Free 31 Days of Autumn by C.J. Fallowfield Page A

to me again,’ she sobbed.
    ‘Or me,’ I added, trying my hardest not to cry
as well. Poor Molly. I felt so bad that I hadn’t been there for her to share
the burden.
    ‘I promise, as long as you both do, too,’ she nodded,
her face full of remorse.
     

Day Five
    Wednesday
9 th October

    Ellie
    I let out a contented sigh when I woke up, feeling
Dan tucked up behind me, his palm placed protectively on my stomach. I’d slept
like a log last night. Just knowing that Brooke might have a diagnosis and it
was all out in the open and being dealt with was such a relief. I really felt
for poor Molly. If that had been Dan, I’d have been beside myself. I’d also slept
better knowing that I only had one more night of being pregnant. I was so
impatient now, I just wanted to meet my little girl.
    ‘Morning,’ his husky rasp greeted me.
    ‘Morning. What time is it?’
    ‘Early. I need to get up soon.’ He kissed my
shoulder and rubbed the tip of his nose along it.
    ‘Do you have to go in, today of all days? Your
mum and Magda are coming to collect the boys this morning, and John and Edward
are coming over for lunch to see us all.’
    ‘I’m sorry, I’d much rather stay, but if I’m
going to have a few weeks off when Eva arrives, I need to finish off some work.
I’ll try and get back for lunch, but no promises.’
    ‘Ok,’ I sighed, trying not to sound too
disappointed. It was unrealistic of me to expect a man with a global company
like Dan’s to be home all of the time. I was spoiled with him working from home
so often as it was.
    ‘What can I do to make it up to you?’ he
whispered, kissing the crook of my neck and making my skin goose up. I felt a
familiar longing blossoming between my thighs. He had a direct hotline to my
libido.
    ‘Make love to me, I’m so horny right now.’
    ‘I guess I’ll have to man up then,’ he
chuckled. ‘All in the name of keeping my pregnant wife happy.’
    ‘Of course. Nothing to do with that morning
erection you woke up with.’ I gave him a teasing smile over my shoulder and he
brushed his lips across mine, then teased me in return with gentle kisses from
one side of my mouth to the other. I melted in his arms. What power did he have
over me to make me so ravenous for his touch?
    ‘That old thing? No, I’m really not that fussed
about sex. I could take it or leave it, to be honest.’
    ‘Right,’ I giggled. He was the most sexual man
I’d ever met. How he’d resisted for so long that first winter we met was beyond
me, especially after years without sex.
    ‘I’d better warm you up first,’ he murmured
between more forceful kisses.
    ‘Trust me, I never need warming up when you’re
around. Get down to business.’
    ‘Well, maybe I enjoy the warming up parts, and
who’s in charge here anyway?’
    ‘If you wanted some easy, meek, and compliant
woman to boss around, Davenport, you picked the wrong woman.’
    ‘I picked the right woman,’ he advised with a
tender kiss this time. ‘You’ve never looked more beautiful than you do right
now. Pregnancy suits you.’
    ‘Thank you,’ I replied, feeling touched and squeezing
his hand tightly. He always made me feel so special and loved, even when I felt
at my least sexy. ‘But if you think I’m having anymore, think again.’
    ‘Christ no,’ he laughed. ‘I’m not sure how I
survived your caesarean with Jonas, and I’m worried sick about our daughter’s,
I can’t do it again.’
    ‘I’m sorry to put you through this one more
time. Just try and remember that it all went ok last time,’ I reminded him. I’d
agreed to have a caesarean again, even though I wanted another natural birth,
because the doctor said it was less risky given my previous caesarean, and I
also thought it would be less stressful for Dan.
    ‘ That was it going ok? Jesus,’ he
groaned. He was starting to stress out again, I could feel his earlier relaxed
body tensing up behind me.
    ‘Until my appointment, you can’t do anything,
Dan.