I was getting bigger.

I knew it was to be expected during pregnancy, but...I was getting bigger.

I've stayed at a solid size two all of my adult life. Now I was getting close to double digits.

I've always been confident about my body and how I looked. Even in high school. But as I stood in front of my floor length mirror completely naked, I felt anything but comfortable.

This wasn't me. This girl in the reflection didn't look anything like me. It almost felt like I was looking at a stranger.

I've been nothing but excited ever since I found out I was pregnant. Before I met Ryan, I never pictured myself as a mom. Hell, I never even pictured myself dating someone for more than a week.

But so much has changed over the course of the past few years. Me. Ryan. My best friends.

And now my body.

My breasts were huge. My feet were so swollen that I couldn't wear my heels anymore. Then there was my stomach...

"No," I grumbled as I walked into my closet. "I refuse to believe that I can't wear anymore of my cute outfits."

I started combing through my closet in a frenzy. I grabbed every single dress, skirt, and outfit that I loved and carried them to my bed.

I dropped the large load with a huff. Stepping back, I examined every piece to see which one I wanted to try on first. There was a little voice in my head telling me that this probably wasn't a good idea, but there was no stopping me. I needed to prove to myself that I was still me even though I was pregnant.

When Ryan asked me what I was going to be wearing to his parents big dinner tomorrow, I opened my mouth to answer...and nothing came out. That's when it dawned on me that I may not have anything nice to wear that still fits.

At first the weight gain was slow and gradual. But as the weeks passed I was noticing that things were speeding up in the baby bump department.

Now I just needed to decide which one I wanted to wear first. My eyes gazed over each item again.

I reached for my navy blue cocktail dress and removed it from the hanger. I used to be able to slip it on with the zipper only half way down. This time, however, I opened the back wide.

This will fit. It had to.

I stepped into the dress and pulled it up my body, slipping my arms into place.

Once it was all the way on, I stared at myself in the mirror. "I knew it would fit," I mumbled to myself.

Then I reached behind me to zip it up.

I tried and tried to pull the two sides of the back together and zip it up, but it wouldn't budge. When I turned around and looked over my shoulder into the mirror, my paranoia became a reality.

It didn't fit.

I pulled at the back repeatedly in an attempt to will the dress to fit. No luck. Frustrated and on the verge of tears, I pushed the dress off and threw it on the floor.

I went back to the bed to try a different one.

And had the same results. Over and over again, piece by piece, I couldn't get anything to fit me. It didn't take long before there was a large pile of clothes on the floor in the middle of my room.

I glanced into my now bare closet. All that was in there was my heels—and I was not getting into that right now.

The sound of the front door opening put me in panic mode. I quickly reached for my gold silk robe.

"Baby?" Ryan called from the living room. "Where are you?"

I was so wrapped up in my own mind that I forgot he was on his way home. Usually I was in the kitchen, waiting to greet him with a kiss.

I crushed under my breath when I looked down at the large pile on the floor. There was no way I could put all of this back before he came in here and saw it.

What the hell was I going to do now? I was not ready to tell Ryan about my insecurities regarding the way I looked. He always went above and beyond to make me feel beautiful.

He wasn't the problem. I was.

I rushed to our bedroom door and shut it closed behind me. Just as I stepped into the hallway, he rounded the corner.

"Hey," he said with a smile. "There you are."

He pulled me into his arms and gave me a deep kiss.

"I missed you today."

"Me too," I said quietly. "I always miss you."

His satisfied grin told me he really liked what I said. Good. It was the complete truth.

"Why don't you come take a shower with me?" He leaned forward, kissing a trail from my neck to my ear. "You can show me just how much you missed me."

My body shivered at his offer. I wanted nothing more than to make love to him. But I needed to keep him out of our bedroom until I cleaned up my mess.

"Don't you want to eat first?" I asked in a casual tone. At least, as casual as I could make it. "I can make you a sandwich."

I stepped around him, hoping he would follow me to the kitchen. Perhaps the living room. Or terrace.

