An Officer, a Baby and a Bride

by Tracy Madison

  “Again with the compliments?” Seth teased.

  She looked at him long and hard before expelling the most dramatic of sighs. “It pains me to say this, but I might actually like you.”

  Yeah, well. He sort of liked her, too. “Pace yourself, Jocelyn.”

  “Come on in,” she said, jerking her chin toward the interior of the house. “My mother is waiting for you by the pool, ready and willing to offer advice.”

  A strange combination of exasperation, amusement and pride struck Seth. Was this what having a sister felt like? Maybe. He tugged on a lock of her hair. “Are you telling me I managed to defeat the mighty gatekeeper?”

  “For now. But we’re far from done.” Jocelyn shimmied to the side so Seth could enter. “Because if you’re really serious about marrying Rebecca, you’re going to need my help.”

  Wonderful.

  * * *

  Thursday evening, Rebecca waited outside the room where her birthing class was set to start in less than ten minutes. Stuffing the pillow she held under her arm, she glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. Naturally, Jocelyn would be late. Rebecca should’ve followed her initial instinct of asking her best friend to be her birthing partner. Felicia was never late.

  But Jocelyn had given Rebecca a guilt-trip over how much of her niece’s early life she was going to miss while away at Stanford. When faced with that argument, Rebecca couldn’t bring herself to say no. Now, she wished she’d been stronger.

  The mere thought of waltzing into a roomful of happy couples with only her pregnant belly to accompany her brought on a chilling sense of discomfort. Even if there were single expecting moms in the class, they likely had partners who had shown up on time.

  She was also unbearably hot, which only added to her misery. The beige mommy-to-be pants and long-sleeved tangerine sweater she wore had seemed a good choice that morning, but now a fine layer of moisture was developing everywhere that fabric covered skin.

  “Where are you, Jocelyn?” Rebecca whispered. She’d already tried phoning her sister, only to receive her oh-so-chirpy voice mail. No use trying again.

  A late-arriving couple, probably in their mid-thirties, gave her a questioning glance. Terrific. Alone and caught talking to herself. Rebecca made a point of looking at her watch.

  With a knowing smile, the brunette woman said, “Late, huh? I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” She tucked her arm through the man’s. “I’m Maria. And this is my husband, Ted.”

  Rebecca introduced herself and nodded toward the door. “I think the class is about to start. You should go in before you miss anything.” Frustrated emotion bubbled in her throat. Dang Jocelyn for putting her in this position. “I’ll wait here for a few more minutes.”

  Understanding softened Maria’s expression. “You should come in with us.”

  “Absolutely,” Ted said with a wide grin.

  “Actually, I’m not—”

  “There you are, darling!” The all-too-recognizable voice came from behind. Swiveling, she gasped as Seth, dressed in a black T-shirt and dark green cargo shorts, exited the classroom.

  “Really?” she asked, wondering how he managed to talk her sister into this. Had he bribed Jocelyn? Set her up with one of his Air Force buddies? Or simply won her over with his good looks and charm? The latter, probably. “I can’t believe you are—”

  “Already here?” He gave her a long-lashed wink. “I’ve been waiting in the room for a while. Were you held up at the office or something?”

  “Or something.” Rebecca was so going to throttle Jocelyn.

  “Isn’t that funny!” Maria laughed as she glanced from Rebecca to Seth. “Here she thought you were late, and you were inside this whole time, thinking she was late.”

  Seth joined in with a deep, rumbling laugh. Maybe she’d throttle him instead. Really, though, why was she even surprised? “Yes, hilarious,” she muttered.

  “Well, let’s go in, shall we?” Maria tugged on her husband’s arm. “Like you said, we don’t want to miss anything.”

  Ted rolled his eyes at Seth in a men-need-to-stick-together sort of way. “Ready for this?”

  “Can’t wait, as a matter of fact.” Seth wrapped his arm around Rebecca’s shoulders and squeezed. “Ready, pumpkin?”

