Uncomplicated: A Vegas Girl's Tale (26 page)

“Yup. She has no idea does she?”

I smiled. “Nope. None at all. I haven’t let her into the nursery once since she told me she wanted the walls a light mint green.”

Dean chuckled. “Sneaky.”

“That’s what husbands do.”

“No. That’s what
you
do.”

Touché. Finalizing the details with Dean, I had him deliver the final pieces of furniture to the nursery. Couldn’t have a baby’s room without furniture, could we?

Luckily Dean was two minutes away, so we were able to get everything set up and finished before Jennifer came out of the bathroom.

I said goodbye to Dean as my wife came down the hall.

“Who was here?” she asked as I shut the door.

“No one important,” I said, trying to fight back my smile. My nerves were jumping. I felt like a kid at Christmas and it wasn’t even my surprise.

Jennifer raised an eyebrow and stepped into my outstretched arms. I kissed her head, inhaling deep the sweet scent of strawberries. “How are you feeling?”

“Mmm…relaxed.”

“Good.” I grabbed her hand. “I have a surprise for you before our appointment.

She leaned back. “Really?”

I placed a soft kiss on her lips and swatted her ass. “Close your eyes.”

She giggled and did as I said.

I pulled her along and stopped before the door of the nursery. My heart raced. I didn’t know why I was so nervous but I was absolutely fucking terrified she wouldn’t like it.

Opening the door, I pushed her in front of me and turned on the light. “Open your eyes, love.”

She did and gasped. Tears filled her eyes as they searched around the room. As time went by where she didn’t say anything, I started getting concerned that maybe I over stepped my bounds. Was she not happy? Didn’t she like—

She threw herself into my arms, squeezing me with everything in her.

A breath of relief left my lips and I hugged her back. “Do you like it, love?”

Jennifer pulled back and shook her head. “No.”

My stomach sunk.

A slow grin spread on her face. “I fucking love it.”

I sighed. “Holy shit, don’t do that to me.”

She laughed and wiped under eyes. “I…wow. Mathis, I can’t believe you did this for me. For us.”

I smiled, feeling mighty proud of myself. I watched Jennifer walk around the room, stroking a hand over the dark cherry wood crib with the matching dresser and changing table. I had everything handmade by the best carpenter in Vegas. None of this plastic or plywood bullshit.

“This is real wood,” she said in awe.

I nodded. “Only the best for our baby. Once we find out the gender, you can finish decorating how you want. But, I wanted to get the big stuff done for you.” She met my gaze.

“Thank you.” She stopped when she reached the middle of the crib, her eyes narrowing. She pulled out a small box and looked between me and the tiny item in her hand.

“Open it.”

She pulled the red ribbon off the white cardboard box and gasped…again. I grinned and stepped up behind her.

She pulled out a delicate gold necklace with a
#1 mom
pendant attached. At that point tears streamed down her face. “God, I hate crying,” she laughed, wiping the tears away.

“I take it you like your second surprise?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

“Yes. Thank you, for everything, my husband.”

I kissed the side of her neck before putting the necklace on her. It fit perfectly, the pendant resting between her breasts. “Anything for you, my wife.”

(Jenny)

Damn it and damn Mathis. Now I had to go and fix my makeup before we made our way to our doctor’s appointment. Today was supposed to be
the
ultrasound. You know the one when women fawn over whether or not they are going to have a girl or boy? Honestly, I was hoping for a boy. After spending time with Alexander, I now knew how to deal with baby boys. Everyone had told us they are easier and in my dreams I had a little boy who looked just like Mathis only with my bright blue eyes.

He hadn’t been vocal about what he wanted, but at the end of the day as long as our baby was healthy that was all that we could ask for. All of the other details didn’t matter.

The nursery he put together for the baby was over the top. But the fact that he did it all on his own warmed my heart. Not only that, but it took that whole thing off my to-do list. I know, women were supposed to want to do all that stuff. Me? It sent me into a panic. I just didn’t have the time with work.

Lori had come on as my personal assistant, alongside Harper. No longer being one of my working girls. She had also become a kept woman with Jude. He was trying and I guess that was more than all of us could ask for. I honestly wanted them to work and had put in my two cents more than I probably should have.

My phone ringing snapped me out of my head.

“Lori,” I answered.

“I know you are off for the rest of the day, but we have a problem with Summer.”

I knew she would be trouble, but she was beautiful and more desperate than most.

“Call Nora, she can handle it. I will try and catch up this afternoon after my appointment.”

I ended the call and toss the phone onto the bed and fix my face before we have to head out.

Lying on the exam table in the ultrasound room, the lights dim, my shirt pushed snuggly under my growing boobs and Mathis holding my hand tightly was surreal. The ultrasound technician squirted the ice cold gel onto my petite bump. Normally women complained about it being cold but damn, did it feel good. Being pregnant in Vegas during the summer was like torture. I felt like a sweating cow daily. And ice cold showers had become frequent.

