The Way Back

Lies Ahead

The blonde chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully and peered over the edge of the cards held up to her face. She swore the man across from her was cheating. He had won five games in a row. She needed to end his winning streak and knock the smug, self-satisfied smile from his face. She adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose and sighed lightly as she met his inquisitive blue eyes. "Any fives?"

"No, Stevie," he answered, lips curling into a content grin. "Go fish."

"Goddammit," Stevie muttered and leaned forward to draw a card. She grunted and groaned, hating how the simplest tasks were a workout. She panted from the exertion and fell back against the headboard.

"You okay? You're out of breath," he noted. He'd been concerned with every little twitch and twinge.

"Lindsey, you try having eight or nine pounds of babies inside you squashing your lungs and your bladder. We'll see how well you handle it," she hissed, regretting her tone as soon as she noticed the sympathy in his eyes. "I'm snappy. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Lindsey whispered and scooted closer to her. He rubbed his palms up and down her legging clad calves. He hadn't figured out how she'd managed to sit Indian style on the bed without causing herself discomfort, but he wouldn't ask. Stevie would most likely try to smother him with a pillow if such an asinine inquiry passed his lips. "You have every right to be short tempered, Steph," he told her and meant it. She'd been stuck in bed since returning home from the hospital two weeks ago. She'd watched films, flipped through magazine pages, turned the pages of numerous books, ordered too many items from catalogs, and slept. He knew he would have lost his sanity after a couple of days.

"Why do you have to do that?" she asked in a husky whisper.

"Do what?"

"Say things like that and completely melt me," she replied and reached for him, dropping her cards onto the blankets.

Lindsey tenderly smiled at her and put his fists on either side of her, slowly rocketing himself forward to meet her halfway. His lips caressed hers gently, breaking the contact and nuzzling his nose against hers. "I love you," he murmured. He was glad he'd decided to have a stay in bed day with her.

"I love you too," she responded, stroking her thumb against his jaw. Stevie breathed in deeply, drawing in the scent of his cologne and cupping his handsome face. She felt her temperature rise and her heart quicken. Stevie licked her lips and cleared her throat, abruptly removing hands from him. "It's your turn."

"I wanted to keep doing what we're doing."

"We can't, baby," she whispered regretfully. "I'm worked up. You'll get worked up. You know where that leads."

He pressed his forehead against hers and took a deep defeated breath before settling back into his spot. He stole a look at her cards and let his hand remain on her knee, watching her shift and rub the side of her belly. "What is going on in there?" His eyes were fixed on her middle.

"A dance party." She lifted her silky nightshirt and exposed her belly.

He cocked a brow as he observed the movements, shuddering at the ripples and rolls underneath her skin. "Or a prison break," he decided.

She laughed and ran her fingertips over a foot. "It amazes me how they still have room to do somersaults."

"They aren't finished growing."

"I know," she responded and examined a fresh stretch mark. She didn't know how much bigger she could get, but she knew it would happen. Each day seemed to bring on a whole new degree of uncomfortable. "Does that look awful?" she inquired, tracing the reddened streak.