Chapter 65

That next week I went Christmas-shopping. James had exonerated me from having to buy any presents for his family, as I really didn't know anyone in his family well enough to buy them presents. I had sorted presents for my nieces, nephews and my dad in the first week of December as I knew the post could take a while. Deciding to be a bit of a nigthmare, and having no idea what to buy men who had literally everything, I ended up going online and getting ridiculous presents for Jeremy and Richard. Jezza would get a wooden “Ford GT” gear knob along with a “Ford GT Enthusiasts' club” t-shirt, just to really rub his face in his love/hate relationship with the car. Hamster would get a teacup that said “Oliver” with little hearts on it. James nearly died laughing when I showed it to him. That only left me to go out and get little bits and bobs for my own friends. I made girlie goodiebags for Cathy and Kellie, filling them with wine and facemasks and candy and scented candles. For Ben and Jo I made a “survival bag for tired parents”.

As I came home laden with bags I dropped them all on the floor of the hallway and gave a long, strained groan of frustration. James' head poked out of the kitchen.

“Whats up?”

“I hate Christmas,” I growled.

“Uh-oh,” he mumbled, retracting his head, taking cover.

“No, I don't hate Christmas. I just hate the idea of having to get people presents. People have everything these days, why do we have to give them more stuff?!” I complained as I entered the kitchen and plopped down on a chair. I stared at James, waiting for an answer, a solution to my problems. “Well?!”

“I.. don't know what to say..” James stammered. “Because I sort of.. agree with you. Is there someone you can't think of a gift for?” He asked sympathetically. At this I just nodded, then suddenly a wave of emotions hit me so forcefully I started bawling like a child. I knew the reason for it was absolutely ridiculous, but I couldn't control it. Horrified James walked over to me, placing his hand tentatively on my shoulder. “Hey, what's wrong? It's just Christmas presents, it can't have made you that upset?” At this I looked up at him, my eyes brimming with tears.

“Yes it has! I can't think of a single fucking thing to get you. I'm a horrible, useless girlfriend,” I wailed, sobbing grossly. “I fucking live with you, I want to live the rest of my life with you, and I can't even think of what to get you! I can't think of a single thing to give you that isn't socks or a fucking tie!”

“Tie? I never wear ties.” Refusing to see the joke I wailed even harder. James sat down next to me, taking my hands in both of his. “Emily... Calm down. Breathe. Now stop yammering, and breathe.” His stern tone made me look up at him, a final sob escaping me. “Emily. Its just a Christmas gift. Even I wouldn't know what to get me, because I have everything.”

“I still should be able to figure something out, I'm supposed to.. know you really well and be able to come up with something!”

“But there isn't everything I need, and I can't think of anything I want. I have everything I need, because I have you.”
“But... I can't not give you a Christmas gift.”

“Hey... You are growing our baby, you can't give me a better gift than that, ” he ventured.

“Are you going to use all the clichés in the book?” I asked, failing to hold back a little smirk.

“Well.... Are they working?” He smiled back.

“A little..,” I conceded. Feeling stupid and hysterical I embarrassed I leaned into him, in search of comfort and a place to hide.

“So... Hormones being particularly bad today, then?” James asked, holding me close. My first impulse was to get offended, but my next impulse of laughing heartily quickly won.

“Just a bit.”

“If it really is that important to you, just get me a new laptop charger, my old one only works if you jiggle it about, probably has a lead break in it. And I could probably do with some new socks...”

“God, that's boring.”

“I don't know what to tell you. You are dating me....” He sighed. I giggled a little and gave him a teary kiss.

Christmas was upon us before I knew it. On the morning of Christmas Eve I decided to stick to my own traditions and padded around the house all morning in pyjamas and huge fluffy lsippers, watching the traditional Disney cartoons and a few “Home Alone” films on telly.

“So this is what Norwegians do on Christmas Eve?” James asked with a raised eyebrow as he sat down on the sofa, nudging me to make some space for him. I moved over a little, then rested my head back down, using his thigh as a pillow.

“No. This is what I do on Christmas Eve morning.”

“Morning? It's 2pm!” He objected.

“I don't give a toss what everyone else does. Mostly they run around trying to sort out everything for Christmas Eve dinner and get dressed up for some church sermon they never make it to anyway. While they run around, I sit around in my pyjamas and eat gingerbread cookies and watch Baloo dance. 'Look for the.. bare necessities...'” I hummed, singing along with the cartoon.

“You are bonkers,” James chortled.

“Now, keep in mind that if I hadn't been pregnant I would've been half drunk on mulled wine already as well,” I added, holding up a hand. “And don't call me bonkers, I'm not even wearing my santas hat this year!”

“... Santa's hat?”

“Yeah, I had one of those really long ones, I think mine went past my knees.”

“Oh, right. No no, you're the picture of mental health, you are.”

“Actually, I am. Everyone else is running around like headless chickens during Christmas time, doing everything they can to please everyone, the kids, the parents, the wife, the husband, the inlaws... No matter how hard you try, you can't please anyone anyway, so I just.. don't. My family is disappointed that I'm not there, that I chose to be here, I know that even if they haven't said so. I could've done some compromise and spent a few days here, a few days there, but in the end it wouldn't be the same.” As I talked I had sat up, and now I wrapped my arms around James. “So instead of doing that, I'm staying here, enjoying myself and my time with you.”

We had Christmas dinner at James' sisters house on the outskirts of London. All of James' family were there, his parents, siblings with their spouses, his nieces and nephews. It was nice to spend more time with his family and get them to know a little better. Naturally my tummy got the most attention of the evening, and James' nieces and nephews were particularly curious, asking tonnes of questions as children always did. We drove home late that night, promising we'd be back relatively early for the presents and lunch the next day.

I was awakened the next day by a soft kiss on the mouth.

“Merry Christmas, sleepyhead,” James' voice said softly. Eyes still closed I smiled sleepily, stretching a little.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” My voice was thick with sleep.

“I'm sorry to wake you, but... We have to get up soon if we're going over to my sister's...” he apologised.

“I know, it's okay,” I said and stretched again, trying to wake myself up.

