Tap (Lovibond #1) (30 page)

“Her motherly instinct to clean and get the house in order before the baby comes.”

“For real? You think it means the baby is coming because she’s dusting like a maniac?”

“Could be.” A woman’s pregnant body does weird things.

Wren
nests
all evening. My mom says it’s normal behavior so I let her have at it.
I’m hoping Mom is right and this is a sign the baby is coming soon. I’m ready to meet my son or daughter.

Her burst of energy isn’t even close to being at an end at bedtime. “These pregnancy hormones do crazy things to me. Wanting you hits me in waves. Right now, I'm drowning because I want you so bad.”

Whoa. She hasn’t been like this in a while.
Lucky me.

Wren gets on all fours and then moves over to straddle me. “I’m big and slow these days.”

“No, baby. You’re perfect.” I put my hands on her round belly and rub each side before gliding my hands to her hips. “No panties. You came to bed ready.”
And with motive. Love that.

“You have no idea just how ready I am.” A streak of white leaves her body and lands on the foot of the bed.

Damn. She stripped that off fast.
“I’d say you’re the opposite of slow.”

Wren yanks my shirt over my head. “Get those pants off. Now.”

“Yesss, ma’am.” She lifts, and I do too, so I can obey her orders quickly. “Damn, I am loving this nesting thing.”

I push my fingers into the hair at her nape and pull her face to mine. She sinks over me and I’m inside her body. She moves up and down several times, sliding me in and out, but it isn’t like normal. “This isn’t working. I can’t get going. I’m too big and unbalanced.”

“You’re not too big.”

“Well, I’m too . . . something.”

“Tell me how you want it.” I will stand on my head and give it to her if that’s what she wants.

“Side lying, from the back.”

“Not a problem.” I love rear entry.

I ease inside her and it’s so good it’s impossible to suppress my groan. I pull back and thrust slowly, savoring the squeeze of her body around mine. “Fuck!” I can’t believe how tight she feels. “It’s sending tingles all over me.”

I thrust a few more times. “Is this position good for you, babe?”

She’s tilting her hips backward, rocking, to meet me with every stroke. “Mmm hmm.”

I reach around her pregnant belly to that sensitive place between her legs. “Tell me when I find the spot.”

She moans, and without a word, I know I’ve hit it. “Oh, right there.”

I circle the whole area fast and hard. Slow and soft. Back and forth. Side to side. It’s anybody’s guess what will come next. “Almost there.”

I move faster. My cock and fingers. “Do it. I want to feel your body quiver and contract around me because you’re coming hard.”

“Ohh . . . I’m coming, Brou.”
Yes, she is. And so am I.

I bury my face in the back of her hair. “I love you, Wren.”

She reaches over her shoulder and grabs the back of my head. “I love you, too.”

Our arms, our legs, our entwined bodies collapse like rag dolls. “That was fucking awesome.”

“Our baby’s first word is going to be
fucking
if you don’t find an alternative soon.”

“I think we have a little time until he says his first word.”

“You always say he and him. Do you want a boy?” She says it too.

“I guess it’s my default because of Eli. But I don’t care what we get as long as he or she is healthy.” That’s it. The only thing I care about.

I pull out and reach for a pillow to place under her head. “Need one between your knees too?”

“Yes, please.”

I spoon behind Wren, wrapping my arm around her waist and rubbing her tummy. The movement beneath my hand is like a restless sea. “Feels like he’s awake.”

“Yeah. That stirred him up.”

“He’ll be stirring in our arms before too much longer. And keeping us up half the night. Mom thinks it’ll be soon.”

“I would be completely okay with that.” She places a hand on her belly next to mine. “I’m ready to get my hands on our little snuggle bug. This has been a long wait.”

It has indeed. But even miracles take a little time. I see that now.

G
ranola earth birth
. Hippie style. All natural. Nothing for pain. That’s how Wren wants to labor and give birth to our child. I admire her for that. But damn. I can hardly stand seeing her in this much pain.

“I didn’t know it was gonna hurt like this.” Her breathing is no longer slow and deep. She’s panting. “Uhh . . . it’s . . . baadd.”

She’s writhing all over the bed. “Get the epidural, baby.”

“No, no, no. I’ve come this far without it.”

Wren was dilated seven centimeters last time she was checked. The nurse said she didn’t feel like the last three would take long.
God, I hope not. This is horrible to watch.

“Hold my hand.” She squeezes it. Hard. “I don’t think I can do this. It hurts too bad.”

I move so we’re face to face. “Look at me, Wren.” Her eyes meet mine and I see agony there. “Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it when you hold our baby in your arms? Absolutely. Remember that little face we saw on the ultrasound. The one with your nose and chin. You can do this for him.”

