Chapter 12: Oh, Baby and Jealousy

Dinner went fine. They sat on cushions on the floor. Once Scott got done being a drama queen about improper manners, it was a fun. There was a lot of laughter to be found trying to balance on cushions and not fling spaghetti and meatballs around a white living room.

Plus, the drama queen could be counted on to try to sit formally even when three inches above the floor. Ana felt like her suggestion of where to eat had helped Scott earn goodwill. Dinner wasn't as miserable as she had supposed it would be from her past experiences.

After dinner Ana needed some quiet alone time so found a book and curled up on the couch to read. Scott had checked on her a couple times but left her to her reading which she appreciated. A couple of hours passed before Ana started feeling tired. She put her book down on a shelf and went up to the master bedroom where her new clothes were.

Ana grabbed a new maternity nightgown and climbed into the shower. She had begun to sleep without underwear and found it more comfortable. Ana slept nude with Nicholas. After her shower she dressed and dried her hair like always. Then she went into the bedroom. Scott was there freshly showered in pajama pants and a tee.

Ana looked at him reclined on the bed for a minute considering the dilemma. "Don't you normally sleep on the moon or something?"

"I used to sleep in another room so I would not be tempted to touch you. However, my reasoning then was flawed. Come to bed. All I want is to hold you in my arms and maybe feel the baby move. I give you my word I will not try anything more tonight." Scott said softly pulling the covers down for her to climb into bed.

Ana was stuck on the part where he specified that he wouldn't try anything tonight. Would Scott really try to be with her that way? He had never wanted her before, why would he start now? She had told him she would give this a shot if he was reasonable, so she climbed into bed beside Scott and turned on her side away from him.

Scott turned the light off and stretched out beside her moving so his whole body was touching hers. His hand rested gently on her waist then moved to the round area of her stomach. Ana felt a tap from the baby a few minutes later and she grabbed Scott's hand moving it over the spot. It took another minute but then the baby gave a healthy kick followed by a couple quick taps. Scott gasped as he felt his son for the first time against his hand.

"That is amazing. We made a tiny person. We are really going to have a baby, Ana. Our little boy." Scott rambled lost in his awe.

The baby continued moving for a while thumping against Scott's hand and he would chuckle or make a little noise each time. It was soothing and soon Ana felt herself drifting toward sleep. Scott had loosened up though she wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.

Scott leaned down and kissed her stomach. "Sleep now little man. Mommy needs some sleep and we're keeping her awake." Then he stretched out beside her once more and wrapped his arm tightly around her as she fell asleep. She woke a few times in the night expecting Scott to be gone but each time he was there wrapped around her sleeping as well.

Ana woke before Scott the next morning and she studied him in the dim light. He was a handsome man. Where Nicholas was dark, Scott was light with platinum blonde hair and ice blue eyes. He had a strong defined jaw and full lips. His physic was broader than Nick's standing at six-one instead of Nick's six-four. Both men took excellent care of their bodies. There was no real winner in their physical appeal they were both impeccably attractive men. That irritated her so Ana got out of bed.

Ana picked up her phone and checked the time. It was eight. She looked at Scott, in all the time she had known him he had never slept past six. Ana realized she had multiple texts from Nick. She grabbed her clothes from the closet and took them and her phone to the bathroom with her locking the door. She used the bathroom and washed her hands before getting dressed in her sundress. Then she closed the lid on the toilet and opened her phone.

***********

Scott was startled awake trying to figure out what had woken him. Then seeing Ana's absence, he panicked for a moment before hearing the water turn on in the bathroom. He sat up glancing at his phone, he read the time and tried to remember the last time he had slept so well or so late. He couldn't think of a time as an adult.

Scott had woken a couple times to Ana's movements but overall sleeping next to her hadn't been hard. Except the one time when he woke to find her nightgown had ridden up. That wouldn't have been much of a problem but his half-asleep mind had realized that she was nude below the nightgown. His body had responded instantly.

His hands had felt like they itched to feel her bare skin under his palms. It had taken every ounce of willpower he had to pull her nightgown down and not run his fingers across her soft skin. Scott felt himself reacting now to the memory of having to hold his body away from hers while trying not to think about the fact that she was half-nude next to him.

He may not know what he was doing in bed, but his body sure knew what it wanted. It had wanted his wife right then and there. Scott groaned feeling frustrated now that he was aroused again. He quickly grabbed his clothes which was a pair of jeans, a tee, and a linen long-sleeve button-down to go over it. He locked the bathroom door of the guest room and wondered what he was going to do with his current state,

Scott had started studying intimacy, determined to be a good lover to his wife. Having more knowledge had allowed his mind to picture his wife in ways that left him aching and miserable. He knew Nicholas had a lot of experience and would likely be able to satisfy a woman properly so he forced himself out of his comfort zone reading everything he could to catch up.

Scott's earlier thinking had been that intimacy was occasionally necessary for procreation and of course to consummate a marriage. Beyond that was a distraction he didn't have time for. It was a tough pill to swallow to realize if he had been making love to his wife and keeping her happy, she probably wouldn't be sleeping with his brother.