“But before we did that, I was thinking maybe we could swap presents?” James' face lit up with childlike excitement at his own suggestion. I quickly realised that this might be a good idea, my gifts to James were pretty personal and I just didn't want to give it to him in front of his whole family, they were too private.

“Hang on,” I said and crawled out of bed and threw on one of James' t-shirts. Returning to the bedroom with James' presents in a bag I crawled back into the bed and under the covers. James eyed the bag curiously.

“You or me first?” He asked.

“Pregnant women first, of course! Where are you manners?!” I exclaimed. Laughing, James handed me a package which was small, unevenly shaped and whatever was inside it seemed soft. I gave James a quick, quizzical glance before tearing away the wrapper. At first I thought it was just a random heap of flowers, but picking it up I saw that it was actually a flower wreath. To my amazement I realised they were made out of fresh flowers. Holding it up I gave James another quizzical frown.

“That's a 'lei'. I thought you should have that for when we got to Hawaii,” he said casually.

“A lei-- wait, what?”

“Hawaii. You and me. Two weeks. Sound good?” James took the flower wreath from me and hung it around my neck. I looked down at the flowers, then up at James, treacherous tears in my eyes already. The wreath was a little corny, and a cliché, but they were also gorgeous and a little romantic.

“You are so... daft!” I sobbed.

“Knowing you, that's probably a yes,” he smirked, slipping an arm around my lower back.

“You are really, really spoiling me,” I sniffed, feeling a little humble and unworthy.

“I'm spoiling us. After this baby is born we... We probably won't get a chance to travel much for a while. And I love travelling with you, seeing new places, discovering new things... We had such an amazing time on Bali, I just want to do that over and over again. And we both know we'll get a lot less time to ourselves, so I just want to have one more romantic trip with you before we become parents, you know? Just you and me.”

“That is a great idea, sweetie. Thank you so much, I can't wait to go,” I said, my voice constricted by tears. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly.

“I want to take you to all the places you want to go....” he whispered and gave me a lingering kiss.

“You are so amazing,” I sighed, falling in love with him for the millionth time.

“Is it my turn now?” He asked impatiently, straightening up and eyeing the bag lying on the duvet.

“Yeah, yeah,” I giggled and handed him the first gift.

“So you did manage to come up with something?” He said with a surprised smile. The first one contained a pair of really ugly, striped socks and a new charger-cord for his laptop, just as requested, and James chuckled heartily. Next I handed him a square box that didn't rattle at all when he shook it. Like an excited five year old he feverishly tore off the paper and opened the box. Gaping, he stared at what was inside, not knowing what to say. My inspiration for his next gift had come that same day I had been crying in the kitchen, frustrated over not being able to think of something. On the counter had been one of James' old watches. It had stopped running after his last trip to Africa, and he had been told by a watchmaker there was no fixing it. James liked that watch, it was one of the first really expensive things he'd bought for himself after he started working on Top Gear, and it signified a big change in his life for him. He never left the house without a watch on, and he loved them. At first the thought of trying to find one for him was daunting, I wasn't sure what he would like, but when I had found the one James was now staring at, I just had to get it. It was a Breitling chronograph watch called Navitimer. It was made out of steel, with the glass made out of sapphire crystal, and probably the single most expensive thing I had ever bought for anyone ever, including myself. Except for the only car I had owned. It was an absolutely beautiful thing with a steel strap and an aurora-blue dial that matched James' eyes. James knew watches, he knew how expensive it was. Still not having said a word he reverentially took the watch out of its little box.

“Oh my god... Emily...” James mumbled, blinking a little, mouth half open.

“Do you like it?” I asked, genuinely worried he wouldn't.

“This is... I... Wow...”

“I thought you might need a new watch, your old one was broken...” I mumbled awkwardly.

“Emily, this is... too much...” He said quietly.

“No, James, it isn't. You.... You have given me everything. You've made me part of your life, you let me live with you..” At this point James opened his mouth to argue, but shut it again when he saw the look in my eyes. “You... Make me feel cared for, and safe, and loved, and wanted. You spoil me rotten and you've put up with all my craziness lately. I owe you so much I don't even know where to begin.”

“You don't owe me anything, Emily...” he sighed.

“I know that. I just... saw this and really wanted you to have it. Look on the back.” He flipped the watch over. On the back these words were engraved; 'About time I found you. - Emily'. James read the words, then looked up at me, blinking rapidly to try and chase away a few tears. He failed, and a few tears ran down his cheek. I had genuinely stunned him now, by the look on his face I could tell he had no idea what to say. Reaching out I cupped his cheek in my hand and wiped away a tear with my thumb. “So you like it, then?” I ventured.

“It's... perfect,” he squeaked, sniffing again.

“And so are you,” I retorted with a cheesy grin.

“Thank you so so much, sweetheart” he said, smiling now that he had gotten over the initial shock of the gift. Leaning forward he brushed his nose against mine. “It's about time I found you, too. I have looked for you my entire life.” At these words my eyes started brimming with tears again and I collapsed into him, clinging onto him like I would never see him again.

“Maybe we should just stop being such hormonal crybabies and get out of bed?” I suggested, sniffing and clearing my throat. James agreed and we wrestled ourselves out of bed.

An hour later we were on our way, having gotten ready in record time. As I sat next to James, looking at him, I knew I was going to have a hard time paying attention to anything but him all day. He was dressed in jeans, a floral shirt and that blue velvet jacket I loved so much, and he was proudly wearing his new watch. He looked absolutely breathtaking. When we arrived at James' sisters house the unwrapping was already in full swing, the kids were knee-deep in wrapping paper and new toys. I settled on the sofa with a cup of cocoa that James' mother proffered me, happily watching the kids tearing through their gifts. When the kids were done with their mountain of gifts it was the grown-ups turn. Most of the presents for me were really for the baby; toys, some clothes, a blanket, a comforter. I nearly fell out of the sofa with surprise when I even found a present from Jeremy in the pile, then I went into a laughing fit when I opened it. Inside was a black v-neck t-shirt that said “I am the Stig”, not across the chest but across the stomach.

