Sage

68

not rlly in correlation to the chapter. I just haven't posted ellie in a while :)

Harry.

I swear I'm in heaven.

Ellie's curls naturally smell of cocoa butter as they lay sprawled out across my bicep, her lips softly peppering kisses on my chest, and her legs draped over mine, tangled in the sheets. She sighs contently, shuffling closer to me. Her bare breast press against my side, and I almost have it in me to go for round two.

"You're gonna fuck this baby out of me," She mumbles raspily, her guttural voice eliciting a sleepy grin on my face.

"I just may... they're overdoing their stay," I mutter back, my own voice gravelly as well as I turn to face her.

Her lips are puffy from both the sleep and the steamy sex, and they tug up into a smile as her deep brown eyes glimmer at me. I'd never seen brown eyes glow before, but hers did - like morning sunlight on the bark of a redwood tree.

Our noses are only a few inches apart, allowing me to see every bump and 'imperfection' on her face. I've fallen in love with every single one of them, and I can't wait to do it again and again each day.

My heart feels overwhelmed by the simple gesture, but this time, I don't have to hold back the words they make me think. My eyes flicker to meet hers, and I'm speechless for a split second. It still feels unreal. I can say it. I don't have to hide the words behind small kisses and touches of affection. I can just tell her.

"I love you," I whisper, unable to stop reminding her. I don't want her ever to forget.

"I love you," She says, her voice just as quiet as she smirks at me. I reach my finger up and poke her dimple, making her smile grow and her bulbous nose twitch, just as I expected.

"Our first night in our new house, and we solidify it with morning sex. How sweet," She grins.

"You're the horndog, not me," I snort, referring to her quite literally waking up at four in the morning, whining about how horny she was.

"It's the hormones, asshole." She swats at my chest, but I'm quick to grab her wrist and tug her closer to me, rolling us over so that she's on top. I don't miss how she captures the sheet to cover her body. I almost say something but don't. I don't want to put her on the spot.

Ellie lifts a brow at me.

Her hair is now flying everywhere, with different curls and coils shooting in every direction.

"Did you not sleep with your cap on?" I wonder. I know how adamant she is about it, always complaining that her hair will dry out and get tangled.

"It's called a bonnet, and no, I forgot," She playfully narrows her eyes at me as my hands gravitate under the sheets and to her thighs. I notice her body tense just a fraction when my fingertips mindlessly trace the stretchmarks, and I have to hold back a frown. Before I can say anything, she reaches over and grabs my phone from the nightstand.

My breath stiffens for a second, and the image of Danny is prominent in my mind. Then, I remembered that I had deleted it the second I got it. There's nothing in there that I don't want her to see.

God knows I'll be glad when all this shit is over. Five more months of payments and Tiki will be out of our lives for good. No more looking over my shoulder, no more feeling guilty about leaving Ellie in the dark. I can focus on my family. We can have a clean slate. I'm doing this out of her protection: her's and our unborn child.

"Here, take a picture of me," She hands me the phone, pulling me from my short thoughts.

I do as she says, allowing her to pose with her hands on her belly and her head tilted to the side as she cheeses. Her dimples are like deep craters, and each one of her teeth is on display, making all of my worries seem minuscule as I beam back up at her. She keeps the sheet over her breast, letting it drape over her body like a greek goddess.