Page 52 of Bewitched

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Saturday, May 6

Blake walked into Paige’s sunny hospital room and saw her sitting on the bed, facing the window. “We have to stop meeting like this.” He pressed a kiss to her wet hair and felt a wave of relief wash over his body. “Feel better after your shower?”

“Much.”

He handed her a cup of hot chocolate and then sat down in front of her. “You scared the shit out of me.” Scooting his chair closer, he laid his head in her lap. “When I walked into this room yesterday and saw you hooked up to all those monitors, I about had a heart attack.”

Paige ran her fingers through his hair and sighed. “The good news is that it’s over. There’s no reason for my body to start attacking itself again.”

“If I had been here, I could’ve helped you.” Lifting himself up, he looked into her eyes. “One way or another, we’re going to be together. No more of this separation business.”

“Since you’re here, make yourself useful and comb this knot out of my hair.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He felt her hand on his shirt and saw tears gather in her eyes. “What, honey?” Taking the hot chocolate out her hand, he set it down. “Come here.” Lifting her up, he settled her in his lap. “You’re okay. I got you.” He felt her kiss his chest. The last chain loosened around his heart. It was hers now, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

“You said that to me as the building exploded in Jordan. Then you said it again when we made this baby. Thank you…for holding on and protecting me.”

He felt her body start to shake. She dampened his T-shirt with her tears. “Let it out, honey.” Rubbing her back, he kissed her cheek. “I’ve got you and I always will. You and the baby are doing okay, and we’re going to make sure it stays that way. The nurse said you’re having an ultrasound later today so we can see how he’s doing in there. They said he was reacting well to the antibiotics, and his heart rate is right where it needs to be.”

“When they told me he was in distress, I felt my heart break. I’m his mama. I’m supposed to take care of him.”

“You are taking care of him. The chances of an infection occurring after an amnio are less than one percent. It was a good thing your mama was there and got help right away.” Placing his hand on her tummy, he let out a laugh. “I just felt him move.”

Paige put her hand on her stomach and smiled. “I think he’s started playing soccer again.”

“That’s my boy. Nothing keeps him down for long.” He lowered his mouth and took hers in a heart-pounding kiss. His future tasted absolutely perfect. When he released her, he grinned. “I’m going to comb out your hair and give you one of my famous braids.”

She crawled out of his lap and sat on the bed next to him. “Please, sir, work your magic.”

He took the brush and turned her around. “Tell me what I missed in the four days we were separated.”

“You start. I want to know what happened at your final eval.” Turning, she gave him a side eye. “Quit stalling. Are you going back to the Teams?”

He felt her shoulders tense and knew her casual tone was covering up her very real concern. “I can go back to the Teams, but if I injure my shoulder again, I could lose the use of my arm. The doctor recommended medical retirement.” Slowly, he started unraveling the knot and hummed to himself.

“Blake!”

He leaned over her shoulder and smiled. “Yes, honey?”

“What are you going to do?” Sitting up straighter, she threw him a disgruntled look. “I can’t believe you’re playing with me.”

The knot finally unraveled and he slowly brushed her hair. “I’m not playing. It’s just hard for me to believe that you’re all that interested where I might be spending the next couple of years. After all, it was you that said you’d see me some time after the baby was born. If a man hears that enough times, he starts to believe he’s not wanted.” He knew he was pushing her and he didn’t care. There was a big part of him that needed to know whether she wanted him or not. He was real clear about where he wanted to end up, and it was about time Paige decided that too. “Let me braid your hair. Quit moving around.”

“I tell you, you’re about the most infuriating man that ever lived. I know what you’re doing and I have a mind never to tell you how I feel.”

He finished the braid and then kissed her gently behind her ear. He’d learned over the last month that if he kissed her there, she softened right up. And right about now, she could use some softening. She was getting herself riled up, and if he wasn’t careful she would work herself into an almighty mad that was going to be difficult to get over. Well…it would be difficult only if they couldn’t make love. That was another thing he’d discovered about Paige…she got over things quicker if they were naked. “All right…I guess I’ll give you the update.”

Scooting away from him, she leaned against the pillows and stretched out her feet across his lap. Lifting her hand, she studied her nails. “Whenever you’re ready. It’s not like it’s going to matter to me one way or another.”

“Let me ask you something before I give you the full story.”

Flipping her hand around, she smiled. “Go ahead.”

“What was your biggest objection to moving to San Diego?”

Her eyebrows knit together, and she fiddled with a button on her pajama top. “I didn’t want to go to San Diego and be by myself. If you go back to the Teams, then I’ll be in a new state without any family or friends. That doesn’t make any sense, given my current condition.”

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