I don’t ask her if I can stay. Instead, I clean us both up and climb back in bed beside her. She comes willingly when I open my arms for her. Her body relaxes against mine, and her breathing evens out.
“Yes,” she mumbles.
“What’s that?” Her only reply is a soft snore that she’ll swear never happened. It’s adorable, and completely Winnie. I’m looking forward to many more nights like this in our future.
Chapter 12
Winnie
* * *
The last several weeks have flown by. My days have been spent wrapping up the school year, which ended just last week, while my nights included plenty of time in the arms of the man I love. It’s crazy to think we’re here: pregnant, living together, and planning a future. Not that we made anything official, as far as the moving in part. Harrison just never left. He sort of transitioned from sleeping in the room across the hall to sharing my bed at night. Not that I’m complaining, though. Hell no. It feels good to have him there, his arms around me and his naked body pressed against mine.
Harrison continues to ask me to marry him—or remarry him—almost daily. I’ve come to expect it, actually, at some point during the day. Sometimes it’s over breakfast or right before I drift off to sleep, while other times it’s through text. No, he knows I won’t actually agree to remarry him
via text message, but he’s making a point. He won’t stop asking until I finally say yes.
Today is my twelve-week appointment. Last night, over chicken Parmesan, we agreed to tell our families after today’s appointment, so I’m doubly excited. Harrison is meeting me at the doctor’s office since his workdays are busy with the gym. The west expansion in Dalton is almost ready, which means he’ll work long hours as he helps train staff and gets everything ready for the grand opening. Chase has been a big help, doing a lot of the heavy lifting during the day, but now they’re to the point where they need Harrison on-site more.
The crazy part is, now that the newer site of All Fit is nearly ready and the southern location in Lakeview is rolling full-steam ahead, another location to the north has presented itself as a golden opportunity. That’s four total All Fits. When Chase brought it to Harrison last week, his first reaction was no. He didn’t want to take on another project, especially with the baby on the way, even though that was his master plan all along. But we sat down and talked about the opportunity, which is a solid investment. It’s another old gym. The guts are there, but it’s in desperate need of rehab. I agree with Chase that it’s a great fit for them. The problem is, with Chase running the Dalton location that opens soon and still overseeing the Lakeview site, that leaves Harrison to have to refurbish the new location in Porter. Sure, Chase will be available to help, but his focus will be on the other two sites. That means this one will be mostly Harrison.
“Gwendolyn.” My name is called, pulling me from my thoughts.
I glance around, realizing Harrison isn’t here yet. As I approach the door, I say, “I’m expecting someone.”
The nurse isn’t the same as the one from my first appointment, which leaves me feeling a little relieved. “Okay. As soon as they arrive, I’ll escort them to your room.”
“Thank you,” I state, following her down the short hallway. We stop at the scale for a quick weight and blood pressure check, and then she hands me the small plastic cup. I know the drill at this point. Once I’ve peed in the cup and left my sample, I make my way back to my room, where I find Harrison waiting.
“Sorry I’m late,” he apologizes quickly, pulling me into his arms and kissing my forehead.
“It’s okay. You’re here now,” I remind him, reveling in the feel of his arms and scent surrounding me.
“My conference call went longer than expected, and Gina is still learning the ropes. I told her to interrupt when it was time for me to leave, but she didn’t.”
“I’m sure it’s difficult for her to know when to interrupt and when not to,” I tell him, pulling myself from his arms and taking a seat on the table.
“I get it,” he starts, running his hand through his hair. “But I told her to interrupt me. Anything to do with you comes first.”
Even though it makes me smile on the inside, I don’t let it spread across my lips. “I get that, Harrison, but when you’re there, you have to focus on work. You have a lot to do now that you’re purchasing that fourth location,” I remind him.
His eyes bore into me with that same focus and determination that I’ve always loved and admired. “You. Come. First.”
My heart skips around in my chest, the same way it always has when he’s demonstrating his possessive side. Harrison has always let me be my own person, but he’s not afraid to show me (or in this case, tell me) that I come above everything else. Well, except for when I didn’t, but we’re not going there, not reliving the mistakes we made the first time around. Then my mind flits to the fact that I always, and I do mean always, come first, if you know what I mean. Sometimes more than once. I can feel the flush spreading up my neck and burning my cheeks.
He seems to notice immediately, his laser-sharp focus drinking me in and reading my dirty thoughts. The corner of his lip turns upward as he slowly moves closer, never taking his eyes off mine. That warm blush turns into a full-fledged inferno as blood and heat roars through my veins. “Care to share what has you all flushed?” he whispers, his larger body caging me to the table.
“I’d rather not,” I whisper, in a voice that barely sounds like my own.
“Hmmm,” he hums, sliding his nose against my jawline. “I guess after we leave here, you’ll just have to show me.”
My body screams in agreement. Yes, that! I want to show him. So bad.
Before I can say anything though, a knock sounds at the door. Harrison doesn’t move right away, so when Dr. Taylor steps into the room, a coy smile on her face, my heated blush quickly transforms from need to embarrassment. I feel like a teenager who was just busted by her parents sneaking a boy out of her room.
