Page 20 of A Heart Falls Cowboy Christmas

“He’s great,” Lisa assured her. “I think I need vitamins or something, though.”

After a frank conversation with Sydney, Lisa headed home with more than she’d expected.

Josiah met her at the door and took the car seat from her, unsnapping Nathan and taking off his winter coat. “Have a good morning?”

“Productive and educational,” Lisa offered, leaning over to pat Mason’s back. He’d wrapped himself around her leg like an octopus. Zoë looked up from where she sat on the couch, a pile of picture books at her side.

Ollie, their little terrier, sat at Lisa’s feet, tail wagging enthusiastically.

All her family in one place. It seemed fitting.

“Educational?” Her husband had Nathan cradled against his chest, one big hand holding the baby firmly in place. Nathan made teeny protest noises, and Josiah hummed softly as he swayed side to side without even being aware.

As usual, Zoë sang as she flipped pages in a book about talking trees. Even Mason, who clung like a limpet, was making sounds. Pops and clicks, happy now that momma had come home.

Noisy, heart filled.

She met Josiah’s eyes. “Hold onto your socks, baby. You want to guess why I’ve been so tired lately? You get three guesses—” She glanced at each of their children in turn before continuing. “No, wait. Four.”

He opened his mouth to say something jokey, but his jaw just hung there as her smarter-than-the-average-bear partner quickly put together the facts. “Are you… Are we…”

“We are. Damn you for being a sex fiend with extraordinary talents.” She grinned at him, stepping closer even though it meant dragging Mason with her. “It appears getting hot and heavy as quickly as possible after Nathan arrived means we’ve got another one on the way.”

Josiah’s arm went around her, Nathan nestled between them. Mason simply loosened one arm and grabbed his daddy so he had them both pinned.

Zoë, seeing she was missing out, abandoned her books and hurried over. “I want hugs too,” she said, wiggling into position so she could hold Mason as well as Josiah and Lisa.

Ollie wiggled until she sat on Lisa’s foot.

Amusement trembled in her belly. Amusement, a bit of what the hell, and a whole lot of happiness.

Josiah finally got his brain back in gear. “I’m excited. Are you excited? Oh, God, you must be exhausted. I’m going to help more, I promise.”

Before she could reply, he leaned in and kissed her sweetly.

She smiled against his lips.

He pulled back. “Um, if you want to answer, I’ll let you.”

Delight continued to grow, and Lisa nodded firmly. “I’m excited, and I’m glad you are too. I’m exhausted, but that’s fine, and you always help. We’ll do this together, like everything we do.”

“Yeah. That together bit—” He made a face. “It was probably too soon. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Didn’t you hear me? I loved what we did to get me pregnant, and I seem to remember I was the one who started it. I love that I’m pregnant. I love our babies. I love my life. I love you.”

His smile this time was to the core and brilliant. He nodded, thoughtful for a second before he spoke softly, holding all of them in his arms.

“Scene: a large bed set up for a relaxing massage. Hero: a veterinarian who sometimes sidelines as a sex fiend but is looking to give unconditionally to the woman who stole his heart. Heroine: a giving, beautiful woman who deserves to be treated like the precious gift that she is. Scene notes: massage during mini-superheroes naptime will lead to a nap by heroine, while hero makes supper.”

Lisa’s heart pounded. “That’s a good scene for today. Sometime soon, though, that massage will be followed by something other than a nap, got it?”

“Got it.” His smile softened, and love pooled in his eyes. “We’re having a baby.”

“We are.” Lisa leaned in tight then thought of something. Chuckling, she leaned down to glare at Ollie. “Thanks for nothing, pupper. Three other babies, and you lost your mind with every one of them. This time, nothing?”

Ollie wagged her tail and smiled.

The workload was getting silly, Sasha complained to herself. She liked school, even liked a lot of the homework assignments.