Page 74 of A Sudden Response

“Let’s get you to the couch, Joe,” Eric said calmly as he reached down and scooped her up into his arms.

“I don’t think you should be doing that,” the ice princess pointed out. “You could hurt the baby!”

He sent his mother a glare for inviting the woman as he walked into the living room. A talk was long overdue about the woman’s unwanted dating services. Judging by her reluctant nod, she knew what was coming.

“More cake?” Emily asked.

“That’s a good idea,” he heard Nathan say as he walked into the living room.

A minute later, Nathan was on the phone as he walked into the room and handed Eric a pile of white towels and blankets.

“Is that 911?” Eric asked.

When Nathan nodded, Eric held out his hand and took the phone. Nathan quickly sat down by Joe’s side and put his arm around her as he offered her his hand to squeeze. That actually surprised Eric since the last time Joe ended up breaking three of his fingers.

“What’s the address?”

“Hey, Roger, it’s Eric.”

Roger chuckled. “Let me guess, Joe’s the one ready to burst?”

“Oh, yeah,” Eric said, watching as his wife squeezed Nathan’s hand while she struggled to bite back a scream. Nathan didn’t fare so well. He dropped to his knees on the floor with a muttered, “Jesus Christ!” but he never pulled his hand away.

“Only give her two fingers so that she doesn’t break your damn hand,” Eric said as his brother struggled to survive another contraction.

With a sigh of relief, his brother pulled his hand away and offered her two fingers. Joe quickly grabbed hold of his fingers as she bit back another scream. He didn’t need to look to know that his little boy was going to be making his appearance soon. This was her second child and that usually meant a quicker delivery, and judging by the timing between her screams, it was going to be real fucking soon.

“What’s the address?”Roger asked.

“458 Cranberry Road,” Eric answered as he slowly exhaled.

“Okay, I’m sending them now. Good luck, Eric.”

“Thanks,” he said before hanging up.

He placed the phone on the coffee table and knelt down in front of Joe. “Baby, I think we should get you set up on the floor. What do you think?” he suggested, brushing her long, beautiful hair out of her face.

“I think,” Joe said, taking a deep breath, “that if you or that damn battering ram you have the nerve to call a dick ever comesnear me again, I will-Aaaaaaggggghhhhh!” she broke off her beautiful words of love with a scream.

“Time to get you on the floor,” Eric said, ignoring Nathan’s amused chuckles as he helped Joe lay down on the freshly polished floor.

“Get behind her and let her sit back against you,” he said, thankful that Nathan did what he was asked.

“Um, what are you doing?” the woman he’d forgotten about suddenly demanded.

“Dinner appears to be over. You might want to leave before this gets messy,” Eric said, not bothering to take his eyes off his wife as he pushed up the soft, flowery cotton maternity dress that Joe hated.

“I don’t think you should be doing that,” the woman said, ignoring his polite request to get the fuck out.

“It’s fine. I really need you to go now,” Eric said as he gently pulled Joe’s pink panties off. When he saw what was waiting for him, he slowly exhaled.

“Look, you really shouldn’t be doing that. I’m going to call an ambulance for her,” the stubborn woman said with a dismissive look in his direction.

Eric liked to think he was a patient man, but his wife was in pain and from the looks of it, his son was ready to make an appearance. “Look,sweetheart, this is a family moment and you’re not family, so you can either haul your ass out of here or I can throw you out. It’s your choice,” Eric snapped, moving to do just that.

“Fine, you didn’t have to be so rude about it!” she snapped as she stormed out of the house. “Don’t bother calling me,” she bit out, probably to Nathan, as he placed a towel on the floor between Joe’s legs.

“Where the hell does she keep finding women like that?” Joe bit out tightly between panting.

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