AIMING TO PLEASE
by Rosebud
Two days after Chris and Rita's marriage had been unceremoniously announced in the papers, Harry called them into his office. Chris sauntered in with Rita, a big grin on his face. His arm was draped around her shoulder almost as if he couldn't bear to lose physical contact with her. "You wanted to see us, Cap?" he asked as he cast an eye at Rita, wondering if they were in trouble again. So far, no one else but the doctor knew about the baby. Chris had taken Rita to the doctor that morning, and she had received a good report. It had been difficult leaving the station together without questions being asked, but they had managed it by Chris asking Holly to cover for him. She had not asked any questions even though she had given Chris a funny look. They had decided to keep the baby a secret for a little longer just to savor the pleasure together. Each time Chris looked at Rita, he knew that the joy he felt about the baby was obvious to her. Rita looked back at Chris, a smile on her lips. She knew what Chris was thinking - What had they done this time? And the look in his eyes made her warm inside. Rita knew that Chris was as excited about the baby as she was, but she hid her feelings better. Chris wondered silently, "How could Cap not notice the change in Rita?" He knew he still had a stupid grin on his face, but he couldn't help it. Harry cleared his throat, noticing that, when seated, Chris put his hand over Rita's, never losing contact with her, "Frannie and I were talking." "Oh, really, Cap, that was nice," said Chris with a grin. "Don't get smart with me, Lorenzo, you're not the only man who loves his wife." "Yeah, Cap, I know," Chris said as he squeezed Rita's hand. "Anyway," continued Harry, "we think the two of you need a honeymoon. "Okay," he said as he tilted his head a little, "that's kind of like putting the cart before the horse because I'm sure you two have been honeymooning plenty." Chris snorted and glanced at Rita as she blushed. Harry ignored their response and said, "Anyway, as a wedding gift, a real wedding gift, not that picture I gave you two the other day, we want to send you on a trip to a little resort that we like in Boca Raton. It's only for 3 days and 2 nights, but we want to do it. What do you say?" "Cap, that's marvelous," exclaimed Rita. "Yeah, Cap, we didn't know you had it in you," said Chris. "Shut up, Lorenzo, or I'll let Rita take the trip alone. Now, here's the reservations information," he said, and after giving them a brief description the place, he handed the brochures to Rita. "You are officially released from work as of this moment. Now, go, go! I'm tired of seeing your lovesick faces around here." "Thanks, Cap," said Rita as she walked around and hugged Harry, "please tell Fran how much this means to us." "You're welcome, Rita." "Rita and I really do appreciate this," said Chris as he shook Harry's hand, "I'll always suspected that you were an old softy." "Get out of here, Lorenzo, and give your wife a good honeymoon." "Oh, no doubt about that, Cap. We Lorenzos aim to please," said a smiling Chris putting his arm around Rita as they left Harry's office. Harry leaned back in his chair watching them as they left the room, "I wonder when they're going to tell me about the baby? Can't put anything past Lipschitz. HA!" He picked up the phone and called Fran, "I gave them their gift. No, they haven't mentioned anything about the baby yet. I don't know how much longer they think they can hide it. Rita's showing already. I guess they think they're fooling everybody," he laughed. "And they better ask us to be godparents or I'm really going to be angry." Back at their apartment, Rita started packing. "Sammy, don't pack too much," said Chris as he walked over to put his shaving stuff in the bag. "Sam, we have to pack for 3 days." "You're not going to need much," replied Chris. "What," asked Rita, "do you mean, not much?" "Well, if I have anything to say about it, clothes are going to be very unnecessary." "You're a dog, Christopher," she said as she pulled him to her. "Woof," he whispered in her ear and then nipped it gently causing her to lose concentration for a moment. "Come on now, we have to pack," she said as she drew back. Chris growled in her ear, but stopped knowing they would never get to their destination on time if he took this small sidetrip. The Azure Resort in Boca Raton was everything and more that Harry said it would be. After registering and finding their room, Chris unlocked the door but stopped Rita from