It looked like today was one of those days.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said.
Not one of those days, Jacob thought. He walked to the fridge and prepared another bowl of food for Nate. It was easier to focus on the trivial things, the small things that needed to be done around the house, than the big things that were difficult to figure out. They were both quiet as he moved around the kitchen. Kina wasn’t eating, he noticed, but he wasn’t going to say anything about it.
“Let me,” Kina said when he put the new bowl in front of Nate. She got up out of the breakfast nook, and Jacob let her take over.
The atmosphere was strained again, the silence growing between them until it was deafening. The only sound in the room was the gurgling noises Nate made, eating and spitting, happily unaware of how difficult things were right now. He wouldn’t even know if he was in a new house or not. This was solely between Jacob and Kina.
Jacob looked at his wristwatch. “I have to get going. I have training with the boys.”
Kina nodded, not looking at him. “Let me know when you’re on your way back. Just so I know.”
Jacob nodded. He walked to her, planting a kiss on her cheek before he left the kitchen. No matter how much they fought, he still wanted Kina to know that he loved her more than anything. All of this–a new house, a great neighborhood–was for her and Nate. He wanted his family to have the best. Why couldn’t she see that he was trying to take care of them and let it be?
When Jacob was gone, Kina could breathe easier. It wasn’t always this strained when they fought, but this was a bad one. It hadn’t turned into a screaming match or anything, but somehow, he felt farther away than ever. She hated it when they were so distant from each other, especially if he was in town. He was physically away from her often enough.
But she didn’t want to buckle on this. Jacob wasn’t trying to understand how she felt. It was important to her that he cared about her feelings, not just about what he wanted. She understood that he was trying to take care of his family, that he wanted them to be safe and happy and comfortable. What he didn’t seem to understand was that she had all of that already.
After breakfast, Kina took Nate to change his diaper before she set him up in the playroom. She looked around. The room was still a work in progress, a vision that she had when Nate was older. The walls were painted red and blue, the beige carpet plush, with box shelves and cabinets against the walls. These would be filled with toys and books in due time as Nate developed a taste in what he liked. If they moved now, Kina would have to start all over again. Everything in this house was ready–the baby room, the playroom, her and Jacob’s offices–and it felt like a shame to have to start from scratch.
Kina watched Nate in his play pen when her phone rang. Lauren’s name flashed on the caller ID, and she was relieved that it was her friend.
“I can’t tell you how good it is to hear from you,” she said into the phone.
“You wouldn’t believe it, but you’re not the first person to tell me so this week.” Lauren laughed.
“Are more people crying on your shoulder?” Kina asked. “Because that’s what I want to do.”
“What’s wrong?” Lauren asked. She sounded concerned. Lauren was a great friend, always ready to listen, always ready with good advice. In the past two years, Kina had gotten as close to her as Sadie was. It was easy to see why Sadie and Lauren were such good friends. Lauren was made of all the right stuff.
“Jacob wants to move,” Kina explained. “He wanted a new house close to the schools that we want Nate and the new baby at eventually, but I don’t see the point of doing it now. He’s so serious about it, we’re actually fighting.”
“I take it that you don’t want to move?” Lauren asked. “Only at this moment, or ever?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought that far. All I know is that I don’t want to move right now. I’m happy here. Nate was born in this house, and Jacob and I got this place together. It’s the first thing we really did as a serious couple.”
“Don’t you think that maybe that’s the problem?” Lauren asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, maybe you don’t want to leave because you’re sentimental about the place. Am I right?”
Lauren was right, Kina realized. Of course, she was. Lauren was very seldom wrong. This was about sentimental value, about memories, about the house being the first step Jacob and Kina had taken together. She didn’t just want to leave it behind like it meant nothing. When she said as much, Lauren listened quietly until she was done.
“I don’t think Jacob sees it that way,” she said. “I think he sees you buying a bigger home, accommodating a bigger family, as another step as a team. He’s not leaving anything behind. He’s building on what you already have.”
Kina hadn’t thought about it like that. Lauren had nailed it on the head. Kina really was attached to the house.
“Don’t see it as throwing memories away,” Lauren said. “See it as creating more. Does that make sense?”
Kina nodded, even though Lauren couldn’t see her. “It does,” she said. “I feel like I went about it wrong. I was quite rude to him, pregnancy hormones and all of that, but it’s not an excuse. What do I do now?”
Kina knew that she shouldn’t really have asked Lauren a direct question about it. Lauren was there to listen, but ultimately, Kina would be the one that would have to figure it out with Jacob.
“The only advice I can give you is the advice I give everyone that asks me,” Lauren said.
“And what’s that?”
“I would suggest that you speak to your husband. The only way to fix anything is to talk about it until you can sort it out. You and Jacob love each other. The whole world knows it. Arguing over something so small, a misunderstanding because you didn’t tell him exactly how you felt, is the worst reason to lose something as fantastic as you have.”
Kina nodded. Lauren was right.
