Just going to do some personal retail therapy today. I didn’t question what that meant as she distracted me with cock-hardening kisses.
“I’m somewhere outside Burlington.” Her voice strains as the sound of her teeth gnashing fills the phone.
“Burlington?” I hiss. My heart races as Blade steps outside.
“What’s wrong?” he mouths, but I shake my head, swiping fingers into my hair. She’s almost an hour away.
“Scarlett?” Her sudden silence unnerves me.
“It really hurts, Bull.” Tears fill her voice.
“Sweetheart, please. Get to a hospital or an urgent care. Drop a pin on your phone, and I’ll find you. I’m on my way.” With the location finder, I should be able to track where she’s at as I’m already jogging to my truck. Stepping into it, I start the engine, and the phone clicks over to Bluetooth for hands-free driving.
“Sweetheart? Honey, talk to me. Tell me what happened.” As Scarlett explains the situation with her parents, irritation fills her voice, and the rising anger concerns me. I can hear her gritting her teeth through the pain.
“Never mind. Don’t think about them. Get to the urgent care.” I can’t search my phone to help her find a location near her while I’m driving, so I pull over for a minute. Finally giving her an address, I demand she go there and pull back on the road. “Just stay on the line with me until you arrive at the medical center. We don’t need to talk.”
As I drive too fast down the backroads, I will myself not to think the thoughts wanting time in my head. I will not allow my thoughts to go to the negative place where dreams are lost.
“You’re going to be okay,” I assure her as she grunts again. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”
Scarlett hisses, and I hear a blinker through the phone.
“I’m here,” she whimpers, indicating the immediate care facility. The pain in her voice is so raw my insides split, and I continue my white-knuckle driving.
“I’m on my way, sweetheart.”
When the line goes dead, everything in me seems to shatter, and I holler at the empty road before me, sending up a prayer for all to be well in the end.
Arriving in the small town just outside Burlington in under forty minutes, I find Scarlett resting in a room, hooked up to an IV.
“Sweetheart, I’m here,” I quietly tell her, swiping a hand over her head once I reach the side of the bed.
“Bull, you really came for me.” The doubt in her voice almost shatters me again, and I see her release a long breath as if she’d been holding it the entire time she’d been here. She curls toward me, and a sob escapes her. I wrap my arms over her as best as I can without knocking the IV line.
“Shh,” I attempt to soothe her as her body shakes and her quiet sobs rattle underneath me. “Tell me you’re okay. Tell me everything.” Tell me Sprout is still well inside you.
“The doctor said it was dehydration. Along with the previous day’s procedure and the stress of what happened with my parents, I had false contractions.”
“And Sprout?” I swallow around the question.
“He’s fine. He’ll be happier once this fills my system.” She glances up at the bag hanging beside her. Her eyes are red-rimmed, and her cheeks, void of color, are stained with tears. Continuing to stroke over her hair, I brush it off her forehead.
“Where were you going in Burlington?”
“I wanted to look for maternity clothes.” Her eyes still glisten.
“Sweetheart, I don’t want you going anywhere without me.”
“I’m fine now. Better even. It was just a little stress and too little fluids.” I want to address the stress part but decide it can wait. Cupping her hand with both of mine, I pull it up to my lips, close my eyes, and set my mouth against her knuckles. My heart still hammers inside my chest. I swear I might need the bed next for the heart attack she’s given me.
“We’re getting a hotel for the night,” I tell her. “No argument.” We’ll leave her car here overnight, and I’ll return tomorrow with one of my brothers once I have Scarlett home. Home. In my house. Where she belongs.
Quietly, we wait out the drip and her discharge with strict orders for rest the remainder of the day. The urgent care doctor will pass along what happened to Scarlett’s regular doctor, where she’ll need a follow-up in a few days.
After her discharge, we stop at a pharmacy where I run in to buy basic necessities, a random assortment of snacks, and a package of underwear at Scarlett’s request. Finding a quaint bed and breakfast, I’m grateful for the midweek vacancy.
Leading Scarlett up the creaking stairs of the older inn, I can’t take my hands off her.
“I’m not an invalid,” she admonishes, but I’m not letting her go.
“You’re following my orders now, sweetheart.”
“And suddenly, you’re a doctor?” she teases.
“Yes, and I’m not past examining every inch of you once you’re better.”
“I’m fine.” She sighs. “Just worked up.”
“We’re going to unwork you.”
The antiquated room with a four-poster bed and an old fireplace appears to please Scarlett. She climbs up on the bed while I drop the bags with our measly wares on a rocking chair in the corner.
“How about a bath?” I can’t seem to sit still and need something for my hands to do. Before she even answers, I’m entering the bathroom and filling a large clawfoot tub. Next, I return to the bedroom to help Scarlett undress despite her protests.
“Scarlett, dammit. Let me take care of you.” I need to do something as I’ve been coming out of my skin the past couple of hours. Sensing the strain in my voice and my nearness to breaking, she sits back as I remove her sandals and massage each foot a second. Guiding her to stand, I slip her dress upward and marvel at the swell of her belly, which is more apparent when she’s naked before me. Her hand coasts over the bulge, and mine meets hers.
“Any movement?” I hold my breath.
“I think Sprout’s resting. He’s had a workout this morning.” Her weak voice does nothing to settle my concerns. In her bra and underwear, I lead her to the bathroom and then remove the final pieces exposing her larger breasts and a soft patch of curls at the top of her legs. The changes to her body only increase my attraction to her, and I’m grateful there’s more change to come. She’s beautiful while pregnant.
Helping her into the tub, I hang onto her as she lowers into the steamy water. I’m still unsettled, but Scarlett calmly sits upright, swishing her hands back and forth through the warm liquid.
“Bull, I know I’m getting bigger, but do you think you could join me?” Her dark eyes plead with me, and I read the fear of her thoughts equal to mine. It’s going to be a tight fit in that tub, but I tug my shirt over my head.
“Anything for you, sweetheart.” Quickly, I strip the remainder of my clothes and wedge myself behind her. I warn my body to behave as Scarlett does not need to be worked up in any way. As we melt into the warmth of the water, she leans back against my chest, and I massage her shoulders.