Lawfully Chosen

by Ginny Sterling

  “Of course,” she instantly agreed and gathered up two towels. She didn’t even hesitate at the idea of swimming in her shift. It was almost the only thing that fit her enlarged stomach anymore and it was pulled tight across the center. She could feel her belly button sticking out and rubbing against the material. Happily, she took Will’s hand as he led her out the back door in the fading sunlight. The walking was making her cramp something fierce but it was simply a relief to be off of her back. As they got to the creek, she waited patiently for him to help her into the water. He held her gingerly as the cool water made her legs cramp in protest against her overly warm body.

  “Oh, my word this is divine,” she breathed happily and shivered at the blessed cool that was washing over her. “Thank you, darling. I needed this like you wouldn’t believe. Hold me for a bit while I lay back in the water, please?”

  Obediently, he sat down in the shallow creek and held her cradled against him so she didn’t slip or fall. Penny lay there against his stomach as he held her. The cool water cascaded over her blissfully.

  “I know you’ve felt bad and I feel like it’s my fault,” he admitted softly in her ear, “I’m worried about you both.”

  “We are fine and even though I’m miserable- I want our baby to be as healthy as can be. So, if he or she needs a bit more time? I can be patient.”

  “I can’t, he quipped and glanced at her looking down upon her wet shift lovingly. “I am ready for my wife to be back and for her to realize how much I miss her.”

  “Oh, Will- I’m sorry I haven’t been myself lat-OH!” Penny exclaimed as a hard contraction gripped her lower stomach area. Her legs rose up out of the water with the force of the spasm on her lower body. Will immediately clenched and tried to stand up in the water, but Penny’s body had him immobilized. He withdrew himself but the sheer pain her body was in, ended up dunking her head into the shallow water when she rolled to her side to ride the wave of the contraction.

  “Penny!” he yelled and knelt down to pick her up. She felt another rush of pain start at her lower back and wrap around her stomach, drawing her body up further into a fetal position. She vaguely heard her name repeated over and over again by Will as she focused on her body and what was going on. Her baby was on the way and she needed to get out of the creek.

  Penny heard her husband faintly giving her orders and ignored him as instinct was taking over. She managed to make it to her hands and knees, pulling herself bodily to the creekbank. As she stood, another wave hit her almost making her collapse there in the water. Will grasped her and drug her from the creek bodily. She didn’t know where he got his strength from other than desperation and fear. Taking steps was painful and she felt such a stretching sensation that she felt the urge to bear down.

  “I think the baby’s coming now,” she breathed through clenched teeth.

  “I’ll go get the doctor!” he started and took a step away from her, but Penny dug her nails into his arm.

  “If you leave me, I will haunt you- you hear me?”

  “You’re dying?” he whispered and began to weave as his face went pale.

  “NO! But if you pass out William Clarke, you’ll wish you’d never married me, I promise you this! I love you so much- but I simply don’t like you very much right now. I hurt and just want our baby out,” she screeched as another wave hit her, causing her to fall to her knees. Just a bit further, please God, she prayed. Keep us safe and deliver my baby.

  “Penny, I don’t think you are going to make it to the house,” Will said faintly and she saw him staring at her shift. Looking down, she saw that he was right. Her water had broken and moving was nearly impossible. She struggled to take a step forward and grimaced as her body protested. It felt like she was being torn in two.

  “Towels, now!” she barked and got down on her hands and knees. At least in this position, the baby’s weight seemed to lessen a bit on her hips but her body kept forcing her into another stance to push the baby out. As she bore down with each contraction, she was barely aware of Will holding her, talking to her or wiping down her face. The agony was washed away by such relief as the baby slid from her body into Will’s awaiting hands. She heard the angry cry and opened her exhausted eyes, only to feel such overwhelming love take her breath from her. Will was kneeling there on the ground beside her, holding their screaming child in his hands and the look of sheer adoration on his face was stunning.

  “I don’t deserve either of you,” he whispered, tears running down his face openly in shock. “Am I holding him, uh, it’s a boy- right?”

  “Now, I know you know what that is,” she laughed aloud, pointing at the screaming baby. “Our son needs to be held against you or me. I need to get to a doctor for us to be checked, darling. Our work’s not done yet.”

