“Thank you.” I attempted to wrap my arms around him, but couldn’t reach anymore. The size of my stomach had grown so large, it stopped me from getting close to anyone.
“He’s cock-blocking me already,” Jack said with a smirk.
“I’m sure it won’t be the last time,” I teased.
Jack smacked my ass and I yelped. “Go get in bed. I want you off your feet. Carter’s orders.”
“Yes sir.” I gave him a snappy salute before disappearing into the bedroom.
I woke up with Jack’s hand firmly on my side. The last few weeks I’d been sleeping fitfully, waking up every few hours to pee and adjust the plethora of pillows stacked around my body. Trina had been right about them and they were lifesavers, tucked underneath my stomach, between my legs, and behind my back.
Standing to walk to the bathroom, I felt water dripping down my leg.
Shit.
I tried to hold my bladder, but I couldn’t. Shuffling into the bathroom, I sat down on the toilet and the water gushed. My heart started to race as I realized that I wasn’t peeing at all—my water had just broken.
“Jack,” I yelled from behind the bathroom door. I heard him rustling in the bed, but he didn’t respond. “Jack?”
“Kitten? Where are you?” His voice sounded groggy.
“I’m in the bathroom, Jack. It’s time. I’ll be out in a second.” I waited for the water to stop flowing as thoughts of this is really happening flooded my mind. When I walked out of the bathroom, I found Jack dressed and sitting on the bed, waiting for me.
He immediately hopped up and rushed toward me. “Are you okay? Are you sure it’s time?”
“My water just broke. We should go. Can you grab the overnight bag?” At my doctor’s insistence, I had a bag packed for weeks now that included some clothes for me as well as clothes to bring the baby home in.
He lifted an arm and proudly displayed the packed bag, “Already grabbed it.”
“You seriously impress me,” I said as a contraction tore through my insides. Bending over and grabbing at my stomach, I groaned and breathed through the pain.
Jack was instantly behind me, rubbing my back. “Kitten, are you okay?” He dropped to his knees to look up into my eyes. “You’ll be okay. I promise. What can I do?”
He didn’t like to see me in any kind of pain, and the hurt it caused him to be unable to help made me feel even worse. When the contraction passed, I stood up straight and nodded at him. “I’m not going to change. They’ll make me get out of all this anyway.” I waved a hand over my pajamas.
“You look beautiful. Let’s go as soon as you’re ready.” He tugged at his hair like he always does when he’s nervous, pulling at it.
“I’m ready.” I forced a smile to help ease his nerves.
Jack’s hand found my stomach as he whispered, “Please stop hurting your mommy. Daddy can’t take it and it’s making him crazy.” His lips found mine and he pressed the softest kiss against them. “Let’s go have this baby.”
He walked me to the garage and around the side of our Jeep Grand Cherokee before opening the door for me and helping me in. “Why aren’t we taking the Bimmer?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I like the idea of being in an SUV instead of a car right now.”
When he scooted into the driver’s seat, he reached for my seat belt first, fastening it around my stomach before putting on his own. I focused on my breathing, paranoid that another contraction could come at any minute.
I pulled out my phone, which I’d managed to grab on my way out the door, and typed a group text to my mom, Gran, Dean, and Melissa.
On our way to the hospital. Water broke. Text you when I get settled and know our room number.
“I can’t believe this is really happening. I mean, of course I knew it would happen eventually, but it’s weird.” I breathed slowly in and out as Jack drove through our gated neighborhood.
“How so?” he asked, resting a hand on my knee.
“I don’t know. It’s like I got so used to being this enormous beast that I guess at some point I figured I’d always be this way. Like I’d be pregnant forever. But now that my water broke, it’s like holy shit, we’re going to have a baby! I don’t know what to do with a baby,” I squeaked out, starting to freak out. Jack laughed at my irrationality. “Don’t laugh at me, damn it. It’s not like you’ll even be around.”
That stopped Jack’s laughter immediately. “That’s not funny.”
“I’m not trying to be funny.”