Page 37 of Shelter (The Wanderers 4)

He flinched. “It’s not. Nothing about this is okay. My wife is pregnant with another man’s baby and I haven’t even slept with her myself. It’s pure madness. Not to mention the fact that my best friends are also a part of our lives. We should have done more to get you out of here. And now things are escalating by the day.”

Haley was shockingly calm in the face of Braylon’s frustration. She continued to grip his hand and hold his gaze. “You’ve done everything you could. Stop castigating yourself.” She glanced at Rush. “We have help now. We’re going to get out of here soon.”

Rush nodded. “I swear I will get you to safety. All of you.”

“See?” She smiled at Braylon and then Storm. “Now, stop freaking out and let Rush examine me.” She yanked the covers off her body, exposing her small frame.

Rush felt like he should drop to his knees next to her. She was spun gold. His heart was racing as if he’d known her for a year and she’d just agreed to marry him. Ludicrous. She wasn’t his in the slightest.

“I’ll wait in the bathroom,” Storm said as he rose from the bed.

Haley shook her head. “You’ll stay right here with me. Surely the sight of a little blood is not going to make you faint, right?” She lifted a challenging brow.

Rush was grinning inside. Damn, she was strong. Much stronger than she looked.

“Of course not, baby,” Braylon responded. “We’ll stand wherever you want us. Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“If we’re going to have a baby, you’re going to have to get used to seeing blood. I’m pretty sure there will be a lot of it during the birth,” she teased. “And it’s probably time for everyone to stop being quite so protective of my virtue.” Yet another joke. “It’s overrated, don’t you think? If I’m going to give birth in nine months, I sure don’t want to still be a virgin. Maybe you should all get acquainted with my body.”

Braylon grinned as he leaned over and kissed her lips. “So demanding.”

She smiled. “Yeah. Enough coddling me. I’m not going to break. I’m a grown woman. A married one.” She turned her attention toward Storm. “You okay with a little blood?”

He smirked and placed his hand back on her ankle, her bare ankle now that she’d tugged the covers away.

She shifted her gaze to Rush next. “Do it.” She even pulled her nightgown up to her waist. “I’d rather have your opinion than lie here for several days wondering.”

Rush gripped her hand and then set it beside her body. “I don’t have any gloves, but I’m going to wash my hands first.” He rose and headed to the attached bathroom where he turned on the water and scrubbed his hands with soap. He stared at himself in the mirror the entire time.

This cannot be happening. It was surreal. It was frightening and invigorating at the same time. He needed to put his feelings in check and fast. Haley wasn’t his. She already had three men who adored her. Just because Rush had offered to get them to safety didn’t mean he would ever have any claim on her, baby or no baby. Right?

He swallowed back his concerns, dried his hands, and returned to the bedroom. Without a word, he eased her panties down over her hips, leaving them around her thighs. It took every ounce of inner strength to keep things professional.

He’d been a medic for years and never once had he crossed a line with a patient. But this woman had burrowed her way into his heart in seconds, and this was extremely personal.

Not to mention the fact that this was his baby they were talking about. Even though he hadn’t wanted any part in creating this human, it was done, and dammit, he didn’t want her to lose it.

He quickly assessed the pad between her legs and then gently nudged her thighs apart a few inches so he could take a look at her vaginal opening. Keeping his personal feelings at bay, he parted her folds to check for blood. It only took a few seconds, and then he immediately righted her panties and pulled her gown down.

He lifted his gaze and smiled. “She’s fine.”

They all blew out a collective breath.

“Minor spotting. Nothing to worry about as long as it remains minor.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it again. He didn’t really give a fuck if no one liked it. He couldn’t keep from touching her. He only had moments left before he would need to leave, and who knew when he might get to see her again?

He met her gaze. “Don’t panic. I think you’ll be fine. No cramping, right?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Rest for today, and if you want to milk it, do so for as long as you’d like. If you really start bleeding, let someone know. If you complain of cramps and Mrs. Hanson calls your regular doctor, don’t worry. Cramps are perfectly normal, and there’s no way for him to know if you’re telling the truth or not.”

“Okay. Thank you.” She hesitated and then surprised him by bringing his hand to her face and rubbing it against her cheek.

Rush held his breath.

“You care, don’t you?” she asked softly.

“Yes. I don’t know why,” he admitted. It really did defy logic.

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