Page 78 of Everything After

ALFIE

After wrapping a towel around my hips, I grabbed another and began drying my hair as I wandered back into our bedroom. Lily stood facing the full-length mirror dressed in a sexy, burnt orange, chiffon maxi dress.

Still standing in bare feet, she was a good nine inches smaller than me. I watched her scoop her long hair to one side over her shoulder and cock her head while she considered her choice of outfit.

When she twisted her body this way and that to try to look at it from behind, I knew she wasn’t convinced she’d made the right choice. From my perspective, it was demure but sexy, the perfect dress to announce she was pregnant.

“You look sensational,” I gruffly muttered, as I sidled up behind her, wrapping my still damp arms around her and across her chest.

I watched in the mirror as Lily’s eyes closed and a slow, satisfied smile graced her lips. “You’re making my dress wet,” she mumbled without moving.

“It’s not your dress I’m interested in making wet,” I whispered into her ear. As her long hair was clear of her shoulder, I dipped my head, kissed the sweet spot on her neck and breathed in her natural scent. Lily’s legs buckled and she shivered while a rash of goosebumps covered her skin.

As I began to creep the hem of her dress up her leg, she turned in my arms, making the chiffon I’d bunched up slip from my hand and cascade back to the floor.

“Tsk, Alfie. There’s no more time for that,” she admonished, glancing up at me with pure love shining in her eyes. “We’re going to be fine with all this, right?” she suddenly asked nervously. I heard the need for reassurance in her tone.

I thought other men might say, ‘We’re married and you’re having a baby, isn’t that normal?’ but this was Lily displaying a level of self-doubt I’d rarely ever seen in her since she’d been famous. “Yes, baby. And it’s going to be amazing, you’ll see,” I whispered tenderly.

Grabbing her hand, I stepped back and took another long look at her, in her dress. “You look radiant. Wait there,” I said. I left her facing the mirror and quickly grabbed a blue velvet box from my closet.

“I saw this and thought of you,” I said, grinning and handing it to her.

“You bought me jewelry for today?” she asked, amazed.

“Of course, after all it’s a big day,” I admitted. The moment I said those words my heart began to beat faster. I’d been busting for the day when we could tell our friends that we were going to be parents.

Lily swiped her hair back over her shoulder with one hand, letting it cascade down her back as she sat at her dressing table and cracked open the box.

“Oh, Alfie, it’s gorgeous,” she mumbled, timidly touching the delicate charm on the platinum belcher chain necklace. “Whendid you get this?” she asked, taking it out from the box to inspect the charm further.

“About a week ago,” I admitted. “I thought you might think it stupid, but I figured anything that gave you a little more confidence about your pregnancy journey might be welcomed.”

“It’s beautiful and so thoughtful. I love it,” she said. Her tone sounded shaky, while tears shone in her eyes.

“Aw, baby, don’t cry,” I mumbled and kissed her neck again.

“Then don’t do romantic things when I’m loaded with hormones that are running like free radicals through my body,” she admonished, turning her face up to the ceiling and blinking back tears.

“Come here,” I said, pulling her to her feet and swiping a stray tear with my thumb. “Give it to me,” I commanded, taking the necklace from her. “Turn around and I’ll help you put it on.”

Lily did as I asked, and I slipped the chain over her head. The charm rested perfectly between her breasts.

I lifted the charm, which was a guardian angel with an aquamarine body, a platinum face, and tiny diamond-studded wings. “I’m trusting her to look after you whenever I’m not around,” I mumbled, sounding sentimental for once.

“I’m in love with her already,” Lily mumbled, taking it from my hand and studying the figure again.

“Are you two ever going to come out of that fucking bedroom today, or are you looking for a threesome to join?”

I chuckled. “Coming, Rick,” Lily called out.

“Well, can you come quicker or is that limp dick of his having trouble getting you off?”

“Fuck off, Rick. I was having a romantic moment with my wife. We’re both fully dressed,” I lied. “We’ll be down in a minute.”

“I guess that’s our cue,” Lily said, smiling.

“Two secs, I swear,” I said, quickly darting into my closet and pulling on jeans and a shirt. “Tada, I’m ready,” I said, sweeping back out, bare footed.