As soon as Savannah hops inside, I gun the engine and she hangs up my phone. I put hers on speaker and look over at her. She's trying to hide her tears, but I see her eyes glistening. I reach over the console and grab her hand as I weave in and out of traffic.
“It'll be okay,” I say softly, to both her and Charlotte.
I don’t know if it’s going to be okay, I know nothing about any of this, but it has to be okay. Charlotte sobs louder in the phone and Savannah wipes away the tears streaming down her face. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slow.
“Charlie, we’re almost there. Stay where you are. I’ll use my key and come in and get you, okay?” Savannah says, her voice now holding a strength that I’m sure she is pulling from deep within her.
“It’s right up here on the left. Third house in,” she says, unbuckling her seatbelt and barely letting me put the car in park before hopping out.
She runs up the front porch, fumbling with her keys before she finally bursts inside. I follow her in and find Charlotte on the couch, laying on her side, cradling her stomach. Savannah is by her side in seconds and I’m right there behind her.
“Lean on me,” she says, slowly lifting Charlotte to her feet. “Fuck the ambulance, they're still not here. Can you get us to the hospital?” Savannah asks, looking to me.
“Of course,” I say, moving to Charlotte’s other side.
We walk her slowly to the car, as she cries softly and my heart breaks for her.
“This...this never happened with the twins, I…” she breaks off, sobbing again and Savannah smoothes her hair as she buckles her in the front seat.
“I’ll be okay, Charlie. It’s okay. Just breathe and think positive, okay?” she smooths, cupping her cheek.
Charlotte nods her head and Savannah runs around the other side, pushing up the driver's seat to hop in the back.
She dials 911, to tell them we’re on the way to the hospital and I drive like a bat out of hell. Luckily, the hospital isn’t too far and I pull right into the emergency section. I hop out of the car and move my seat for Savannah. She is already around the other side and unbuckling Charlotte when a security guard comes towards us.
“This is for emergency vehicles only,” he says, sternly.
“Guess what,” Savannah says, loudly. “We beat your fuckin’ emergency vehicle here, so move outta our way, right now, or bring us to a doctor. My sister is five months pregnant and in pain, so decide within the next two seconds or so help me God-”
“Savannah,” I say, cutting her off.
Charlotte starts crying again and Savannah curses. I know she is trying to help, but her emotions are making it worse for Charlotte.
“Sir, please. She needs to see a doctor,” I say softly.
He looks over at Charlotte and nods his head to follow him inside. The rest happens like a blur; doctors rush past us and take hold of Charlotte and she is in a bed and hooked up to so many different machines. I hear beeping and crying, and I try to make out what the doctors and nurses are saying, but I can’t.
“She can’t...this baby, it has to be okay,” Savannah says quietly, as we sit in the two chairs outside of her room.
“It’ll be okay,” I say reaching for her.
She stiffens but allows me to hold her.
“You don’t know that,” she says, a tear falling onto my thigh.
“Ms. Gavinwood?” says a voice from next to us.
Savannah jumps to her feet.
“Yes, that’s me. How is she? How is the baby? What happened?” she asks, firing questions at the doctor that just came from Charlotte’s room.
“The baby is fine and so is your sister. You can go in and see her.”
Savannah lets out a breath and reaches over to me and starts crying. I squeeze her tight and hold her against me.
“She’s fine, the baby is fine,” I say into her hair.
She nods and looks up at me. Her tear stained cheeks break my heart all over the hospital floor.
“I...God, I was so scared,” she says shaking her head.
“Let’s go in and see her.”
I open the door to the room. As soon as Charlotte sees Savannah, she bursts into tears. Savannah runs to her side and they both cry as they hug each other, like they can’t live without the others touch. It breaks me as much as it puts me back together. I can’t even imagine what Charlotte is feeling right now. The relief after having the biggest scare of a lifetime.
“I’m okay,” Charlotte says, running her hands through Savannah’s hair, “We’re okay.”
“I...I was...I need this baby Charlie, God I was so scared,” she whispers, probably not thinking that I could hear.
“I know,” Charlotte whispers back, “We’re fine, okay?” she says, moving Savannah's face up to look her in the eyes.
Savannah nods and hugs her again, before pulling back.
“So, what happened?” Savannah asks.
“Apparently, these are Braxton Hicks contractions. I’ve been outta the game for a while, and panicked a little more than I should, but I’m also really dehydrated,” she says motioning to the IV in her hand.
“What about the bleedin’?” Savannah asks.