“Well, good afternoon, Gwen. Harrison,” Dr. Taylor says, the smile evident in her voice.
“Hi,” I squeak over my very dry throat.
“Dr. Taylor,” Harrison adds, in a voice that does crazy things to my panties. With a quick kiss to my forehead, he finally pulls back and takes the empty seat across the room.
“How have you been feeling this month?” she asks, washing her hands at the small sink.
“Well, actually,” I verify.
“No more spotting?” She glances over her shoulder for confirmation.
Shaking my head, I reply, “None.”
“And the morning sickness?” she inquires, writing a few notes down on my chart.
“Completely gone. It was like as soon as I hit twelve weeks on Tuesday, it just stopped.”
“I’m happy to hear that,” she adds, making a few more notes. “It looks like your urine came back clean for sugars and your blood pressure is normal. Everything is looking good.” She sets down my chart and opens a drawer. She pulls out a tape measure and a small handheld Doppler instrument, and approaches the table. “The good news is that we shouldn’t have a problem picking up the baby’s heartbeat today on the Doppler. Go ahead and lie back,” she instructs, adjusting the small pillow at my head.
I lie completely still as Dr. Taylor pulls up my shirt and exposes my abdomen. I feel Harrison’s presence beside me as the doctor unsnaps my pants, places a paper towel at the opening, and gently pulls them down. She takes a few quick measurements with the tape measure before setting it aside and reaching for the small bottle on the counter. With a small dollop of warm goo, she moves the Doppler over my lower stomach, adjusting and turning it as she goes. It tickles a little, but my concentration is completely on the noise. It sounds like an old movie, something from a reel, until suddenly, a loud gallop fills the room. It’s a little fuzzy, but there’s no mistaking what it is: a heartbeat.
Peanut’s heartbeat.
My eyes instantly fill, burning with unshed tears, as a hand grabs mine. I turn and take in the look of wonderment on Harrison’s face. His eyes are trained on mine as the sweetest sound fills the room. He’s holding something in his hand, and I realize it’s his phone. He’s recording the heartbeat, a small smile playing on his lips.
The rest of the appointment flies by. Dr. Taylor orders lab work to be completed before my next appointment in four weeks, gives us the opportunity to ask questions, and sends us on our way. As I approach the reception counter to check out, the flirty nurse from my first appointment is standing there, talking to the receptionist. “Oh, hey, Harrison!” she coos, her eyes lighting up as she catches a glance at the man at my side.
“Hello,” he says politely, but doesn’t embellish his greeting. His hand at my elbow tenses just a little, a sign that he’s uncomfortable.
“I’ve already got results from my first month,” she tells Harrison, ignoring me completely. The receptionist takes my folder and starts to make my next appointment. However, my focus is torn between listening to her offer me appointment times and eavesdropping on Miss Flirts A Lot. “…I saw you the other day, but you were so busy. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Yes, I’ve been extremely busy lately,” Harrison comments as the receptionist hands me my reminder card. “And I’m happy you’re seeing results. Keep up the good work, a
nd have a good day,” he adds, pulling me from the office and out to the sidewalk.
“Everything okay?” I ask as he walks me to my car.
His reply is immediate. “Yeah. Perfect.” The tension in his shoulders says otherwise.
When we reach my car, I turn to face him. “Are you sure?”
Harrison takes a deep breath. “I just… I guess I don’t want you to worry about Clara. I don’t want anyone like her to come between us.”
I gaze up at my husband—err, ex-husband—and notice the worry lines around his gorgeous eyes. “Clara? Is that the nurse’s name?”
“I’ve seen her a few times at the gym. She’s working with Ray in the evenings, but she comes in sometimes on her lunch breaks. I only know her name because I know everyone’s name who comes into my gym. She’s one of those flirty women, but that’s it, Winnie. You have nothing to worry about.”
Without giving it a thought, I reach up and run my thumb over his frown. “I know, Harrison.”
“It’s just that there’s always someone there, someone a little too flirty or handsy. I might notice because, hell, I’m a guy, but I’ve never acted on it. I’ve never wanted anyone. Only you.”
A smile spreads across my face. “Have you seen you? You’re gorgeous. Stunning, actually. I’ve witnessed grown women losing their minds when they’re around you. But do you know what? While it might bother me that someone has the balls big enough to openly flirt with you in my presence, I knew in my heart that it was just that: a flirt. I knew, at the end of the day, you were coming home to me. Not them. Me. So, please don’t worry about me. I know your job and I know some of the women you train, but I also know you would have never stepped outside of our marriage.”
He visibly relaxes as he reaches for my side and pulls me into his hard chest. “That includes now.”
My hands slide up his back as I rest my cheek against his pec. “We’re not married now,” I remind him.
“Maybe not on paper, but we’ll remedy that. Soon. As soon as you agree to marry me again.”I smile, inhaling the intoxicating mixture of his body wash and the detergent in his shirt. “You’ve always been my wife, Winnie,” he whispers, tightening his arms as if I might somehow slip away. “You always will be, even if you never say the word.”