“That is one very disturbing mental image,” James laughed, shaking his head in disgust. My sister had obliged my very specific wish and bought me a “baby wrap” to carry the baby in. “What's that? A scarf? It's immense!” James observed. His sisters rolled their eyes at his ignorance.

“No, it's a baby wrap. I wrap it around me, and the baby, so I can carry it around,” I explained patiently. “Like the kangaroos do. Or African women.”

“... Kangaroos?”

“Shut up.”

“Can I call you Kanga?” James continued, unable to let it go.

“I find it disturbing that you even know who Kanga is!”

“I have nieces and nephews! And grew up with smaller siblings! I read them Winnie the Pooh!” James defended himself.

“If I'm Kanga, then you're Eeyore. No, on second thought you'd probably be Rabbit, isn't he the OCD one? Wasn't he the one who said 'You and I have brains, the others have fluff'? Sounds like exactly something you could've said.” At this James laughed loudly.

“Is this how it goes between you two?” Sarah interrupted.

“Pretty much, “ I giggled, putting the baby wrap away.

By around four o'clock James and I made our excuses and left, having had enough of family for a while. James had been holding my hand for the past hour, giving me subtle but longing looks. All I wanted to do was go home and curl up in James' arms for the rest of the day and let the Christmas Peace descend over the both of us. Not used to the noise level of a huge family get-together, I nearly fell asleep in the car, lulled by the monotone sound of the engine. I woke up when the car started slowing down considerably. Opening my eyes and looking out the window, nothing seemed familiar.

“James? Where are we? Why are we here?” I frowned. James had weaved his way into a residential area that didn't look remotely familiar to me. My confusion grew even larger when James swung off the road and drove through an electric gate that had just opened. Turning off the ignition James turned to face me.

“I just wanted you to look at this house.”

“House?”

“Yeah. Ever since I told Sarah we were having a baby she's been badgering me about moving, and now the rest of the family have joined in. 'A pram wont even fit in front of your house, let alone in your hallway, blah blah'”, James echoed in a squeaky, nagging voice, rolling his eyes.

“I... hadn't even thought of that...” Still frowning, I looked out the window to see a big house with a huge, cobbled front yard. “So this house is for sale?”

“No, this is already sold. Looking for a house is turning out to be a right nightmare. I just wanted you to see this. If you like it, then it'll be easier to know what I'm looking for. Or, more specifically, what the realtor has to find,” he explained.

“Oh, okay,” I nodded and got out of the car. Just the front yard seemed big to me, indicating that the property itself had to be huge, everything surrounded by a tall, white wall. The front yard was partly cobbled, the rest was paved, and everything seemed surrounded by hedges, bushes or lawns. “What's that?” I asked, pointing at a battered, huge building in a corner. It didn't seem residential at all.

“Oh, the previous owner was a hobby-pilot like me. Only difference was he built planes himself, the daft lunatic. That's his workshop.”

“Ah, all right. So someone you know used to own this house?”

“Yeah, just an acquaintance through flying. Want to go inside?” James asked, pulling a set of keys out of his pocket. Traipsing after James I kept looking around at the house and property, my mind working furiously. The possibility of moving had never even crossed my mind. A baby is tiny, it hadn't occurred to me that we would need more space. But thinking about it, James' sisters had a point. A pram was big. Would a changing table fit in any of our two bathrooms? Highly unlikely. Walking through the house I noticed how roomy it felt, with lots of open spaces. The living room had a fireplace, and the kitchen had a huge table like I had always wanted, a table that would fit friends and family all at once. Despite the fact that it had a master bedroom and four additional bedrooms plus a few rooms that could be used for studies, it didn't seem overwhelming, I didn't feel like I could get lost trying to find my way around it. The back garden was enormous, at least compared to the little spot of grass we had. The porch was partly tiled and had a comfy seating area which seemed very superfluous in this December cold, but England could have some beautiful summers. The garden had a few bushes and flowerbeds here and there, and some huge trees to the very back. Returning inside James lead me to the living room and sat down on the sofa, which seemed to be one of the few pieces of furniture the previous owner hadn't moved yet.

“So what do you think? Could you imagine living some place like this?” he asked, looking a little nervous.

“I.. yeah, sure,” I said with wide eyes, nodding a little. “Its very different from the narrow town-house we live in now, you know? Open areas, wide hallways, just... space! And even though its big it isn't, you know.. too big. I don't feel like I would need a map to find my way around here. I mean, I love the house we live in now, its perfect for just you and me, but... Sarah might have a point, we might need a bigger place. I hadn't even thought of that,” I admitted a little awkwardly, fiddling with my hands resting on my growing stomach. I was a little ashamed to admit it, suddenly I felt very unprepared for what was laying ahead. How could I not have even thought of that we might need a bigger place?

“So you really like this house?” James asked again.

“Yeah, I really do. It's private, has all the space we would need and then some, has a gorgeous garden.. Something like this would've been a perfect place to live.”

“That's very fortunate, because I bought it,” he said simply. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped to the floor as all the air went out of me.

“You... bought it?” I squeaked.

“I just.... really liked this place, so I bought it,” he said with a simple shrug.

“You just... bought it?”

“Um... yes...?” James flinched, hoping that was the right answer.

“So this is... yours?”

“No, it's ours, mine and yours.” Silence fell as thoughts were racing through my brain and I felt my heart sink to the floor.

“But, James... You know I could never pay even a percentage of what this place must cost...” I sighed sadly. If I was honest with myself, a huge portion of what I had saved up, I had used for James' watch. Which was probably a ridiculous thing to do, but I hadn't cared at the moment.

“Emily, I don't give a damn about money, I never have and you know that!” He said, raising his voice a little. “Of course I know you could never pay for a house like this, I would never expect that. I know what you earn and you are stupidly underpaid. Just like I am ridiculously overpaid, that's just... fact. But I don't want this to be just my house which you and our child happen to live in. I want this to be our house, our family's house... You know? And if.. if something should happen to... to me-” At this point I couldn't stay quiet any longer.

“James, don't even say something like that.”