Ana needed attention from a man, and it had been his job to provide that to her. Instead, he had treated her needs as inconsequential and inconvenient. Now no matter what Scott did; he may not get her to take him back. Now that Scott understood how much he wanted and needed his wife it might already be too late. He had no delusions that she was here for any reason other than to satisfy the court order.

Finally, he had calmed down, so he got dressed. He would need to go incredibly slowly with Ana, or she would bolt from him. He knew he had to convince her to be with him intimately before the thirty days was up and he had to get it right when that day came.

Until then he needed to show her first that he could be a better man, a good husband, and could be a good father. Ana loved their child and would want what was best for him. Scott needed to be what was best for their son. With that thought in his head he got dressed.

***********

Ana sat in the bathroom reading the eight texts sent to her by Nicholas, becoming increasingly concerned for him. They started around eleven last night and the final one came at three-forty this morning.

'Ana, sweetheart, please send me a photo so I know you are alone.'

Then, 'Please answer me, my brain won't shut off.'

Then, 'Are you asleep, love?'

Then, 'I miss you so much it hurts.'

Then, 'I think I'm drunk but I still miss you.'

Then, 'Ana, answer me damn it. I am losing my mind.'

Then the next one, 'If Devon touches you, I will kill him. I have diplomatic immunity; I can do that.'

The last said, 'I am trying extremely hard to deal with this, but my mind says he found a way to have you in his arms right now. I don't know how to be all right with that. Do you have any idea how much I need you?'

Ana had tears streaking down her face as she sat there in the bathroom. She thought last night had been harmless. Nothing happened, Scott just felt the baby and they slept but to Nick it was the end of the world. He needed her to be stronger than that.

A new text came in from Nick, 'Sorry about last night, I was very drunk.' She turned on the bathroom fan and ran the sink. Then hit the video call button. A moment later Nick was staring at her from his study. He looked rough.

"Are you alright?" Ana asked him worriedly.

"I've had better mornings, love." Nick's head was in his hand. Changing track he asked, "why didn't you answer me?"

"I was asleep before eleven. I didn't wake up at all." Ana answered hoping he would let the subject drop. It was not to be.

Nick sighed rubbing his temples. "Will you tell me the truth Ana?"

Ana looked at him with a frown. "Of course I will."

"Where did you sleep?" Nick looked Ana in the eye then looked away rubbing his temple.

Ana sighed, "I slept in the master bedroom in bed."

Nick looked at her again. "Where did Devon sleep, Ana?"

Ana blew out a breath, "in the bed next to me."

Nicholas cursed. "Were you... Did you..." he paused and cursed again. "Were the two of you intimate? Did you have sex with him, Ana?" His face was angry, hurt.

"Of course not. I'm not a complete idiot." Ana said her voice rising slightly.

"All right. I'm sorry, my love. I'm sorry. I have been going crazy all night. Why sleep next to him at all." Nick said, trying to calm them both down.

"It was harmless. He felt the baby move and we went to sleep. His house and his bed. We don't have to like it, but I am still his wife. Nick, he has rights and if I give him a reason to be able to say I am not being reasonable a judge will extend the time. You must know that and know that he is relying on it to keep me here. So, if it is something I can do that has no major repercussions then I go along with it." Ana vented.

Ana sat up showing her dress in the process. "Now that a judge has deemed my marriage to Scott valid there is nothing we can do but get through the time that was ordered. I can't have you freaking out on me like this. I am under enough pressure. Baby, I am coming back to you. I won't do anything to harm us if I can help it, don't you know that?"

Nick nodded then sighed. "My mind is having a tough time dealing with you being in my sworn enemy's clutches. I am jealous of him being anywhere near you. It's like there is lava in my brain."

"I need you to snap out it Nick. You are a doctor. Go doctor some people. Make yourself busy. Do something so you're not going insane." Ana told him seriously.

Nicholas nodded. "I will try. You look very nice. Are you going out?"

Ana looked at her dress and smiled. "We are going to the open-air market."

"That is happening today? I wish I was taking you." Nick grouched.

"Nick!" Ana complained.

"I know, all right. I will work on it, but I do wish I was taking you." Nick said with a small smile.

"When I am your wife, we will go again." Ana told him causing him to perk up slightly.

"You still plan to marry me then?" Nick asked color starting to return to his face.

"I already said it once but Yes, I will marry you as soon as my baby is born." Ana told him the reminder helping her as well.

There was a knock on the door. "Ana are you alright? Breakfast is ready in the kitchen." Scott told her.

"I'll be right down," she called.

"I need to go." She said to Nick, causing him to scowl.

After a moment Nick forced himself to give her a small smile. "I will talk you later, love." Anna nodded, blowing him a kiss in reply, getting a real smile for her effort. The phone call disconnected, and Ana slumped. This situation was going to be the death of her.

Ana stood up and grabbed her sweater. Then turned off the water and the fan. Finally, she flushed the toilet. And opened the door. The room was empty. Ana went to the closet and grabbed one of her small purses and placed her wallet and her phone in it before going down to have a quick breakfast.