Page 30 of Wrong Turn, Right Bear
“Catch.” I tossed one and my mate’s beast caught it.
He clamored out, water dripping from his thick fur and shook himself before taking his skin.
“Hey. I wasn’t planning on taking a shower just yet.”
“Very funny.” Ash pulled on his T-shirt and briefs and covered us both with a blanket.
“We should do this more often.” My eyes were closing but I pried them open, not wanting to miss a moment of this magical afternoon.
“Can do.”
I must have dozed off because I woke with a start as I got a kick in the ribs.
“Contractions?”
Ash had read every book and watched all the videos on birth. He probably knew more than me. No, he did because he’d get into bed at night, the tablet in one hand, and recited what we could expect in the hours leading up to the delivery. He used words and expressions I wasn’t familiar with.
“Braxton Hicks for sure. Do you want to walk around or lean on me?”
I took his hand and placed it on my belly. “Our little one has been sleeping too but now they’re awake.”
“Hello, my darling.” Ash leaned in close to the bump. “You’re so big now, there’s little space in Daddy’s tummy. But soon you’ll begin a long journey and we’ll be waiting.”
Not too long I hoped. I half expected my mate to give our child a blow by blow description of being squeezed into the world. But instead, he regaled the baby with adventures he’d had in the woods growing up.
I bit my tongue when he described staying out all night in a little shack he’d built when he was twelve. That was before he’d met his beast.
“That can happen but only if I’m in the tent next door and you’re with me.”
“Fine.” He lowered his voice. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing our child to do some of the things I did as a kid.”
That had me giggling. The guy who spent most of his time outdoors and who had a ferocious bear inside him, was looking back at some of his antics and thinking, “Not my kid.”
“Can’t believe I’m saying this but we mustn’t be helicopter parents. Our little one has to spread their wings without us one step behind.”
“I agree. What if we hide behind a tree and disguise ourselves with mud and twigs on our head andkeep an eye on our offspring with binoculars?” he asked.
I held my belly and cackled. “We are so going to bethoseparents, right?”
“Hate to say it, but yeah.”
Like most people who became parents, we’d learn, make mistakes, and get it right sometimes. But our baby would be showered with love.
I yawned.
“Let’s go home.”
My mate was beside me and the baby was kicking. Life was pretty damned good.
FIFTEEN
ASH
“Are you sure about this?”
I wasn’t.
Theo’s due date was three weeks from now and if I had my way, I’d wrap him in cotton balls, make him stay in bed and only leave to go to the bathroom.