“Emily, I want you to be safe, both of you. I want this house to be in both our names so IF something happens, there'll be no doubt this is yours. Ok? I want to live here for the rest of my life with you, with my family. If that sounds... okay..” he ended feebly, realising he was sounding a lot more stern then he wanted to. For a moment I could do nothing but gape at him, completely stunned into silence. Then I squealed happily and threw my arms around him, climbed into his lap and hugged him as tightly as I could, tears bursting from my face. Words were still beyond me as I clung on to him. “...is that a yes?” James asked timidly.

“You've already bought it so I can't bloody well say no, can I?” I sobbed into his hair. He chuckled quietly and let me cling on to him for as long as I needed to.

“I know buying this place without discussing it with you first was a big risk to take, but I just... completely fell in love with it. If you'd hated it I would've been utterly screwed.”

“No, I don't hate it,” I said, finally being able to let go of James. “I love it, too.” An arm still around James' shoulders I took another look around the living-room and foyer, looking at it very differently now that I knew it I might get to live here. No that I was going to live here. This was our house.

“It's a relatively quiet area, lots of big residential houses mostly. There's a good school not far from here. It'll take you about 15 minutes to get to work. And we're still in London.”

“You really don't have to sell this place to me any more, I'm already completely sold on it. But it isn't Hammersmith, though,” I pointed out. “Sure you want to move away from there?”

“Oh, I've lived in Hammersmith for aeons,” he shrugged.

“That's my point though, you've lived in that house for ages, you must have a lot of memories in it. You've lived most of your life in that place, can't be that easy to just pack up and leave.”

“Well, of course I have lots of memories in that house, and yes, I have really liked living there. But my sisters and my mum is right, the place is just too small, too impractical to have children in. I've seen Jezza's kids grow up, and Hammonds, and... Kids need space to run around, and I like the idea of just being able to open the door and let them out to play without having to worry about traffic or anything else. There's plenty of room in the garden to play football or build space rockets... And I was thinking I could big a huge tree house in one of those trees at the back, maybe...”

“Wow. You've really given this a lot of thought, haven't you?” I asked, staring at James with awe. He just nodded, smiling warmly. “Admit it, you were the one who was building space rockets,” I nudged him.

“Possibly. But I would probably do the actual building in my new, big workshop out front. I'd only launch them from the garden.”

“Have you realised this means you won't have a pub around the corner any more?”

“Emily, I'm 49 years old and becoming a dad. It is about high time the days were having a pub around the corner was a priority were over!” He said exasperatedly. “Also, there is a pub about two blocks away.” He added, raising a finger in the air. I laughed loudly and rested against James, snaking an arm around him. In return he squeezed me tight and buried his face in my hair for a moment. “You know, I'd move to absolutely anywhere as long as I got you to move with me,” he sighed. “Except Resolute, Canada. I am not made to live that close to the north pole, I learned that the hard way.” I chuckled a little, trying to wrap my brain around the fact that we were moving. James had bought a big house and we were going to live in it. With our baby. Then suddenly realisation dawned on me.

“I have one demand if we're going to live here, one which is non-negotiable.”

“....Which is?”

“That we hire a cleaning lady a few times a week. I am becoming a mum, I am not going to waste all my time cleaning this huge house. Unless you fancy cleaning it all, which, knowing you... You probably would.”

“All right, this house is big, I can see your point. Fine, we'll get someone to clean it,” he agreed.

“We can tell the person to leave one room untidy and unclean? Just for you?” I smirked, and James chortled. “I... I can't believe you did this. You... bought us a house. A bloody huge, gorgeous house. That's insane,” I breathed, the enormity of it crashing down on me again.

“You said you wanted a bigger bathtub,” he said practically.

“This is one heck of a Christmas gift, James... You know, I'll never be able to repay you for this, not in a million years.”

“Emily, it's just money. And I know that is an obnoxious thing to say by someone who has more than enough of it, but... I can still remember what it was like to barely make the rent each month. But the money never made my life that much happier. But you did.”

“Aaaw. I did?”

“Yes. Are you happy, though?”

“I... have no words to describe how happy I am right now. Surprised! But so, so happy.”

“Good. See, I'd do anything for you, and for my family. I'd do anything to make you happy, sweetheart. ”

“You are incredibly good at it, too! So when can we move in?” I asked impatiently. Then my expression sagged a little. “Oh god, how are we going to move? I mean, I shouldn't lift anything heavier than a bag of groceries!” I despaired.

“Don't you worry about that. We'll pay some big, burly men to do most of the heavy lifting, and I'll recruit the help of a few mates as well, I have a few favours I can collect on. You can just.. chose the colour on the wall and point to where the nails for the pictures should be.”

“I'm sorry I won't be much help...”

“Don't worry about it, I said. You'll help as much as you can. We can move in as soon as we come home from our holiday,” he smiled. I stared at him, blinking dazedly, trying to figure out something to say what could express what I was feeling. James ran a hand over my hair and cheek, and once again I felt treacherous tears run down my cheeks. I had no control over them these days.

“I don't... I don't deserve this, James. I don't deserve you,” I sniffed.

“I couldn't care less what you deserve, Emily. You're getting it either way,” he said in such a way that I knew there was no point to arguing. For some reason I started laughing in stead.

“I think I can learn to live with it...”

“You better,” James hummed and gave me a long kiss. Pulling back again he was smiling widely, relief radiating from him. It was obvious that he really had been worried that I wouldn't like the house, or object to it in some way. For a while I just stared at him, shaking my head a little.

“What?” He frowned.

“I live my life with you, I think I know you, I think I know what is going on in that head of yours, and then... you do all this. You realise we probably need a bigger house, you go out and find the perfect one and then you just... buy it. And I had no idea...”

“Are you very subtly yelling at me?” James asked, smiling sweetly at me.

“No, no, I'm not, not at all. I just... can't believe you sorted all this out and I had no idea. This is what is so amazing about you,” I smiled.

“Thank you. I'm just relieved that you like the house and want to live here with me.” James eyes glittered with happiness and warmth, and I loved seeing that in him. Loved knowing that I was the cause of that. “Ready to go home? Well, to the other home.”

