Her Treasured SEAL

by Caitlyn O'Leary

  “I don’t know whose truck you were in, but you weren’t in mine. My God woman, you would occasionally let out a squeak or moan, but you didn’t bitch once. I remember begging you to scream. Anything to let loose. But you wouldn’t, you just bore the pain like a warrior princess.”

  “Some warrior princess. As soon as we got to the operating room, I was asking for drugs.”

  “You’re not remembering things clearly, I was demanding drugs for you.”

  Karen smiled. She did remember Drake’s roars. It was one of the few times people didn’t jump when he demanded things. Apparently, the staff was used to distraught fathers.

  "Karen, you scared the hell out of me.” Drake brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead. Tears formed in her eyes. "You’re my everything, Karen. I don't know what I would do without you."

  “I’m here, and I’m okay.”

  “You weren’t. You crashed. They shoved me out of the room, so they could work on you. Karen, I almost lost you.” She saw the wet in his eyes. Once again, she was frustrated that she couldn’t move her arms.

  “Honey, I’m here. Everything’s okay.”

  “Andrew is going to be an only child.”

  She stared at him. They’d been talking about a big family since the day they decided to get married. He couldn’t be serious.

  As if he read her mind, he said, “I’m serious. There is no fucking way on this Earth that I’m going to risk your life again. Don’t even think about changing my mind.”

  The tiny bundle in Drake’s arms squirmed. Karen’s focus shifted from her man’s fierce gaze to her son. She watched in fascination as Andrew’s eyes opened slightly, his little fist punching out.

  "I don't think he likes you swearing, Drake,” she tried to joke.

  “The nurse said he’d be hungry pretty soon.”

  Karen looked down at her arms again and once again her eyes filled with tears.

  “Hey...hey...Let me call the nurse. You need something for the pain anyway.” Drake Andrew and headed for the door.

  “I’m not in pain,” she called out loudly. Ouch, that hurt. She needed to keep her voice down. No laughing either. Drake didn’t miss her flinch.

  “Drugs. You’re getting drugs.”

  “Drugs are bad for the baby,” she said.

  “We’ll see.”

  He was out the door before she had a chance to say anything further.

  The next thing she knew he was back with a nurse.

  “Let’s get you situated, shall we?” the nurse said. She came over to Karen and unhooked some of the monitors from her right arm, and attached them to her left. Her IV was already hooked up to her left so that wasn’t a problem. “There you go, you’re all set. I’m also going to give you something for the pain.”

  “I don’t want anything that will harm Andrew.”

  “What a great name,” the nurse smiled. “I promise, this won’t hurt the little guy while you’re nursing. You being in pain is something that won’t help either of you. You need to take it easy and recover.”

  “I told you.” Drake smirked.

  “I’m going to stay with you for a few minutes while you get the hang of nursing, all right?”

  Karen was both embarrassed and relieved. The nurse caught on immediately, but Drake didn’t.

  “What’s there to get the hang of?” he asked. “Isn’t it just suck and go?”

  “Actually, it’s not. A lot of the bigger hospitals have a lactation specialist who will help mothers ‘learn the art’ of nursing,” she said using her fingers as quotation marks.

  Karen laughed. “I swear I’ve read every baby book I could get my hands on, but I sure would appreciate it if you could watch a few minutes to tell me if I’m doing it right. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Alice. And I know you’re Karen, and this little guy’s name is Andrew, but who’s the big fella?”

  Drake held out his hand. “I’m Drake.” He smiled. “I’m interested in learning the art of nursing.”

  “Most men are.”

  Karen laughed. “I just want to make sure that Andrew gets all the nourishment he needs. Also, I hear that he might get too much air. Or that he might not want to nurse, or even that―”

  “You’re going to be a natural.” Drake and Alice said almost in unison.

  “Seriously Karen, it’s going to be fine.”

  And it was. Soon Andrew was feeding like a Rockstar, and Alice left them alone.

  She and Drake looked down at their son feeding from her breast, then back into one another’s eyes. The intimacy of the moment was breathtaking. Andrew’s little fist pressed against her. She sighed contentedly as he suckled.