Anywhere except our bedroom.

Ryan grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop. "After. I'm hungry for one thing and one thing only right now." His eyes darkened with lust as they roamed over my body. "And it isn't food."

For a split-second I forgot about the pile of clothes in my room. For a split-second, I wanted nothing more than to let Ryan have his way with me. I could totally get lost in the pleasure of his touch—not to mention his kiss. 

He tugged me towards the bedroom. Just as his hand grasped the knob I stammered, "Ryan—uh, wait a sec—"

Too late. He had already opened the door, and the first thing his eyes landed on was my pile of clothes. 

"What's this?" 

I nibbled my bottom lip as I followed him into the room. "I was just...spring cleaning."

He arched a brow. "Spring cleaning? Dani, you've never done spring cleaning in your life." 

Unsure what to say, I tucked some of my hair behind my ear, shifting my weight on my feet. I felt like an idiot. How did I think I was going to keep this from him? 

"What's going on, baby," he asked softly. I didn't miss the worry in his eyes when he looked at me. 

"Nothing's wrong. I just..."

"You just what?" 

I closed my eyes briefly. "You asked me what I was wearing to the dinner when we go to your parents."

"Okay..." Ryan frowned and shrugged a shoulder. "I don't get what that has to do with—"

"Nothingfitsme," I mumbled. 

"Come again?" 

Suddenly embarrassed, I covered my face with my hands. "Nothing fits me anymore. Nothing." 

One other thing that seemed to be progressing during this pregnancy was my hormones. I felt the tears coming and they were coming fast. 

"Danielle, look at me." 

I forced my hands down and lifted my gaze to his. 

"Come here," he beckoned. "I want to show you something." 

I followed Ryan when he walked to the same floor-length mirror I was staring into a little while ago. He reached for my elbow and pulled me against is body. My back to his front. He rested his head on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my waist. 

I stilled his hand when he reached to untie the sash of my robe. "Don't. Please..."

His eyes never left mine in the mirror. "Why not? Tell me, Dani, what do you see when you look in the mirror?" 

I stared at my body for several seconds, trying to think of the best way to answer. I went with blatant honesty.

"I don't know what I see. Or...who. I don't see me, Ryan." My voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't..."

"Do you trust me, Dani?" 

I nodded. I trusted him more than anyone else. 

"Then let me tell you what I see," he drawled as he untied my sash. 

This time I didn't stop him.  He spread my robe open, baring my body to his hungry gaze. 

He pressed his lips to my hear. "I see a beautiful woman whom I happen to be very much in love with." He traced one hand up my arm before he cupped my breast. "I see a pair of ample breasts that fill my hands perfectly." 

I gasped when he massaged my breasts. "Ryan..."

"I'm not finished," he whispered in my ear. His trailed his fingers to my baby bump. "And this? Do you know what I see when I look at this? Do you?"

Since I couldn't seem to find my voice, I shook my head. 

"I see the most beautiful home for our unborn baby. A baby that was made out of love and passion," he said with pride. "That woman in the reflection is you, baby. It's my beautiful wife. My lover. My other half. That's what I see." 

He reached up, cupping my cheek and urging me to turn my head and meet his gaze. When I finally faced him, he gave me a passionate kiss that left me gasping for air and melting against him. 

Suddenly I felt his fingers slip between my legs. I was already so wet for him. Ready and aching. 

I moaned his name when he dipped a long finger inside me. 

"Look in the mirror, baby."

I did what he said without hesitation. My eyes dropped to his hand as it moved between my legs. This whole thing felt so surreal to me. And also incredibly erotic. 

"I'll tell you what I see right now, Dani. I see a passion and fire in your eyes that brings me to my knees." He kissed at my neck before bring his lips to my ear again. "Now I'm going to tell you what I feel." 

As if to make sure I knew what he was talking about, he inserted another finger into my tight heat. 

"I feel heaven," he breathed. "You're my heaven, Dani. And you are earth shatteringly beautiful."