Page 82 of Wish You Would

Oh my.

His hand catches mine and he nips my knuckle with his teeth before mouthing the words,let’s go home baby,and my heart trips knowing what’s in store for me when we get there.

TWENTY-TWO

TOUCH ME THE WAY I LIKE IT

Briar

“What were you like as a kid?” I ask. Now that we know we’re having a son, I keep imagining a little boy who takes after Holden.

He shrugs one shoulder. “I think that depends on who you ask.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean if you ask my brother, he’ll tell you I was an arrogant jock who thought he knew it all but if you ask my gramma, she’d say I could do no wrong.”

“Okay, but what about your mom? What would she say?”

His big hands dig into the arch of my foot, and the pressure of his fingers remind me that before Holden, I was rarely touched like this. With care and concern, with no ulterior motives. I’ve always been the one to look after other people. The way that Holden goes out of his way to take care of me is new to me.

“You need to relax.” He rolls my ankle from side to side. “Your muscles are tense. Loosen up.”

I adjust my neck against the pillow I have propped up on the couch behind me. “I’m relaxed as I can get.”

Holden laughs and continues to rub the arch of my foot. “Which is not relaxed at all.”

“I have a baby doing cartwheels inside of me right now, so excuse me if I can’t get comfortable.”

It’s Friday night. Holden spent the evening mountain biking and then having a beer with the guys while I went over to Everly’s with the girls. Now, we’re both back at home, lounging on the couch, my feet in his lap. He’s decided my feet aren’t so bad and I’ve decided I like receiving massages as much as giving them.

“You didn’t answer my question, by the way.” I side-eye him before I freeze, and my body goes bone straight.

“Holden!”

He drops my foot in his lap, sitting up like I’ve scared the life out of him. “Bee, are you okay? What happened? Is it the baby?”

“No, I’m sorry, it’s not the baby. Well, it is the baby, but I’m fine. I think I just felt him move.”

“Are you serious?” he grins, his eyes wide with excitement, and that’s when I know that I’m in love with him.

I smile, tracing my fingertips over the place where I felt the movement. “I’m pretty sure I felt a kick.”

“Do you think he’ll do it again?”

“I don’t know.”

Two weeks ago, I started feeling the baby move, and at first it felt like tiny gas bubbles. Since then, they’ve gotten stronger, but I’ve been waiting until I can feel them on the outside and tonight, I finally think I can.

Suddenly, I feel what surely must be a karate chop to my side and my eyes widen. Holden is off the couch, crouching next to me.

“Did he kick you again?” His eyes are glued on my belly as I nod.

“He’s making himself known. He really is our little Slugger.”

“Can you hear me?” Holden says gently to my belly, running his fingertips over my stomach as I lightly shudder.

We sit together in silence, Holden’s palm stretched out on top of my belly hoping for another kick. Just when I think he’s settled inside of me for the night, I feel the sharpest, quickest movement.

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