Page 28 of Bearly in Love

BO—AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE

“What are we doing?” Madison asked for the dozenth time since we’d walked out our back door. She was blindfolded, and though she was technically walking on her own feet, I held most of her weight off the ground.

And most of the baby’s weight.

He or she was a heavy little beast. We assumed it was a boy, and a bear, but we were waiting until it came to find out for sure.

I hadn’t been on board with the surprise, but Madi wasn’t willing to budge on it.

So, neither of us had a clue what we were having.

The baby would be here in a few days, though.

I could hardly wait to meet them.

“Ambrose,” Madi complained. “I’m too pregnant for this.”

“You’re fine.”

“Do you want me to punch you in the balls? Because I will.”

“You like my balls too much for that.”

She scowled, but I finally stopped her in front of the gazebo I’d set up in the forest.

When she sniffed the air, her scowl vanished. “Why does it smell like fruit?”

All she’d wanted to eat through her whole pregnancy was fresh fruit. She was growing a shifter, so we had no idea why she wanted fruit over something like meat. It was cute to watch her obsess over fruit, though.

Not as cute as it was to watch her body grow, swell, and curve with the life she was growing for us. But still cute.

“Just try to be patient, for once in your life.” I stepped around her back and started untying the blindfold.

Madi tore it over her head, tossing it against my chest as she looked around the gazebo.

Her eyes lingered on the cushioned area set up next to a platter of fresh fruit for a moment, but moved around the rest of the space just as quickly. The sun was going down, and fairy lights glowed around the space.

On the other side of the gazebo from the fruit, an arched entryway was lined with flowers.

Madi looked down at her dress.

I’d slipped it over her head after blindfolding her. She’d assumed it was something kinky, but for once, she was wrong.

It was a soft, flowy white silk dress. Though it had enough fabric to basically float over her swollen belly, there was no weight to it.

“You put me in a wedding dress,” she breathed, finally meeting my gaze. “Do you think I’m going to marry you, Ambrose Stevenson?”

“I do.” I gave her a small smile. “I want you to be my wife as much as you’re my mate, Mads.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “Don’t make me cry. You know I’m a hormonal beast right now.”

“It’s fine if you do. There’s no audience this time.” I gestured to the forest around us.”

“There could be a few squirrels out there.” She dashed away her tears.

“I can scare them away for you if you want.”

She laughed. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Good. I don’t think I could talk myself into putting this tux back on after shifting.”

“It looks hot, though.” She patted my chest lightly. “I think I can marry you here. Without an audience. And with this dress, that’s thankfully not poofy. Or uncomfortable.” She eyed the table I’d set up. “Especially if there’s fruit at the end. But you forgot something.”

I frowned.

My forehead creased.

I’d been planning this for years, waiting for the timing to be right so I wouldn’t upset her by bringing back shitty memories.

There was no way I’d forgotten something.

I—

“You didn’t ask , Ambrose.”

Oh.

Shit.

I’d figured a surprise was the best way to stop her from stressing, but she had a point. I should’ve started with a question. Especially when I already knew what her answer would be.

I cleared my throat and released her, lowering myself to one knee and taking Madi’s hand between mine. “Mads, will you marry me?”

Her lips stretched in a wide smile.

More tears flooded her eyes.

“Yes. I will.”

I stood up and dragged her into my arms, kissing her.

Before our tongues met, she gave a surprised squeak that was nowhere near normal. I released her as she pulled away.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I think I just peed myself. Or my water just broke.”

She lifted the hem of her dress, and my nostrils flared.

Definitely didn’t smell like urine.

Excitement swelled in my chest, and I swept her into my arms.

“What are you doing?” she protested, as I hauled her back down the path we’d just walked. “You didn’t grab the fruit! And we should have time before I actually need to go to the hospital, Ambrose. I?—”

“You’re having our baby, Mads. The fruit can wait.”

She moaned a complaint, but we both knew she wasn’t getting out of my arms to go after the food herself.

I’d ask one of our friends to grab it for me and drop it off in the house just in case her craving stuck around after the baby came.

Because holy fuck—we were having a baby.

Thirty-two hours and ten minutes later, I was crammed on a hospital bed with my mate, staring down at the chunky little boy in her arms in utter awe.

Madison was so fucking strong.

She’d grown a tiny person. In her body.

We were both already utterly obsessed with him.

He slept peacefully, his belly full and his lips parted in a little pout. We’d been right about his gender, and his animal form. We hadn’t seen him shift yet, but he felt like a bear, and we trusted our intuition on that.

“He’s so perfect,” she whispered.

“He is. You’re incredible.” I kissed her forehead. Then her cheek.

Then his cheek.

Then her forehead again.

“I’ll marry you when we get home,” she added.

“That’s the last thing on my mind, Mads.”

“I know. I do want to, though.”

“Good. I do too.” I kissed her again. “Now, hand me our son so you can rest.”

“You’re not allowed to use him to force me to let you take care of me more,” she warned.

“Whatever you say.” I carefully eased him out of her arms. Fierce love crashed into me as I stared down at the little guy.

“You’re a pain in my ass, Ambrose.”

“I probably always will be.”

“Probably. You’re lucky I love you.”

“A lucky bastard,” I agreed.

Madison yawned widely and rested her head against my shoulder. She dozed off quietly while I stared down at our baby.

Our life together had been a wild ride—and I couldn’t fucking wait for the next chapter.