“Yeah. Lets go.” Getting back into the car I took a last look at the house, it looked dark and looming in the quickly fading light of the December afternoon. Looking at it, my heart skipped a few beats. I couldn't wait to move into it, to fill it with colour and sounds and laughter, to make it ours.  

Chapter 64

We quickly did the rounds and said goodnight to Jezza and Hamster. They were both drunk and grinning like old perverts when we announced that we were going to retire for the evening. Ignoring their sly remarks we left the party and took the elevator up to our suite. Entering the room I took the time to admire everything this time; the luxurious interior, the rich fabrics, the absolutely enormous, inviting bed. Coming to a halt in front of the windows I stared at the beautiful view of London at night, shining a little extra now that it was dressed up for Christmas. 
“James, this is... perfect. Thank you,” I sighed, reluctantly turning away from the view. 
“You're welcome,” he smiled. James was hovering in the middle of the room, looking secretive. “Now, I know you can't have champagne or anything, so I went for the next best thing...” He went over to a cupboard door that looked like all the others in the room. Behind it was a hidden refrigerator, and emerging from it James held a tub of Ben & Jerry's and a spoon. He had a boyish, exaggerated grin on him as he held out the tub. I squealed and clapped with happiness, and James grinned widely, satisfied with his own surprise. 
“Go on, sit down.” Landing next to me on the sofa he handed me the tub and spoon, which I accepted eagerly. 
“See, this is why you are the one I want to live my life with,” I said as I tore into the tub. 
“Because I buy you ice cream?” James asked, raising an eyebrow. 
“No. Because you understand me, and know what I need,” I mumbled, then kissed him with a mouth full of cookie dough ice-cream. He hummed and returned the kiss, then licked his lips. 
“That stuff is pretty good.”
“What, the kisses or the ice cream?”
“Mmm both,” he hummed and I kissed him again. For a while we sat there in silence, me in my gown and James in his fancy suit, happily sharing the ice cream, chuckling and making a deliberate mess of things. Feeling more relaxed, we both kicked off our shoes and sank deeper into the sofa.
“So it this my reward for not punching your ex in the face?” I smirked, unable to stop myself from asking. 
“Not really. She actually deserved a good wallop the way she was behaving. She was awful to you.“
“I still can't believe you dated someone as horrid as her.”
“You kissed my best mate,” James retorted back instantly.
“... Touché!” I snorted. Both of us were far too flirty and content to have a mind to be annoyed with each other, we both were just teasing. Putting down the half-empty tub of ice cream I rose out of the sofa and extended a hand to James. He peered questioningly at me. 
“You promised me lots of dancing, Mister May,” I said portentously. 
“Well, of course, Miss Brendan,” he said and shot out of his seat, hurriedly taking my hand and following me out onto the open floor. Hungry for closeness I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close. “Hmm there's no music,” James pointed out pedantically.
“I don't care,” I said in a low, seductive voice, leaning in to kiss him slowly. James hummed and deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms closer around me. We quickly gave up any pretense of dancing as we both lost ourselves in each others lips. An involuntary wince escaped me as James expertly ran his tongue over my bottom lip, knowing full well what it did to me. Suddenly I had a vivid flash of Janet kissing James. Her lean, tanned arms around his neck, her lips on his. Would he have done the same thing to her, kissed her the same way? Jealousy and frustration flared up in me. I kissed him harder, possessively, desperate to force the image out of my head. James was here, he was kissing me, holding me, there was no point in thinking about her. James hummed and ran his hands over my back and down my bum, responding to my kisses. Releasing his lips I stared hard into his eyes. “God, I want you so much, I have all night. You have no idea how strapping you look in that suit. With your wavy, gorgeous hair and those dazzling blue eyes,” I crooned, staring admiringly at him. James blushed and blinked a few times as he always did when he was paid a compliment and felt awkward. 
“If I didn't know any better I'd think you were coming on to me,” he smirked. 
“Oh I definitely am.” Slowly I slipped my hands inside the collar of his dinner jacket, slipping my palms over his shoulders and down his arms, removing the jacket, feeling his shape as I went. Distractedly I tossed the jacket over the back of the sofa, then turned my attention to his bow-tie. Holding his gaze firmly I undid the bow, pulled it off and threw it in the same direction as the jacket. I began on the buttons on his shirt but only managed to undo a few before I couldn't stand it any longer and had to kiss him again, this time slipping my hand underneath his shirt-collar, taking his neck in a firm hold.
“Emily...” James began, gently pulling away from me. “I have a confession to make.” The way he said it made me slightly unnerved. 
“What?”
“I really want to take that dress off you, but I've been looking for a zip all evening and I can't find it.” I couldn't help but giggle at the slightly despairing look on James' face. 
“Here, baby... It's at the back, under a seam,” I explained, turning my back to him. James fumbled a little at my back and then made a sound of revelation as he found it.
“Aha, there's the bugger...” He mumbled. As my zip started to open I also felt his lips at the back of my neck, kissing and licking my skin. Goosebumps blossomed on my neck and back as he caressed me with his mouth. Having pulled the zip all the way down he slid the straps down my shoulders, his fingertips delicately tracking the path of the straps as the slid down my arms and the dress eventually fell to the floor. Before I had a chance to turn around he wrapped his arms closely around me, burying his face against the side of my neck. Rough, manly palms slid over my growing tummy and my hips. “Mm, I love your body,” he hummed. “I want you all the time. I always do.” 
“Even now?”
“Even more now. Does that make me a pervert of some kind?” 
“Mm, a little. But you're my pervert,” I giggled and turned around in his arms. 
“Is that... new?” James' eyes widened as I turned around and he eyed my underwear, which matched the dress I had been wearing earlier.
“Um, yeah... My bras barely fit any more, for… natural physiological reasons,” I said with a little shrug. 
