Pregnant by the Rival CEO

And then the whoosh. Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

Anna’s eyes sprang to life, quickly followed by her electric smile, jolting Jacob back to a state where he felt as if he could breathe again. Anna raised her head and looked down at her stomach. “The baby...”

“The heartbeat sounds perfect,” Dr. Wright said.

“Thank God.” The most profound relief Jacob had ever experienced threatened to knock him flat. He closed his eyes and his shoulders dropped from the solace of that perfect sound. He leaned down and cupped Anna’s cheek then pressed a kiss to her forehead. His lips wanted to stay there, keep contact with her warm and wonderful-smelling skin.

Dr. Wright turned off the Doppler and sat back down on her stool. Jacob helped Anna back up to sitting.

“I’d like you on bed rest for the next twenty-four hours. Take it easy. It’s very possible that this is just normal first trimester spotting and has nothing to do with any of your other issues.”

“Normal?” Jacob asked.

“Yes, Mr. Lin. Normal. Possibly.”

He’d never quite imagined his glee at hearing that anything was normal, possibly, but there it was. He was ecstatic.

“You aren’t out of the woods. There are never any guarantees. But I’d say that everything, for the moment, looks good. Go home. Relax. Together. Dad, no going into work. Stay with her and call me if anything goes wrong.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m not going anywhere.”

Eighteen

Jacob and Anna arrived at Jacob’s apartment around one, after running to Anna’s place to get her a few things. He insisted they would be more comfortable at his place. She had to agree, and it was also much closer to the doctor’s office if they had to return. Although, as Dr. Wright had said, there wasn’t much they could do but wait for the bleeding to stop. At least they would be doing it together.

Anna changed into pajama pants and a tank top, unfortunately finding a similar amount of blood when she used the bathroom.

“Well?” Jacob asked, sounding hopeful when she walked into his bedroom.

“Still spotting. But it’s not any worse than before, so that’s good.” It felt as though she was shouldering the weight of the moment. Intellectually, she knew she had no control over the bleeding, but it was hard not to feel responsible. Perhaps that was the burden of being the messenger. It was okay. She’d take it.

“I don’t want you to worry about it.” He pulled back the comforter and patted the bed. “Your throne, m’lady.”

She grinned and shook her head. He could be so silly if he wanted to be, but she knew for a fact that he wasn’t like that with anyone else. He reserved his most unguarded moments for her. “Are those your PJs?”

“Of course. I’m not leaving you in this bed alone.” He’d put on a T-shirt and basketball shorts. How she loved those glorious, lanky legs of his. “I figure we’ll watch bad movies all afternoon. I haven’t played hooky from work in well, forever, I guess.”

“You know, I think I just want to talk for now. Maybe take a nap.” She climbed into bed and he did the same, on his side. This was indeed an odd setup, not really knowing the state of things between them. She knew how she felt—he’d obliterated her doubts about whether he’d fight for her. And he’d been right there with her at the doctor’s office, holding her hand. He’d even cried with her, at that moment when they were waiting to hear if the baby was still okay. She knew then that her love for him had never gone away. There had just been other things in the way and she could see now that she’d put a few of those things there herself, or at least allowed them to remain.

“This wasn’t exactly what I had envisioned when I was hoping to get you back into my bed,” he said, punching his pillow a few times.

Anna laughed. “Right now, this is all the romance I can take.” She watched as his expression became decidedly less jovial. “I didn’t mean it like that, Jacob. Really. I didn’t.”

He nodded. “It’s okay. I’m just trying to follow your cues. I’m waiting for the moment when you tell me that it’s okay for me to love you again.”

She rolled to her side and took his hand. Of course he was waiting for her. She’d been the guardian of every roadblock between them, making sure he knew the reasons they shouldn’t be together. It felt as though the time had come for her to focus on the reasons they should. “Do you think you can? Love me again?”