“You're still so young at heart. It's hard to picture you as a mom," he said with a smile, teasing her lovingly.

Her response was a bashful grin.

Dylan then whisked her away for dinner. Following their evening out, they returned home where Olivia settled comfortably on the couch, unmoving.

Dylan pampered her with a foot massage before retreating to handle some work in the study and later to the home gym for his own routine.

In their shared life, the intimacy had waned, likely a side effect of the pregnancy. There were mornings when Dylan would embrace Olivia, their kisses deep and full of yearning until he decided to temper his ardor with a cool shower.

Olivia harbored concerns that Dylan might harbor some resentment due to this arrangement.

Now, as Dylan retreated to his workout, the blaring rock music from the home gym reached her ears.

Clutching a bag of chips, her contentment was undeniable.

She mused on the pressures men faced, beyond their work, the unspoken competition among them, the effort to maintain their physique. To Olivia, managing her weight meant careful eating. Before pregnancy had curved her body, she was notably slim. Even with the baby on the way, her silhouette remained graceful compared to other expectant mothers.

Post-exercise, Dylan's skin glistened with effort. In only a black tank top and gym shorts, he mopped his forehead with a towel.

He caught sight of her indulgence. "You're into the chips again?" he teased, plucking one from the bag.

“They're good, aren't they?" Olivia asked, eyes wide and hopeful.

He responded not with words but with a long, tender kiss. "What do you think of the flavor?" he murmured against her lips.

Caught off guard, Olivia's cheeks flushed with a mix of surprise and delight.

She leaned into Dylan's sturdy frame, her voice barely above a whisper, her query Laced with concern, “Does it challenge you- to hold back?"

Dylan looked down, a silent communication passing between them.

He gently tousled her hair. “What's on your mind?"

Olivia's heart twinged with empathy.

She wrapped her arms around him, her voice tinged with remorse.

"Sometimes, I feel quite sorry for you, Dylan. We're in this together, aren't we?"

A curse slipped under Dylan's breath.

He then swept her up and moved to the bedroom, laying her down with care in the dim room.

He didn't let frustration take over. He was tender, considerate, responding to Olivia's needs with a gentle touch.

In his embrace, she whispered his name, a sound filled with deep affection. In that instant, Olivia was enveloped in the true joy of connection, a profound sense of union that went beyond physical pleasure.