AllFreeNovel
Share Us
To be fair, he’s not the only one dripping in sweat. I’m soaking right through my hospital gown. The contractions are close together now but the nurses don’t seem in any hurry to prep me for the delivery theater.
Which isbullshit. This baby needs to come out. Like last week.
“Ice cube?” he asks me, holding out a bucket of them.
“I don’t need a fucking ice cube, Ruslan. I need this baby to get out of my body!”
“Soon, baby,” he assures me. “Soon.”
I wince as another contraction starts up. Ruslan grabs my hand and I squeeze hard as the pain rips through my body.
“Oww…!”
He kisses the side of my forehead and when he pulls away, there’s a glistening sheen of my sweat on his lips.
Oh, gee, how sexy.
“Don’t kiss me,” I snap. “I’m disgusting right now.”
“Are you insane? You’re glorious. Look at everything your body is doing. We’re at the finish line,” he assures me. “Just a couple more minutes—”
“You said that half an hour ago!”
The door swings open and I wait hopefully for the doctor to appear, but it’s only Phoebe. “Is everything good in here?”
I grit my teeth together to keep myself from screaming. “Word of advice: don’t get pregnant. If you want a baby, adopt one. Use a surrogate. Just don’t. Get. Pregnant!”
Phoebe retreats slowly to the farthest corner. “So is that a yes, or…?”
Ruslan holds my hand tight and strokes it. “We’re powering through—”
“We?” I snap. “We? I think your contribution to my predicament was months ago and it involved an orgasm. So I’m not sure whatyouare doing, butI’mdefinitely power—ahh!—ing through.”
Ruslan gives me a sheepish smile. “Of course. This is all you, baby.”
“Honestly, stop agreeing with me all the time. It’s infuriating.”
Ruslan just nods. “Whatever you say,kiska.”
I scowl at him. “Ice cubes!”
He hands them over without hesitation and turns his attention back to Phoebe. “How are the kids doing?”
“They’re good. Very excited. Amelia just took them down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I’m gonna head down there myself. You guys want anything?”
“Ohsure. I’ll take a Big Mac and a side of fries,” I deadpan between clenched teeth. “Can you make that happen? Because these ice cubes just aren’t cuttin’ it, y’know?!”
Phoebe looks at Ruslan. “You’ll let us know when Emma’s back to normal?”
I hurl an ice cube at her but she hides behind the door and gives me a triumphant smile.
“Don’t worry. It shouldn’t be long now. Go, be with the kids,” Ruslan tells her with asave-yourselfexpression that I don’t appreciate one bit.
I jerk upright as another contraction starts tearing down my spine. Ruslan wedges himself in behind me and massages my back and hips while I try to breathe through the pain. His hands are gentle yet strong and it eases the pain considerably. Honestly, he’s been so damn great throughout this entire process that I start to feel a little prickle of guilt. I’m sure it’ll disappear when the next contraction hits.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, my love.”
