by M. Stratton
“They certainly know how to kill a mood.”
“Don’t tell them that—they’d say they were only trying to enhance it.”
“I could do without that.” Evie shuddered. “Anyway, I’ve been doing some research on sacrococcygeal teratoma…”
“You might as well call it SCT, since we’ll be talking about it often.”
“Do you want to start with the worst case, or be all optimistic?”
“As it stands right now the tumor is a Type I, which means it is all outside of the baby’s body, and it is made up of fluids and solids. We’re lucky in that it is slow growing. They are estimating it could be anywhere from eight to twelve centimeters when I give birth. Considering it could end up as large as the baby, I will take the smaller one.”
“What are they doing for you and the baby? Why couldn’t you have stayed closer to home?”
“You know Noah: he did his research, and interviewed all the top pediatric surgeons in the country and thought Dr. Halston would be the best. And since he kind of is a package deal with his wife Dr. Ellison Halston, who was also on our list, he thought it would be best if we were here. I honestly can’t blame him, although I do miss our girls something fierce.”
Evie reached over and rubbed Lexi’s belly. “I’m trying to be strong for you, but I’m scared. If the tumor gets too big, it could put stress on the baby’s heart, and you could mirror his symptoms. Things could go wrong quickly.”
“Which is why one of the Dr. Halstons will come by and check on me, not to mention us going into the office weekly. I know the signs to look for. They are similar to pre-eclampsia—vomiting, hypertension, and edema. If any of those start on me, we have to get to the hospital right away.”
“I miss seeing you all the time.”
“Please,” Lexi scoffed. “Half the time you’re in London and don’t see me.”
“This is different. When I’m in Ipswich, you’re supposed to be there. And yes, I realize I sound like a spoiled brat. I am.”
Lexi’s lips twitched. “I still love you.”
“I love you too.” Evie put her head on Lexi’s shoulder. “So, how are you doing?”
Lexi shook her head. “Fine, I’m fine.”
Chapter Two
Evie stepped out from the bathroom, the strap of her nightgown falling down her shoulder as she adjusted the top. Her hair was loose, flowing down her shoulders the way Anthony loved it. From the doorway she watched her husband reading on his tablet, glasses perched on the end of his nose, which he only wore when he was tired or stressed. His brow creased and Evie longed to smooth out the lines etched on his face. But she had her own worries, and knowing Anthony, they were probably both the same concerns: Lexi’s pregnancy. Since they had just spent the day with them, it was foremost on their minds. Maybe a little distraction would be a good thing.
“You’re staring, darling,” he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose, tossing the glasses on the nightstand, and laying the tablet down. She was the only one to see him that way—concerned or frustrated when he had something on his mind. It was the part he shared with only her while he let the world feel his wrath as necessary. She knew he would tell her when he was ready, and she held back the question she was burning to ask him. Evie pushed herself away from the door and strode toward the bed.
“Because you’re so handsome and serious looking.” Long, languid steps took her closer to Anthony, accentuating the length of her bare legs under the nightie.
“As long as this isn’t a joke about a two-by-four and my English ass,” he joked, patting the bed next to him.
Evie bit her thumb, stopping before she reached the bed. “But I love your British butt—your very uptight English ass.” She fluttered her eyelashes coyly.
“One of these days, I’m going to spank you, wife.” Growling, Anthony reached to pull her closer.
“Promises, promises.” Taunting, she let him pull her up on the bed.
Evie curled up next to his long, hard body and rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying his arms automatically coming around her, pulling her in closer, and she sighed.
“What’s wrong, my love?” Anthony asked as his fingers traced patterns on her arm.
“I'm so worried about Lexi and the baby. Right now the tumor isn’t growing rapidly, but that could change. I don’t want to think about it, but if it does, one or both of them could end up dying.”
“I know you are, and so am I. We’re doing everything we can to help right now. We’re all taking turns with their girls, so they don’t have to stress about them. Between that and keeping their spirits up and praying, there isn’t much else we can do.”
“And that frustrates me so much.” Evie wanted to punch something. “I feel like I should be doing so much more. I hate helpless.”
She felt Anthony’s chest rumble with laughter under her. “Trust me; I know how much you hate that. Hey,” he said as his body jerked from where she’d pinched him. “I know you prefer action, having some control over the outcome.”
“Yes, yes I do,” she said.
“I can’t help but wonder how you feel about us trying to have a baby right now. Do you want to put it on hold?” His voice was gravelly, and he held her tighter.
Evie sighed and shook her head. “We decided we didn’t want to have children right away before we even started to try, which we had just begun to do when all this happened with Lexi. We know it could take awhile to get pregnant, so no, I don’t think we should stop trying. Lexi would be the first to tell me not to worry about her.”
“Well in that case,” Anthony said, “I might have something that we could do to take your mind off of your problems and put all that caffeine you have racing through your veins to good use.”
“Oh, you noticed that?”
“What, that you had three cups of coffee after dinner? Of course, I did.”
“But you were working.”
“Do you not think I can do both?” his voice growled at her.
