Again, she covered his hand with her own. “And if I’m pregnant, I’ll still be out here attending plants. Everyone is doing something. Pregnancy does not mean incapable.”
“Women can get sick.”
“I’m going to be doing exactly what I do now until I’m close to giving birth. Unless I’m not capable of doing it.”
“You’re pregnant?” Luanna asked, coming to stand beside them. She held a chart in her hand, and Draven saw the concern in the other woman’s face.
“She could be.”
“What he said. It’s not official. I’ve skipped my period. It happens. We don’t know if I’m pregnant yet.”
“I’ve been doing a lot to make sure you get pregnant.”
Ashley growled. “Please tell the insane man, I can do my chores here and have a healthy pregnancy.”
Luanna held her hands up. “I don’t know anything about pregnancy.”
“So I can send her in?”
“I know about pregnancy,” a man said, coming toward them. He was one of the latest recruits, and Draven knew he was once a doctor. The man had been thorough showing off all of his documentation at the gate. He wanted to survive, to live, and to be useful.
Draven readily accepted him, knowing his skills could come in useful, especially for Ashley.
“Really, what do you know?”
“You can continue to work, so long as you’re healthy. Have you taken a test?”
“No.”
“Then it’s something we need to consider doing right away. She’ll need to take folic acid, as well. I’ll have to check the medical supplies.”
“We emptied out a pharmacy on our last raid,” Draven said.
“The name’s Miller. If you would allow me to, I’d love to be able to help your woman,” he said.
Ashley smiled as she glanced over at him, and he knew she thought she’d won. They were just getting started.
Bending down, he lifted Ashley over his shoulder, being careful in case she was pregnant.
“Draven, put me down.”
“We’re going to see if we’ve got any of those tests,” Draven said, rubbing his hand over her curvy ass.
“Damn it, I thought we were going to wait.”
“I changed my mind. The sooner we know, the sooner we can make sure this is going to be a healthy baby.”
Several of his men burst out laughing as he passed. Ashley stopped wriggling on his shoulder, and he mourned the loss of her fight. Entering the house, he took her straight toward the storage of the medical supplies. Miller and Luanna had followed them.
“See if you can find what you’re looking for,” he said, pointing to the assortment of medicines. Draven found the pregnancy test and held it up for her to see. “We’re going to find out if we’ve been lucky or not.”
Ashley didn’t make it easy, so he had no choice but to carry her to a bathroom.
Opening up the test, he held it out to her. “Come on, baby, it’s not that hard. You pee on this piece here.”
“Draven … I’m scared.”
“You’ve got nothing to be afraid of.”
“But what if it says no?”
“Do you want it to say no?”
She shook her head.
“It’s not going to say no.”
“But what if it does and the doctors got it all wrong? I’m not fertile. Would you still want me?” She pulled away from him, holding her hands up as if to ward him off.
Draven stared at her, a little shocked. “You think I only want you because … you’re fertile?”
“It’s the truth.”
Draven rubbed at his eyes. “I did when you first arrived here, Ashley. But not anymore and not for a long time. If anything, I’ve been worried that I won’t be able to get you pregnant.”
He saw tears in her eyes and wondered if she was struggling with her hormones already. He wasn’t used to having to deal with hormonal women. He ran his fingers through his hair and released a breath.
“I just … I don’t want to disappoint you.”
He put down the test, cupping her face. “There’s no way on this earth you could ever disappoint me. Fuck, when you first arrived here, I wanted you because you were fertile, but that changed. You changed me. I don’t just want you because of your body. I want so much more, and I know only you can give it to me.”
“What do you want?” she asked.
“All of you. Every single part of you, and I don’t want you to hold back from me. Not ever.” He couldn’t resist taking possession of her lips, and as he slammed his down on hers, he felt her relent to him. All he wanted to do was show her how he felt. Draven was a soldier, a warrior, and he wasn’t good with flowery words or expressing himself. There was no doubt in his mind that he loved her and would always love her. Breaking off from the kiss, he stroked her cheek, watching as she licked her lips. “Ashley, I love you. I fell in love with you against all the odds. Not because you’re going to have my baby, but because after all you’d gone through, it didn’t stop you from fighting nor did you lose your sweetness. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman and in my life. I can’t give you up. I won’t. I want this to be a safe haven for you and for our children. I will fight until my last dying breath to make you happy. To protect you. You own my heart, all of it. This is all yours.”