Page 31 of Kissing the Kelpie

“I was a biology experiment?” I yell, grunting and bearing down. “That’s how you see me?”

He shakes his head. “You’re not an experiment; you’re my companion. I love you, and I’m devoted to you. Now, do you want me to try and help guide the baby out?”

“No! I don’t want your hands anywhere near me.”

“Ah, it’s the other parts you want close.”

“Like hell!” I cry out against the pain. The absolute nerve of him to act like such a jackass! Where did this come from? Where is the sweet, tender man I fell for? “You’re never touching me again. Do you understand?”

He dips his head underwater, and I’m terrified he’s going to come up in his full kelpie form. Please don’t let them eat their young.

When he reemerges, he pushes his dripping hair back with both hands, wearing a look of innocence that I don’t understand. Especially when he’s acting like such a rogue.

“What do you say? After you birth our child, we can go right back at it. See how long it takes for baby number two.”

“Em’s going to kill you.” I slam my hands down on the water in front of him. “If birthing this baby kills me, he’ll tear you apart limb by limb. If I survive and you come near me again, I’m going to tell him to chop off your thing!”

“But you like my thing.”

“GRR!” I pant, trying to breathe through the pain. “Em! Where are you?”

“He, Safra, and all the bears and wolves are surrounding the area to make sure we don’t have any unexpected guests.”

“You did this to me and put me and my daughter at risk. I hate you!”

“You’re beautiful when you’re angry.” He brushes a piece of my hair behind my ear. As much as I want to push him away, I wish he’d sit with me and hold my hand. “I know this has been the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do, and I’m so proud of you.”

I look at him, confused, convinced he has lost his mind.

“Masha, are you ready to meet our baby? I can see it’s ready to come out. Lift your knees to your chest and bear down one last time with all that you have. One more big push.”

I do as he says if for no other reason than to prove to him he knows nothing about giving birth. Catching my breath, I watch Finn dip under the water again.

He emerges, cradling our child in his arms. “Masha, meet our son.”

Numb and relieved of the excruciating pain, I look on with my mouth open, unable to believe it’s over. The baby—our baby is here.

Finn sits next to me on the makeshift bench. He holds our sweet, fair-haired child between us. I reach out and touch the shock of blonde hair on the top of his head and look into his big blue eyes. He’s quiet, the stillness broken only by the soft sound of his breathing.

“Look at those eyelashes. They look like someone drew them on.” I marvel at my perfect child who, instead of crying, looks perfectly content cooing in his father’s arms.

“He takes after his mother.” Finn offers our son to me. After carefully placing him in my arms, Finn inches closer and slides his arm around my waist, pulling me against his body. “How are you?”

“Relieved. Exhausted.” My eyes trail to the baby’s bottom half. Instead of legs, our child has a beautiful tail with an intricate pattern of multiple shades of blues and greens. “How do you know it’s a boy?”

“His tail,” Finn answers, wearing a smile of pride. “A girl’s tail would have shades of red, orange and pink.”

“Oh. And you’re sure he’s a kelpie and not a merman?”

“Yes.”

“You were trying to make me angry, weren’t you?”

“Guilty as charged. I thought it would help you push without realizing you were pushing. And it worked.”

I nod, but I’m curious about how he knew what to do. Time to swallow my pride. “About splashing you…”

“I understand. You were in a lot of pain, and you’re sorry for your hostility.”

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