Still the One

Chapter 11 - Overalls and Tuxedos

"It's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"You and your big long name...it's such a mouthful to say."

"Why do you want to say my full name, love? You usually only call me Benedict when I've done something wrong."

"Exactly."

"What have I done wrong?"

"You needn't try to sound so innocent; you bought these cots, even though I said they were too expensive."

"They're the ones you loved."

"Trust you to use that as an excuse." I heard a muffled sound and glared at him, my hands on my hips. "Are you laughing at me, Snortlebatch?"

"No, my darling, I would never dare."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then why do you have that big fat cheesy grin on your face?"

"Because I can see behind you."

I whirled around – well, it was a whirl to me, but probably looked more like slow-motion to anyone who wasn't thirty weeks pregnant with twins – to see that the delivery men who had just brought up the cots were now arriving with more furniture. "Benedict! What else did you buy?"

"Just a few bits and pieces."

We were standing in the middle of the nursery, surrounded by walls in a soft aqua with fluffy white clouds painted on the upper third and large glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the ceiling. Two men in white overalls had by now removed cot pieces from packaging and were beginning to assemble; more carried in two soft, plump armchairs and set them in front of the bay window, while another pair brought boxes of differing sizes and shapes, placing them carefully in a corner before heading back out of the room. Soon they returned with what appeared to be a changing table and after that, two chests of drawers.

"Benedict."

"Yes, darling?"

"These are all the things we looked at in the shop on Saturday."

"Yes, darling."

"How did I not know you'd bought them all?"

"I rang them later when you were having your rest," he smirked.

"That's a bit Sneakybatch."

"I wanted to surprise you."

"You know I don't like surprises."

"I know, love." An arm slid around my waist as he hugged me to his side and bent his head to kiss me. "But I was pretty sure you'd like this one."

Damn him. I kissed him back, whispering in his ear, "I love it; thank you sweetheart," and answered his smile with one of my own.

We continued watching, mostly in silence but occasionally giving instructions on where to place things, as the nursery steadily came to life. Before long all the furniture had been assembled and positioned, packaging and tools cleared away and the overalled men gone.

I surveyed the room as Ben's warm mouth placed sweet kisses and delightful tingles over my neck and collarbone, then his hands moved to my stomach, gently caressing our bump. "We should talk names for these two," he murmured close to my ear.

"Mmm."

"I was thinking Alexander, after your grandfather."

"Really? That...that sounds wonderful."

"And perhaps Elizabeth for our girl? After her gorgeous mother."

I gave a small grunt. "Naming her after me might jinx her; she could end up with all my kookiness."