you?” I open my mouth to retort when his hands find my belly, and he rubs it, making me glance down. “I’m jealous as fuck of any man who puts their eyes on you. But I know I don’t need to be. This this baby is mine,” he says, licking the length of my neck, drifting down to my hands until he rubs my wedding band between his fingers. “And you’re mine.”

“I’m not.” My voice comes out as a breath.

“You are,” he murmurs, twisting me around to press his lips to mine. “And I’m yours,” he whispers, before cupping my face and kissing me so deep I can’t think of anything else. “No matter where I go, no matter who the fuck is around me.” My breath hitches. “All I see is you.”

His tongue swipes against mine and I melt into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I love this man so much, and I love that he knows how I feel without ever opening my mouth.

I hate seeing other women thirst after Aiden, completely disregarding our relationship. It breaks my heart when I see it in person, and it’s even worse when he’s at away games and I make up a million and one scenarios in my head.

But I also trust him, and I know he loves me more than anything in the world, aside from our daughter and his baby that I’m carrying.

I let out a deep breath when he pulls back and presses his forehead against mine. “You know you don’t have to worry, right?” he asks, his eyes searching mine. “I will never look at anyone but you. I will never want anyone but you.”

I gulp, unable to look away from his eyes. “I know.” I really do. Even if I get jealous sometimes, and feel self-conscious, I know the kind of man Aiden Pierce is. “It’s just… hard,” I admit. “Being away from you all the time. Every time you’re gone…”

His lips press against my forehead, lingering on the skin. “I know. It’s so fucking hard for me too, gorgeous. I wish you could come with me to all my games, but I know you can’t. I know that.” He sighs against my hair. “You’re an amazing mom, and I know Nova needs you with her.” We’ve tried nannies before, once, but I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving my kid with someone else. “And Nova definitely can’t spend all her time on planes and in hotels.” Aiden pulls back, looking me in the eyes. “And when she comes around, it’s going to be even harder,” he says, glancing down at my belly.

I roll my eyes, a smile curling my lips. “You’ve got to stop saying she . What if it’s a boy?”

He just grins, kissing me once more. “It’s not.”

He’s so certain, it makes me want to laugh. The group all have bets on what the gender is going to be, and while I bet it would be a boy, I wouldn’t mind losing a hundred bucks if it means Aiden is happy.

I want to be his happiness. I want our family to be the family he never had. Show him how good life can be when he has a real family who cares about him like Nova and I do.

“Fuck, you really do look good.” Aiden’s eyes drift down my body, his hands mapping out everywhere his eyes look. “Are you sure you need to go out today?” he asks with a mischievous smile.

I swat his hands away, turning back around to face the mirror. “The girls booked a spa day. Gabi wants to get pampered before the bachelorette tonight.”

He groans, clutching my hips in his hold. “You better behave,” the rumble in his voice makes me shiver .

“It’s just a spa day.” I blink innocently up at him. “How much trouble can I get in?”

His teeth nip at my neck, making me gasp. “You know that’s not what I meant.” His lips press against my skin, soothing the bite. “If I find out Gabi lied to me about the strippers…”

A knock hits our hotel door, and Aiden looks up. “Hello? We’re waiting.”

I turn around to walk toward the door, but Aiden halts me with his hand wrapped around my wrist. “I love you.”

My eyes soften, and I flash him a smile. “I love you, too.”

I barely walk out of the room when I hear, “You look like you’ve just been fucked.”

Well, what a way to meet my friends.

“Gabi,” Madi chastises.

“What?” Gabi says, shrugging. “She does.”

“I do?” I ask the girls, smoothing out my hair.

Madi sighs, shaking her head, but then she tilts her head and purses her lips together. “A little.”

I roll my eyes. Great .

“You’re about to pop,” Gabi says. “Is that even safe?”

I let out a laugh. “I can’t wait until you get pregnant. Chris’s dick will fall off.” Gabi looks confused, wondering, and I turn to Rosie. “Help me,” I plead.

She smiles, approaching me to wipe the smudged makeup around my mouth, and fix my hair. “There.”

“Your lipstick’s still a little smudged,” Gabi points out. “Couldn’t you have waited until we got back home? ”

“Give me a break,” I say as we walk down the hallway. “I don’t see Aiden often, and this is the one chance we have of being together without Nova being there.”

“Children are such cockblocks,” Gabi says. “Have you thought of asking your mom to take her more often?”

I let out a laugh. “And basically paint the picture that Aiden and I are going to be fucking while she takes my baby? No, thank you.”

Gabi shrugs. “Just a thought.”

A smile pulls at my lips as I glance at her. “How about you take her?” I joke.

“Me?” Gabi asks, her eyes so wide they look like they’re about to fall out.

I laugh. “I’m only joking. You wouldn’t know the first thing about babies.”

The girls laugh, but then Gabi stops abruptly, keeping her eyes on mine. “What if… what if I wanted to?”

I lift an eyebrow. “You want to babysit Nova?”

She nods. “I love that little girl, you know I do.”

Yeah, she does. Gabi is the best auntie to our baby. She spoils her like crazy, and while I was joking about Gabi watching Nova, it seems like it’s something she actually wants to do.

“If you want to watch Nova for a few hours while Aiden’s home, then that’s fine by me,” I say with a shrug.

Her face lights up, breaking out into a grin. “Wait. Really?” she asks. “You really trust me with her?”

I let out a soft chuckle at her reaction. “Of course, I do, Gabi. ”

Her smile widens and she reaches over, and wraps her hand around my arm, giving it a soft squeeze.

I blink, confusion etched on my face. “What the hell was that?” I ask her.

“A sign of affection,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Obviously.”

I arch a brow, pressing my lips together in amusement. “Squeezing my arm is showing me affection?”

“Yes.” Gabi frowns. “What else did you want me to do? Make out with you to show you I’m thankful?”

I let out a laugh. What a weirdo. God, I love her. “No,” I say, shaking my head. “An arm squeeze is more than enough.”

“Exactly,” she says, flicking her hair behind her shoulder. “Let’s go, or we’ll be late.”

Madeline lets out a scoff. “Since when do you care about being late?”

Gabi looks behind her shoulder with a smirk. “Since I booked a whole spa treatment before the bachelorette tonight.”

“How long is this going to take, exactly?” Madi asks.

“Just a few hours,” Gabi says, waving a hand as she pushes the door open. “Wedding planning has been hard as hell. I deserve this.”

We let out a laugh, following her into the spa, looking around. The air smells like fresh cucumbers, and the quiet, soothing music makes my shoulders dip, relaxation already taking over .

“And so do you,” Gabi says, nudging my arm. “I know you’re tired, and stressed, so I booked you a massage.”

“You did?” I arch a brow. “Wow… that’s nice.”

“I know,” Gabi says with a smile. “If only I had a friend like myself.”

I let out a scoff, and lift my head when I see a lady walking toward me, flashing me a smile.

“Have fun, and try not to moan too loud. I’m getting a massage right next door.”

I let out a laugh, following the lady into the room, and as soon as I lie on the table, and her hands start working my muscles, I let out a groan that’s undoubtedly loud enough for Gabi to hear.

God. I underestimated how much I needed this. Some quiet time to relax, and be pampered.

I adore Nova. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me, along with her father, but being a mom is hard, especially to a three-year-old. And now with another on the way, I’m tired. All the goddamn time. Aiden helps a lot when he’s home, but when he’s not, it’s just me and her, and I miss him all the time.

“Oh my god, yes ! Right there, Petra. Get those knots out.”

I scrunch my eyebrows, hearing Gabi’s voice next door, and let out a laugh.

And she told me not to be too loud.