Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
She placed her hand on her flat stomach. “Okay. I agree. We need to check on the baby.” She turned her head away from him.
He glanced up at the paramedics. “I’m coming with her,” he said without asking for permission, but demanding it.
“Ma’am?” They looked to Charlotte.
She nodded. “He’s concerned about his baby. Let him come.”
He narrowed his eyes. He was worried about her too. Before he could give her comment much thought, he was following the stretcher and getting into the ambulance for the ride to the hospital.
They were brought through to the ER and settled Charlotte in a room. Someone came to do intake forms, a nurse checked her vitals, and after forty minutes of uncomfortable silence because Charlotte didn’t have much to say, a doctor arrived, pushing a machine with her.
“Hello. I’m Dr. Messing, an OB-GYN. I understand you fainted. I’d like to ask you some questions, okay?”
Charlotte nodded. “Of course.”
The doctor, an attractive woman with red hair pulled back in a bun, stepped closer to the edge of what the ER considered a bed.
“How far along are you?”
Charlotte wrinkled her nose as she thought. “About two months.”
“And how has your pregnancy been? Nausea? Dizziness?” she asked Charlotte.
Charlotte let out a small laugh. “Lots of nausea and not just in the morning. The dizziness didn’t happen until today.”
The doctor smiled in understanding. “That nausea is very normal.”
Charlotte grinned. “Oh, I had twins. I’m well aware of pregnancy symptoms.”
The doctor’s eyes opened wide. “A pro then. Good. Was that an otherwise typical pregnancy?”
She nodded.
“And did you eat today?”
She sighed and Jared knew the answer. He let out low noise, frustrated she wasn’t taking care of herself.
“I understand you don’t feel great but you need to keep up your strength and not let your blood sugar levels drop. Have you seen an obstetrician yet?”
She nodded. “I just got back to this country two weeks ago and it was a priority.”
“Okay, I want to do an ultrasound and check the baby. Is this the father?” she asked, glancing at Jared.
“Yes. He can stay,” Charlotte murmured.
“Wonderful.” The doctor began to set up the machine, plugging it in and preparing the wand. “Okay, Mom and Dad, let’s find the baby’s heartbeat.”
Charlotte pulled up the thin gown she’d changed into when they arrived and drew a deep breath.
His gaze on her pale stomach, Jared stepped closer and instinctively grasped her hand. She curled her fingers around his and he took note of the roughness on the pads, no doubt caused by her work. He couldn’t help but admire the dedication it must take to sift through sand to find ancient artifacts.
“Here we go.” The doctor’s voice drew his focus back to the ultrasound.
Whooshing noises sounded around them as she moved the wand over Charlotte’s belly. She squeezed his hand tighter and he put his free hand on her shoulder.
Suddenly, a fast, thumping sound surrounded them and the doctor smiled. “Aah, here we go. A nice, fast, healthy heartbeat.”
A lump formed in his throat, the pregnancy becoming real for the first time. That was his baby’s heartbeat. His and Charlotte’s. Excitement and happiness filled him in ways he’d never experienced before.
“Look,” Dr. Messing said, turning a black-and-white screen toward them. She pointed out various things he wouldn’t have recognized, a gestational sac, the yolk sac, umbilical cord, and, finally, the fetus.
His future.
He looked at Charlotte, who had happy tears in her eyes, as she met his gaze.
His whole future.
Chapter Eight
Over an hour later, Charlotte found herself in Jared’s apartment, her feet up on the sofa, blanket over her legs. He’d prepared dinner and was catering to her every need and she wasn’t sure how to feel about all the attention.
She was well aware his priority was making sure the baby was okay, which the doctor had reassured them, it was. Though she knew fainting could be normal in pregnancy, she was still reassured.
She’d passed out due to low sugar, made worse by her skipping lunch. She was pretty sure Jared had let out a low, sexy growl when he’d heard that news. For some reason, his reaction had gone a long way to soothe her insulted ego when he’d seemed to be more worried about the baby than her.
She knew in her heart she was overreacting but that moment was a reminder of her core issue. She might be developing feelings for Jared, but she’d never know if he desired her for herself or because she was carrying his baby.
He strode into the room with a tray filled with food and set it down across from her. He’d rolled up his sleeves, revealing muscular forearms. His hair was that messy style she loved.
“Your dinner is served. And so is mine.” He settled in beside her, so close she smelled his familiar, sexy cologne, which always managed to arouse her.