Page 89 of If the Ring Fits

ADRIAN

The muted glow of the city lights dances across the ceiling as I lie tangled in the sheets, Rowena curled against me. Her soft, even breathing tickles my upper arm, making my skin tingle with each exhale. I never imagined I’d find myself here, in a quiet hotel room, raw and exposed in every sense of the word. The chaos that’s defined our relationship seems miles away in this moment of tranquility.

I spoon Rowena from behind, draping my arm over the gentle swell of her waist. The warmth radiating from her bare skin is both soothing and electrifying, like plunging into a hot spring on a snowy day. As I pull her closer, I’m overcome with a profound sense of peace that’s eluded me for years. Making love to Rowena wasn’t just a physical act; it was a soul-stirring connection, a merging of hearts that transcends the tangible.

“Are you still awake?” she asks, her voice heavy with sleep. Rowena shifts in my arms, turning to face me.

“Yeah, just… processing.” I brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead, struck by her beauty as the streetlights illuminate her features. “That was…”

“Unexpected?” A playful smile tugs at her lips. “In a good way, I hope.”

“In the best way.” I chuckle softly, tracing the curve of her shoulder with my fingertips. “I feel like I’ve been wandering in the dark my entire life, and suddenly, you flipped on a light switch.”

Rowena’s eyes sparkle with amusement. “So, I’m your personal illuminator now?”

“No, you are my sunshine.” I grin, pulling her into a slow kiss. As our lips meet, the carefully constructed walls around my heart crumble, brick by brick, and for once, I’m not afraid of what might pour in.

After a few more lingering kisses, we both sigh contentedly, our foreheads touching. I run my fingers through her hair, feeling the calm wash over us. My hand moves to her belly, cradling it protectively as we drift off. Just as I’m about to fall asleep, Rowena’s soft gasp startles me awake.

My eyes widen as I feel a faint flutter beneath my palm, resting over her swollen belly.

“Was that… the baby?” I ask in awe.

Rowena looks at me, a radiant smile on her face. “Yes, that was the baby.”

“Does it happen often?”

She shakes her head, her eyes bright, joyful, amazed. “No, this is the first time I’ve felt them move.”

A rush of emotions overwhelms me—amazement, protectiveness, responsibility. This tiny kick symbolizes a future that could include not just Rowena, but her child as well. A fierce instinct to shield them from any harm rises inside me.

I tighten my arms around my wife and press a soft kiss to her bare shoulder. The baby kicks again, more insistently thistime. I marvel at the strength in those tiny movements, already so full of life and personality.

“The baby is on board with us fooling around,” Rowena jokes, her tone light and playful. “We should do it many more times.”

I chuckle and nuzzle her neck, enveloped in her sweet scent mingled with hints of sweat and sex. “Is that your professional opinion as an expectant mother?”

“Absolutely. I’ve been a sexually frustrated, horny, pregnant woman for the past five and a half months. I’ve got some serious making up to do.”

“What numbers are we talking here?” I ask jokingly.

“Ah, always the numbers guy.” She sighs mockingly, adding, “I want to do this every day for the rest of my life.” Rowena says this lightly, but her eyes search mine, seeking answers to unspoken questions. Beneath her breezy tone, I sense the weight of her words, the hint at a shared future that hangs in the space between us. All I have to do is reach out and grab it.

I run my thumb lightly over her cheekbone, memorizing the contours of her face. The depth of my feelings for her catches me off guard sometimes, a wave I never saw coming until it swept me under. It’s more than just the heat of our bodies moving together, more than the practicality of our situation. It’s the way she makes me feel whole, as if I’ve discovered a part of myself I didn’t even know I was missing.

“Every day for the rest of our lives, huh?” I draw lazy circles on her hip. “I’m all in.”

Rowena’s eyes widen, her playful expression morphing into something more serious, more vulnerable. “You are?” Her voice is soft, almost hesitant, as if she’s afraid to hope for too much.

I cup her face. “I am, Sunshine. We didn’t plan for this, and there’s a lot we still need to figure out, but… I want this, us.”

Her eyes shimmer, and she presses her mouth in a tight line, nodding. “I want it, too, Adrian. More than anything.”

The emotion in her voice, the raw honesty of it, hits me hard in the solar plexus. I capture her lips in a passionate kiss.

As I kiss her, I decide that labels and logistics can wait. Right now, we are where we’re meant to be. A family, not in the traditional sense perhaps, but in every way that counts.Myfamily.

We make love again, slowly, tenderly, savoring each touch and caress. It’s different from before, more intimate somehow, as if each movement is an unspoken promise we’re making to each other. The world outside the warmth of our sheets seems to fade into oblivion, leaving only the two of us and the undeniable bond growing stronger with every beat of our hearts.

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