Apprehended Ch. 23

I had to turn around and laugh into my hand as Karen gaped, her mouth working over with no words coming out.

Lily clapped her shoulder again and moved passed her to begin picking things out, causing Karen to tip to the side. "Good talk," she said.

Poor Karen dropped the clothes she had been carrying all over the floor, stumbling and careening around like a drunkard before she righted herself and smoothed out her clothing.

She didn't help us after that.

Which was a motherfucking godsend. Having her around was the same equivalent as someone sucking out all of the fun in a room. Lily however, was more than enough.

We laughed and joked around, picking out several things that we assumed would fit before hauling our load back towards the fitting rooms...

Where Ethan and Gavin dwarfed a small, pink couch waiting for us. They both smiled upon our arrival and it was difficult not to find humor in how ridiculously childlike the couch appeared with their large bodies occupying the tight space.

"How we doin'?" asked Gavin. "Got what you want to try on?"

"Absolutely," said Lily, ushering me into a fitting room. She tossed clothing at me and shoved herself inside, cramming the small space as she joined me. "I'm going to sit right here while you try on a few things."

"It's sort of tight in here," I murmured, hanging up a few clothes on a hook imbued in the wall.

She shrugged. "You're going to need help with this." She lifted an item of clothing I didn't notice her take.

I shook my head wildly. "I'm not wearing that, Lily. Are you crazy?"

She glanced at it. "It's glitter, Annie. And pink. You're two favorite things. You wear them all the time."

I pointed at the bust as I peeled off my hoodie. "It shows too much boob."

"Annnnnnndddd that's a problem?"

I took off my pants next, standing in the small space with nothing but my bra and underwear.

Lily's eyes went straight to my stomach. "You have a bump."

I looked down. "Ethan said so too. I don't see it." I lightly poked my jiggle. "That's just fat."

She scowled. "It is not...but when did you tell him? You didn't tell me that you told him."

I leaned in closer to her. "You know how hard it is to keep secrets with them. Besides, I wouldn't have lasted long. I'm already seven weeks. With the two babies, my stomach is going to be the size of a blim-"

"Two babies!" she cried in surprise.

I shushed her. "Yes!" I hissed lowly.

Her eyes bugged out of her sockets. "As in twins?"

I took the dress from her grasp and began slipping it on. "Yes. Twins."

It took her a moment to process as I finished putting the damn thing on.

"That's...a lot. How does he feel about it?"

It was mine turn to shrug. "He worries...he loves me..."

"That's not what I asked, Annie."

"I know that," I said, pointing to the zipper. "It's complicated. And to be honest, I don't want to talk about it. Now can you help me zip up? I want to get out of this thing. My breasts are all but falling out."

She laughed as I opened the door with force, a glare on my face.

The minute Ethan and Gavin's eyes went on me, Gavin's brows shot up and he whistled...while Ethan growled lowly in his throat.

"Fuck," he mumbled.

I glowered at Lily. "You see. I told you."

Ethan got up, looking feral and tense. Erotic and a little dark. His eyes went all over my body, from the bottom to the top. It was like a soft caress; a whisper touch even though he didn't lay a finger on me.

I swallowed loudly.

He invaded my space, lowering his head and cupping my face in the blink of an eye. Then his lips were on mine, kissing me until I all but melted into him. His delicious scent invaded my nose along with his body; melding against mine as if we were one entity. His tongue lightly brushed across my upper lip, but before I could allow him admittance, he pulled back, breathing heavily.

He pressed our foreheads together, his chest heaving up and down quickly. "You're perfect, my precious Luna," he whispered. He moved to press a kiss to my forehead. "Beautiful."

Heat rushed to my face and I looked around. Thankfully, Lily and Gavin stepped away to give us a moment. I whispered, "do you think I'm showing too much boob?"

He laughed lowly. "Absolutely. Which is why you're getting it. However, you're only going to use it with me. No one else."

"Lily chose it," I said. "I honestly think its provocative."

"Not with me, it isn't," he said, brushing a few strands of hair behind my ear. He leaned in and whispered, "especially when I peel it off of your gorgeous, glowing flesh." Then he pulled away to brush a soft kiss across my shoulder before ushering me back into the fitting room to complete trying on clothes.

I was a little dazed with Ethan's potency. I had to collect myself before continuing and he had to steady me before I went into the small space. Lily rejoined and it took an hour to try everything on. I chose what I wanted and tossed what I didn't. Eventually, I had everything that I needed-including the provocative dress Lily had chosen.

When we left the store, Gav moved our bags to the truck with Lily and I walked hand-in-hand with Ethan along the third floor of the mall.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

I made a face. "Ugh. Not really...I know you are though."

He smiled. "Always." He lifted our hands and gestured to a food court. "Lets wander. Whatever catches our fancy, we'll get."

I didn't want food but I indulged him. Ethan was always hungry. It seemed he burned calories faster than he consumed them.

If only I were so lucky.

Ethan's eyes zeroed in on hot dogs and I had to laugh. "You want to get one...or twenty?"

"Only if you want."

I shook my head. "I'm not really hungry after that food at the café."

"I am!" Gavin barked, coming up behind Ethan to clap him on the shoulder.

Conversation traveled between us like flowing water, and we spent the rest of the day purchasing mundane things, laughing and partaking in general normalcy. The males ate a little too much and Lily and I bought things we technically didn't need but desired. It had been too long that I simply basked in the glory of human life; immersing myself in a tiny bit of neutral.

By the time we exited the mall, our hands were full. Our stomachs were full. And our hearts were content.

Too bad it wouldn't last long.