Grounded (Up in the Air #3)(126)
I nodded, and stood slowly, feeling ungainly. James helped me, his strong arms keeping me steady until I could stand on my own.
He knelt at my feet, using a wet cloth to clean me, and changing my underwear without a word. He wrapped an arm around my waist, the other firmly holding my arm, as he led me down the stairs, and to the garage.
Clark and Blake were waiting for us beside a large black SUV. We had packed for the hospital months ago, courtesy of Control Freak Cavendish, so I was relieved not to have to worry about it just then.
James made sure I was comfortably ensconced and securely buckled in before he got in himself. My huge belly had made everything difficult lately, and I'd never appreciated his unending solicitude more than I had during the trials of pregnancy.
Clark backed the car out, getting just outside of the colossal garage before stopping, a huge grin on his face as he glanced back at us. "The guys made it," he told us.
I glanced behind the car, seeing our two favorite neighbors booking it across the property, Stephan leaving Javier in the dust on his way to our car.
James and I shared a happy smile.
Seconds later Stephan was getting into the car, breathless and shooting me concerned looks. He climbed into the row of seats behind us, moving directly behind me so he could kiss the top of my head before he sat.
"How are you? How's our baby?" he asked me, looking at James.
James couldn't stop grinning. "Our baby is ready to meet us today."
I rubbed my belly, trying not to stress out about the ordeal to come. James saw my action, and bent down to kiss my belly, as he had countless times over the last eight and a half months. I stroked a hand over his silky hair.
Javier climbed into the car as James was still paying homage to my big belly. He smiled at the sight. "We won't be seeing that quite so often after today," he said.
I patted James on the head. "I'll miss it," I said softly.
He shifted so he could meet my eyes, his cheek still pressed softly to my belly. "We can do this as many times as you want, Mrs. Cavendish."
We were ten minutes from the hospital, and it was a talkative car ride, so the drive went by in a flash, as did my admission into the hospital, expedited by my ungodly rich husband. They had me in a bed in what I figured had to be a record.
Dr. Lisa practically met us there, looking as though she hadn't been dragged out of bed, though I knew that she had. She smiled at me reassuringly. "You're going to be a mother today," she told me, after a short examination.
It was a daunting thought.
Several harrowing hours later, more so for James than for me, I thought, and a little bundle of joy was placed in my arms.
I had been so sure that a child would open up old wounds-just rip apart the things inside of me that had never quite healed. Even after I'd been sure that I did want children, and even during the pregnancy, when I'd felt those first profound stirrings of the perfect love of a mother, I'd felt that doubt. There was no way that I could have known that seeing our son's perfect face would have the opposite effect. It hadn't ripped me open. It didn't aggravate those wounds. Like my love for James, it only healed me. As James always said he had done with me, I fell in love with Duncan Stephan Cavendish at first sight.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
More from R.K. Lilley
BOOKS BY R.K. LILLEY
IN FLIGHT(UP IN THE AIR #1)
MILE HIGH(UP IN THE AIR #2)
GROUNDED(UP IN THE AIR #3)
AND COMING SOON …
LANA
BAD THINGS
UNDER THE PSEUDONYM REBECCA K. LILLEY
BREATHING FIRE
Breathing Fire is an urban fantasy series about dragon shape-shifters, autocratic druids, arch-nemesis BFF's, inseparable sisters, immortal baggage, and an eternal love that can't be broken, no matter how fucking hard you try.
Here's a preview from the next series by R.K. Lilley.
Bad Things - The Don't List
"On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like the last guy that you slept with?" Tristan asked me with an arched brow and a crooked smile, flashing those dimples at me. He used those things like a weapon.
"My ex? Negative five, since I'm feeling mellow today," I said instantly.
He nodded. "Exactly. The last girl I hooked up with threw a drink at another chick for smiling at me, and the one before that started nagging me about my drinking after we'd hooked up one time. Sex turns women into nagging psychos, and it turns men into straight-up assholes. Now, how much do you like me?"
I wrinkled my nose at him. "Right this second? Well, this little speech is kind of annoying but I do kind of like you most of the time. I'll give you a solid five."