Merry Christmas Baby Read online

  Chloe closed her eyes and sighed, suddenly far too exhausted to hold herself up.

  “Help me get her back to her chair,” she heard a few moments later, feeling herself shift from Ford’s arms so that she was between two men.

  “Here, babe.” It was Lance, her best friend and—up until getting pregnant—her cohort in crime. Sawyer had taken Lance aside and threatened bodily harm and dismemberment, promising to follow him all the way to hell if Lance got Chloe in trouble even once during her pregnancy. Lance, fighting a very losing battle against cystic fibrosis, hadn’t been in the least concerned, but out of respect for Chloe and her marriage, he’d done his best.

  “Drink this,” Lance said, and Chloe opened her eyes.

  She was back in her seat and Lance had brought her tea. “I’d rather a hot toddy,” she murmured, and sucked in a breath when the baby kicked her in the ribs again.

  “Drink,” Lance said, not cracking his usual wiseass smile, which meant she’d worried him. A mean feat as nothing worried Lance, not even death.

  “I’m okay,” she promised him. “We’re both okay.” And then she hoped that was true as another vicious cramp gripped her. She did her best to let herself fall into it, listening with half an ear as conversation went on around her.

  “The snow’s coming down like mad,” she heard Maddie say in a soft, concerned whisper. “Soon as there’s a break, we’re taking her to the hospital.”

  “Agreed,” Tara said.

  “Not until I have cake,” Chloe managed. When the pain broke, Chloe looked up to tell them she was fine, but she stilled in shock. At first she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her so she rubbed them and focused again.

  No trick. Her heart couldn’t be that cruel as it squeezed tight because Sawyer was there, right there, crouched in front of her.

  He was in weather gear, dusted in snow. His expression was blank to anyone who didn’t know him. But she did know him and had no trouble catching the irritation in those brown eyes.

  Before she could say a word, another pain gripped her.

  His hands slid to her swollen belly, warm and sure. “The Bean,” he said. “Being rough on her mama.”

  Robbed of breath, she could only nod.

  “She’s just like you already,” he said. “Impatient to the end.”

  Frustrated with her as he undoubtedly was and always would be, his voice remained calm and steady, and everything she’d ever needed.

  Chapter 5

  Sawyer could feel the tightness of Chloe’s body as the contraction gripped her, her belly rippling beneath his palms. She was panting through it, the strain of it tightening her mouth and shadowing her eyes.

  He was as tough as they came, life had made sure of it. But watching the woman he loved more than life itself writhing in pain because of him made him feel as helpless as the newborn trying to make its way into the world. “Keep breathing, babe,” he murmured when Chloe caught her breath and held it. “In and out.”

  She stared at him, eyes luminous and wide. Whether that was pain, fear, or just the sight of him, he had no idea. But God, she was a sight for sore eyes. He knew she didn’t consider herself classically beautiful, but to him, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Even eight and a half months pregnant, she had that special something that would have any man turning his head to watch her. It was a combination of looks and attitude and liveliness, and he’d thought about her 24/7 since he’d left.

  “Slow,” he said when she tried to suck in too much air and he heard the telltale wheeze of her asthma. If she had an attack now, he’d have to get her to the hospital… “Slow,” he said again, and breathed with her.

  She nodded gratefully and stared at his mouth, mimicking his breath.

  “You’re back,” she finally managed when the contraction passed, and her voice sounded almost…surprised.

  The surprise shocked Sawyer to the core. They’d never had it easy. In fact, their relationship was akin to a porcupine and a cactus trying to make a life together—prickly as hell.

  And amazing.

  She’d changed his life, for the better. She’d added color to his black-and-white world and was his heart and soul.

  But being with Chloe was more like being on a roller coaster than a smooth highway. It was a fast, hard ride, and there were ups. There were downs.

  And he wouldn’t change a second of it for the world.

  But the pregnancy hormones hadn’t been easy for her. Or him. She’d been on edge nearly the entire time, and he had yet to figure out what to do or how to talk her down. Everything he’d done or said had only seemed to make it worse. So he’d thrown himself into work, thinking if he was out of her hair enough, she might not be tempted to kill him.

  But that she’d actually be surprised to see him come for her? Damn. “Did you think I wouldn’t come back?”

  She shrugged and tried to turn away. But hell no. He planted a hand on either side of her hips and leaned in close. “Chloe.” He waited until she looked at him. “I’ll always come for you.”

  Something in his fierce tone seemed to get through, and she relaxed slightly. But not enough to suit him. He slid the palm of his hand to the back of her neck and stroked her soft, damp skin. “You’re in pain.”

  “It’s better now that you’re here,” she said breathlessly. “How did you make it? I heard the roads were closed.”

  He considered his response a moment, not sure she needed to hear the difficulties he’d had in breaking away to get here after Tanner had called him to say she’d come to the party. “Got stuck about a mile back,” he said. “Had to walk the rest of the way in.”

  She put her hands over his and gasped. “You’re soaked, and your hands are freezing!” Her voice was tense. The pain was getting to her. “Oh, Sawyer. You shouldn’t have come—”

  “Could say the same to you,” he said, and slid both Jax and Ford a long, hard stare. They both had the good grace to look a little apologetic.

  Good. The fuckers. He’d tasked them with the most important thing in his life, and here she was, in labor, in a snowstorm…

  “Don’t start in on them,” Chloe said. “They didn’t know. I sneaked out.”

  There was something most definitely in her voice now, and he cupped her face.

  Yep. She was ready for battle.

  “I wanted to be here with my family and friends.”

  He suspected she was going to need that energy for the night ahead. “Then let’s enjoy it,” he told her, and then headed off any reply with a soft hello kiss right on those lips that loved to talk back to him.

  Never before had he had someone in his life continuously do that, and at first he hadn’t known what to do with her. It’d taken him a while to clue in, but in the end, he’d had no choice but to love her with his entire heart and soul.

  Reaching into his bag, he came up with an inhaler and set it on the table in case she needed it.

  She slapped her hand out for it and took a long hit. And then a second. Both a struggle that pinched at his heart. Her debilitating asthma was in better control these days, but stress brought it out. Labor was definitely going to be a trigger.

  “You had one of my inhalers on you?” she asked when she could.

  Always. “Just in case.”

  A little more of the tension around her eyes eased, and seeing that did the same for him. He grabbed a chair and sat, and then shifted her so that she could lean back into him. Once she did, he slid his arms around her, gently kneading her belly, feeling better when she relaxed into him.

  He ran a finger over the gold heart locket she wore nestled between her breasts. “You got it.”

  “I knew it,” she muttered. “Who was your delivery boy? Not my sisters or Jax or Ford.”

  “Are you kidding?” he asked. “None of them can keep a secret. Lance.”

  She laughed a little breathlessly. “Makes sense. I especially loved the doughnuts.”

  “Thought you might.”