Page 85 of Amor Prohibido

The irrational side of my personality came to life with a bout of nervous laughter. Jace stood with his arms thrown wide, holding awhat the fuck?expression as I tried to get a grip.

I blew out a slow breath until the urge to laugh dissipated. “I think I’ve just gone into labour,” I whispered.

“What?”he yelled an octave higher than his usual low rumbling tone. “Let me see.”

Ignoring my protests and my outstretched hands, Jace knelt before me, opened my legs, and peered between them with fierce determination to figure out what was going on.

“Ay, Dios mío [Oh my God]. Jace, stop! It’s so wrong that you’re inspecting down there at a time like this.”

He abruptly came to his senses and jolted away when he realised the position that he was in. I giggled at his sheepishness as he retreated a couple of paces, though he remained on his knees in front of me.

“Tell me what I need to do, J,” he puffed, looking like he was on the verge of panicking.

“Ring Ursula, let her know my waters have broken,” I explained slowly. “Considering it’s five weeks early, she might want me to come into the hospital for monitoring.”

“Okay, ring Ursula…” He took a couple of steps toward the door, then turned back to me, looking torn. “Is it okay to leave you alone?”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes before I could stop myself. The poor guy was freaking out—I should cut him some slack.

“Jace, I promise they’re not just gonna fall out of me. It’sfine, honestly. Get my phone, ring Ursula, her name starts with U.”

“Right.” He swung into action, and I sat shaking my head at how adorable he was.

During the moment of peace, I noticed another new sensation: a vague cramping deep within, like period cramps, but not.

Oh fuck! I reallyamin labour. I’m not ready for this yet. Give me a few more weeks!

My silent pleas to Dios almighty fell on deaf ears as more water trickled from my body. Taking roughly seventeen deep breaths to calm down a little, I then got up and waddled to where Jace paced the lounge with my phone pressed to his ear.

His gaze flicked over my body, no doubt checking to see if I was still ‘whole’. If only things happened that quickly. I expected a long, arduous labour, mostly because it was my first. My biggest fear was leaving Jace alone in this world with two newborn babies to raise without me. The thought instantly pushed tears to my eyes.

Jace was off the phone and gathering me into his arms. “Hey, it’s going to be okay, sweetheart. You’re gonna do great and I’m gonna be there with you. Anything you want or need at any time, you just let me know, okay?”

I nodded into his chest, breathing in his soothing scent. I wanted to believe every single word he said, and I did, more or less. It was the underlying unknowns that played on my mind.

“Ursula would like to see us at the hospital. She’s already there from a birth overnight. She said to not panic and not to rush, and to come in when we’re ready.”

He’d pulled himself together, and I was grateful for it because I felt like I was facing a vertical climb with no safety harness. Preparing for labour was one thing, feeling the beginning of it was another entirely.

Focusing on the constant stroke of his warm hand running up and down my back, I took a deep breath and concentrated on what I needed for a few days. My overnight bag was packed, and all I needed to add was my phone and handbag.

“Ready?” Jace whispered.

“I think so.”

I studied him, taking in his every feature as he gazed back at me. Bright hazel-green eyes, the short beard I loved, his smooth head, straight nose with a rounded tip, and the place on his left cheek where his dimple popped. This man was my undoing.

“I love you, J. With all my heart.”

“I love you too.”

He pressed a kiss to my mouth, then grabbed my hospital bag. He had the house locked and the car loaded by the time I reached for the passenger door handle. It had only been half an hour since our morning took an unexpected turn, but I was sure these contractions were coming stronger with each passing minute.

And I was so not ready.

TWENTY-EIGHT

JACE

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