“Thank you,” Kina said. “I have to go.”
“Before you do, I wanted to ask you about Saturday’s party. You two are coming?”
“We’ll be there,” Kina said before hanging up.
Kina had to wait until after Jacob’s practice before she could speak to him. She didn’t wait for Jacob to come home, though. She packed Nate in the car and drove to the training center, waiting for Jacob in the parking lot. When he finally came out, she got out of her car and waited for him. He walked to her, and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as her pregnant tummy would allow.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m scared to leave because I feel we’ll leave everything we created together behind.”
It might not have been the best place to say it, but she couldn’t wait any longer. She had been wrong, and she felt bad.
“Baby, we will always have each other and everything we created together.” When he said it, put his hand on her stomach. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Kina said.
“We’ll find the right one, okay?” Jacob said.
Kina nodded. She kissed Jacob, determined to trust him.
Chapter 9
No matter how well things went between them, Jacob knew that he and Kina would always fight. He was stubborn, and she was hotheaded, and the combination made for some interesting arguments. But no matter what, they would always end up together again. They loved each other, and that was the only thing that mattered. Everything else, they could handle.
After they had gone to bed, together, Jacob turned to Kina in the dark.
“Which one did you like? Were all the houses we saw terrible? Was there one that caught your eye?”
“I did like the one we saw on Tuesday. The first one. I know I was being a pain about it, and there are some things that I don’t necessarily love, but it’s a good house.”
Jacob nodded before kissing her. “I’ll call the realtor in the morning,” he said. “Is that okay?�
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Kina nodded, her profile barely visible in the dark. They had talked about it some more, and Kina was on board with moving to a new home. Jacob was relieved that they had come this far. He understood now that Kina had been afraid of losing what they had together, what they had built from scratch. He had convinced her that he would do his best to bring their past with them, to not leave anything behind, to move forward. She still seemed unsure, but she was on board with him putting in an offer on a house.
It was a great achievement.
The next morning, as soon as offices all over the city opened, Jacob dialed the realtor’s number.
“Hi, Diane,” Jacob said. “This is Jacob Larson. We came to see a house with you a few days ago.”
“Oh, yes, I remember. How could I forget?” She giggled, star struck. Jacob would never get used to grown women giggling around superstars, but there it was. “I am afraid I have bad news, though.”
“That’s not good,” Jacob said.
“Unfortunately, that house has been taken off the market.”
“What was the reason?” Jacob asked.
“The owner was asking far too much. He wouldn’t bring down the price, so the only other option was to withdraw.”
It was a pity. Jacob had really liked that house, and he had managed to convince Kina that it was the one.
“And the other one?” he asked. “The one we saw on the same day?”
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Larson. I’m afraid this isn’t what you want to hear. The pipes burst in the second house, and it was taken off the market due to water damage. I don’t know how long it will take to be repaired. It has been postponed indefinitely.”
“Well, that is a shame,” Jacob said. “I guess that means we’ll just have to keep looking. You’ll contact me if you have anything that fits our requirements?”
“Oh, absolutely, Mr. Larson. At your service.”
Jacob hung up the phone, feeling despondent. After the long talk he’d had with Kina, this was the last thing he wanted to hear. He walked through the house and found her in the playroom with Nate.
“I just spoke to the realtor,” Jacob said to Kina.
“Oh?” Kina’s expression was impossible to read. He couldn’t tell if she was anxious or not.
“Both houses we like have been taken off the market.” There was no easy way to say it. He watched Kina’s face, waiting for a response.
“So, what now?” she asked carefully.
Jacob picked up one of Nate’s soft toys and held it out to the boy. Nate flashed him a charming grin, taking it from him.
“I guess we keep looking,” Jacob said.
They sat together in silence for a while, spending time with Nate. The silence wasn’t strained this time.
“Maybe this is a sign,” Kina said. She looked at Jacob with big eyes. She wasn’t sure how he would react to her saying that, but he strongly believed in signs from the universe. She didn’t want to fight with him again, though. She had told him that she would move, and they would both make compromises for each other. Besides, going to a new place was exciting if she tried to ignore the fear.
But now?
“You think the universe is telling us that we shouldn’t move?” Jacob asked.
Kina shrugged. “I believe these things happen for a reason. We can still move, but maybe not right this minute.”
Jacob nodded. It wasn’t the reaction she had expected. It was positive.
“Well, we’ll still have to keep looking, so waiting is going to happen whether we like it or not. You know we’ll find the right place, right?”
He looked at Kina, trying to gauge the reaction. It was still difficult to tell whether she was happy about this or not.
“I know,” Kina said. “And when we do, I will have peace about it. Until then, let’s carry on living our life here, making memories as we go along.”
Jacob nodded and pulled his wife closer for a kiss. Kina was right. They would carry on living their lives, not putting anything on hold until they found a new place. The right house would come, and when it did, Kina wouldn’t be worried. Everything would work out in the end.
They loved each other, so there was no other way.
