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I slide hs My palms are inside her panties and I squeeze her bottoainst me She reaches between us and yanks the button ofthe zipper down She pushes theh for her toes to hook around the waist and take them off "Whoa, baby doll That takes talent"

"That wasn’t a one hit wonder I can do the same with these" She hooks her toes around the waistband of my boxers and repeats the process

I’ainst own and push it up She rises from the bed so I’m able to lift it over her head I toss it over ers in the waistband of her panties and pull the co naked and I have to stop to take in the beauty of my child’s mother I place ht of our baby inside her "I will love this child of ours with all of my heart and I will protect him or her with my life" I lower my mouth to her abdolide through the top of my hair "I couldn’t be happier My life feels complete for the first time"

I kiss ain She relaxes her legs and my body nestles between them "You’re sure this is safe for the baby?"

"Doctor approved I asked"

My elbows are resting on each side of her head and I cradle her face with ainst her warhtly for the perfect position "And I love you as well, ently push in to move and meets every one of ether and enter that ical place where only the two of us exist

And this tiined There are feelings and connections happening that we’ve yet to experience And the deep affection between us is so strong that it deserves a new name because the word love simply can’t do it justice But all words are unnecessary e’re like this

Avery’s body tenses as she pants through herlike a tight glove–and I can’t stop the inco oes totally liainst her and every inch of my body from head to toe is euphoric "I have no idea what I just said"

"I don’t either but it made total sense when I heard it coht?"

Chapter Eighteen

It’s almost dahen I hear the family return to the co for the entire night so Avery and I could have privacy I’m not sure where they went but I’ll need to find a way to thank the She’s quite the sleepyhead thisshe’s experienced these past teeks And since she’s pregnant

I trail e purple and yellow bruise on the inside of her wrist I lift her arm–careful to not disturb her sleep–and see bite th of her arm I shift to inspect the other one and find the same types of crescent shaped contusions

No va myself

I lie next to Avery as she sleeps and I remain perfectly still as only a varowth and development of a baby I think it’s too early for a human embryo’s heart to beat but I listen closely for any evidence of our baby’s existence I hear nothing so I carefully ainst Avery’s lower abdomen

The sound is so faint it’s almost nonexistent but I hear it Lub-dub Lub-dub Lub-dub I’ve never heard anythingin my entire existence