“I have noticed,” he grinned. “It's not a complaint, its an observation,” he added quickly, holding up his palms disarmingly. Seizing the opportunity I quickly undid James' belt and suit trousers, letting them fall to the floor. Not hearing any complaints from James I made quick work of the buttons on his shirt and unceremoniously pulled it off him. Considering himself undressed enough, James strong, tanned arms clamped around me like a vice and he pulled me backwards to the bed, sitting down with me straddling his lap. The warm, electric feeling as his skin hit mine made my breath hitch in my throat. James' hands sprang to the back of my bra, frantically trying to undo it. “For crying out loud, I hate it when they're new...” He grumbled. Giggling to myself I let him fiddle for a bit while I distracted him by kissing and dragging my teeth across his collarbone. My heart was racing like mad and I could already feel the pulsating, wet warmth between my legs. Finally getting the bra-clasp open James tore it off me with a huff and clamped his arms around me again. We both groaned as we made contact again. “C'mere,” he mumbled between kisses and inched back on the bed, moving further onto it. I inched after him on my knees, refusing to break the kiss. James remained sitting on the middle of the bed, me still straddling him. Bending down a little he trailed hot, eager kisses down my chest and I buried my fingers into his hair, breathing heavily. 
“Oh, god...” I moaned as James' lips reached my breasts. They had grown increasingly more sensitive lately, so much so that James knew to be more careful with them or it would just be uncomfortable. Without even thinking about it I was rocking on James' lap, grinding my hips against him. When James removed his mouth from my breasts he straightened up, looking at me with glittering eyes and his hair on end. I looked back at him with an open mouth, my breath fast and ragged. 
“You seem a little flustered, Miss Brendan...” he smirked proudly, thoroughly enjoying how easy I was to excite. 
“You are such a.. thorough scamp,” I breathed. 
“And you are going to become a mother? With that potty mouth?” He teased. His hand which had been resting on my back, slid around my side to the front along the edge of the knickers, his fingertips barely brushing my skin. The fingertips swooped down between my legs and James grinned when he felt the dampness and the heat emanating through the fabric. He quickly ran his fingers over the wet spot a few times, but before I had a chance to react his hand had made its way into my knickers. James' eyes was locked into mine as he rubbed my pussy with his palm. Clinging onto his neck, unable to take my eyes from him, I gasped open-mouthed as one fingertip, then two made their way between my labia, finding my clit. James' fingers were relentless as he worked on me. I bit my lip to silence myself, gasping again. For a moment I just closed my eyes and entirely gave over to pleasure, but sensing how quickly it was mounting in me, my eyes snapped open again. 
“No, wait.... James... Stop,” I gasped, barely getting the words out.
“Why?” He challenged.
“Stop, or I'll..” The rest of my sentence turned into a groan. 
“Come? That was my intention,” he growled, not letting up. 
“Jesus..!” I groaned, clinging to James. Realising that James wasn't going to stop I closed my eyes, giving over to pleasure again as I began to grind my hips against his fingers, moving faster and faster. My chase for my climax was over almost before it began and I froze up, gasping for air before I lost control and began bucking and shaking against him, yowling with pleasure. As the orgasm receded I came to my senses again, releasing the clutch I had on James' neck. Opening my eyes I was met by James' mischievous look. Lost for words, all I could do was stare at him as a shudder ran through me. 
“You okay?” James whispered when I still hadn't said anything, brushing his nose gently against mine. 
“Mmm, very. Thank you,” I said. Taking his lips in a tender kiss I pushed him gently down onto the mattress, slipping a pillow under his head. Coming to rest on top of him I ran my hand over his hair and cheek before letting go of his lips. “Lying like this is becoming a bit of a balancing act,” I smiled, feeling how my tummy was starting to get in the way. Resting against him I felt his erection trapped between us, and I decided I wanted to return the favour. I kissed his mouth again, then trailed kisses down his neck and chest. Sitting on my knees next to him I slipped a finger into the lining of his boxers, beginning to pull them down. James raised his hips a little to help me, and I slid his boxers down his legs and threw them on the floor. Not having revealed my intentions to James I felt his eyes on me, watching me intently as I bent low to kiss his hip and lower stomach. Straightening up again I locked eyes with him then gently wrapped my palm around his cock. James gave a little sigh of relief and did his best to keep his eyes open. I swirled my thumb over his sensitive head, making him even more wet than he already was. Teasingly slowly I began moving my hand up and down his length. He gave a little groan of pleasure and his eyelids fluttered, but he was still refusing to let me go with his eyes. Sitting on my knees by his hips like this, touching or focusing on no other part of James than his crotch was something new, something I hadn't tried before. Feeling James' eyes staring at me so intently I felt a little self-conscious. But most of all I just wanted to repay some of the intense pleasure James had given me, and from where I was sitting now I could gauge all his reactions; his facial expressions changing, his hands clenching up, his chest heaving. Increasing the pace a little resulted in James giving another moan and closing his eyes, digging the back of his head into the pillow. Seizing the opportunity while he wasn't looking I slipped my free hand up the inside of his thigh and cupped his scrotum gently. He froze a little at this new, unexpected sensation. Still pumping him I kept my other hand still for a moment, then I gently began moving my fingertips, barely massaging him. Another half-surprised groan escaped James, and looking up at him quickly his eyes was still closed, his cheeks flushed. Encouraged by this I massaged his balls a little harder, also increasing the pace with which I was stroking him. 
“Oh goh---” James winced, instinctively raising his hips up to my hand. I enjoyed this, enjoyed the reactions I was getting from him, seeing the pleasure I was giving him. James was leaking now, becoming increasingly more wet. Getting carried away by an urge to experiment I pressed two fingers against his perineum, massaging it gently while still cupping his balls. In response James' cock twitched and he raised his hips up to meet my hand. “Fucking hell, that feel so fucking... good...” I couldn't help but give a satisfied smirk as I looked at James. He was completely lost in a world of pleasure, his mouth hanging open, his eyes tightly shut. Wanting to see how far I could push him I bent low and placed my mouth over the head of his cock, swirling my tongue over and around it, all the while massaging his balls. “Bloody...!” He gasped as he felt the added sensation of my tongue on him, and his breathing grew quicker while he huffed, moaned and swore erratically. I slid more of him into my mouth, feeling his salty taste on my tongue. His cock was straining now, almost painful, and I knew he couldn't hold on for much longer. I wanted him to come, but not without me, so I took my lips off him, then removed my hands. James' eyes sprang open, full of desperation. 
