Surrender to Me (Boggy Creek Valley 4)

Staring at the screen, I nodded as I tried not to seem flustered from my thoughts.

Dr. Morgan worked in silence for a few moments, then turned to me and Hunter and smiled before she pointed at the screen. “Look right here at the tip of my nail. This is the yolk sac and the gestational sac. Do you see that little movement? That’s the baby’s heart beating.”

Tears instantly ran down my cheeks as I stared at our tiny baby. Our baby. Hunter and I had made him or her together.

“Looks like you’re a little over seven weeks, by my measurements,” Dr. Morgan said. “Let’s hear that heartbeat, shall we?”

I nodded and wiped at my tears, keeping my eyes locked on the little white blob on the screen. Suddenly, the most amazing sound I’d ever heard in my life filled the room, and I felt Hunter squeeze my hand.

“That is one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard,” Hunter said, wiping at his own tears.

Dr. Morgan smiled at us. “We want the heartbeat to be over ninety beats per minute.” She clicked a few more keys. “We have a strong heartbeat, at one-hundred-and-sixty-five beats per minute. As you get farther along, the heartbeat will decrease and could range from one-twenty to one-eighty beats per minute.”

“So, she’s got a strong heart, then?”

I looked at Hunter and almost cried even harder when he referred to the baby as she.

“Yes, everything looks perfect. The baby is about the size of a blueberry. She’ll do a lot of growing and changing. Do either of you have any questions or concerns?”

Hunter and I both shook our heads. “I don’t think I have any right now,” I said.

“None from me,” Hunter agreed.

Dr. Morgan gave us a wide smile as she looked back at the screen and did some more typing, moving the screen around to get a better look at the baby.

Five minutes later, she stood and cleaned me off before discarding her gloves. “I made a video and took some photos for you.” She handed the photos to Hunter. “The video will be digital, and one of the nurses will email it you, Arabella. Is the email we have on file still good?”

My mind was swirling around with the sound of the baby’s heartbeat. I nodded. “Yes, thank you so much.”

Dr. Morgan smiled again. “Congratulations to you both. I’ll give you a few minutes, then I’ll meet you up front with some more information. I’d like for you start some prenatal vitamins as soon as possible, but I’ll give you all that information before you leave.”

“Sounds good, thank you, Dr. Morgan.” Hunter shook her hand before she swept out the door and left us alone. The screen had a snapshot of the baby on it, and I stared at it until Hunter said my name and held out his hand for me.

Placing my hand over my stomach, I took in a few deep breaths while Hunter helped me sit up. I swung my feet over, and when he helped me down, I nearly swooned at what a gentleman he was.

“That’s our baby on that screen. Our baby, Bella.”

“I know. When I heard the heartbeat…it was so beautiful.”

Hunter nodded. “How do you feel? Okay?”

I hadn’t experienced any morning sickness yet. But this morning when I’d gotten out of bed a rush of dizziness had hit me, and I’d felt sick to my stomach. Hunter had nearly jumped over the bed to get to me, and I laughed when he almost fell on his ass. Just his hands on me had instantly made the queasiness go away.

“I feel perfectly fine now. I am hungry, though.”

He smiled, and I felt my knees go weak again. “I can’t have my girls being hungry. How about we hit up The Coffee Pot for lunch?”

Smiling, I nodded and took hold of his hand. “Do you want a girl?”

Hunter grinned. “I don’t care. I just want you both to be healthy and happy.”

Tears pricked at the back of my eyes again, and I had to blink a few times to keep them at bay.

“Do you want a girl?” he asked.

“I feel the same as you. I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl, I just want them healthy.”

Hunter brushed a kiss across my lips before he leaned his forehead on mine and then laughed. “We’re going to be parents, Bella. Holy shit.”

I giggled and placed my hands on his chest. “It is a bit scary, isn’t it? You’re not upset it’s happening so soon, are you?”

“Hell no. Are you?”

I drew back and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. “Not at all. I knew the first night we were together I wanted to have a baby.”

He kissed me once more, laced his fingers with mine, and guided us out of the room to meet Dr. Morgan.