Ruffled ~ H.S

Fifty-Seven

I let out a soft moan of satisfaction as I sunk further into the bathtub – letting the warm water surround and immerse my body – relaxing all my tense muscles straight away. But even with how deep I sunk down, the end of my giant belly still poked out above the water – making me roll my eyes.

I was 35 weeks pregnant now – and my stomach was looking huge. Charlie even mocks me and calls me 'Pregosaurus Rex' – because that's just how big I've gotten. And I had to admit – despite how exciting it was that the twins were just weeks away from arriving, I've actually felt kinda self-conscious about my size. Everytime I think about leaving the house, I feel like everyone was gonna stare at me because my massive bump was impossible to ignore. And I really do feel like I've become insanely fat – even though Harry's always insisting I'm nowhere near as fat as I think I am. But I can't help thinking it anyway.

"Hey Deids, I have good news," Harry suddenly came strolling into the en suite without warning – making me gasp and cross my arms over my body by instinct, "I just got off the phone with Gemma – and she said she'll be happy to drive up from Brighton and attend our baby shower tomorrow."

"Do you mind, Harry?!" I narrowed my eyes at him a little, "I'm kind of bathing here!"

Harry smirked at me. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling. But it's your fault for not locking the door before you hopped in there."

"I thought I wouldn't have to," I mumbled – crossing my arms over myself a little tighter, "I wasn't exactly expecting you to just walk in here while I was having a bath."

"It's nothing I haven't seen before, you know," he said with a chuckle, "we've even had baths together, plenty of times in the past."

"That was different," my voice was quiet, "in the past, I wasn't fat and heavy with a monstrous stomach and swollen boobs."

"Oh Deidre, not this again," Harry sighed, "please stop thinking like that. You have two babies sitting inside you, and they're due in five weeks. They're both getting big, and that's why your stomach is big – and it looks beautiful, OK?" He crouched down beside the bathtub and smiled at me.

"Are you sure?" I asked him doubtfully, "It's just...all this extra weight, combined with all the hormones that keep fucking with me, I just...I feel like one day, you're gonna wake up, see me beside you, and become...shocked by what you see," I bit my lip and looked up at him, "do you really still find me attractive..?"

"Deidre, by agreeing to carry our babies, you've made a sacrifice out of your body – and it's a sacrifice that so many women would never want to make – but you did, babe. You made it for our twins, and for me. Believe it or not, that is the sexiest thing in the world to me," his smile grew, "and that's why I think that what your body looks like right now, is a thing of pure and powerful beauty," he cupped my face in his hand and gently stroked my cheek with his thumb, "I've always been attracted to you, darling...but right now, I'm more attracted to you than ever."

"Really..?" I began to break out a smile.

"Oh yeah," he chuckled and briefly scanned his eyes across my pregnant body – and I could see a bit of a hungry look within them, "damn fucking really."

"Hmm...OK. I believe you," I giggled. "I'm sorry, Harry. Please bear with me. You know what this pregnancy does to me."

Harry nodded and smirked at me a little. "And now you know what this pregnancy does to me."

I smirked back at him. "Yeah...and that's why I'm now inviting you to join me in here."

Harry's smirk grew. "Is that so?"