entering. He picked her up and carried her in. "Chris, what are you doing?" she asked. "Well, isn't the groom supposed to carry the bride over the threshold?" She laughed as he kicked the door shut. Chris walked to the bedroom, deposited her on the bed and rolled over toward her. "No regrets, Rita?" "Never, what about you?" "As long as I have you, everything is parfait. How about a bite?" Chris asked. "Yeah, I could eat," answered Rita. Chris leaned over with a leer on his face and whispered, "I wasn't talking about food, Sammy." "Sam, you are so bad, but really, I'm starving for FOOD." "Ever since you got over your morning sickness, you've been eating like a horse," said Chris. "This kid of yours has your appetite. Tell me, are you still going to love me when I get as big as a horse?" she asked. "Darling, I will love you when you are old and gray with wrinkles all over your body," he replied with a smile. "Gee, what an attractive picture you just painted there in my mind," she said as she scooted off the bed toward the door with Chris following behind her. Having been told by the hotel manager of a nearby seafood restaurant, they began walking hand and hand toward it, stopping occasionally to window shop. Rita stopped at one store and stared. Chris walked up behind her, noticing what she was looking at and smiled. Inside the window was a white baby bed with all the trimmings. A mobile was hanging from the top, and the sheets and blanket were in a pastel yellow and green. A big brown teddy bear with a baseball cap sat in it staring back at them. "You like that, Rita?" he asked softly. "Yeah," she said as she looked back at him with a wistful look in her eyes, "it's really nice. But we better get to the restaurant before it gets much later." As they walked away, Chris glanced back at the store and smiled. The restaurant was in a shacklike building near the surf. Fresh seafood was their specialty, and as the waves pounded the surf, they ate their fill. Rita said, "Let's take a walk along the beach." "Great idea, Sammy," as he rubbed his stomach, "I think I ate too much." After a few minutes of strolling along the surf, they decided to sit down. They were all alone, and it was dusk. The wind began picking up a little, and the temperature had cooled down. Chris looked at Rita as he pushed her windblown hair back from her face. "You know, Rita, we haven't talked much about the future or made any plans." "Yeah, we've been been taking it one day at a time. Is there something you want to talk about?" Chris looked at her with a serious expression on his face, "I want you to know that I'm going to do my part to make this marriage work." "I know you will, Chris, so will I." "Let me finish, okay?" I meant every word of our wedding vows. I will never lie to you, or be unfaithful, and I will always, and I mean always be there for you and our little Lorenzo," he said as he put his hand on her swelling abdomen. "Oh, Chris, that's so sweet," she said as she put her hand over his, "Knowing you feel that way makes me so happy. And I promise the same. As long as we talk everything out and work together, we'll be okay," as she lightly kissed his cheek. "Do you know how it lucky I feel having you?" he said as he leaned her back into the sand and ran his hands down her body and then up her legs under her sundress. Rita said in an admonishing tone as she sat back up, "Christopher, we're out in the open!" "Darling, we're all alone, and it's dark. Besides, we're married, and it's legal." "Legal or not," continued Rita, "I can just see it in the papers, Palm Beach detectives arrested for public indecency." "There's nothing indecent about what I have on my mind." "Oh, really! Do tell me what you have on your mind!" she said with a grin as she felt Chris' hands continue to wander over her. "No, Sammy," Chris said, "I think I'll show you." After looking around and assuring himself that they were completely alone, he leaned her back into the sand and proceeded to show her in great detail exactly what he had in mind. Sometime later, a sand covered Rita and Chris walked back to the hotel. Chris kissed Rita as he unlocked the door. "Woman, you taste like sand." "So do you Christopher, and whose fault is that?" "Mine. I plead guilty. You can punish me later because the "crime" was certainly worth the punishment. "Yeah, I guess it was," she said walking in. "How about going to buy me an orange juice as part of your punishment?" "Okay, I can live with that. You can get a shower while I'm gone," Chris said as he headed