Page 25 of Claiming His Wife
Adam claps his hands together. “All done, what do you think?”
“It’s awesome, man. Thanks for doing this last minute.”
“No problem. It’s a nice change of pace to the commercial shit I do for work. I mean what artist doesn’t want to spend a weekend painting cute little foxes and raccoons?” he says half sarcastically.
“Seriously, I appreciate it. Mallory is going to love this.”
“Anytime. Now you just have to talk her into taking your dumbass back.”
That’s the damn truth, I think. “Her appointment is tomorrow. I’m bringing her home with me come Hell or high water.”
Chapter Fifteen
Mallory
Today is bittersweet.I’m getting an ultrasound, and I’ll see my baby for the first time and find out if it’s a boy or a girl. Scott should be here for this. Jen was supposed to come but had a last-minute client emergency and had to cancel so now I’m sitting here in a paper gown by myself. I rest my hand on my belly, well kind of alone.
There is a brisk rap on the door before the doctor lets himself in the room. I’ve never understood why doctors bother knocking when they don’t wait for you to tell them to come in.
“Mrs. Tramble, how are you today?”
“I’m good. Nervous and excited.”
He chuckles, his prominent laugh lines tell the story of someone who spends more time smiling than frowning. I love Dr. Lovelace. He’s in his late fifties with salt and pepper hair. He’s been married for years and has four kids that he always manages to brag about. With a single smile, he can make a person feel completely at ease. I’m thankful for that because I have a feeling that I’m going to need a whole bunch of his smiles to get through the rest of this pregnancy on my own.
“It’s perfectly normal to be nervous and excited. You’re going to meet your baby for the first time and see who has been giving you all that morning sickness you told the nurse about.”
“Ugh, more like all-day sickness.”
Dr. Lovelace pats my shoulder sympathetically. “Sometimes it works out that way, but all of your labs are perfect, so there is nothing to worry with. Now, are you ready to meet your little one?”
My response is interrupted by a knock on the door. The doctor’s brow furrows, and he goes to see who it is. He has a quiet conversation through the partially opened door before he opens it the rest of the way and lets the person on the other side into the room. I’m stunned when Scott walks in.
“Sorry I’m late, there was a wreck on the expressway and traffic was backed up for miles.”
I shake myself out of my shocked silence and pull the paper gown closer to my body like it’s somehow going to protect me from whatever is happening. The stupid thing hardly covers anything. The fact that it opens in the front instead of the back makes me feel incredibly vulnerable when Scott takes me in from head to toe, his gaze drawn back to my stomach repeatedly.
“What are you doing here?”
Scott’s lips quirk up in a smile—my favorite smile—the one that shows his dimples and makes his eyes shine with happiness. “I’m here to see our baby. I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world.”
“But I thought—”
Scott closes the distance between us and cups my cheeks, resting his forehead against mine. He presses a gentle kiss to my lips then pulls away enough to look me in the eye. “You thought wrong, beautiful. I am so damn happy about this little person we created. I know things haven’t been easy and I’m sorrier for that than I can ever express to you. The only thing I want more than to have you back in our home and in my arms is this baby.”
Scott’s hand cups my belly and my stupid pregnancy hormones cause me to burst into tears.
“Don’t cry, beautiful. It kills me to see you upset.”
I shake my head because they aren’t tears of sadness, they are happy tears. I throw my arms around Scott and let out a content sigh when his lips meet mine. The sense of rightness is nearly overwhelming, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in weeks.
Dr. Lovelace clears his throat, and I blush furiously at the way I threw myself into Scott’s arms in front of him. Honestly, I completely forgot that we weren’t alone. Scott smiles down at me and brushes his fingers over my flushed cheek.
“I love you.”
I don’t have to see my reflection to know that my smile is positively radiant. “I love you, too.”
“Are you ready to see your baby?” Dr. Lovelace asks.