When I opened the bathroom door to come out, test in hand, Ethan was still there where I'd left him when I'd shut it on his smirking face. God love him for trying to tease me and make a stressful situation a little easier. If I had to read him. I would say he was handling the possibility of being a father very well.Actually, he almost seemed to be hopeful I was pregnant. I wondered why. and could certainly tell that he and I weren't in the same place in the head about this at all. Far from it. Ethan was a lot older. Eight years older. Years that made a significant difference when faced with the imminent possibilities of marriage and a family. Life was happening much too quickly and it terrified me. The only thing keeping me from going bat-shit crazy was his attitude about the whole situation that we could do this.I still didn't really see how it was possible for me to even be pregnant at all. I had some major questions for my doctor, I knew that much. Like how in the hell do birth c
He pulled off his T-shirt and tossed it. My eyes soaked in the cut abdominals and solid curves of his deltoids and biceps. I could stare at him for hours, but usually didn't get nearly my fill of looking.He pushed my shirt up and over my head, leaving it bunched around my left arm. It would have to stay there, because I was still connected to the IV. Ile drew his hands down, hovering just above my skin, not touching as he swept his eyes over me. It reminded me of a pianist poised just before beginning to play a piece. It was beautiful to watch him.He bowed over me, starting at the hollow of my throat, and drew downward with his tongue as far as he could go. He dragged it achingly slow over my ster- num, down my stomach and to my navel, where he gave some special attention to the indentation. He never got near my breasts and the obvious evasion got me undulating for him, my body already on fire. craving his touch.He looked up from my navel just before reaching for the waistband of m
"From the records sent by Dr. Greymont, I'd concur with his findings that you're about seven weeks along, Miss Bennett."The doctor had age going for him, and the fact I'd been taught to respect my elders, because I sure did not like where his hands were right now. Dr. Thad- deus Burnsley had a condom-sheathed ultrasound probe up her snatch as he determinedly searched for the beating heart of our baby.Good thing he was focused on the monitor and not her quim. It was rather awkward, but hell, it was part of the process, so I'd better get used to it. I have no idea how anyone did that job, though. Pregnant females all day long with their parts out on display? Good lord, the man had to have the constitution of an ox. Fred had referred us to him, so here we were for the first appointment. Ethan Blackstone and Brynne Bennett, prospective parents of Baby Blackstone, arriving sometime early next year."So that would be the middle of May?" Brynne looked over from where I sat at her shoulder.
"That's correct. No alcohol, no smoking and no medications apart from the vitamins and the anti-nausea to get you through the next month. After that time you'll find your appetite increasing and less trouble with the nausea, so you won't need it. I really want you to get some calories in, though. You're very slim. Try for a small gain if you can.""All right. What about exercise? I like to run a few miles in the morning. Good point. Already impressed with her intelligent and thoughtful questions as she went through everything with the doctor, I just sat there listening and tried not to look too stupid. I didn't miss the part about the smoking either. I heard that message loud and clear. I had to quit. It was fucking imperative that I quit. I couldn't smoke around Brynne or the baby for the sake of their health. So what does that say about what I'm doing? I knew what needed to happen, I just didn't know how I would manage it."Right now you can continue with all of your normal activiti
I widened my mouth into a smile I could feel. I loved having her like this. Needing me to take care of her and knowing she was going to let me. I really didn't need a lot. Just her love and the acceptance of mine along with my care. She rolled her eyes in embarrassment. "Look at me. I am such an emotional freak mess right now!""I am looking, and you forgot something, baby. You're a gorgeous emotional freak mess." I brushed away the tear with my thumb and licked it off. "I mean. if you're going to go all out and be a freak mess, you might as well look gor- geous doing it."I got her to laugh a little. "Now, do you fancy a sandwich for lunch?" I looked at my watch. "I wish I had longer for something a little nicer than takeaway.""No, that's fine. I have to get back too." She sighed and then smiled at me. "I have an announcement to make at work, it seems." She took my hand and curled hers around it as we walked.We happened to be right across the street from the saltwater aquarium shop
"Are you finished?" I asked, noticing she'd stopped taking bites of her sand- wich."I am. It's baby steps right now." She laid her palm on her stomach. "Literally."I know, but you have to eat. Dr. Banana Probe said so. I heard him clearly and he is the absolute authority on these things." I gave her an arch of the brows. "Well I'm pretty confident that the good doctor would avoid food too if he spent as much time as I do hung over a toilet, puking his guts out after eating some." "You poor thing—and you have a very good point, my beauty." I leaned in to kiss her lips. "What have I done to you?"She scoffed and kissed me back. "I think that's fairly obvious, considering where we just spent the last hour." "But the medicine helps, right?" I brushed her cheek, keeping our faces close. I really fucking hated seeing my girl suffer.She nodded. "Yes. It works miracles." She stood up to go throw away her sandwich wrapper in the bin. Even that small feat garnered attention from those in the
Dr. Roswell's beautiful turquoise fountain pen made the nicest sound in her notebook as she made her notes."So the university cannot really alter the program for me. I'll still have to do the conserving practicum at some point. But they were happy to give me a leave of absence from the Rothvale and have approved my substituting in some re- search work.""And how do you feel about that?" I knew she was going to ask me that."Um... I'm disappointed, of course, but don't have a choice about it." I shrugged. "It's weird, but even though I am scared to death about having a baby, I'm more afraid of doing something that might hurt my baby."Dr. Roswell smiled at me. "You're going to be a wonderful mother. Brynne." Well, that remains to be seen. "I have no idea how to be a mom or how I got into this situation" I held my hands up. "I don't even recognize my life com- pared with what it was two months ago. I don't know if I'll be able to ever get the kind of job I've trained for all these year
I was finding my inner Zen and gaining a close personal relationship with herbal teas instead. Raspberry and Tangerine Zinger had been pleasant sur- prises, I must admit. I made a cup of the Raspberry Zinger and called Benny."Hello, my lovely darling." "I miss you. What are you up to tonight?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic."Ricardo's here and we're just done with dinner.""Ahhh, well, why did you even answer the phone? You're busy. Sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to give you a drive-by love blast." "No, no, no, my sweet. Not so fast. What is going on with you?" Ben was without a doubt the most emotionally intuitive man on the planet. He couldsniff out the smallest innuendo and go wild with possible scenarios. I'd seen him in action enough to know."Nothing is going on with me," I lied. "You're busy and have company. Call me tomorrow, okay?""No. Ricardo's sorting out some work business on a call of his own. Start talking.I sighed into the phone. Why did I call