Colt?
I flutter my eyes open. I must be dreaming. Dirty blond hair, messier than usual. He looks like he hasn’t shaved in days. His eyes are closed but dark circles are etched beneath them. A black T-shirt stretches across his beautiful chest. His lips are moving in some sort of whispered prayer.
“Colt?” My voice comes out raspy, but at least my mouth is working now.
His gaze flicks to me and then widens. “Charlie? Oh God, Charlie.” He’s holding one of my hands pressed against his lips.
“Squirt?” I need to know. “Squirt’s a girl? Is she okay?” Is he really here? When? My baby…
Colt kisses my knuckles without allowing his gaze to move from my face. His thunder blue eyes shine with unshed tears. “She’s in the nursery. Perfect. Seven pounds, two ounces. Twenty-two inches long. Blond hair like her mama. Ten little fingers and ten toes.” He stares at me intently, as though he’s afraid to look away. “Your blood pressure skyrocketed. Do you remember? I was so damn scared.” One tear overflows and rolls down his cheek. He shakes his head, seeming to be annoyed at himself.
I can’t help myself. I move our hands to his cheek and brush the single line of moisture away with my fingers.
“You’ll get her for me?” He blinks and nods his head.
He looks like he hasn’t slept in days. “Let me find the nurse.” When he reluctantly places my hand on the bed, I feel bereft without his touch.
I move my hand to my stomach. It’s not as flat as I would have thought but no more hard bump. “A girl? I have a girl? I’m a mom.” This is not the way I’d planned it. But just as long as she’s okay.
Tiny wrinkles form around his eyes when he chuckles. “You’re a mom to a perfect little girl. Let me track her down.” He presses another kiss to my forehead.
Panic claws at me in an instant. Is he even real? “You’ll come back?”
He must hear something in my voice because ever so gently he bends down and wraps me in his arms. I feel his warmth, breathe in the masculine scent that’s uniquely him. I’ve missed this so much. So much.
Now I’m the one crying.
Colt squeezes me tight now. He’s kissing my hair, my eyes.
And then his voice rasps behind my ear. “I can’t stay away from you, babe. Haven’t you figured it out yet? You whispered me home.”
A few minuteslater, I’m holding my baby.
My baby!
She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Pale blue eyes, Blond little tufts of hair. Holding her like this, I barely notice the nurse checking my blood pressure and taking notes.
I can’t stop the tears that roll down my face. I don’t care. Not only am I holding my baby, but Colt’s sitting next to me, watching us both with… love? Yes. With love.
“Everything looks good!” The nurse chirps and then glances between Colt and me. “You look so familiar.” Her eyes settle on Colt.
“I hear that a lot.” He smiles.
“Ah. Well. They say everybody has a twin, right?” She rolls up the pressure cuff and hangs it on a rolling cart. “I’ll leave mom and dad alone for a while.”
“I’ll take good care of these two.” Colt doesn’t contradict her assumption.
After she disappears, Colt slides onto the bed next to me. With his arm around me and this little pink bundle in my arms, I don’t think I could feel any happier.
“Look at her, Colt.” I unwrap the blanket and reveal the tiny little arms and legs in this itty bitty T-shirt. “Oh, my God.” I’m in awe.
Colt’s fingers stroke her soft little cheek. “You did good.”
“Squirt’s a girl.” I’m grinning so big it almost hurts.
Colt squeezes me. “Squirt’s a girl.” A perfect moment. “Any idea what you want to name her?”
I shake my head and laugh. “I thought she was gonna be a boy.”
