He watched as Rowan polished off his food and couldn’t help smiling. He just hoped it stayed down.
Rowan patted his belly after putting his spoon down and hummed. “That was yummy. I was starving.” Rowan rubbed his belly, then spoke in a soft voice, “Hey there, little bit. Will you let Papa keep his food down, please?”
Mikhail’s heart melted, and he leaned in and put his hand over Ro’s. “Daddy is asking too. Please, let Papa have a break from puking.”
Rowan’s eyes lit up when their gazes locked, and he couldn’t help it. He leaned in for a quick kiss.
When Mik pulled back, he lifted the tray from Rowan’s lap and took it back to the living room.
From there, he called out, “So, want to tell me why you’re back well before the end of your shift?”
Rowan didn’t answer immediately, and he was back in the room when his mate finally said, “I missed you?”
Mik chuckled and got in bed, pulling Rowan into his arms. “Flattery will get you everywhere.” He placed a kiss on top of Rowan’s head. “And I missed you too, but we both know that’s not the reason.”
Rowan’s shoulders slumped. “The bathroom stall and I became very well acquainted. When I was done with my last patient, I figured I could leave early, and Linda agreed. She’s the head nurse for morning shift,” Rowan tacked on.
Mik picked his words carefully, not wanting to upset his mate. “You know, if you want, that is, you don’t have to work.” He quickly added. “Just right now, until the little one is here. I would never stop you from working in general… not that I could since we are partners. I just mean...”
Ro’s shoulders shook in Mik’s arms, and before he heard the full-on laughter, he couldn’t help it, he tickled Rowan’s sides, and his mate tried to wriggle out from his arms.
“Uncle. Uncle.” Rowan called out, even as he tried to get away.
Mikhail lifted both hands and huffed playfully. “That’ll teach you to laugh at me.”
“You should have heard yourself. You were rambling,” Rowan teased. “And I’ve definitely been thinking about cutting back, but I’ll give it a couple more weeks. Most pregnant people don’t stop work until they’re six months in.”
“You’re not most, love. Besides, what happens for them in nine months happens in four for you, so your body definitely goes through more stress in a shorter time.”
“I know, I know, but I have one client that is due any day. Once she has her little one, I think I can transfer all my clients.”
Mikhail didn’t like thinking of Rowan sick at work but would never tell his mate what to do.
Rowan moved from his arms and turned so they were face to face. “I promise I’ll take it easy.”
“I worry,” Mikhail admitted.
“I know, babe.” Rowan’s lips curved in a small smile. “I kind of love that you think about us.”
“Always.” Mikhail held Rowan’s gaze. “Always.”
“I know,” Rowan whispered.
There was a look in Rowan’s eyes that had him wanting to do cartwheels, backflips, and everything in between. A look he’d hoped he’d been hoping he would one day see but had been too terrified to hope for.
When his mate fell asleep in his arms, Mik said a thank you to the goddess, and not just because he knew Rowan would soon be ready to hear that Mik loved him with his whole heart but also because their little one had managed to let papa’s food stay down.
Twenty-Six
Rowan
Ro was definitely going to resign from his job after Sydney had her baby. He was struggling, and he knew in a few more weeks the little curve that had appeared seemingly overnight would be very noticeable. Even though he’d called out the past two days at work, he was back at it, this time on the paediatric floor since there were a couple of nurses out with a bad flu that was making the rounds.
The alarm he set to feed one of the preemies in his care went off. Baby O’Connor was on a two-hour feeding schedule with an ounce and a half per feed. Rowan got on his feet and swayed a little.
“Head rush,” he muttered. Rowan lifted the water bottle Mikhail insisted he have at all times and took a large drink of water. He checked his body to see how he felt before going to the room with the refrigerator that stored the expressed breast milk.
He smiled at another nurse on shift with him—Baxter. The man had introduced himself earlier.
