Flame and Ink: An Anthology (Happy Ever After #1)(6)

Of course, it didn’t help that she’d had a tough pregnancy so far, and had been on bed rest for the past month. Real-life circumstances had only piled on top of his fears. He couldn’t lose her and the baby. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he did.

Sierra touched his back and he relaxed. “Tell me what’s wrong,” she said softly, her voice a little hoarse.

He stood up quickly and pulled on some sweats. They both slept naked, even though they hadn’t been intimate in over two months. The doctors had advised against it, and Austin had made sure he kept his wife pampered and safe.

“Let me get you some water.”

Sierra let out a sigh. “Thank you, but you still need to tell me what’s wrong.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I know. And I will.” He quickly tiptoed to the kitchen and got her a glass of water. He didn’t want to wake Leif since the sun was just now rising. By the time he got back into the bedroom, Sierra had propped herself up as much as she was allowed to and had her nightgown over her stomach.

“Can you help me put this on? I need to go to the bathroom.”

He handed her the glass of water and raised a brow. “Drink this first.”

She rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips. “I already have to go, Austin.”

“You’ll have to go more, then. Drink up.”

She sipped at the water, draining it slowly, her eyes on his. The pregnancy had caused her to gain forty pounds and she’d, in her words, puffed up like a damned blowfish. But he still thought she was the sexiest thing ever. The scars from the accident had stretched, as well as the ink he’d lain on her skin, but he didn’t care. He’d fix any ink he had to if she wanted. As long as she and the baby were healthy, he was fine. Plus, they’d been using coconut oil on her skin nightly to help with stretch marks. He’d sworn once to take care of her skin, and now he’d never stop doing so.

He got her dressed and then walked her to the bathroom so she could go about her business.

“Need to shower?” he asked. She was allowed to stand for as long as it took to shower—as long as he stood with her. Bed rest wasn’t the same for every person. She finished up and he helped her stand next to him.

She shook her head. “We took one last night.” She smiled up at him. “I can’t wait until a shower with the two of us is an actual shower with the two of us.”

He smiled and leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. He rubbed her belly, happily surprised when their little kicker nudged a foot at him. They didn’t know the sex of the baby yet, but he had a feeling it would be a girl. He didn’t know why, but maybe it was just that he wanted to see a little Sierra walking around his home.

Sierra grinned up at him and raised her face. “Kiss me again.”

He let out a groan and kissed her again, this time a little bit harder. Their baby kicked at him again, and he smiled. He could hear Leif moving around the kitchen and had his wife and baby in his arms.

Things were good.

He didn’t need to think of nightmares and scenarios that would only lead to stress and lack of sleep. He’d spent far too long alone and without the people in his life that brought him true happiness. As long as he had his family, he didn’t need much else.

Sierra gripped his arms. Hard. “Austin.” There was something in her voice that sent a shock of alarm through his system. Her eyes had gone wide and her skin pale.

He froze for only a moment then had her lifted in his arms, afraid her knees would go out. “What? Have you been standing too long? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, leaning hard into his shoulder. “I think I’m having a contraction. Damn it. We’re still a couple weeks early.”

“We’ll get through this.”

With a quickness he didn’t know he possessed, he set her down on the bed, dressed her, and wrapped her in a blanket. He threw on clothes and tried not to shake.

“We’re too early,” she whispered.

He let out a shaky breath and started to walk toward the front door, even as she spoke. “We’ll handle this, Sierra. You’re not too early. We’re going to have a baby.”

He stopped where he was as Leif came up to them, eyes wide.

“We’re going to have a baby,” Austin repeated.

He kissed Sierra’s forehead then started moving again, giving out orders to Leif. The two of them had planned for this and knew what to do. Leif would grab the bag and start calling family from the back seat of the car as Austin made their way to the hospital. In reality, Leif would call his Aunt Maya and everything else would roll from there.

They were Montgomerys. They could handle anything.

Even gaining one more Montgomery a little early.





TWO


In and out. Just in and out.

Breathe in and out. In and out.

Sierra kept chanting that to herself even as Austin said it with her. Freaking contractions hurt like hell. With the way her blood pressure and other things had gone during the pregnancy, she could have all the pain meds she wanted. Instead, she got to go through this with all the senses she could handle—and some she wasn’t sure she could handle at all.

Austin’s large hand covering her own, though, that gave her the strength she needed. And when she told him that, he narrowed his eyes at her.