“That um…” She looks down and her cheeks redden. “Well before Gabriel left this mornin’ we uh...sometimes during pregnancy...if it’s a little rough or deep or…”
“Oh my God!” Savannah says, covering her ears. “This is seriously from crazy sex?”
Charlotte’s cheeks redden a little more and she nods, as Savannah’s face twists in disgust.
“I can’t,” Savannah says, shaking her head.
She looks over to me and I cover my mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.
Charlotte looks over at me and now that the scare is over, she seems to register our appearance and the fact that me and Savannah were together.
“Oh shit! I totally crashed a date, didn’t I?” she says, smacking her forehead.
“No!” I say quickly, “It’s okay, we were on the way home anyway. Don’t even think anything of it,” I say.
“Oh God. I cockblocked you, shit,” she says, shaking her head.
“Charlie!” Savannah snaps.
“I’m just gonna get some coffee. Want me to call Gabriel?” I ask, realizing we were all so concerned, we didn’t even let him know.
“No, it’s okay. He’ll just worry for no reason. I’ll tell him when he gets back. He’ll cut his trip short and he needs to spend time with Devin. Plus, if he thinks sex lands me in the hospital, I won't be gettin’ any. Keep this just between us, if ya know what's good for ya.”
I nod and walk out of the room, trying to piece together Savannah’s reaction to all this. I was scared too, don’t get me wrong, but Savannah was petrified. Her words swirl around in my head and I try to decipher them.
I need this baby.
Savannah
As soon as Jackson is out of the room, Charlotte wastes no time in questioning me.
“Was there a repeat of bathroom sex?” she asks quickly.
“Seriously, I cannot believe all of this. I was havin’ a damn near breakdown, Charlie!”
“I’m okay. The IV is helpin’ with the contractions, I need to keep track of how much water I drink. Don’t change the subject, Sav.”
“No, there was no bathroom sex. We went out dancing and kissed… a little.”
I grip the side of the bed as a wave of dizziness crashes over me.
“Hey!” Charlotte says, reaching for my hand.
“I...I’m fine,” I say, closing my eyes, trying to steady myself.
“There's that damn word again. You don’t look fine,” she says eyeing me.
“I am. I’ve just been workin’ a lot and I’m so tired and this whole thing didn’t help. Plus, I did have some wine,” I say, opening my eyes, trying to focus them on something.
“Do you want water?” she asks.
“I’m supposed to be takin’ care of you, you're the pregnant one,” I say feeli
ng the dizziness subside.
“Well, I know what you’re goin’ to say, but at the wedding y'all didn't…”
“Charlotte,” I admonish her.
She puts her hands up in defense. “Okay, okay. So, is this serious between the two of you?”
“I...I’m not sure.”
“The plan the same? Tucker and the treatments?”
“I mean, I want the plan to stay the same, but I don't know how Jackson is gonna feel about it. It’s a lot to take in all at once and I'm still waitin’ on the results and the paperwork. You know how badly that I want this Charlotte. I...I have to at least try,” I say softly.
My voice breaks a little and Charlotte grabs my hand, squeezing it.
“What if he’s not on board with all of it?”
“I...I don’t think I can stay with him, then. I was prepared to do it all alone. I guess I would...I would have to do it alone then.”
Her gaze locks on mine and I recognize the pity there.
“Don’t,” I say, pulling my hand away.
“Don’t what?” she asks innocently.
“Look at me like that.”
“I just...why don’t you run it by him and see his thoughts? Don’t rule him out right away. He’s a good guy that you obviously seem to be fond of, if y’all are hangin’ out again.”
“I know, I just...I’m scared,” I say softly.
She puts a hand over mine and squeezes.
“I know a thing or two about that and believe me when I tell you, it’s worth the risk.”
I look up at her and smile, pulling her into a hug.
“Thanks Charlie. I’m happy y’all are okay,” I say, putting my hand on her belly.
She smiles back and nods.
Scared or not, Jackson needs to know. This can either make or break us and I’ve never been more torn in my life. When I said I came with baggage, I wasn’t exaggerating. He is either going to have to be okay with that or this is going to be over before it even gets started.
Chapter 8
Jackson
“Miss me yet?” I ask through the phone.
I hear Lacey laugh on the other end and it is music to my ears. Working with Savannah the past few weeks has really done wonders for her.
I decided to keep her in the same school because I didn’t want her to think that quitting was an option. I want her to know that she is stronger than she gives herself credit for and she needs to rise above people that try to bring her down. I am having my lawyer look into the school and their counseling program though, that part is complete bullshit.