to the convenience store across the street. After he picked up the orange juice, he walked over to the counter and stood in line to pay. He noticed the clerk looking at him oddly. Looking up in the mirror, he grinned. His hair was a mess, his shorts were covered in sand, and his T-shirt was wrong side out. He looked pretty funny. After walking back to the hotel, he unlocked the door and went in. He didn't hear the shower running. "Good," he thought to himself, "I really need to get in the shower." Out loud he said, "Rita, are you finished?" There was no response. He walked into the bedroom and saw Rita already in bed. Kneeling down by her, he realized she was sound asleep. She was still damp from her shower, her nightgown clinging slightly to her. A pang of guilt went through him. He had let her do too much, and she was exhausted. He made a promise to himself that he would take better care of her. He kissed her softly and headed to the shower. The next morning Rita woke up late to an empty bed. "Chris?" No answer. She saw a note by the lamp. "Gone jogging. Be back soon with breakfast." Rita got up to dress, her stomach growling. Coming out of the bathroom, she heard Chris coming in. He had a grin on his face and a sack in his hand. "That better be food in that sack, I'm starving." she said as she made a grab at it. "What have you been up to?" she asked with a questionning look. "Nothing, Sammy," he said with an innocent look on his face, "just buying breakfast and jogging. Why?" "I don't know. I just have a feeling, she said as she opened the sack, glancing at him. "I got a feeling, too, Rita," as he leaned over and kissed her nose. "You are a dog, Sam." "Yeah, I know it," he said as his hands started to roam, "Don't you just love it?" The next two days were spent walking the beaches, and as Chris loved to say to Rita, aiming to please her as much as a Lorenzo could please. As they got in their car to head back to Palm Beach, Chris leaned over to Rita and asked, "Well, Sammy, how about that honeymoon?" Rita kissed him, "Yeah, how about that honeymoon?" It was late in the afternoon as they drove up to their apartment. Rita noticed that Chris had gotten quiet. "Is there something wrong?" "No, just had a few things on my mind." "I never said thank you, Chris." "For what?" "For not changing, for being there for me. A lot of guys would have disappeared before now." "Woman, you couldn't drive me off with a gun, and I happen to know you have a loaded one!" said Chris as he parked the car. "You go on in, Rita, and I'll bring in the luggage." "Let me help with the luggage." "No. You're not picking up anything heavy. Now scram!" Rita grinned as she opened the front door and went in. Chris watched her go in with a sly grin on his face. A minute later he heard a squeal, and his smile got even broader. Rita rushed back out the door and hugged his neck. "How did you manage that without me finding out?" she asked. "We Lorenzos can be very sneaky when we try. Is it okay?" "Yes, but the fact that you were thoughtful enough to do this makes it even better," she said as she led him inside where stood the baby bed and accessories that she had admired in the boutique in Boca Raton. She looked at him, "When did you do this?" "I stopped by on my jog and bought it. They delivered it this morning. The super let them in. I guess we don't have to tell him you're pregnant. Unless he's really dense or something," answered Chris. Rita hugged him tightly to her. "I had a feeling that you were up to something that morning, but I couldn't imagine what. You really want this baby, don't you?" "Yes, Rita, I do, as much as I want its mother. I want you to be happy. Like I said, we Lorenzos always aim to please. And I want you and the baby to have the best." "I think our baby has the best dad already," she added. Later on that night in bed, Chris held Rita and said, "It's agreed then. We tell Cap about the baby tomorrow. Is he going to be surprised! Maybe we should ask him and Fran to be godparents." "Oh, Chris, what a great idea," said Rita as she yawned. "Go to sleep, Sammy. You're worn out." She smiled and put her head on his shoulders and was instantly asleep. Chris looked down at her, kissed her forehead secure in the knowledge that he had made her happy by just aiming to please. He thought about tomorrow and what it would bring. He would be out chasing the bad guys, but tonight Rita was in his arms. Life was parfait! Shutting his eyes he instantly fell asleep.
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