Courage (Heroes of Big Sky 1)

“Ouch.”

I frown at Fallon. We just turned the corner to go back to my house, but she’s stopped on the sidewalk, holding her belly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, it would appear that my water just broke.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“This isn’t something to joke about.” She blows out a breath. “I guess I’d better get to the hospital. I need to call Noah.”

“I’ll call Noah.” I pull my phone out of my pocket, dial his number, and then walk slowly beside Fallon as she makes her way to her car. “You’re not driving yourself.”

“Well, no. But I have a bag packed in here, just in case. Crap, I need Noah’s parents to come get Isha for us. We have a plan in place.”

“It’s all going to be fine.”

“Hello?”

“Hey, Noah, this is Tash. Fallon’s in labor. Her water just broke.”

“Awesome,” he says. “Where is she?”

“We’re at my house.”

“I’ll call my mom to come get Isha and pick her up from your place. Be there in twenty.”

“Can you wait twenty minutes?” I ask Fallon.

“Of course,” she says. “We’re hours away from the grand finale.”

* * *

She almost had the baby in my driveway.

The kids are asleep in their room. The house is quiet. And I’m in bed, thinking about everything that happened this evening.

I had to call the ambulance, and Sam was on the team that arrived. When they got her onto the gurney, Fallon was already crowning and ready to push.

Noah arrived just before they drove to the hospital.

Thirty minutes later, Noah’s mom, Susan, arrived to get Isha, and told me that Fallon had already given birth to a baby boy.

I still can’t believe it.

I turn over onto my side and stare out the window at the full moon.

I should be asleep. If I don’t get some rest, tomorrow will suck. But I’m wide-awake, and my brain just won’t turn off.

My bedroom door silently opens, then is closed again and locked. Moments later, Sam slips into the bed behind me. He hasn’t slept in the guest room even once since I spiffed it all up for him.

Instead, he waits for the kids to fall asleep and then comes in here with me.

In the six weeks that this has been our routine, neither of the kids has asked to sleep with me, which seems completely impossible. Then again, maybe they’ve grown out of the nightmares and are happy in their room.

God, I hope that’s the case.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Sam whispers in my ear.

“Too much action tonight.” I wiggle onto my back and cup his cheek. His eyes shine in the moonlight. “Did you deliver the baby?”

“Almost,” he admits. “It was close. She delivered about five minutes after we arrived at the hospital.”

“That’s crazy. How is it even possible to have a baby that fast?”

“This was her second. I’ve seen it happen that fast before on a second pregnancy. You were so calm and collected.”

I blink up at him. “I was not.”

“You seemed like it.”

“I was in a panic. What if she had that baby in my driveway?”

“Well, you would have brought her inside, and she would have had the baby in the house. But that’s not what happened, so it’s okay.”

“I’m not qualified for that situation.” I smile when Sam’s hand drifts down my side to the hem of my nightgown, and he starts to caress my bare skin. “Did you have fun tonight?”

“The kids are always fun,” he says and leans down to nibble on my ear. “And the ambulance ride was exciting. But this, right here, is what I’ve been looking forward to all night.”

“Making out with me in bed?”

“Hmm.” His thumb brushes over my hard nipple, and he groans. “For starters.”

He pulls my nightshirt up and over my head, and then makes quick work of getting my panties down my legs.

“Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you are?” He licks my collarbone. “You make me crazy. I wanted to fuck you in a firetruck tonight.”

“That might be interesting.”

“I can’t get enough of you. Can’t keep my hands off of you.” He nibbles my shoulder as his hand travels over my pubis and down into my folds. “You’re always ready for me.”

“I mean, you turn me on, Sam.” I swallow hard as he flips me onto my stomach and starts to kiss down my spine. The first time he did this, I almost came out of my skin. He knows it gets to me in the best way possible.

He just knows.

“I’m going to make you crazy,” he whispers in my ear. “And the best part is, you can’t make any noise. Don’t want to wake the kids.”

“I had no idea that you were a sadist,” I reply, earning a chuckle in response. The sheets are crisp and cool under my hot body.

And Sam’s hands are everywhere.

They roam over my back, my ass, and all the while, his mouth does the most delicious things to me.