Page 1 of Awakening

One

Olivia

Ilove lazy, sexy, Saturday mornings. No one else exists in these moments. Just us.

“Do you have any idea just how much I love you?” Ethan’s soft lips caress the naked flesh of my rounded baby bump.

“I’m not opposed to you showing me again,” I say with a sleepy grin as I run my fingers through his disheveled hair.

He smiles against my stomach before sliding his warm body against mine until our lips meet in a slow and sensual kiss. “I think we’re going to be late for the reveal party.”

“We’re definitely going to be late. Chloe is going to kill us.”

“Don’t care,” he says, shaking his head. “It was totally worth it.”

I laugh as he squeezes me tight and buries his face in my neck. He kisses my mark and sends a wave of warmth through my body. “Agreed, but we have to get up and get ready. Chloe has put so much work into this day for us.”

He sighs and reluctantly releases me. “Chloe owes me for this.”

I laugh and kiss him as I head to the shower. “I kind of doubt she’s going to see it that way.”

As expected, Chloe is pacing the room when we finally arrive at the pack house for the gender reveal party. She stops and narrows her eyes at us with her hands on her hips. “Where have you been? You’re thirty minutes late.” I giggle as Ethan gives me a wink. “You know what, never mind. I already know,” she says, shaking her head and walking away.

“You look stunning,” Ethan says, pulling me into the warmth of his sculpted chest.

My core tightens as I take in his addictive scent while he kisses me. I’ll never get enough of this man. I raise an eyebrow as we pull apart. “You’re sweet, but I look puffy.”

“Stop it.” He gives me a light smack on my behind. “You’re creating life, and it’s beautiful. If you need me to prove to you how sexy you are, this pack house is full of rooms.” He rubs my back and kisses me again as I relax into his body.

“Nope. No time for that,” Chloe says, as she walks by again. “Your overly enthusiastic sex drive will just have to wait. It’s time to cut the cake.” She then steers us to a large buffet table filled with food and a beautiful two-tier cake in the center that holds the answer we’ve been dying to know for the last two weeks.

“Could I have your attention, please?” Chloe’s voice projects through the room. “It’s time, everyone! Ethan and Olivia are going to cut the cake now. I would ask that everyone stay on the other side of the table to allow them to have a private moment before sharing their news with the rest of us.” She pauses to give me a hug. “Are you ready?”

“I can’t wait. Thank you for this, Chloe,” I say as Ethan and I get into position behind the cake.

“Here, baby.” Ethan hands me the cake knife. “You do the honors.”

I take a deep breath and place the knife on the cake. “Here we go,” I say with a smile. My stomach flutters with excitement as I push the knife down through the cake and slide it out at the bottom. My breath catches and tears come to my eyes when I see the color of the crumbs sticking to the cake knife. I look at Ethan, and my heart leaps when I see his smile. “Are you happy?”

He takes my face in his hands and kisses me slow and gently before wiping a tear off my cheek with his thumb. “Very. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Okay, I love you both, but this is driving the rest of us crazy. Can we please know now?” Chloe asks with her hands clasped.

I turn back to the cake and finish slicing, then use my finger to help balance it as I lift out and hold up the beautiful pastel pink slice. “It’s a girl!” Everyone cheers as I lay the piece of cake on a plate, and Ethan wraps his arms around my waist to caress my stomach and kiss me from behind.

Squealing, Chloe runs over to hug both of us. “Congratulations, you guys! Oh, I’m so excited!” Nick joins us, putting his arm around Chloe. “Okay, Nick, that’s it. We have to get pregnant now too.”

“Oh, you totally should, Chloe. Can you imagine if we both had little girls we could raise together?” I say, grabbing her hands in mine. “They could be best friends, just like us.”

“Whoa, whoa. Let’s just hold on a second here,” Nick says with a grin. “Look, I’m all for having a baby, soon even, but let’s just chill for today,” he says while Ethan chuckles.

“We are so thrilled,” Caroline says as she and Edwin join us. “Something tells me this sweet girl is going to have Grandpa wrapped around her little finger.”

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that will be the case,” Edwin agrees with a proud smile.

“I can’t wait to get a hold of my niece and spoil her absolutely freaking rotten,” Vanessa says, hugging me. “Oh, my God. Think of all the little girl clothes.”

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