Velvet of Desire

There was a popping coming from the kitchen when Connor awoke from her sleep. She blinked a few times to adjust her eyes and then got to her feet and stretched her arms above her head. She then yawned and walked towards the kitchen. She stopped in the doorway and seen Lucien standing over the stove cooking bacon.

She smiled and crossed her arms. Lucien had already heard her coming and turned his head to look at her. “Good morning. I'm making bacon, and there's a plate of pancakes over there on the counter.”

“I didn't know that you could cook,” she smiled and laughed.

Lucien nodded. “Yep. I cook. How do you think I survived for ten years?”

Connor shrugged and walked over to the pancakes. She grabbed a plate and got a couple of the pancakes and poured syrup over them. “I thought I might tell you I don't eat ham or pork.”

Lucien smiled. “Good. Because this is turkey. I don't like pig either.”

Connor was a little shocked. They had something in common.

“Good morning everyone!” Henrich came into the kitchen. He was always too happy and energized in the morning. “How did you two sleep? I slept amazing,” he said before anyone could answer.

Connor laughed. “Good morning Henri. I slept okay. I fell asleep on the couch last night.”

Henrich looked over at Lucien and raised a brow. “And you let her sleep there?”

Lucien chuckled. “I tried to move her but she kicked me," he teased.

Connor blushed bright red. “I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

Lucien shook his head. “It's okay. People do weirder things in their sleep.”

He drifted off to his memory of her laying on the couch, flushed cheeks and her white shirt pushed up, showing her abdomen. Her soft murmuring, and her perfect pouty lips. He was almost tempted to pull her to his body and caress her wonderful curves.

“Lucien? Are you okay?” Henrich was standing next to him, blocking Connor's view. Lucien looked over at Henrich and blinked. Henrich pointed down. “Are you okay?”

Lucien looked down and seen his hard erection. His face paled. “Oh. I am so sorry...I was daydreaming.”

Connor raised a brow. “Are you boys okay? You're standing awful close to each other.”

Henrich smiled and turned to face her. “Of course. I was just looking at his necklace.”

Lucien's erection had gone away and he cleared his throat. “Yeah. I got it from my dad,” he said quickly, thankful that Henrich was a quick thinker. He then took the bacon out of the pan and put it on a plate. He brought it over to the table and set it in front of Connor. She smiled.

“Smells-” She broke off as she suddenly felt nauseous. She got up and ran to the bathroom.

Henrich followed her held her hair. “It's okay sweetie. They say after the second trimester that you stop getting sick.”

“I know. But I want it to go away now,” she leaned up and wiped her mouth on a piece of tissue. She flushed the toilet and got to her feet. She was a little shaky but she felt fine. She walked back into the kitchen and sat back down.

Lucien was looking at her. “Are you okay?” He asked her, a little worried. Connor nodded. “Just morning sickness," she reassured him and Henrich sat down and started eating his pancakes.

Connor sighed and stood up. “I'm going to take a bath. I'm not hungry anymore.”

Lucien stood up as well. “I'll go start the bath. You just go get your clothes ready.”

Connor didn't protest. She just didn't have the energy to argue. She went to her room and sat on her bed while Lucien was in her bathroom running the water.

He came into her room and sat next to her. “Are you sure that you're okay?”

Connor sighed and looked at him. “I don't know. I'm not sure what to do. I just feel alone even though I have friends standing by me. I mean, I thought I would be married before I started having children.”

“Everything happens for a reason. You were meant to have a baby now. You'll have all the help you need. Connie and Eibhleann are here for you. Henrich is here, and I'm here,” Lucien wanted her to know that he was here and that she could rely on him for anything. Connor smiled a small smile.

Lucien patted her arm and got up. He went to check the water and came back. “The water is ready.”

Connor looked up at Lucien with tears in her eyes. He frowned and put a hand on her cheek. “Connor. What's wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I'm just feeling a little emotional,” she wiped at her tears. She knew that she would get emotional but she didn't know that it would feel this bad. Lucien reached a hand out and placed it on her face. He looked into her eyes. He longed to hold her. For a moment he felt like their souls connected. He cleared his throat. “You know they say that a person's eyes is the gateway to their soul.”

“Is that really true?” She sniffed.

Lucien smiled. “It is. I can see your soul.”

She wiped her eyes some more. “You do? What does it say?” She sounded like a little child now. He closed his eyes and let out a soft chuckle.

“I don't know what it's saying, but I know that you're a good person Connor. I know that you are pure of heart and soul,” his voice was soothing and it was starting make Connor feel better.

She smiled and looked into his eyes. She could see that he was a sweet and gentle man. One that loved easily, and got hurt easily too. She closed her eyes and felt herself drifting forward towards him. He leaned forward and dropped his hand from her cheek.

“Connor. You're not ready,” Lucien said, but it killed him to have to stop. ]She opened her eyes and looked at him.

“What do you mean?” She was a bit confused. He brushed his thumb across her bottom lip.

“You're not ready for this as in us. Don't rush things Connor. You have to be sure,” he said, trying not to let his voice waver.

She nodded and got her clothes and went into the bathroom and shut the door.