“God, Emily...” he began complaining, watching me straightening up. Standing on my knees on the bed I calmly pulled my knickers down and took them off. “.. you can't just... stop...” James continued, but his voice trailed off as he watched the knickers disappear, mesmerized. 
“I'm not,” I said determinedly as I swung a leg over his hips, straddling him. Leaning down, supporting myself on my arms, I hovered over him, gazing into his eyes. Slowly I grinded against him, rubbing my wet pussy against his already tortured cock. James' hands dug into my hips, pushing himself up against me. Angling my hips a little was enough to let him slide inside me, and we both let out a groan of relief. Feeling him inside me made my own passion flare up instantly, like a thousand fires, I couldn't restrain myself and go slow. Huffing and wincing I rocked quickly on James' cock, as much out to please myself as him. 
“I'm not... going to last long,” James warned with a huff. 
“Me neither, so don't worry,” I huffed back. Standing on all fours over James I thrust down against him, hard and fast. James raised his hips up to meet me, matching my speed. His arms were clamped around my lower back, pulling me down towards him to increase the force, and his mouth was against my neck, kissing and sucking on my skin. The sound of our bodies slamming against each other mixed with the sounds of our heavy breathing, our gasps and moans as the pleasure intensified for both of us. I moaned James' name as a way of warning when I felt something shift within me, letting me know that in a few more thrusts I would explode. My breath hitched in my throat and I couldn't breathe as the orgasm first hit me, every nerve and muscle in my body tensed up. The way I had groaned his name and the way I was now clenching around him pushed James over, and he dug his fingers into my bum and slammed his hips up against me a few more times before he seized up in a long, strained groan. I was amazed when I realised I could actually feel him come, how his cock pulsated as he emptied himself into me. Heaving for air with a sting in my chest I collapsed against him. We lay completely still for a while as we regained our breaths. After a while James wrapped a strong arm around me and gently laid me on my side next to him. Smiling a little he ran his hand over my hair, studying me. There was warmth and adoration in his eyes, but also something else, something that looked like disbelief or awe. I lowered my eyebrows a little, wordlessly asking him what was on his mind. He shook his head almost imperceptibly.
“Sex has never felt this way before,” he said quietly. 
“Like just now?” I frowned a little. If that was what he meant, what had made this time so special? He shook his head again.
“No, just... with you. I know we've been together nearly a year now, but it still blows my mind, the way it feels. I never thought I'd get to have sex like this with anyone. Ever.”
“...No?” I asked, unable to keep myself from smiling as I felt touched and just a little proud. 
“I thought I'd had good sex before I met you, but... And I don't know what makes it so different. Maybe its just because I trust you so completely, being with you has always felt so safe and familiar. Or maybe its just because I love you in a way I have never loved another human in my entire life.” 
“That might be it,” I nodded slowly, smiling from ear to ear. “Or maybe I'm just a goddess in bed?” I suggested, but chuckled at my own brashness. “I know what you mean, though... I feel the same way, its never felt the way it does with you. I love you, too,” I sighed happily and kissed him. 
“I have a suggestion. Want to come take a bath with me? The tub at home isn't big enough to fit both of us, but this one is.” 
“That is a most excellent suggestion,” I grinned. 
“I'll go and sort that out then. You just stay here and relax until I call you, yeah?” James suggested, leaning in for a quick kiss. I remained on the bed as James crawled out of it. Unable to help myself I followed him with my eyes as he made his way around the bed and towards the bathroom. 
“I really like your bum!” I called after him as he disappeared. I heard him laugh, then the water running. With a content sigh I rolled onto my back and looked around the room, taking in the beautiful surroundings. I ran my palms absent-mindedly over my stomach, caressing it. Wonder what it was doing now? Was he or she sleeping? Or maybe wondering what on earth mummy had just been doing? 
“Come on.” James' head appeared in the doorway to the bathroom, and I crawled ungraciously out of bed and padded naked into the bathroom. James had lit a few candles along a tiled edge of the tub and turned down the lights a little. 
“I do really love your bum,” I insisted as I reached James, slipped my arms around him and squeezed his arse. 
“That's your horny hormones talking,” he said sternly. 
“Oooh no, I loved this arse loooong before any horny hormones came into the picture,” I persisted, squeezing again. 
“Will you just get into the damn tub, woman,” he huffed, pretending to be a little annoyed. Even so he held my hand, supporting me as I climbed into the steaming warm water. 
“Oh god, hot, hot!” I squealed as I immersed my body. 
“Move over a little,” James said as he climbed in. He sat down behind me, slipping a leg on either side of me. Resting back against the tub he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him. I leaned backwards, resting my back against his chest, melting into him. 
“James... We have to get a bigger tub,” I sighed. 
“I know,” he said quietly and kissed the side of my face. A serene calm descended between us as I played with James' fingers, enjoying the warm water and the feel of being in his arms. “Are you looking forward to Christmas?” James asked after a long silence.
“Hm? Yeah, I am... I mean, it'll be strange not being with my family, it'll be the first time in my entire life that I'm not with at least some of them. But last year, all I did was miss you the entire time, it took the fun out of everything.” 
“.. And we weren't even together then,” he pointed out.
“That's what I'm looking forward to this Christmas. Spending it with you.” 
“Even if that means being with my family?” He challenged, I could hear the teasing smirk in his voice. 
“Yes,” I answered simply. “Besides, it's just for a day or two, right?” 
“Mm,” James hummed. “I want you all to myself for the rest of the holidays.” 
“You have me all to yourself all the time,” I pointed out, smiling. 
“But I won't have for that much longer,” he retorted mildly, slipping his palm over my stomach. “I just can't wait to spend my first Christmas with you.” I ran my hands over James' under the water. 
“Can you believe that by next Christmas we'll have a seven month old baby in our house?” I mused. 
“Mmmno. I'm trying to get to grips with that fact every day, really,” he admitted.
“Me too.” Sighing happily I rested my head back against James' shoulder, utterly at peace with everything in the world. Then my head snapped upright again. “James. I just realised I don't have anything with me bar my underwear and a now very crumpled gown lying on the floor out there.”