  Was that a reference to her orange top, the shape of her stomach or both? Now, she wanted to kick him. Except if she tried, she’d likely Weeble-wobble herself right on her behind. Even worse, he’d help her up and make her feel two inches high with his kindness and concern.

  She glared at him, tossed mental daggers at him, but kept her voice in the sweet-and-sugary range. “Yes, love-muffin. I’m ready.”

  “Aw, you guys are so cute!” Maria chattered as they walked into the room. “We hardly ever use terms of endearment anymore. I guess some of that goes away after seven years of washing his socks and folding his underwear.”

  “And paying for your shoes,” Ted said good-naturedly. “Your manicures, facials—”

  “Oh, hush. You know I do that to keep myself beautiful for you.” Maria rubbed her cheek against her husband’s arm. Ted dropped a light kiss on the top of her head.

  Their relaxed displays of affection clearly stated their love for each other, even if they no longer used terms of endearment. It also brought about a ridiculous twinge of envy. Rebecca reminded herself that she was a strong, capable woman who’d chosen to do this alone.

  Anxious, she swallowed and looked around the room. Just as she thought: the majority of the couples sitting on exercise mats appeared to be husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend. Well…so what? That didn’t change anything in her life. Besides, looks could be deceiving. With Seth’s arm draped around her, they seemed to be what they weren’t.

  “Welcome, newcomers!” A tall, lanky woman with straw-colored hair approached them. She pointed toward the back wall. “Grab some mats and find a place to sit. We’ll start soon.”

  Seth dropped his hold, saying, “Why don’t you ladies find a spot for us?”

  Rebecca’s eyes followed Seth as he strode across the room, taking note of the straight way he held himself. To her, his posture alone screamed that he was a military man. She’d be smart not to forget that. She’d be smart not to forget a lot of things.

  “Over there.” Maria pointed toward an empty space. “There’s room for all four of us.”

  Forming her lips into some semblance of a smile, she followed Maria. Soon, the men were unfolding the mats in front of them. Rebecca eased herself into a sitting position, and Seth—taking a hint from the rest of the couples—sat behind her, cradling her body between his open legs. Her spine straightened in reflex, and a stiff shudder reverberated through her muscles.

  Seth’s head bent toward her ear. “Relax,” he said in a seductive whisper that sent her pulse skyrocketing. “We’ve been in much more compromising positions than this.”

  His breath touched her neck and pinpricks of heat gathered, coalesced and spread along her skin like wildfire. Thankful he couldn’t see her face, which probably resembled the color of a ripened strawberry, Rebecca turned her mouth toward his. In a silky-soft voice, she said, “Oh, that? Until you showed on Saturday, I hadn’t given that weekend another thought.”

  A lie, of course. A bald-faced one, at that.

  “My name is Patsy,” the straw-haired woman said from the front of the room, “and this is the Preparation for Birth class for first-time parents. Everyone here is in the right place?”

  There were a series of nods and a few muffled vocal affirmations.

  “Good! Let’s start with introductions. Moms, give us your and your partner’s names, due dates and anything else you’d like to share.” Patsy pivoted and pointed to a couple on the other side of the room. “How about we start with you two?”

  One by one, wome
n introduced themselves and their partners—mostly husbands—and shared when they were due. A few stated they were having twins. Gosh. Two babies. If Rebecca were having twins, she might have to give Seth’s proposal serious consideration.

  As if he’d read her mind, Seth leaned forward. There was a strangled-sounding quality to his voice when he said, “Becca?”

  “Only one,” she whispered. “Promise.”

  “Whew,” he told her. “I had a moment’s panic.”

  Out of nowhere, she realized Seth didn’t know they were having a girl. Her stomach dipped in a quick burst of nausea. Even if it hadn’t been her intent, she was still keeping information away from him. That had to stop.

  She’d tell him about their daughter tonight. Maybe doing so would naturally push them into a conversation about the future. His one day at a time philosophy wasn’t working for her. How could she plan anything when she didn’t know what he was thinking?

