Chapter 10 #3
“Jumping around like a fool. I fear this one is going to take after his daddy.”
“He should be so lucky.”
Mac pushed up her nightgown to kiss the baby bump and was rewarded with a solid kick to the face that made them laugh.
“See what I mean? He’s going to be a holy terror like you.”
“Aww, I love when you’re so sweet to me.”
Smiling, she combed her fingers through his hair as he continued to kiss her belly.
“He’s so strong,” Mac said, marveling at the waves of movement under her skin. “Hailey wasn’t this active.”
She met his gaze, her golden eyes conveying the depth of her love for him. “He’s very strong, but I’m still scared.”
“I know. I am, too. I won’t feel like we’re out of the woods until he’s actually here. I think about Connor all the time and what he’d be doing by now and which one of us he’d look like.” Mac knew that the baby they’d lost last year was never far from her mind either.
“Remember what your dad told you when we lost him?”
“He told me a lot of things.”
“When the same thing happened to them, they grieved so deeply, but then they had you and realized that if the first baby had lived, they never would’ve had you, and they couldn’t imagine life without you.”
“Yeah, he did say that.”
“The same will be true for us.” She rested her hand on the baby bump. “Whoever this person is will soon be one of the three most important people in the world to us. He won’t make us miss Connor any less than we do, but maybe it won’t hurt quite so much once he’s here.”
“Maybe so. Are we in agreement on his name?”
“We don’t even know for sure that he is a he.”
“I don’t know why I’m so sure he’s a boy.”
“Will you be disappointed if he’s a she?” Maddie asked.
“Hell no. Another Hailey to worship at the altar of Daddy when no one else will? I’d be totally fine with that.”
“You’re pathetic. You realize that, right?”
“You tell me that so often, how could I not know?”
Maddie laughed at the face he made at her. “Good thing I love you no matter how pathetic you are.”
He urged her to come closer to him, arranging her so they faced each other.
“That’s a very good thing, seeing as how I couldn’t live without you.
” Running his fingers through her hair, he gazed at her adorable face.
“Now what am I going to do about my sister and this doctor guy no one knows anything about?”
“Nothing. You’re going to do absolutely nothing. Your sister is thirty-nine years old and certainly knows how to take care of herself by now.”
“That doesn’t mean she should have to. She has a family now. Brothers who want to look out for her.”
Maddie raised a brow that signaled her intention to call him on his bullshit. “Brothers? Plural? Or just one?”
“I’m sure Grant and Adam felt the same way I did tonight, and Evan would have if he’d been there.”
“You’re sure about this, are you?”
“Pretty sure.”
“Mac, you really can’t go there. Please tell me you know this.”
He diverted his gaze. “If you say so.”
“Mac…”
“I hear you.”
“I know you care about her, and I love you for that. I’m sure she would, too.
But trust me when I tell you she would not welcome your interference in her personal life.
I hate to say this, but she’s not Janey.
She didn’t grow up having to put up with you and your brothers. You’re all still new to her.”
“There’s something about that guy. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something. He’s so secretive.”
“There’s a difference between being secretive and being private. Not everyone feels the need to share their every thought the way you do.”
“I don’t do that.”
Her damned brow challenged that statement, too. “If there’s something to be concerned about, she’ll figure that out on her own. Tell me you know that.”
“Yes, I get it. I hear you. I’ll behave.”
She gave him her wary look that let him know she didn’t entirely believe him. “Tread carefully, Mac. She’s still figuring out her place in this family, and she seemed really happy tonight.”
“I know. I saw that, too.”
“Do I need to come up with other ways to keep you occupied so you resist the urge to meddle in your sister’s life?”
“What other ways do you have in mind?”
Rising to one elbow, she leaned in to kiss him. “Something like that. And maybe some of this.” She ran her tongue over his bottom lip.
“I like this topic so much better than the last one.”
Maddie laughed, as he’d known she would. He loved to hear her laugh and to make her laugh. “I figured you would.”
“But I hate that all we can do is kiss.” Out of an abundance of caution, they’d agreed to forgo having sex until after the baby arrived. Victoria had told them it was perfectly safe, but they were taking absolutely no chances.
“Only a few more months. We can do it.”
“I may expire from wanting you too much.”
“Please don’t do that. I need you to help me raise these three children of ours.”
“I’m not going anywhere except wherever you are, but I’m not going to forget that you bet against me tonight.”
As Maddie laughed, he worked his leg between hers and kissed her again, letting every other thought and worry fade away as he lost himself in her.