Page 80 of The Union
“I want to spoil you rotten,” he said. “I will give you the world, baby doll. The house on the beach and anything you desire. I will protect you, our kid or kids, and cherish you until my last dying breath.” All of a sudden, his head jerked toward the door.
Normally, I wouldn’t flinch since he had vamp hearing, but with Junior in town, my nerves were heightened.
A slender man in a green cap and matching scrubs stalked in.
Sam moved to the side of me. “It’s about time.” His glare was glued to the doctor.
“You must be Layla and Sam. I’m sorry to have you wait so long. I’m Dr. Martin,” he said in an even tone, not fazed by Sam’s harshness. “Damon Vieira has filled me in on your situation. I was looking forward to meeting you next week, but I see there’s a problem.” He set his iPad on the counter, pulled on a pair of nitrile gloves, came over to me, and smiled. “Before we get started, tell me what type of activity, if any, were you doing recently. Sex?” He set his soft hazel eyes on Sam, then me.
My cheeks burned, and they shouldn’t, since he specialized in the delivering of babies. “Last night,” I replied while Sam glued his hand on the middle of my back, the heat of his palm searing into me.
Louise returned, wheeling in the ultrasound machine. “Here you go, Dr. Martin. Would you like me to stay?” She batted her brown eyes at Dr. Martin, then Sam. The little flirt.
“No, Louise. I’ll handle things from here. Thank you.”
The pretty brunette’s gaze lingered too long on Sam before she sashayed out of the room.
While Dr. Martin readied the machine, he said, “Your labs look great. Your HCG levels are high. I doubt your pregnancy has been compromised. But before I do the ultrasound, I would like to examine you. Can you lie back for me, Layla?”
Relief coursed through me, and Sam seemed to lose that fidgety edge he’d been sporting.
When I was on my back and my feet in stirrups, Sam held my hand, watching Dr. Martin with a keen eye and hard features. I had no idea what was going through Sam’s mind, but for me, lying there with an ob-gyn about to examine me, pregnant by a vampire mate who I never imagined would be at my side no matter what, was surreal. I would give anything to have my mom with me, or at least alive, so I could ask her questions. After all, she’d given birth to three of us.
I puffed out my cheeks, releasing the air in my lungs as Dr. Martin examined me like any ob-gyn doctor would. It had been over a year since my last annual visit to see my gynecologist. But I wasn’t a newbie to the procedure.
With his head between my legs, Dr. Martin said, “Your cervix looks fine. I see a little dried blood, but nothing to be concerned about.” He rolled his stool back. “Keep in mind, as your body changes, so does the cervix, which becomes more sensitive during pregnancy. It’s common in some woman to bleed after sex where the partner thrusts too hard.”
Sam and I had a rough romp in the hay last night. “Are you saying we can’t have sex anymore?” Judging by the crease in his eyebrows, I was sure Sam had the same question.
Dr. Martin rose and inserted the probe it into me. “Not at all. Just tone down the roughness.” He moved the wand around, watching the screen, which I couldn’t quite see from my position. “So far, I don’t see anything to be concerned about. Your cervix and uterus look great. Mm…”
“What’s wrong?” Sam asked, squeezing my hand a little too hard.
For a gripping beat, Dr. Martin kept his concerned focus on what he was doing.
That ramming of my heart started again. “Is everything okay?”
Dr. Martin turned the machine at an angle toward me. Then he fiddled with the wand and stopped. “See these dark spots on the screen? Those are four fetuses.”
Pulling his hand from mine, Sam listed to one side. “Come again?”
Dr. Martin laughed. “I would be light-headed too if my wife was having quadruplets.”
I lifted up on my elbows. “Are you telling me I’m having a litter?” I full-on laughed. If I didn’t, I would be gasping for air like Sam was.
The vampire pounded on his chest and looked faint.
“I think you should sit,” Dr. Martin said to Sam, pressing buttons on the ultrasound.
Luckily, I wasn’t standing. Otherwise, I might be on the floor.
Sam dug a hand into the exam table. “I’m fine.”
Snorting, I circled my fingers around his wrist. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“Are you not freaking out that we’re having four kids?” His voice hitched. “Dr. Martin, are you sure?”
The doctor chuckled. “Son, I’ve been doing this a long time. I’m sure.” He kept moving the wand around and hitting buttons on the machine.