“Don't worry, I packed a few things. T-shirt, jumper, shoes, jeans...”
“Did you take the ones with the e-..”
“Yes, I took the ones with the elastic-y bit on,” he droned, I could practically hear him roll his eyes behind me. I had given up on proper jeans and bought a few maternity ones, just because they were more comfortable. 
“Good spaniel,” I said and patted his arm, resting back against him. 
“Good spaniels think of everything,” he said matter of factly. “Besides, you are not going to wear anything until tomorrow morning anyway..”
“Okay...” I said, twisting my neck in order to give him a peck on the cheek. James' hand began moving over my body, effortlessly sliding over my chest and stomach, my hips and thighs. I felt extremely comfortable in the warm water, being cocooned in James' lap, his arms and legs around me, and I made a purring sound that made James chuckle softly. His hands paused by my breasts, cupping each one lightly while caressing them with his thumbs.
“What are you doing?” I asked quietly with my eyes closed. 
“Just touching you...” He replied innocently. Soft, light kisses fell on my ear and neck. My sensitive breasts responded quickly to James' handling, however gentle, and my nipples grew hard and rough against his thumb. Having gotten the resulted he wanted, his hands slid from my breasts and traveled down my body again, over my sides and hips. Reaching my thigh, one of his hands slipped to the inside of it, grazing over the skin lightly until his hand came to rest against my pussy. I felt James' breath in my ear, then how he took my earlobe between his lips, sucking on it before dragging his teeth lightly over it. At the same time he parted me with his fingers and began caressing my clit with his fingertip. I had no other word for it, his touch was so gentle and tender. Unaware of doing it I spread my legs a little. 
“Oh god.. James...” I breathed, feeling how my blood began rushing in my veins.
“Hmm?” James hummed into my ear, deep and seductive, his voice resonated within me and made me shiver. 
“I've already.. come twice....” I stammered, almost feeling guilty for being given so much attention. 
“I'm not keeping score,” he said flatly, his voice still hushed and seductive. “For once I have more stamina than you. And I will never be able to make you come this easily again, so let me just enjoy it, yeah?” While he spoke his fingertips kept caressing my clit. “Have you ever had an orgasm under water?” His lips brushed delicately over my neck, the sensation was so delightful I shuddered in his arms. 
“No...” I breathed. When he spoke again his voice was just a whisper, he spoke close to my ear, his lips sometimes brushing over it. “See... I love being able to do this... Love being able to do something that feels good for you, something that gives you pleasure....” While he spoke he rubbed my clit a little firmer, making me draw my breath sharply. “I love that just by touching you like this... I can make your heart beat faster... Your mouth falls open as your breathing gets heavier.... And your eyes close because you can't focus on seeing, all you want to focus on is the pleasure you're feeling.” At this point my eyes were already closed. My head was resting back against James' shoulder and I rested completely against him, feeling as if I had James all around me. As the intensity of the pleasure rose a little I bit my bottom lip as a wince escaped me. His lips brushed over my skin again before he continued in the same low, husky whisper. “I love that sound. I love being able to make you wince and moan, and sometimes even scream in ecstasy...” As the tension rose even more in me I grabbed hold of the edge of the tub, needing something to hold on to. James' free hand, which had been resting on my stomach, slid up to a breast and cupped it, flicking his thumb over my nipple. I gasped and tensed up even more in his arms, pushing my hips against his hand. “I love being able to make you arc your back like that... Like a cat stretching.. Love feeling your nipples grow hard, and your pussy grow wet under my fingers...” James was in total control of everything he was doing to me, he was playing all my keys as well as he could play his piano. My mind was reeling, overloaded from all the different sensations. I didn't know what to focus on, his hand between my legs, his fingers pinching my nipple lightly, his breath and voice in my ear, it was all too much. Arching my back even more I dug the back of my head into James' shoulder, raising my hips, desperate for more. “I love making you beg me to go faster... Or harder... When you beg me not to stop...” As he said this his fingers eased up on the pressure and speed, knowing he had slowed down at a crucial time. The pit of my stomach was burning, my entire being was throbbing, it felt like he'd left me hanging on the edge of a cliff. 
“Don't stop, James...! Harder...!” I begged, plunging a hand into the water and placing it on top of his, pressing his hand against my pussy. James listened to my begging and increased the pressure on my clit again. “Oh god, right there..!” I huffed as he hit exactly the right spot. Resolutely running his fingertips over me, he pinched my nipple and sucked at my earlobe at the same time. I jerked against his hand, moaning loudly.
“But most of all I love... making you come. I love hearing the change in your voice, the way your legs start to shake... The way you tense up just as your body is about to let go, the way you twitch and tremble as the orgasm washes through you...” I could barely hear James' words, all I could focus on was the climax that was building in me, but I vaguely registered that my body was doing everything he was saying. As the orgasm finally hit I grinded my hips frantically at his hand, needing more, always more. James' fingers kept their relentless pace on my clit as I rode out my orgasm, holding me tight against his own body with his free arm. After a few long, strained groans I collapsed against James, and for along while all that could be heard was the gentle slosh of the water and my heavy breathing. His hand slid gently away from my pussy and he wrapped both arms around me, just holding me quietly, letting me enjoy the remnants of my high in peace. Regaining the use of my limbs I ran my hand over James' arm, caressing him. 
“If you keep this up... I'm not going to have the energy to be a mum,” I mumbled, nearly too tired to speak. James chuckled softly. 
“Ready to go to bed? Its probably getting very, very late...”
“Hmm...” I hummed. Finding the energy to move away from him and get out of the warm water was almost impossible, in the end James had to give me a hand. We wrapped each other in crisp, fluffy, white towels, brushed our teeth and crawled into bed. James flicked off the lights and pulled me closer, sighing happily. “James? When do we have to check out tomorrow?”
“... Exactly when we want to,” he mumbled, already half asleep. 
“And when is breakfast?”
“When we call room-service.”