She squeezes her lids tightly. “Get the nurse. I . . . gotta . . . push.”

“Don’t push yet, Wren.”

“I . . . can’t . . . stop.” What the fuck is happening?

I release her hand and dash for the door. It’ll be faster than hitting the nurse call button and waiting. “My wife says she has to push.”

Wren’s nurse comes in and repeats her same hourly procedure. “She’s right. It’s baby time.”

The moment has arrived. Almost four years of wishing, longing, praying, and wanting this child. We finally get to meet our son or daughter.

Wren reaches for my hand and squeezes, her teeth clenched. “Ohh . . . this one hurts really bad, Brou! It’s all the way down . . . in my butt!”

The nurse stops what she’s doing and pats Wren on the leg. “It’s okay. Means the baby is moving down. You’re getting closer.”
Oh fuck. The heaviness of the reality hits me—I’m about to become a father.

I bring her hand to my lips for a kiss. “Almost time to hold our snuggle bug.”

Wren’s nurse coaches her through a series of contractions.
I didn’t know it would take this long. I thought you had a baby once you made it to ten centimeters. Shows what I know.

She’s in so much pain. Suffering. “How much longer?”

“Close. We’re almost ready for the doctor.” Not close enough.

I’m supposed to take care of Wren and this baby. And I can’t do a fucking thing to help her.
I push her sweat-soaked hair away from her forehead. “Not much longer, baby. Don’t stop. You’re almost done.”

“Pressure’s building. Oh God. Gotta . . . push.”

The nurse motions for me to look between Wren’s legs. “Want to see the top of your baby’s head?”

I’m scared to look but I’m afraid not to as well. This may be the only child we ever have and I’d hate to miss this opportunity.

“Yeah.” Wren pushes and I watch our baby’s head come down until I can see the entire crown. I’ve never seen anything so amazing in all my life. So surreal. “There’s a ton of dark hair.”

Wren pushes three times and then falls back, breathing heavily. Having a baby is hard work. “I’m glad he’s taking after you because I didn’t have hair until I was almost two.”

“I think we’re ready for a doctor.”

“Hear that, babe? She’s calling the doctor to come.” I lean down and kiss Wren’s forehead. “I love you so much.”

She strokes my face with her hand. “I love you, too.”

Dr. Nichols arrives and the medical staff takes their places. “You’re starting a contraction so push hard and we’ll meet this little bundle of joy.”

Wren takes a deep breath and blows it out before taking another and holding it. I help her pull her legs back and her face turns beet red as she pushes with every bit of her remaining strength. She stops midpush and releases her legs as her back bows from the bed. “Omigod, get it out. Get it out.”

“Push, Lawrence. Push.”

Her legs are shaking and she reaches up to grab me. She pulls me down and squeezes me around the back of my neck. “Brou. I can’t do it.”

“Come on, Wren. Do it for our baby. Push him out.”

Wren releases her iron-fisted hold on me. “Okay. I’m doing it.” Wren rears up and pulls her legs back. Her eyes are squeezed tight, her brow wrinkled. Tears escape her eyes and it breaks my heart she’s suffering in silence.
It’s worse than if she were screaming.

“Look down here and watch your baby come into the world.”

I lean over Wren’s leg and watch a perfect little head emerge from my wife’s body.
That face. It’s the one we saw months ago. I’ve never seen anything more amazing in my life.

“Head’s out, Lawrence. Let’s see the rest of this baby and find out what you’ve been cooking in there all these months.”

“Push, baby. You can do it.”

I hear a gush of fluid and then a piercing cry—our baby’s first sound.

“Looks like we have a boy.”

I kiss the top of her head, and attempt to tell this woman what I’m feeling, but I can’t find my voice.
I love you so much, Wren. Thank you for giving me a son.

Our crying son is placed on Wren’s chest where the nurses wipe him clean, cover his head with a blue beanie, and stuff him inside his mother’s gown. “Hello, my sweet Emeric.”

“He’s okay?”

“Looks healthy as can be.” Thank God.

I look at my son and know I owe every bit of this to Wren. Our happy life together. This healthy child we wished, hoped, and longed to hold in our arms. Without her, I would have been content to sail through my stagnant life and never know this kind of joy.

“Lucas Emeric Broussard II.” I lower my face so I can get a better look at him.
I can’t believe how chubby he is, considering he has a vegan momma.
“It’s crazy how much I already love him.”

“I know. Me too.”

When I met this beautiful woman, all I wanted from her was a dirty weekend . . . until that wasn’t enough and I wanted so much more. I had no idea
more
would eventually translate into making her my wife and mother of our child. Or maybe even children. Who knows what the future holds? But I’m sure of two things: I’m no longer scared of what life with Wren has to offer. And of all the futures I could have had, every option needed to have her in it.