  “He sure knows what he wants.” Drake smiled.

  “He’s his daddy’s boy.”

  “He better not tire you out.”

  Karen giggled. That was exactly what babies did, tired their mothers out. What was Drake thinking? Andrew batted his hand against her breast in protest at her movement. She bit her lip to keep from laughing again.

  “He doesn’t like it when you mess with his food supply,” Drake murmured. He touched Andrew’s cheek with his finger. His finger looked huge against the infant. Drake’s hand could easily encompass their baby’s whole head.

  “He’s tiny,” Drake said what she was thinking.

  “I wonder what he weighs.”

  “He’s eight pounds, seven ounces.”

  How did he know that? She wanted to ask how long she’d been unconscious, but she knew bringing that up would just poke the tiger, so she kept her mouth shut. “Eight and a half pounds is big, Drake.”

  “He still looks tiny to me.”

  “I hate to be the one to tell you this,” she whispered. “But you’re kind of on the large side.”

  He let out a laugh. Once again, Andrew showed his displeasure by batting his hand against her breast. They both looked at their son with wonder. There wasn’t a chance in hell they were only going to have an only child. Even if they had to adopt, they were going to have a houseful, Karen vowed to herself.

  Finally, Andrew started to lose steam. Drake picked up their tired son in one hand.

  “You look good holding Andrew. You do it so easily.”

  “I should. I might not remember carrying Trenda around, but I was holding Evie when I was probably four years old. I was feeding and diapering Maddie when I was seven, and Trenda and I practically raised the twins and Piper.”

  Karen winced thinking about Drake being no more than a baby himself taking care of other babies. Dammit, he needed someone in his corner, fighting the good fight with him. Karen yawned.

  “How can I be this tired?” she asked.

  “Are you seriously asking that?” He gently set their boy down in the bassinette beside her bed. He came back and touched his lips to hers in a warm, sweet kiss. With tender care, he pulled up her gown and put it back into place, then covered her with the blanket. “Sleep, Honey,” he whispered.

  “Not tired. Just need to rest my eyes for a moment,” she said right before she fell asleep.

  Chapter Two

  AN HOUR AND A HALF later, Drake got a text from Jack that he was headed back with Wilma Eastman. Drake looked over at Karen and saw that she was still resting her eyes. He looked down at Andrew who was staring back at him. He loved it. He hadn’t expected a newborn to have his eyes open. The nurse had told him that he couldn’t really focus on Drake, but he knew better. They were bonding at a soul level.

  “Drake?” He turned his head and saw that Karen was awake. How long had he been staring at Andrew? He put the baby in his bassinette and knelt beside Karen.

  “You’re going to hurt your knees,” she warned.

  “I don’t think hospital linoleum is going to injure me.” He held her hand and slid his cheek against hers. Her skin was as soft as their son’s. Their lips met. He would never take her for granted, she was his world. Karen and Andrew.

  “Where is everyone?” Karen asked. />
  “Your mother should be here in less than thirty minutes. The Avery Avalanche has been waiting less than patiently outside. I told them you needed some time to recover.”

  “But they’ve seen Andrew, right?”

  “Nope. I told them that you would show him off.” When he saw her glowing smile, he knew he’d made the right decision. “The team is here too. All of them but Trenda and Bella went out to dinner a couple of hours ago, but they’ve been back for a while. If I had to guess, Sophia has been feeding them all baked goods in the waiting room.”

  “Do you think she smuggled in any for me?”

  “I’m sure she did, but you, Warrior Princess, are on strict orders to do whatever the doc says. If she says you can have smuggled baked goods, then fine. If she doesn’t, then you don’t.”

  “You’re bossy, do you know that?”

  “I’m second-in-command. I’m paid to be bossy.”

  Karen made a small move to sit up, and gasped. “What the fuck?” he demanded as he pushed her softy back toward the pillow. “What in the hell are you trying to do?”

  “Greet visitors of course. Granted, I went about it the wrong way. Can you help me sit up?”