  “I’m scared I’m going to hurt him,” he admitted thickly as he awkwardly handed the baby to Penny. She unbuttoned her shift and the baby latched on quickly to start nursing. Penny glanced up at Will and met his eyes.

  “He’s simply beautiful,” she whispered, before looking back down at the baby and marveling at the miracle in her arms. Thick, dark downy tufts of hair were matted to his head and large milky brown eyes stared up at her, watching her. “You’ll have no better mama or daddy than us little one,” she told him softly, touching his cheek as he drank from her. Glancing up at Will’s awestruck face, she smiled.

  “I don’t know why you chose me that day back at the diner, but I am so very thankful for your love. Now, what shall we name our boy?” They’d gone back and forth on names for the last several months, trying to decide upon a girl’s or boy’s name for their baby. She’d suggested William, he’d shot it down immediately recommending they focus on a girl’s name instead – to which she suggested Willomena or Willa.

  “How about Adam? Since he was born in our paradise we made together here, under the very trees we that we fell in love with each other.”

  “Adam is perfect,” she agreed and then smirked at him, “Adam and I think you should get the car, sweetheart. We still need to see that doctor.” Penny laughed as Will abruptly turned without another word and ran off into the shadows of the evening.

  Their child was perfectly healthy, perfectly formed and Penny was cautioned to rest for the next few days in order to recuperate from her childbirth. She lay comfortably in their bed at home, atop the covers as they still struggled with the heat of the summer. It was early morning and she opened her eyes tiredly, marveling at the perfection of Adam’s sweet profile.

  “I love watching you both sleep, it’s like staring at two perfect miracles,” she heard Will say softly. She turned her head to see him sitting in the corner of their room not far from the foot of their bed.

  “You should come back to bed,” she reminded him. “You need to rest too.”

  “I will. I just… Penny?” Will began and stopped. “I love you both more than anything in this world. I always knew that you were special from the first moment I saw you but this… you…Adam – you both make me realize that I am the luckiest man in the world and I just want you to know it. I’ve always wanted your love and seeing you lying there with our boy is like staring at heaven. I love you so much and the words just don’t seem like enough.”

  Will walked over to her side of the bed and slowly bent down to kiss her. He then leaned forward and gently kissed Adam’s forehead, trying not to disturb his rest. She knew that she’d been blessed to love a good man and it showed in everything he did.

  Afterword

  Thank you for taking the time to read Lawfully Chosen. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Doesn’t have to be much, just a simple rating and a few kind words work wonders. Your thoughts, opinions and feedback are much appreciated.

  Sincerely,

  Ginny

  Lawfully Gifted

  Dear John...

  For teacher Lily Hogan, those words would come to mean so much. She knew that giving back to the comm
unity brought joy into people's lives. When her fourth-grade class writes letters to the military overseas in Afghanistan, she takes up her own pen and leads her students by example - writing a letter to an unknown soldier.

  CPO John Griffin and his K-9 dog, Radar, have been through so much together over the last several years. Sniffing out bombs, searching the hills and mentoring his team, he feels so alone and unsure of his future- until a letter reminds him that there's more to life in this world he's protecting. Simple words, a kind gesture and feeling that he isn't forgotten out there in the desert, compels him to write back. Before long, he finds himself looking forward to the care packages and letters from his pen-pal halfway across the world.

  With every letter and every word, they begin to develop a friendship and wonder what the other person is truly like? Major life changes are scary enough as it is - but is it possible to fall in love with someone before you've even laid eyes upon them? Can the magic of the season bring the sweetest gift of all?

  Lawfully Betrothed

  Once upon a time...

  That was how fairy tales were supposed to begin, except in the case of young Faye Miller. When a dark-haired boy sneaks into her favorite hiding spot, she isn't sure if this was the beginning of a fairy tale, a blessing, or an evil curse. Captivated by the sincerity and earnestness in his kind eyes, she's convinced that this boy was an angel sent from the heavens to show her life would be okay someday. When he pledges to marry her and gives her a ring made of grass... how could she ever say no?

  Now, two decades later...Faye is still waiting for her grey-eyed angel to return to her.

