Mr. Big Daddy (Mr. Big 3)

"Okay," she said and looked at them both again. "The St. Regis."

"The St. Regis it is. Mountain View?"

"Yes, please."

With that settled, we started to plan what we'd take. We had thirty hours of travel and so needed comfortable clothes for the plane and for the terminals while we waited.

Alexa stood in front of her closet and tried to decide what to pack.

I slipped my arms around her from behind.

"You won't need much more than a bathing suit and a sun dress for when we go out for meals," I said. "I plan on keeping you naked most of the rest of the time."

She wrapped her arms around mine. "You do, do you?"

"I do," I replied and kissed her neck. "Naked and satiated."

"You're going to be a busy boy," she said, a fiery expression in her eyes. "I've been seriously deprived and so have you. Do you think you can keep up with me? At least you were taking matters into your own hands. I was totally celibate the entire time."

"I know," I said and kissed her shoulder. "I intend to make it up to you."

"You're going to be busy."

"I intend to be."

Friday came and it was time for Alexa to send in her course paper to her professor. Late that afternoon, she sat at her desk in her office, having just finished making the corrections that Candace had suggested to catch all the typos and glitches that happened no matter how careful you were when writing a fifty-page paper replete with footnotes and a massive bibliography.

"I don't know how you do it," I said and picked up the final manuscript, flipping through the pages, amazed at how smart she was.

She made a face of doubt and bit her lip. "Do you really think I should send it in? Maybe I should take an incomplete and get it done after I have the baby. If so, I could do a really good job..."

I frowned and put my hands on my hips, imitating an imaginary Aunt. "Now, Alexandria Marie Dixon, your supervisor said it was a fine paper. An A. That should be good enough."

"But it's not an A+."

"It's an A. Hand it in and let's go and spend two amazing weeks in Bora Bora."

She sighed. "Okay, but I hope I don't regret this..."

She clicked on the send icon in her email program, and I heard the swoosh of her notification sound that it had been sent.

"There goes everything," she said, her tone still doubtful.

"Don't be so pessimistic. It's done. Let's celebrate."

I put my arms around her and lifted her up from her chair. She slipped her arms around my neck and pressed her face into my neck while I squeezed her.

We kissed and when the kiss broke, she pulled back and looked in my eyes.

"I'm just glad it's finished, and I can hand it in, and not think of anything for two solid weeks. When we get back, I'm going to take a leave of absence for a year and focus on getting the baby's room ready, and get everything in place for Leif or Brenna."

"Or Leif and Brenna -- you never know. We could have twins. Until you have the ultrasound, we won't know."

"One is good enough for me. One healthy baby. If we have that, I honestly don't care whether it's a boy or girl."

"Me, neither. Now, let's go and get some supper. How about we drive into town and eat some meatballs? You haven't had any since before you were pregnant."

"Meatballs?" She made a face. "I don't think I can do meatballs just yet. Maybe some Alfredo..."