  Drake found the button to raise the bed. “Tell me if this gets to be uncomfortable.” He watched her like a hawk, making sure that she wasn’t enduring unnecessary pain. Satisfied that the bed was in enough of an upright position, and that she hadn’t made any painful facial expressions, he stopped pressing the button. She blew out a deep breath through her teeth.

  “Enough of this shit,” he decreed. He stood up and pressed the button for the nurse. “It’s time for more pain meds.”

  “That might not be a bad idea,” Karen agreed.

  He leaned close, making sure she wouldn’t miss a word. “You scare me, you hide pain the way one of my SEAL teammates would. You’re not on a mission. You’re a new mother, and I’m here to help you. You did the same thing when you were hurt back in Tennessee, I told you then that it was bullshit. Lean on me, Karen. In a little over a month I’m going to be your husband.”

  “You’re my husband now, in every way that matters,” she said as she lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. Her thumb brushed over his bottom lip and he shuddered.

  “My God woman, you never fail to arouse me.”

  Her eyes searched his. “Are you sure? I haven’t felt like me for so long, and now I’m a real mess.”

  “You’re Karen. You’re always going to do it for me. Even when we’re both in our rocking chairs, one look from your sparkling green eyes and I’m going to be chasing you into the bedroom or into the kitchen if that’s closer.” He spoke nothing but the truth and he was satisfied to see her apprehension melt away.

  “Bring Andrew here, I want to love on him again.”

  Drake smiled. He brought their boy to Karen. “I was wrong, he is tiny,” she said. “Look at the nails on his fingers, they are miniscule. But look at that head of hair. It’s just like yours, Drake.” He looked at the awe on her face, then he looked down at their baby. His heart clutched.

  “I still can’t believe we made him.” Drake stroked his tiny hand.

  “Unwrap him,” Karen said. “I want to see his feet.”

  Drake grinned. He’d already counted Andrew’s toes, and kissed the bottom of his feet. Something told him Karen was about to do the same thing.

  “Oh look, his feet are big, he’s going to wear your size shoe.” She grinned up at him.

  “What the hell are you talking about? His feet are as small as his hands.” Okay, maybe not that little, but still, put the kid down next to his boot and he’d bet the farm they were the same size.

  “He’s going to grow up huge, just like his Daddy.” Karen kissed Andrew’s cheek, and then reached up and kissed Drake’s. “Thank you for giving me this miracle.”

  “I can’t believe we did this? How did we do this Karen? Does every parent feel like this? I want to protect him and not let anything bad ever happen to him, but at the same time I want to help him conquer the world, ya know? How can I ever do this right?”

  “What are you talking about?” she gently admonished. “I should be the one who’s worried. You already raised some amazing women, I was the youngest sibling.”

  He looked at her in amazement. “Are you kidding? Piper told me how you had your class of kindergartners eating out of your hand. With your heart and brains, you’re going to be the best mother in the world. Do you want to know a secret?”

  She looked up at him, hanging onto every word. She nodded.

  “Even if I weren’t head over heels in love with you, I would still choose you to be the mother of my child. You were meant to do this.”

  “I hope I can live up to your belief in me.” She kissed the bottom of Andrew’s foot, then swaddled him back up in his blanket.

  “There is not a doubt in my mind Baby, not one single doubt.”

  His phone buzzed, and he saw that it was Jack.

  “Jack says they’re still fifteen minutes away. Do you want to wait for your mom?”

  “Nope, she gets here when she gets here. I don’t want to keep the others waiting any longer. Call them in.”

  The door opened, and Alice came in. “I brought another pain pill,” she said cheerfully. “Oh good, you’re sitting up. Tomorrow we’ll see about getting you out of bed.”

  “You can’t be serious,” Drake turned around to stare at her.

  “Just a walk to the bathroom and back. The day after that we’ll have her walk to the nurse’s station. She needs to get up and move.” She handed Karen the pill and watched as she swallowed it with a sip of water. “You were on bedrest for a long while, weren’t you?”

  “Yes,” Karen answered.

  “We need to get you back in fighting form, so you can take care of baby Andrew.”

  “I’ll take care of him. Karen needs to recover. Maybe we should postpone the wedding.”

  The atmosphere in the room went still.