Just after lunchtime, Kina got Nate down for his nap. When he was asleep, Jacob took his wife by the hand and led her to the bedroom. He wanted to be with her, wanted to hold her. Sometimes, it felt like they grew apart, even though they lived side by side. It was important to reconnect now and then.
In the bedroom, he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed his tongue into her mouth.
Having sex with Kina while she was pregnant was different. The first time, it had taken getting used to, but this wasn’t his first rodeo anymore, and he knew what he was doing.
Kina knew that he would be gentle with her. Everything about her body was different when she was pregnant, and the first time, she’d thought it would be complicated.
With Jacob, everything in the bedroom was straightforward and simple.
Like, for instance, the way he pulled down her pants, getting rid of her underwear, too, before he laid her down on the bed. He kneeled between her legs and put his mouth over her pussy. She moaned when he sucked on her clit. He licked and sucked her, making her shudder and moan. Her emotions and her hormones were heightened, and everything he did made it feel like he was sending shocks of electricity through her body.
When he slipped his fingers into her slit, not letting up on her clit with his tongue, she moaned again. She tried to keep it down–the longer Nate slept, the longer they could do it–but Jacob slipped a finger into her, and she moaned louder than she’d meant to. Jacob was so fucking good at what he did, sucking on her clit, finger-fucking her, making her forget about everything except the pleasure he was creating.
An orgasm started in her core and washed over her. Her stomach contracted, the orgasm tugging at her uterus, and she breathed through it, torn between worry about the contracting and the intense pleasure that came with the orgasm.
When it subsided, she sat up. When she’d gotten pregnant the first time, she had been worried about the changes in her body. She had been scared that Jacob wouldn’t be interested in her when she looked and felt like she was the size of a whale.
Somehow, he seemed to like her even more that way. He was attracted to her pregnant form. He had explained to her that there was nothing hotter than his woman carrying his child, but she still didn’t understand it. She felt uncomfortable, bloated, and much too large most of the time.
Still, Jacob stood up from where he was kneeling on the floor, his mouth glistening with her sex, and his cock was rock hard. He was as turned on as she was, and she wanted to return the favor.
She kneeled in front of him, her knees a little wider to compensate for her belly, and she took Jacob’s dick into her mouth.
Kina would never get tired of sucking his cock. Jacob’s cock was the perfect size in her opinion, bigger than she could handle with her mouth without having to push him down her throat, which meant that when he was inside of her, it was pure ecstasy. And she loved sucking on him.
She cupped his balls with one hand, bobbing her head back and forth. She moved her tongue against his shaft, and he groaned. When she glanced up at him, Jacob’s eyes were closed, his head tipped back, and he was lost in the sensation the same way she had been a moment before.
The difference was that she wasn’t going to suck him off until he came. She would stop just before so that he could fuck her and come inside her.
Jacob reached for his wife’s head and pushed his fingers into her hair. He closed his hand in a fist around her hair, but he didn’t have to guide her up and down his cock–she did that all by herself. Her mouth was soft and hot, just like her pussy, and he was starting to get impatient to be inside of her.
When he couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled back, slipping out of her mouth with a pop. He looked down at her where she kneeled in front of him, her pregnant b
elly below her engorged breasts, and everything about her was so fucking hot he couldn’t contain himself. He helped her up and kissed her.
“On top?” he asked.
Kina shook her head. He nodded. Missionary didn’t work with her belly, but there were other ways to get into her. She turned around, bending over, showing him her perfect ass. With both pregnancies, Kina hadn’t picked up weight the way some women did, despite eating for two. Her ass was firm, round, and exactly what it had been since the moment he’d met her.
Jacob rubbed his hands over her ass cheeks, admiring what was his before he found her entrance with his fingers, sliding them in and out of her a few times again, making her moan. He removed his fingers and guided his cock to her. She moaned and cried out when he pushed into her. She was tight and small. Fucking her felt different when she was pregnant.
He couldn’t nail her very hard, but he didn’t need to for the sex to be fantastic.
Jacob started pumping, sliding his cock in and out of her. He held onto her hips, helping her keep her balance as he fucked her. She braced herself with her hands on the bed, and Jacob paid attention to the sounds she was making, ensuring he didn’t go too hard and too deep.
Kina seemed happy, moaning and gasping. The orgasm built gradually, and finally, he released inside of her. Another orgasm rocked through her body–she cried out, and he could feel it pulsate through her.
“Are you okay?” he asked. He knew she contracted when she orgasmed. With her last pregnancy, she couldn’t orgasm in the last couple of weeks for fear of kickstarting the labor. They were still far away from that, though, but he wanted to be sure.
When they were done, Kina crawled onto the bed and laid down on her side. Jacob got onto the bed with her and curled his body around hers like a question mark.
“I can’t wait to meet him,” he said, reaching around her body and putting his hand on her belly.
“Me either,” Kina said.
Jacob lifted himself and kissed her on the mouth. He was glad he had her. If the two of them were together, they could face anything.
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