“You’re right, I should know better.”
“Excuse me.” He gently moved her off him and to the pillow, then reached over for his tablet.
“What are you doing?” Evie frowned at him.
“Making a note in my calendar that you said I was right.” He held it up for her to see, and sure enough, there it was.
“Asshole.” She rolled over and straddled his lean waist, placing her hands on his stomach and making sure her fingers wrapped around his very sensitive sides.
“Such language, wife.”
Evie narrowed her eyes at him. “I wonder if they have any board games here?”
“Board games? Well, I believe I can come up with something more pleasurable than that. In fact, it’s called Let’s Make a Baby.”
“Hmmm… That sounds like it might be fun, if someone could set aside their work for the rest of the evening.”
*****
“Sounds like someone is going to challenge me tonight,” Anthony hummed, running his hands up and down her arms in strokes meant to soothe.
“Has there ever been a time when I haven’t?” Evie smiled.
Anthony kissed the tip of her nose. “Of course not.”
“Of course.” She leaned in to kiss his lips, mouths opening as tongues met licking and stroking.
“Because I always get my way, don’t I?” Anthony used his body to flip Evie over, covering her with his body pressing into the dip of her hips. His cock went rigid and thick between them as it pressed against her bare mound, hot and wet with need.
“Bossy, yes,” Evie murmured, pulling Anthony’s face to hers and kissing him as he shucked his lounge pants down far enough to pull his cock out.
“I want to fuck you.”
“I want you to fuck me, hard.”
“Your wish is my command, love.” Anthony palmed his beloved’s mound, fingers tracing the line of her nether lips, separating them. Evie lifted her hips, giving him better access to discover the entrance, wet and slick
with the need for him.
“You’re always so ready for me.” Kissing her neck, he pushed his length into her, a slow thrust filling her to the hilt.
“Harder, Anthony,” she moaned lifting up.
His hands held her in place.
“I’ll decide when it’s hard.” He met her pace and increased it, hips rolling and thrusting in a slow cadence of movements, building the heat between them. Evie’s body eased the way for Anthony’s girth to slide easily, despite her desperation for him to increase both the pace and the friction.
“Please,” she panted, wriggling underneath him.
“What was that about my ass and being bossy?” Leaning up, he brushed back her hair. His eyes searched out hers, hungry with desire.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mmm.” He rested his hand over her heart, feeling the beat with each drive deeper. Their bodies were attuned to one another, a symbiotic relationship with each feeding the other exactly what they needed. His fingers played with her hair, letting it go to cup her breast. They rolled her nipple and he pinched it hard, going in for a kiss. His fingers matched the pressure of her walls clenching him tightly. Evie used her strength to try and unseat Anthony, but only managed to twist them onto their sides where their bodies rubbed back and forth. He kept her mostly underneath him, pounding into her, the sound of their moans and breaths filling the room.
“I’m close,” she whispered, hands cupping his face as she kissed and sucked his upper lip.
Tormenting her sweetly, he said, “Just close?”
He increased his pace and replaced his fingers with his mouth, sucking her nipple in a loud pop and making her cry out.
He could feel her orgasm build, her body shaking and trembling, and she sought out his lips for a kiss as her walls milked him, cum jetting deep within.
Anthony let her ride it out perched on her side, wishing he could spoon her without having to move or slip out of her heat for even a moment. He loved his wife beyond measure, and without even trying she eased his mind of troubles. She was effortless, a goddess in her own right, and he wondered what he’d done to deserve her. Bossy, indeed. He’d show her bossy when she least expected it.
*****
Evie stretched. “Well, if I’m not pregnant, that was at least fun.”
“I think I’d use a stronger word than ‘fun’ for what we just did,” Anthony said dryly.
“Exciting? Titillating? Earth-shattering? Out of this world? Epic? Fabulous?”
“How about all of the above?” Anthony stretched and yawned, pulling Evie close to him. “We should repeat this. Soon.”
Feeling her husband start to fall asleep behind her, his large hand resting on her belly, she felt loved and protected. There was no one in the world better suited for her than him. Watching her best friend going through her third pregnancy, Evie knew what to expect and couldn’t wait to have his child growing inside of her. She hoped her time was now.
Chapter Three
Noah took his time parking the car after dropping Lexi off at the entrance to the doctor’s office. He needed this time alone, away from her, before going into their appointment. All this putting up a brave, upbeat front was wearing on him. The last thing he wanted was Lexi to be worrying about him on top of the baby.
It was good to see Evie and Anthony for a little bit, but now it was back to the two of them again until Kat and Jackson arrive next week. He had to admit having them watch after Stephanie and Josephine took so much stress off both of them; it was a blessing. There was no one else but his bandmates who’d been his best friends for twenty years, that he trusted with the things that meant the most to him.
“Mr. Matthews? Hello. Mr. Matthews.” The lady at the front desk waved him over with a smile. “Mr. Matthews, Dr. Halston already has your wife back in one of the rooms, and a nurse has begun running some tests on her. While that’s going on, he’d like for you to go back into his office.” She pointed to the door. “Go through there and down the hall, all the way to the end. His office is on the right. He’s in there waiting for you.
