Just Him ❤

78. Happy birthday.

Chloe leant back against the kitchen counter, clutching on to her espresso as if her life depended on it while watching Mia and Leonie eating the pancakes she'd made them for breakfast. The girls had their own little table and chairs, something Seb had had made for them when Leonie was born, and they sat happily eating while watching one of their favourite programmes on an iPad. She smiled at the adorable sight in front of her while feeling that familiar ache of wanting a child of her own with Seb.
"Morning." Antti walked in and put a gift bag and card down on the breakfast bar, adding it to the collection that was there. "Well, this is a sight of domestic bliss." He smiled as he observed the two girls eating their breakfast and Chloe leaning against the counter with her espresso.

"It's certainly a life of two extremes, isn't it?" She replied.

"Yeah, in the formula one circus one minute and then the peace of Switzerland the next. I guess the birthday boy is still in bed?" He walked over to the coffee machine and popped a pod into it to make himself an espresso.

"Yeah, I thought I'd get up with these two and let him sleep." She pointed to the girls. "They were up at six, I think they're more excited than their father is." She let out a breath and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm so nervous."

"Don't be, today will be fine." Antti removed the pod, opened a cupboard door and threw it in the bin concealed in there before picking up the tiny cup of strong coffee and coming to stand beside her.

"I still have to pinch myself that this is my life now, that I'm part of his life." She watched as he took a sip of his espresso, with his little finger poking out, it made her chuckle to herself.

"Something amusing you?" He arched a brow and gave her a sideways look.

"Have you any idea how daft a bloke of your build and size looks holding a tiny little cup like that? And that finger...." She burst into laughter and wriggled her little finger at him. "What's that all about?!" Her laughter filled the kitchen, making Mia and Leonie look up at her, as if they were wondering what was so funny and Antti looked at her too, his feelings for her surging forward from deep inside where he'd tried to bury them. To see her laugh like that was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in a long time; there were times when she looked as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders so he found seeing her like this captivating.

"I'm hardly going to drink a small shot of espresso from a big mug, am I?" He smiled sheepishly as she nudged into him while she laughed.

"I'm sorry." She let out a breath as she calmed down. "I've just never seen you drink like that before, your little pinkie finger, it was just way too cute!"

"Well I'm glad I've given you a laugh already this morning." He placed his now empty cup down on the counter behind him. "Going back to what we were saying before you started finding me so funny; please stop pinching yourself, his life, as you know, is quite normal really."

"Yeah, I know, I still can't help it though, thanks for making me forget how nervous I am for a few minutes." She sighed.

"You've got no reason to be nervous, you've met his parents and his brother, his sisters are great, you'll get on well with them." Antti looked at his watch. "Right, birthday or no birthday, he needs to be up, we've still got a training programme to get through."

"You're seriously training on his birthday?" She looked at him in disbelief.

"He's the one who said he still wanted to train, not me." He replied. "I'll go and give him his wake up call." He started to walk towards the lounge.

"I'll go, you can keep an eye on the girls." Chloe said quickly, remembering that he was naked when she'd got up.

"It's ok, I'm up." Seb came wandering in, topless, in just a pair of shorts, stretching his arms up in the air as he walked. Chloe felt her mouth fall open at the sight of him and he gave her a grin, mouthing the words 'eye fucking' as he saw her openly staring at him. His face lit up with happiness as he was instantly bombarded by Mia, hotly followed by Leonie and he scooped them both up into his arms and began to shower them with little kisses. Mia kissed his cheek and hugged him, it was obvious they missed him just as much as he missed them and it pained Chloe to know he was forced to be apart from them for more time than he had to be after splitting from Hannah. As Leonie snuggled into his neck she felt overwhelmed with the cute scene in front of her, seeing him with his kids and how much they loved and idolised him made her want a child with him even more, she swore she could feel her ovaries aching. Seb looked at her, he'd seen that look on her face a few times now, the longing, broody look. Next year he was sure it would happen for them but right now he needed her by his side in a working capacity as well as personally and that meant having babies was going to have to wait. Putting them back down he then eyed the gifts and cards on the breakfast bar and walked over to it.