Chapter 13:

"Wait! The waves were the best!" Nastasia laughed as she came back into the living room with a wine cooler in hand. Howie looked at her and laughed, she seemed a bit happier than before.

Everyone was back at Nastasia and Howie's house. They had put Chase in his bed and Alexandria in hers. Lauren, AJ, Brian, Kevin, and Nick had volunteered to spend the night over. Which Nastasia didn't care about, they were about as close to a family as she could ever get.

"What happened in the waves?" Nick grinned as Howie pulled Nastasia into his lap. She grinned as Howie wrapped his arms around her lean stomach, pulling her closer to him.

"Howie lost-"

"Nastasia! Don't!" Howie groaned.

"He lost his trunks!" Nastasia giggled, making everyone else burst out laughing. "He was so red, I thought he was a crab. Luckily we were on a private beach area!"

"HOWARD!" Lauren laughed.

"Besides that did you guys have fun?" Kevin asked as Nastasia took a long sip of her wine cooler, inviting the frosty taste into her mouth.

"Peachy." Howie murmured as he placed a tender kiss on Nastasia's neck, sending shivers down her spine. "The sunsets, jacuzzi, and showers were the best."

"Shut up D!" Nastasia smiled as she remembered those places and the tender kisses. Followed by the romantic love making.

"Okay you two!" AJ laughed as Lauren snuggled tighter up to him. Nastasia looked at Howie and gave an innocent shrug.

"What?" She smirked.

"Our producers are having a meeting tomorrow!" Brian suddenly blurted. Howie looked confused.

"A what?"

"They want to talk with us."

"About?"

"I don't know, promotions of the new CD."

"Oh, what time?"

"Noon."

"Will I be up?" Howie joked as he looked at his wife. She grinned wryly at him. He found himself getting lost in her eyes, the lovely shade of green reflecting in them. Making his body shake.

"Maybe..." She grinned as everyone started to laugh harder.

*******

"Nastasia, what are you doing?" Howie moaned loudly as he watched his wife walk through the door leading to their daughter's bedroom. Alexandria had been crying and Nastasia didn't want her to wake everyone else.

"Go back to bed." Nastasia whispered as she walked back into their bedroom. Howie looked to see Nastasia have their daughter in her arms, bundled up tight.

"What are you doing with Alexia?"

"She missed us."

"So? She can sleep in her own bed."

"She missed us." Nastasia pouted as she placed Alexandria into their king sized bed. Howie looked at both girls' innocent faces peering up at him with hope. Alexandria looked at her father and placed a tiny kiss on his forehead.

"You two are evil!"

"We know." Nastasia smiled as she crawled under the covers with Howie. Alexandria snuggled between her parents as Howie wrapped his arms around both girls.

"I love you Nastasia." He whispered as he watched Alexandria drift into her baby slumber. Nastasia looked back at Howie, watching his eyes in the dim-lit room.

"You mean it?"

"With every inch of my heart."

"Good" Nastasia grinned as she leaned over and kissed him in the darkness.