  He wanted to kick his own ass when he saw the look of dismay on Karen’s face. Even Alice gave him a sharp look.

  “I wasn’t thinking, of course we won’t delay the wedding, Honey.” He needed to backpedal fast. “Karen, I didn’t mean it. I just want you to take all the time you need to recover, is all.” His Tennessee accent came out thicker as he tried to talk himself out of the hole he’d dug.

  She didn’t answer him, just stared. Fuck, he needed to do damage control, STAT. He took the glass of water from Karen and leaned in next to her. “If we could, I’d bring in a priest, a minister, or a judge, and marry you in this hospital room right this moment.”

  She stared at him like he had lost his mind.

  “Karen, making sure you’re healthy is the most important thing in my world. If trying to schedule and have a big wedding is too much for you, then I want to postpone it.” He saw her consider his words. “So do I call a minister? Everybody’s outside, we could get it done now.”

  “Drake Jefferson Avery, we are not getting married on the day I gave birth,” she said in a deadly calm voice. Oh shit, he was really in trouble. “We are getting married in seven weeks like we planned. Like Alice just said I am going to get up and walk, I am going to recover, and we are not changing our effing plans, am I being perfectly clear? Even for you?”

  He bit the inside of his cheek. “Yes ma’am. Message received.”

  “Good, now I need to see our friends,” she said crisply. “I want to show off our son.”

  So did he. Everybody out in that waiting room was family. He needed to share this day with them.

  He feathered a kiss against his woman’s forehead and gently placed her back against the pillows, then he took out his cell phone and texted his oldest sister. She pinged him back in a nanosecond. Next, he texted Mason who was even quicker in his response, as if that were possible.

  “I think our family is going to be descending. You ready?”

  “More than.”

  Their son
was cuddled close to his mama just a moment before a soft knock sounded on the door. Drake opened it and found Trenda holding her young daughter Bella, with Mason, Sophia, and her sixteen-year-old brother Billy, standing behind her. He looked behind them expecting more people.

  “They were stopped at the nurse’s station. Clint is doing a song and dance to allow more people to come in at the same time. The hoard should be in soon,” Mason explained all this as Trenda scooted in past Drake. As if his words magically conjured his family, Drake saw his five other sisters coming down the hall with Evie and Chloe’s husbands Zarek and Aiden.

  Drake grinned at Mason as he saw them, and Sophia and Billy slid by him into the room. “I see the Avery Avalanche.” Mason looked over his shoulder and gave his fellow SEAL, Aiden, a chin tilt. Aiden gave a small smile in return, happy that his wife, Evie, was so thrilled to see her nephew.

  “Hurry,” Evie and Piper said at the same moment as they both tugged at Aiden’s hands. Aiden broke into a grin and hurried. Drake was about bowled over when his sister Maddie plowed into him.

  “You broke the curse. A son! I’m so happy for you, Big Brother.” She was crying through her smile. “I love you Drake, now get out of the way.” Drake looked over his shoulder and saw that Sophia was holding Bella and Trenda was holding Andrew. Maddie went straight to the sink to wash her hands, intuitively knowing the drill.

  Drake was hugged by Evie, Chloe, Zoe, and Piper and then abandoned as they rushed into the room. Zarek, Chloe’s husband, shook his hand and congratulated him before going into room, that left Aiden.

  “Where’s everybody else?” Drake asked.

  “Clint managed to sweet talk the nurse into letting your overabundant clan in. I think he and Dare are planning an op up the back stairs to get the SEAL team in here in the next few minutes.”

  They grinned at one another. “I’m amazed that Finn hasn’t acquired hospital attire for everyone,” Drake said.

  “That has been discussed. I think that’s the back-up plan.”

  God, he loved his team.

  “Get your ass in here, and see my boy.”

  “By the way, great name,” Aiden said as he clapped him on the back and went to join Evie. Drake zeroed in on Karen, making sure that she was doing okay. Now instead of pale, she looked flushed. Drake frowned. Was it a good flushed, or bad flushed? He went over to the side of the bed near the wall and rested his hand on her shoulder so that he could brush his knuckles against her cheek. She felt hot.