"So tight," he groans. "Even now. Gripping me."
I rock back, taking him deeper. "Knox. Please."
"I know." He withdraws, slams back in. "I know what you need."
Deep, relentless, punishing in the best way. One hand at my hip, the other reaching around to rub tight circles on my clit, and I'm spiraling.
"That's my girl. Take every inch."
"Knox." My arms shake.
"You want to come and put yourself in labor?"
"Yes. God. Yes."
His thumb works harder, his cock driving deeper, hitting the spot that makes my legs shake, and I shatter. Crying out, clenching around him, whole body seizing.
Knox groans, hips stuttering, he's coming too, filling me, grip bruising on my hips as he buries himself deep.
He eases out, hand at my lower back.
I collapse onto my elbows. "Oh."
His hand stills on my back. "What's wrong?"
I blink. Once. Twice. Warmth spreads down my thighs, unmistakable.
"Oh," I repeat, breathless. "That worked."
There's a beat of silence. I look back over my shoulder. Knox's face is white.
"Oh fuck."
The hospital is a blur of headlights, contractions, and Knox white-knuckling the steering wheel of the truck as though it personally insulted him. He is calm about everything except this.
"Breathe," he keeps saying. "You're doing great. You're incredible. I have never loved you more than I do right now."
"I swear to God," I pant between contractions, "if you pass out, I will haunt you."
"I'm not going to pass out." But his knuckles are white.
"You look as though you might throw up."
"I might. But I'm not leaving you."
By the time we're admitted, a nurse hooks me to monitors and tells Knox they need a few minutes to get me settled. He squeezes my hand, sets his mouth to my forehead, and backs out of the room as if leaving costs him a physical ache.
The waiting room fills fast.
Malachi and Candace arrive first. A gold band catches the fluorescent light on Candace's left hand when she reaches for the sign-in sheet, a ring that wasn't there a year ago. They gotmarried in the fall. Small ceremony. Malachi cried. He'll deny it until he dies.
East and Darla rush in next, Darla crying, East trying to look calm and failing. The twins are with a sitter tonight, and East looks as though he might vibrate out of his skin.
Nash and Ruby come through the door together. His hand is at the small of her back, settled, the way a hand rests when it's been there long enough to stop being a question. Ruby leans into his side, tablet tucked under her free arm. Whatever they figured out in the last year, they figured it out.
Maggie and James slip in without ceremony. Maggie begins organizing bags, snacks, and spare blankets because that's what Maggie does.
Frankie arrives with Arden close behind, both of them hovering near the back of the waiting room, steady and watchful. Frankie's eyes are shadowed.
