Blood & Water

Chapter 24

It wasn't very long after Angel managed to get Cole, the big bad shot caller friend of Alice Reed, out of the house that Carrie woke up. Angel almost felt more anxious seeing her than he did seeing Cole.

"Hey," he said cautiously.

"Hi," she stifled a yawn. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep," he shrugged. As she approached him he smiled, hugging her and caressing her stomach. "Mis chicas," he said lovingly. "How're you feeling?"

With a quick shrug, Carrie shimmied away from him and stuck her head in the fridge. "I'm hungry and I need some coffee."

"Me too," he said quickly. "I gotta get out to the yard though. You good?"

"Yeah," she said, finally smiling at him, "I'm taking a sick day."

"Good idea," he said supportively. Angel was relieved to hear she'd be taking care of herself and resting instead of going to work.

"Long day, you think?" Carrie asked casually.

Angel frowned and shrugged. "I don't think so. I gotta head over to the other side but I'm not staying."

Carrie nodded as she poured herself a boring bowl of cereal. With her back to Angel, Carrie huffed and called out to him as she heard him moving further away from her.

"Angel," she sighed. "Wait."

His bare feet stopped slapping against the tile floor when she spoke again. "What's up?"

"I love you," she told him. "Even with all this tension between us, the uncertainty, I love you."

Angel hurried over to her and hugged her, his arms around her waist and his hands resting on her stomach. "Thank you. I love you too."

"I know," she smiled. "I think that's the one thing I'm most certain of." Leaning her head back on his chest she closed her eyes. "This is nice," she whispered.

"I don't want to leave," he complained.

"Can we just stand here?"

"Sorry, Car," he groaned.

"Cuddle date," she told him, "Tonight, after dinner, I want a big, long hug."

Angel looked down at her with a playful grin. "A big, long hug?"

"Hey, if your dick isn't I want something that's big and long." Carrie stuck her tongue out and laughed, highly amused by her own joke.

In response, Angel kissed her neck, sucking gently on her flesh as his hands moved down to the elastic of her shorts. His thumbs slipped under, inching them down slowly, but Carrie grabbed his hands.

"We can't do it here," she groaned.

"What? Why?"

"You can't bend me over the counter," she reminded him, "Ya know, cause of the baby."

Angel felt like a moron. "Sorry."

"Oh no, you're still gonna fuck me," she grabbed his hand, "Just not here." Carrie pulled him toward the bedroom and Angel happily hurried behind her with a smirk.

--

Carrie managed to keep herself distracted during the day. She took Joey out for a walk then bought clothes for the new baby, spending too much but not caring in the slightest, and then made dinner. It wasn't until the sun had long set that she grew nervous. The few times she text Angel in the morning he responded, although it took longer than usual, but that stopped around noon.