  The room grew quiet. Rebecca glanced around and saw pretty much every eye on her. “Oh! My turn. I’m Rebecca and I’m due on July fourteenth. This is…” Huh. Not her husband. Not her fiancé. Not her boyfriend. Old-fashioned embarrassment coated her cheeks with warmth. “This is Seth. The father. We’re…friends.”

  “I proposed to her,” Seth offered, rustling the back of her hair with his fingers. “She said no. Even threw the ring in her rosebush.”

  “Ouch. That’s harsh,” Ted said.

  Someone else laughed, but Rebecca couldn’t see who. Her cheeks burned hotter, and she really, really wished she had the nerve to stand up and walk out and leave Seth sitting here.

  But she didn’t, so she went for humor, saying, “I woke up that day feeling very, very hormonal. What can I say? Some days are like that.”

  Everyone laughed that time and Rebecca’s embarrassment faded.

  Patsy clapped her hands. “Now that we know a little about each other, let’s get moving.”

  For the next thirty minutes, Patsy explained the birthing process. Rebecca couldn’t concentrate, not with Seth sitting so close. Every now and then, his hand or an arm would brush her back or her hair, and attraction—instantaneous and unbidden—would zing through her.

  It frustrated her, how easily a simple touch ignited her desire. Sure, Seth Foster was a handsome, sexy man. But his looks had little if anything to do with her body’s response. Otherwise, wouldn’t being around his brother cause a similar reaction? She’d think so, seeing how physically alike they were. But Jace didn’t affect her in the way Seth did.

  Rebecca pressed her lips together and tried to focus on the class. Now, Patsy was describing the early signs of labor. Every now and again, she’d stop and ask if anyone had any questions. Usually, someone did. Seth stayed quiet, but Rebecca continually felt his presence.

  Another twenty minutes passed before Patsy moved on to the topic of Braxton Hicks contractions. After a quick explanation, she asked, “How many of you have already experienced these ‘practice’ contractions?”

  Rebecca raised her hand along with well more than half of the room.

  “Good!” Patsy said. “Just remember that these types of contractions shouldn’t cause you any concern. They’re simply getting your body ready to do the real work when the time comes.”

  Seth coughed and shifted behind Rebecca. Arching her neck, she saw his hand shoot up in the air. “How will real contractions differ from these pretend ones?” he asked.

  Outright apprehension tickled Rebecca’s throat. Until that second, she hadn’t considered his appearance here as anything but another tactic to put her off guard. Was he planning on being around when she went into labor? If so, would he expect to be in the delivery room?

  A startling thought, that.

  Patsy smiled. “Great question. But first of all, Braxton Hicks are not ‘pretend’ contractions. They’re very real. They just don’t indicate the start of labor. Okay?”

  “Got it,” Seth said.

  “Secondly, for mommies less than thirty-seven weeks, contact your doctor if you have more than four contractions in an hour. Also, labor contractions will increase in intensity and frequency, with an actual pattern that you can time. Braxton Hicks contractions will remain irregular. If you’re unsure, drink a full glass of water to rule out dehydration.”

  A few other raised hands grabbed Patsy’s attention. Once she’d answered those questions, she set everyone free for a fifteen-minute break.

  When Rebecca returned to the classroom, Seth was standing in place, almost in an at attention stance. The sight of him—the reality of his presence—felt nice. Which was odd and disquieting, and brought about a plethora of confusion.

  “Feel better?” he asked with a small, tentative smile.

  Refusing to enter into a discussion about her incessant need-to-pee, Rebecca settled for a quick nod. She lowered herself to sit, and instantly keeled to the side.

  Seth reacted quickly, his arms gathering her close before she toppled over. His scent, a rich combination of clean soap and spicy aftershave surrounded her. Without thought, she breathed in deeply, feeding the senseless need that ran through her. His lips came to rest on her forehead, in a soft, barely there kiss.

  “Are you okay?” He looked into her eyes for confirmation.

  “Yes. I’m not the most graceful of women lately.”

  “Of course not,” he said matter-of-factly. “Your center of gravity is compromised.”