  Gabriel Reardon remembered that long-ago day fondly. That memory of an innocent pledge between children got him through the last twenty years of upheaval. He'd been coldly abandoned by his father, struggling for a chance at life and love. Now, he's returned home as a Ranger and a widower. He is intent on subduing the cattle rustlers in the area and hoping to rekindle a childhood dream.

  Could it be that the two of them have missed their opportunity at happiness? Is the fairy tale over... or is this the very beginning of something beautiful?

  Also by Ginny Sterling

  Other Lawkeeper Novellas:

  Lawfully Yours

  Lawfully Mine

  Lawfully Indulged

  Lawfully Challenged

  Lawfully Freed

  Lawfully Wild

  Lawfully Gifted

  Lawfully Betrothed

  Lawfully Chosen

  Full size Billionaire Romance books by Ginny Sterling

  Winning the Billionaire

  Spying on the Billionaire

  Wanted: Hired Gun - a Silverpines Romance

  Match Made in Heaven Series:

  Perfectly Matched

  Hopefully Matched

  Lawfully Promised by Elle E. Kay

  Promises kept and promises broken.

  When Ella Jamison’s father gets in trouble with the law, he offers up his only daughter to get the Texas ranger on his trail to look the other way. Fear over what might become of her father if arrested obligates Ella to go along with his plan.

  Isaiah Hayes doesn’t accept bribes, but his concern for Miss Jamison, should he leave her to Mr. Jamison’s abuse, compels Isaiah to accept the offer. While investigating the Christmas Eve hangings and Christmas Day Massacre, Isaiah tries to make Ella comfortable in his meager dwelling.

  Ella battles her fears as she tries to adjust to a new home with a man she fears, almost as much as the father who gave her away. Promises are made to broken, aren’t they?

  Introducing Lawfully Promised by Elle E. Kay

  Isaiah frowned as he scanned the telegram the ranch manager had brought from town. It looked like his Christmas vacation would be short-lived.

  Thomas Hayes placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, son?"

  "It's work. I've been summoned to investigate three hangings in McDade." Isaiah sighed. "I need to go there."

  "Now? On Christmas day?"

  "The townsfolk in McDade are known for taking justice into their own hands."

  "I'm glad you could come home for Christmas." His father slapped him on the back. "Come back soon."

  "I will." He hurried to his room and packed his meager belongings.

  His brother, Nate, confronted him as he stepped into the hall. "In a hurry?"

  "Unfortunately, yes."

  "I'll ride with you to the Santa Fe station."

  "It's your first Christmas with your wife and your child could be born at any time. Stay. Send word when the baby comes and I'll come back for a visit."

  "I will." Nate gave him a quick hug. "Stay safe."

  The ride to Santa Fe was uneventful and before he knew it, he was stepping off the train onto the platform in McDade, Texas. He picked up a horse at the livery and headed to see the acting sheriff.

  The door of the McDade Sheriff's office swung open and John Olive grinned. "Glad to see your ugly mug, Ranger Hayes."

  "I didn't expect to be back so soon."

  "I wouldn't reckon you did."

  "How is Sheriff Heffington's widow doing?"

  "About as well as can be expected. It hasn't even been a month since his murder."

  "Tell me about the hangings."

  "Let's grab a bite at the saloon. There is quite a bit to tell. Matters got much worse after the hangings."

  They headed to the saloon on foot, but a whinny got Isaiah's attention and he turned on his heel back toward the sheriff's office. A scruffy man was mounting his horse. Isaiah ran toward him, but before he could reach the man, he'd taken off at a gallop.

  When Deputy Olive caught up to Isaiah, he was still bent at the waist with his hands on his knees catching his breath. "John, I'm going to need to borrow a horse."

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  About the Author

  Ginny Sterling is a Texas transplant living in Kentucky. She spends her free time (Ha!) writing, quilting, and spending time with her husband and two children. Ginny can be reached on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or via email at GinnySterlingBooks@gmail.com

  Lawfully Chosen, Copyright © 2018 by Ginny Sterling

  These books are works of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of these books may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without express written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Thank you for supporting the author’s rights.

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