Elena's POV
The world had slowed down in the best way. Everything felt softer, sweeter… more fragile.
Zayden had rearranged his entire schedule to work from home now. Any time I so much as shifted on the couch, his head popped up like an alert dog. My overprotective husband had evolved into something even more intense. But it wasn't annoying. Not when he looked at me like I held the sun inside me.
"Want strawberries or mango today?" he asked, standing by the kitchen island with a smoothie in one hand and a protein bar in the other.
"Both?" I gave him my best innocent smile.
Zayden grinned. "That's my girl."
He padded across the room, slipped beside me, and placed the smoothie carefully on the coffee table. His hand automatically went to my belly, fingers spreading gently across the soft curve.
"I swear you're getting rounder every hour," he murmured against my temple.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"It's the best thing," he whispered. "You're growing a universe."
And then it happened.
A flutter.
I stilled.
"Elena?"
I grabbed his wrist and pressed his palm right under my ribs. "There."
A tiny kick. Soft but sure. Then another. Like our little miracle was saying hello.
Zayden's eyes widened. His mouth parted in awe, like he couldn't believe it.
"She—he—it just…" His voice broke. "That was our baby."
I nodded, tears filling my eyes. "They're saying hi to Daddy."
He knelt in front of me, still holding my stomach, forehead resting lightly against my skin. "Hey, little Wolfe," he whispered. "You're already stealing my whole damn heart."
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Later That Day — Bucket List #4: "Bake and Decorate a Ridiculous Cake"
We made a complete mess of the kitchen.
Flour on the walls, sprinkles in my hair, icing on Zayden's nose. He tried to follow the instructions; I kept sabotaging them with too much color and way too many chocolate chips.
"This looks like a unicorn exploded," he said, surveying the neon swirl we'd frosted across the top.
"Exactly the goal," I giggled. "It's hideous. I love it."
He fed me a spoonful of icing, then dipped a bit on my lips just to kiss it off.
"You're glowing, Mrs. Wolfe," he murmured. "You know that?"
"I think it's just the pink food dye."
He chuckled, wrapping his arms around me from behind, his hands sliding down to cradle our bump again.
"No," he said, his voice low. "It's the happiness. The love. I see it in your eyes."
I leaned back against him. "What do you see in yours?"
He turned me around slowly, cupping my face. "Forever."
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