  “You should have seen me trying to tie my shoes the other day,” she admitted. “I had quite the adventure getting the job done.”

  “I remember.” His mouth did that twitchy, half smile thing. “Can you even see your feet?”

  “Sure,” she said with a grin. “If I lie on my back and stick my legs in the air, I can see them perfectly fine.”

  Lines crinkled around his eyes when he laughed, and her heart did the thumpa-thumpa dance. Seth was a man who should laugh often, as his entire face came to life when he did.

  “Well, I think you’re beautiful. Whether you can see your feet or not.”

  Something soft and gushy burst open inside of her. Dangerous, but it felt warm and wonderful, having a man—having Seth—declare her as beautiful. Even if she knew differently. Even if he was only being nice. “Thank you. I haven’t felt beautiful in a long while.”

  “I’m happy to remind you,” Seth said, his eyes still locked to hers.

  Oh. This man was going to be the end of her if she wasn’t careful. She sighed in relief when Patsy signaled the break was over by turning on a CD player. The room filled with the sound of quiet rainfall, and once again, Patsy clapped to get everyone’s attention.

  Rebecca, with Seth’s help, retook her position on the mat. Like before, he sat behind her and cradled her with his legs. This time, she didn’t stiffen or balk. This time, she allowed herself to lean against him, taking comfort in the rock-hard, strong lines of his body supporting hers.

  “We’re going to spend the remainder of today’s class learning a few relaxation methods,” Patsy said. “To begin, I want the moms to lean forward, supporting your tummies with your pillows. Close your eyes, listen to the rain and clear your mind.”

  Rebecca placed the pillow in front of her and did as Patsy instructed. Seth’s legs tightened around her in a physical reminder that he was there.

  “Now, partners, massage is an excellent way to relax in the middle of labor,” Patsy explained, her voice quiet. “I’d like you to place your right palm on her right shoulder.”

  Oh, dear. Rebecca had serious doubts that Seth touching her, massaging her, would put her anywhere near a state of relaxation. She tensed when his hand made contact, tried to breathe, tried to think of anything but the full-body massage he’d given her months ago.

  “Now, I want you to press down,” Patsy said, “and stroke the he
el of your palm all the way down to her hip. Then, do the same with your left hand. The goal is to continuously touch, first with one hand, then with the other, in firm, even strokes.”

  “Don’t fight this, Becca,” Seth said in a near-whisper as his hand rubbed down her back. “I can feel your muscles bunching up. Just let go.”

  Uh-huh. Sure. Just let go. Easy for him to say, maybe. Not so easy for her. Not when every part of her ached and yearned and darn near melted under Seth’s focused attention.

  Of course, he would prove to be a star pupil.

  “Moms,” Patsy continued in the same soft, almost mesmerizing tone. “Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth in even, slow breaths. Tell your partner if you want more or less pressure. Their job is to help you, so communicate your needs.”

  Rebecca almost groaned in pleasure as Seth’s hands stroked and kneaded her muscles. Her needs? No, she didn’t think she should say what her needs were. Not if she wanted to keep the distance she craved. But gracious, this was…glorious. A moan spilled from her lips as his hand traveled a path down her back.

  To hell with it. She’d worry about distance later.

  Chapter Five

  Touching Rebecca had been a delight. How something so straightforward, in a room with numerous other people, could seem so sensuous was beyond Seth. And that sound she made—a throaty, feminine, husky type of gurgle—was enough to bring any man to his knees.

  It was fortunate, he decided, that they weren’t alone. Otherwise, he might have followed through on the temptation to slide his hands under her sweater, to feel the heat of her skin against his. Would she have let him touch her that way? If she had, where might that moment have led? Well, he knew the answers to that question: regret, recriminations, doubt and mistrust.

  So yes, it was a darn good thing they hadn’t been alone.

  Seth shifted on Rebecca’s couch, resisting the urge to pace. After class let out, she’d invited him to her place to talk. He still wasn’t interested in hearing her explanation, but he wasn’t about to refuse the invitation, either.