“Savannah is lettin’ me field calls. I even sat in on a meetin’ with her the other day,” she says excitedly.
“I’m glad you’re enjoyin’ it. You think it might be somethin’ you wanna do as a career?”
“I still have some time to figure it out, Daddy, but maybe.”
As if I couldn’t fall for Savannah anymore, she’s turning my little girl's world around. I haven’t heard this much excitement in her voice in a long time.
“Linda takin’ good care of you?”
“Always does. I gotta get some homework done. See ya tomorrow, right?”
“Yup. Love you, pumpkin.”
“Love you too, daddy.”
I glance down at my phone, ready to text Savannah and thank her for everything she’s done lately. I smile seeing she’s already beat me to it.
Savannah: I miss your sexy dance moves.
I fiddle with my phone for a couple of seconds, debating on what to say. It’s been two weeks since our date and I finally am heading back home tomorrow. We had a couple games on the road and being away from her has been a lot harder than I thought it would be.
We’ve been texting on and off, making plans to get together tomorrow night and I feel the change. The texts have been getting steamier each day and I keep picturing her beautiful body writhing underneath me as I bury myself to the hilt inside her again.
Jackson: I miss what your sexy dance moves do to my body.
Savannah: Oh yeah? And what’s that?
Jackson: Call me and I’ll tell ya.
I see the three little dots appear and then disappear. They reappear but then disappear again. I smile, wondering what is going through her beautiful head. We’ve kept the flirting to texting, neither one of us crossing the line to a phone call but it’s been too long, and I need to hear her voice.
I feel my phone vibrate in my hand and smile at her face on the screen.
“Savannah Gavinwood, you proved me wrong.”
“No faith in me huh, Goner?”
“Oh God, stop fallin’ for that crap!”
“That ain’t your name? I could have sworn that’s what I heard while I was watchin’ the game tonight. Goner! Goner! Goner! Ahhhhhh,” Savannah says in a mocking fan tone.
“Savannah Gavinwood, you sound a little jealous of all the attention I’m gettin’.”
“I am not!”
“I’m happy you watched my game.”
“Well it was the only interestin’ thing on TV. Didn’t know it was just gonna be the ‘Goner’ show. Do you know some people paint your number on their naked body? I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
“Don’t worry princess, I only got eyes for you,” I tease.
“Oh my God, be careful Jackson, they ain’t gonna let you on that plane with all that extra weight in your big ole head.”
“Speakin’ of a big head…”
“You’re the worst, you know that?”
I laugh. “So why you callin’ princess? I could have sworn ya wouldn’t have, considerin’ you typed and untyped a message out about five times.”
“Damn, I was hopin’ you didn’t catch that,” she says under her breath.
“Well you took the plunge, so I’m guessin’ you want the answer to that question, huh?” I ask lowering my voice.
I hear her suck in a breath.
“Mmm...maybe,” she says, a hint of wickedness lacing her tone.
“You really have no idea do you,” I say dumbfounded.
“No idea about what?” she asks breathlessly.
“How fuckin’ hot you are. You know for a fact that I was hard as stone, feelin’ you dance on me for hours.”
I hear her whimper and the sound ignites me, it fuels me to continue this and make her feel good. She wants me, now I want her to need me.
“Are you in bed?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
“Yes,” she whispers.
“Are you wishin’ I was there next to you?”
“Yes.”
“Kissin’ you?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“On top of you?”
“Yes,” she moans.
“Inside you?”
My voice is rough and I’m barely holding back.
“Jax…”
Her voice is dripping with need and I want to be the one to give her that release. She is going to be begging for me the next time I see her, I’ll make sure of it.
“You wet for me, Savvy?”
“So wet, Jackson.”
Her breathing is labored, and it kills me that I’m not there next to her.
“I want you so fuckin’ bad, princess,” I growl out.
“I do too...so bad, Jackson.”
“Touch yourself for me, Savvy.”
She gasps and lets out a moan.
“So good...but it’s...it’s not you,” she says, her voice straining.
“Soon princess. I’m gonna worship your body. Every damn inch of you.”
“Oh Jax…”
I recognize the desire in her voice. I flashback to the wedding, pumping in and out of her delectable body and that same delicious sound.
“Come for me, Savvy. Make yourself come. Let me hear those sexy little sounds you make.“
I palm the front of my jeans willing my erection to go down, but hearing her soft whimpers, tests my restraint. It’ll be so much better when it’s the real thing, we only have to wait just a little
longer.
“Yes Jax…”
Going, Going, Goner (Double Play Series Book 2) Page 7
