My Immortal Lover

41

Down on the beach, I stood at the water's edge and dug my toes into the sand. The saltwater washed over them and lapped around my ankles. I picked up a shell and stared at it in my palm. Then I wrapped my fingers around it, drew back my arm, and threw it as far as I could into the sea. Walking forward, I went further into the water until the waves crashed around my knees. My swollen belly fluttered and I sighed, folding my hands over it. I didn't want to go home.

"Ana!" I heard Daniel call and I turned.

"Yeah?" I answered him and saw him come walking out of the house, looking for me. His eyes found me and a smile broke out across his face before he ran forward and came into the water to stand next to me.

"We don't have to leave," He whispered in my ear.

"Why?" I asked and stepped back.

"Because we can fly the kids down here."

I paused and stared at him. "But what about my family? What about Bianca?"

"She's coming too, don't worry about it. Alec bought a house a little ways down the beach for them and it's just as big as ours."

I turned and looked out at the sea. My stomach nudged me again and I patted the bump gently. His hand landed over mine; stilling it and his other hand cupped my chin, turning my head back to him. After looking into my eyes for a moment, he frowned and his hands dropped. "What's wrong?"

"I just don't know if I want to be down here and so far from my family for so long."

"We can go visit them whenever."

"It's different."

My head drooped forward and I stared at my belly, trying to think. Suddenly, my head seemed foggy and I placed one hand on my forehead, closing my eyes. His hands cupped my face and his lips pressed against mine. Instantly, my head cleared up, and I grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer, and tangling my left hand in his hair. A laugh rumbled in his chest and I smiled against his lips. He leaned his forehead against mine and I kept my eyes closed, my breathing rushing in and out of my mouth.

"We can go back or stay," He said and I smiled when I heard that he was out of breath. "It's up to you. I'm fine with doing whatever."

"I'm not sure," I whispered and he kissed me again.

"Make up your mind."

I stared out at the ocean and dug my toes into the sand, loving everything about being here. My thoughts drifted to Sam, and how he'd be forever bumping into me in a small town in Ohio, and my decision was made. "We can stay. As long as my family can visit whenever."

"Done deal." He kissed me softly and rested a hand on my fully swollen stomach. "How much longer?"

"A few days. Maybe today. I lost track."

He walked with me back to the house, and helped me up the stairs so that I could unpack my belongings. Just as we were passing the bathroom, there was an internal pop in my stomach and water doused my legs. I sighed and looked up at Daniel, who immediately turned us back to the bathroom and set me in the tub. My shorts were removed and I watched Daniel grab a towel and some scissors. Pain raced through my body from my core and I gritted my teeth.

Closing my eyes helped make it a tiny bit more bearable and it was over in a matter of seconds. The cord was snipped and my bloody mass of a baby was plucked from the tub and cleaned off. Daniel brushed my hair back from my face and kissed my forehead.

"It's a girl."

"You can name her."

There was a moment of silence and then he said so softly that I barely heard him, "Genevieve, just like my baby sister."

I smiled and pulled him down for a kiss. "I love it."

He got Genevieve settled in her basket after she was cleaned and fed, and then came over to help me. I shakily got to my feet, then stripped my shirt off, stepped out of the tub and turned the shower on. Daniel's eyes widened when I grabbed his shirt and nearly tore it off him. My mouth brushed over his and I undid his belt while he set me in the shower. I grabbed his wrist and yanked him in too, demanding him to have a response to my actions.

To my disappointment however, he stopped me and looked at me with raised eyebrows. I huffed with frustration and let my desire, my lust, escape the confines of my mind. He was slammed by my emotions and I saw the change in him. His gorgeous green eyes went from amused and cautious to flat out desire, slowly travelling up and down my body before him. I beckoned him forward with a crook of my finger and he caved, pinning me to the shower wall.

It had to have been the best shower of my life and I was smiling giddily for the rest of the week. At the end of the week however, I had cause to only smile more, for my children came running into the house midday, led by Alec and Bianca. They all jumped onto their father and me with exclamations about how they'd missed us and how cute the newest family member was.

"It's good to see you after so long, Ana." Bianca stated and hugged me from behind since I was covered in children, literally.

"How've you been?"

"Pregnant." She touched her rounded belly and I smiled, happy for her. She bent down and whispered in my ear, "Your brother is one hell of a procreator. Quadruplets."

"You just had twins!"

She shrugged and waggled her eyebrows at me. Daniel's hand was sliding up my thigh and Todd quickly moved to sit on it, giving his father a stern look. I giggled and pulled my oldest child into a hug. Todd nestled into my side and refused to move for any of his siblings. Daniel's eyes were wide as he realized that Todd understood that what he'd been doing would've led to more babies. Bianca snickered and smacked Daniel upside the head as she passed him on the way to the kitchen.

"You'll pay for that!" Daniel called after her.

"I'd like to see you try!" Came her response. "Alec would never let you!"

Daniel slouched back into the couch, turning the TV to the news channel and shot a mischievous grin at me. I just smiled back, knowing full well that he's not going to heed any warnings from his son or sister-in-law about sex. My stomach tingled at the thought and a blush stole across my cheeks. Daniel turned to stare at me, his pupils wide like a predator's in hunt. His hands twitched and he pulled Taylor off her brother, Logan, by her ankles to busy himself instead of tuning into my desire.

I cast a glance around at my family and grinned. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that I'll have an amazing life.