Page 238 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

“Stay.” I made my tentative request after he had sat me down on the bed.

Matt nodded at once and we both laid down on the cool sheets. He held me close, one arm as a pillow for my head with his hand absent-mindedly running over my hair, his other hand had snaked under my top while his fingers lightly rubbed my pregnant stomach.

“It’s ok. I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I promise.”

“I need you.” There, I said those three little words. It was most likely due to delayed shock, but it was also the truth.

Matt peered at me, a melancholic grin on his face. “Well, I guess that will have to do for now.”

I nodded in agreement and closed my eyes as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. It always felt like home in his arms. I was home. The babies moved and I amended my thought.Wewere home…

“Madi,” Matt’s voice sounded far away. “Wake up.”

Not wanting to open my eyes, I snuggled deeper into his chest. Matt’s chest wasn’t this squishy. It didn’t smell like fabric softener either. A hand caressed my back then brushed the hair off my face. Struggling to open my eyes, I batted the intrusive hand away.

“Dr Nichols is here, poppet. Wake up.”

“What?” I cracked open eye open and raised my head. “Who’s here?”

“Dr Nichols,” Matt repeated. “I called him and he’s here to give you a check-up.”

I sat up now and squinted around the room. “What time is it? Whydid you let me sleep?”

Matt held out a hair band and gestured to my hair. I didn’t need to look in a mirror to know it was cave-girl wild.

“It’s only 6:45,” he advised. “And you obviously needed the rest. You drooled all over me before. You only do that when you’re exhausted.”

“Sorry,” I muttered, dabbing the corner of my mouth before taking the hair band and pulling my curls into a loose pony-tail. “Dr Nichols is here?”

Matt nodded, patiently waiting for the rest of my brain to wake up.

“You called him?” I blinked owlishly and squirmed. My bladder desperately needed emptying. “I’m ok. I feel ok.”

“I know,” Matt smiled and tweaked my nose. “But it’s better to be sure. Yes?”

I nodded then glanced down at my tummy. Matt’s hand reached over to rub the highest part of my bump and I raised my eyes to his.

“The rest did you well?” He was really getting into the rubbing. “You aren’t stressed over what almost happened in the car? Bad flashbacks?”

The nap had been good, and I was now better able to view things with a clear mind. It was a near miss, not even a near miss; Matt had slammed on the brakes before anything bad could happen. It had been terrifying for those moments, but nothing bad had happened. I wasn’t cursed, or if I had been, the curse was now lifted.

I shook my head. “You are still the sweetest person I have ever known, Matt.”

Matt looked at me, his mouth parted in disbelief while his eyes filled with hope.

“And I need to pee.” Scrambling off the bed, I legged it to the en suite to relieve my bladder. The tiles beneath my socks meant someone had removed my ankle boots, and my jacket I realized belatedly.

“What do you mean by that?” Matt’s voice came from right outside the door.

“Oh my gosh,” I yelped, halting the loud, tinkling flow in case he could hear it. Wasn’t it bad to hold in your urine? “Go away, Matt. I’m a little busy here.”

“Ok, but what did you mean?” he persisted.

The flow resumed and I sighed in relief on the heated porcelainseat. Oh, I had missed this damned toilet seat. What did it matter anyway? We were once married.

“Exactly what I said,” came my reply as my tummy growled. “Can you not loiter right outside the door? It’s rude.”

“I’ve heard it all before,” he retorted. “Did you mean it in a good way or in a ‘you’re sweet like a cute puppy’ way?”

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