Noah’s stomach clenched, and he prayed everything was okay as he had an out-of-body experience walking down the hallway, like in one of those dreams where no matter how far or fast he walked, he was never getting to the end.
Taking a deep breath, he entered the doctor’s office.
“Hello, Mr. Matthews.” Dr. Halston stood up and held out his hand to shake Noah’s. “Please sit down.” He closed the door. “How are you doing?”
“Fine. How are you?”
Dr. Halston shook his head. “No, tell me—how are you, really?”
Noah sighed and his shoulders slumped. “I don’t know; I’m all over the place.”
“That’s to be expected. I know all the focus is on Lexi and what’s going on with her pregnancy, but you need to take time for yourself too. You need something to release all the anger and worry that you are bottling up inside of you. Otherwise, it’s going to eat you alive keeping it from her.”
Noah rubbed the back of his neck. “That obvious, eh?”
“That predictable.”
Rolling his eyes, Noah let his head fall forward into his hands. “Man, I hate being predictable.”
The doctor chuckled. “Don’t we all? So, what are you doing as a stress release?”
“Nothing.” Noah shook his head. “Everything is focused on her. She’s my everything. She and the baby have to be okay.”
“I understand that, but—”
“No, doc, you don’t. I met her after she’d been attacked by a psychopath, who was about to kill her but was interrupted. She moved across the country and began to rebuild her life. At the same time I met her, he started playing a game with her—tormenting her, stalking her, making her think she was losing her mind because the person who she thought was responsible for attacking her wasn’t in a position to be doing this to her. He had her, alone, and was planning on finishing the job he had started years ago.” Noah looked out the window behind the doctor, not focused on what he was seeing. “I was worried about her and went over to her house. She stood there and looked me in the eye, with tears running down her face, telling me she loved me but it wasn’t going to work. She said goodbye to me with a madman standing behind her waiting to kill her. She knew what was going to happen as soon as she closed that door, and she was more than willing to die to keep me safe. So no, doctor, you don’t understand.”
“What happened next?” The doctor steepled his fingers together, listening.
“She started to fight him off—she wasn’t going to give up without a fight. The further I got from her house, the more things didn’t add up. I went back and busted in. I thought I knocked him out, but somehow he escaped before the police arrived. We spent the next year with him continuing to torment our friends and us until finally he was killed. She’s a fighter, one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”
“And you don’t think you can be weak around her?”
Noah scoffed. “No, I’m not one of those guys. Trust me; she’s seen me weak. I’m trying to make this as easy as it can possibly be for her.”
“You can’t make it perfect. There is no such thing.”
“I can try.”
“You need to come up with something, because really you aren’t making this easier on her, because at some point you are going to break down. Have you been writing any songs?”
“Sort of.”
“Maybe you should do more than ‘sort of.’ It would be a good outlet for everything you’re feeling right now.”
Noah tapped his lip, thinking about what the doctor said. “Yeah, I could do that.”
“Great. Now Lexi should be done with her tests. Let’s go talk with her.”
*****
Lexi relaxed in the car as Noah drove them home. “The tumor is still slowly growing. I was afraid it would be larger.” She rubbed her belly. “I really like Dr. Halston. I think he really cares about us
, not like he’s just passing as many people through the doors as possible to make money. And he said his wife would be in the operating room with him. Between the two of them, everything should go according to plan.”
“Yeah, he seems like a great guy. And the best one to make sure Junior here has a successful surgery after he’s born.”
“We’re going to have to come up with a name. We are not calling him Junior.”
“You don’t like any of the names I’ve suggested.” Noah shook his head.
“That’s because you haven’t given any serious names.” Lexi rolled her eyes and sighed. “Ludwig is not an option.”
“I don’t know why you’re focusing on that one name. I gave you plenty of others.”
Lexi rolled her eyes, again. She knew what he was doing, and she only hoped that keeping up this act of not being worried about her and the baby wasn’t going to be too exhausting for him. Everyone had to deal with stress in their own way, and Noah was trying to make sure everyone happy. Everyone but him.
Chapter Four
Kat Taylor nervously twisted her wedding ring around her finger as she stared out at the passing landscape. She and her husband Jackson were on their way to one of the most important meetings of her life, and she was so nervous she thought she was going to throw up. Her stomach clenched, her palms were sweaty, and she was having a hard time catching her breath.
“Relax,” Jackson said. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Kat sighed. “I… I know, but I want this so badly. You know how much I've always wanted children. I never thought I'd be able to have any, and this adoption process was taking so long, but now we're finally going to sign the papers today. We are going to bring our son home.”
“I know it's been a long time coming,” Jackson said. “But it's happening. Today we become parents.” His smile was huge and he laughed in excitement.
“Have you ever wanted something so deeply that you were afraid to even wish for it? That's how this is for me. I'm afraid at the last minute something will happen and we're not going to be able to adopt him.”