“We are finding out the gender today, correct?” she asked with a sweet smile. Her short auburn hair reminded me of my aunt Cassie back in Kansas. She was the
free spirit
of my mother’s family. Not many people stayed in contact with her, especially dearest Eloise. But, I always made it a point to catch up with her. That simple reminder of my aunt helped me to feel more comfortable under this strange woman’s touch.

I wondered how much of a heartwarming job it must be, to be such a large part of people’s pregnancies. I mean, she got to bring some of the greatest joy to couples in this room. It must be absolutely surreal. I, on the other hand, get people laid. I guess that could be comparable?
Yeah, not so much.

“Yes,” Mathis and I answered at the same time. Our gazes met and I swore my panties just became soaked. Something about that sideways glance always did it for me. My body wanted him even more than the first time I finally gave in to him. I giggled a little just thinking about us soaking wet in the shower with his dress shirt ruined and pants soggy on the bathroom floor. We had come so far in such a short amount of time, and I couldn’t think of any other way I would want it.

Marriage and babies was something I never wanted for myself, but now that it was here, it was all I ever wanted but only if it was with Mathis. Only him. Only us.

“Wow, you have a mover in there,” the technician laughed.

“You’re tellin’ me! Try sleeping with that kid doing Olympic swimming laps in there!” Ever since I had begun feeling the baby’s movements, they were only getting stronger by the minute. The flips and the kicks to the bladder were gonna do me in.

“Oh wow, well this one isn’t shy at all.”

We all laughed together, because honestly if this child was anything like Mathis or I, we were so fucked.

His grip on my hand tightened and when I look over, I could see a small tear fall from his face. He tried to cover it up, but I just smiled at him and mouth the words,
I love you
, which he repeated back to me.

“You ready?” the bubbly technician asked and we both nod. A couple clicks and printed pictures later, she proudly announced, “It’s a boy! And a very bold one at that. He won’t keep his legs closed!”

We both laughed and I let out a sigh of relief. There was no way I could have dealt with a baby girl. I mean all the pink stuff is adorable, but I am total boy mom material. At least for our first baby.

“Sounds like someone is just like his daddy.”

I laughed and nudged Mathis. He was sitting taller, prouder in the chair next to me. His smile was so wide it could touch his eyes.

“A boy. That is my son.” The pride radiated off of him and he might as well pat himself on the back for a job well done.

The ultrasound tech interrupted us, “You know what they say about how the gender is determined right?” We both shook our heads no. I knew the sperm is the determining factor, I think? But I was all for old wives tales.

“They say, whoever is more dominant during the act in which the baby is created determines the gender.”

Mathis smiled and lets out a laugh.

“Oh hell no. That can’t be right.” I playfully joked with the ultrasound technician. In reality, I was already plotting baby number two, just to prove I was the more dominant one in this relationship. Especially when we were in bed.

The power struggle in our relationship that drew us to each other will never burn out, which was probably why we were more in love every day, and every argument that goes by. We fed off of each other in a way only we could.

“Challenge accepted,” was all I said as I leaned in to kiss Mathis on his smooth lips.

He laughed, because I was sure he thought that I was joking, but this was something I intended to prove with a baby girl next year.

“Challenge accepted,” he whispered back into my ear. “If I could get you pregnant right now, I would. Just to prove it would be another boy.”

Fucker. Always having to get the last word and I bit my tongue because of the technician.

M
Y
V
AGINA
H
URTS

(Jenny)

Four months and some days later, I was strapped to a zillion machines inside a Vegas hospital practicing that stupid Lamaze breathing Mathis insisted I learn. Like I didn’t know how to fucking breathe already? Asshole.

“You are doing great, baby,” he encouraged me while pushing my hair back and placing a cold, wet washcloth on my forehead.

“I fucking hate you right now. Do you know that?” I yelled at him.

The nurse in the room became startled and dropped a pitcher of water on the floor. I think it was safe to say she had a reason to be scared. I had now thrown a cup of water at Mathis. Squeezed his balls until he screamed like a child. Oh, and threatened the anesthesiologist. If I wasn’t a patient, I was sure they would have called the police on me by now.

“Here comes another contraction, Jenny. The doctor is going to be here any minute and he wants you to start pushing.” Yup, pushing a fucking bowling ball out of my snatch. Exactly what I wanted to spend my Sunday afternoon doing. DAMN IT!

The contraction hits and I felt the pressure radiating through my lower half. They wanted to see me push? This bitch is gonna push!

“That’s it baby, one, two, three, four...” I interrupted his counting as I growl at him. Like I didn’t know how to count to ten. Does the world automatically assume women in labor didn’t remember simple functions we learned at the age of five? It was making me murderous.