Lucien let out a shaky breath. Henrich leaned against the door frame.

“Why did you do that?”Henrich actually sounded a little irritated.

Lucien looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

“Why did you push her away?” Henrich motioned for Lucien to follow him. Lucien got up and followed him to the living room. Henrich turned and faced him.

“I know you want her. I know that you really care about her. So why push her away?” He asked simply.

Lucien sighed and sat down on the couch. “She's emotional. I don't want her to do something that she's not ready to do. I don't want her to have regrets later on." It was the truth. Lucien didn't want Connor to hate him later for something that she didn't want yet. He knew that she would eventually come to him, but right now, it was way too soon. He knew that he had to take it slow with her. She was a fragile work of art. She had been through so much, and yet she was still standing strong. Lucien just wanted to make sure that she was stable enough to make her decisions without his influence.

Henrich nodded in approval. “You are a smart man. I'm sure things will play out,” he winked at him and left out the door.

Connor relaxed in the bath for almost an hour before she got out. She dressed quickly and took her medicine the doctor gave her and walked out of the bathroom. She ran into Eibhleann. “Oh, hey. What are you doing here?”

Eibhleann smiled. “Come on. You have an appointment. I called the doctor and he said that you could go ahead and come down, that he didn't have anyone scheduled today.”

Connor smiled. “Really? Let me get Lucien,” she stopped and sighed. “Never mind. Let's just get going.”

Eibhleann frowned. “Why not? Lucien would love to see the ultrasound. He enjoyed seeing mine.”

“He went with you?” Eibhleann nodded.

“Well okay. I'll go get him,” Connor went to get Lucien and Eibhleann smiled.

Lucien was sitting on the couch reading his book when Connor found him. He looked up at her as she entered the room. She was smiling.

“I get to go to the doctor to get the ultrasound done,” her words were rushed, but that was because she was excited that she would be able to see her baby so soon. She was going to be impatient about it, but she didn't have to now.

Lucien smiled. “That's great Connor.”

“I know. Will you come with me?” Her face was glowing with excitement. She was a little nervous, but she knew that it would go away once she seen her baby.

Lucien smiled and chuckled. “Yeah. I'll come," he gave in easily, and got to his feet. She smiled and left to get her purse and her shoes on.

Eibhleann drove them to the doctor's office. Connor was getting more nervous by the second. She found herself shaking her leg up and down until Eibhleann laughed and pointed it out. Now she was trying really hard not to explode. They walked into the doctor's office and the receptionist smiled at them. “Hello. What can I do for you all today?”

Connor smiled. “I'm Connor O'Callaghan. Doctor O'Brien said that I could come down and get an ultrasound done,” her voice was a little shaky and the receptionist smiled. “Of course. Just take a seat and he'll be with you momentarily.”

They sat down and within five minutes Doctor O'Brien was calling them back. Connor sat up on the table while the doctor examined her and took her vitals. Eibhleann was sitting in a chair by the door and Lucien was sitting next to her.

“So how are you feeling?” He asked as he prepared to do her ultrasound. Connor smiled. “I actually feel fine. I feel like I have more energy,” she said. The doctor nodded. “That's good. Now lie back. I'm going to conduct the first ultrasound across your belly, but if I can't find anything, we'll have to do a vaginal one,” he said and Connor nodded. She let out a breath and tried to relax.

The doctor put some warm jelly on her abdomen and then rolled the wand across it. She looked up on the screen and smiled. She could see everything going on in there.

Lucien watched with a smile on his face. He thought that ultrasounds were so cool.

“Well. I'll tell you what I see,” the doctor started. Eibhleann almost jumped out of her seat before the doctor could say it.

“You're having twins Miss O'Callaghan,” the doctor concluded. Connor looked at the screen and smiled.

“I see it. There are two little fluttering hearts," she said and waves of happiness started crashing against her.

Lucien laughed and reached over and leaned in close to kiss her, but realized what he was doing and kissed her on the top of her head. “Congrats Connor.”

Connor smiled. “Thank you Lucien. Thank you for coming.”

Eibhleann's phone rang. She excused herself and left Lucien and Connor with the doctor.

“It's quite extraordinary to see twins on an ultrasound. Now, make sure to take the prenatal vitamins and to exercise right. Don't lift anything heavy, or strain yourself in anyway. Right now, your babies look fine. You look to be ten weeks along. We'll know in another ten weeks what their gender is,” the doctor smiled.

Connor nodded. “Thank you doctor. I'll make sure that I'll do those things,” The doctor nodded and handed her the print outs of her ultrasound. Connor smiled and looked at the two little odd shaped beings.

“I think they look like you,” Lucien said and Connor laughed at him. She got up off the table and stood by the door.

“Thank you again doctor," she said and looked at her ultrasound picture again.

Eibhleann was waiting out in the lobby. “I'm so excited! I hope that you have little girls. All I have are boys.”

Connor smiled. “Quite honestly, I want one of each.”

Lucien smiled and put his hands in his pockets. He followed the two chatterboxes to the car and they were well on their way home so they could spread the news about the twins.