Page 21

Ambrose

I could barely believe what I was hearing and I felt myself beginning to unravel from the inside out.

My cock was already hard as a rock, but now the tip was twitching too, precum beading it and dripping down my thighs and soaking my pants legs.

Indi was tipped up in front of me, my eyes dragging down her creamy perfect cheeks to that hint of her pretty asshole, and then down between her thighs where I saw her rosy pink swollen pussy.

I gripped her hip and then positioned my cock at her entrance. Her back was arching in anticipation, and her thighs already trembling.

Oh my god, to feel my cock inside her again was heaven .

I couldn’t stop an embarrassing grunt every inch I went deeper.

And the way she wiggled that juicy round ass in front of me.

That ass used to be mine to do what I wanted, spank as many times as I wanted until it was such a pretty color.

I put my hands on her hips and ground her all the way down over my dick.

Shit, hell, I could already feel an orgasm coiling at the base of my spine, and I was not going to blow this by coming early.

My fingers curled around her as I thrust my cock in as slowly as I could, dragging it out as her delicious wet heat gripped me, then plunging inside again.

With one hand, she pulled her hair out of its neat little bun and shook it all down her back.

Oh, damn. I knew what that meant.

“But—” I began, not wanting to cause her even the slightest discomfort while she was pregnant.

“Do you know me or not?” she hissed back, making my skin break out in hot, crazed lusty sweat.

“I know what you want, naughty girl.”

I reached up and my fist closed in her hair, tugging those deliciously silky strands, and she let out the hottest moan, her hands tightening on the counter.

My cock slid in and out of her, my release building as her perfect pussy gripped me.

Her belly was like silk under my fingers as I moved my fingers between her thighs to circle her clit, a swollen and straining bud.

My jaw was clenched together trying to hold off my release, and I didn’t think I could hold out much longer.

“Come for me,” I gritted out, pulling tighter, harder.

“Yes, Ambrose,” she moaned, “ Yes .”

Indi was such a squirter and I fucking loved it. Her release was a deluge, soaking my hand as I rubbed her slick little clit and I couldn’t hold my own back any longer. My balls were swollen with the kind of massive, gargantuan load only my wife could pull from me.

My hips sunk forward and I released in Indi with a huge, aching groan, my balls pulsing as I kissed her throat, sucking her delicious skin into my mouth.

“God,” she gasped, clutching the counter. “I don’t think I can hear out of my ears yet.”

But I already had both arms around her because I knew her knees were going to give out after a release like that.

“Forgive me,” I begged in her ear, my heart in my throat. “I love you so much. You know I can’t live without you.”

And then I felt a little pop reverberate through her body and Indi’s waters broke.

“We don’t need to go yet,” she said, “the contractions are still 8-10 minutes apart.”

But the idea of her not being at the hospital filled me with unspeakable panic.

“Dr. González and Dad are going to take care of Julian until we get back. I’ve double-checked your hospital bag and added your cellphone and laptop charger cables. Let’s go.”

“No no,” Indi said, but I could see her let a breath out carefully as she worked through a painful contraction. “Not yet.”

Panic and blood roared in my ears.

What if something happened to her?

I closed my hand in her hair again and pulled.

“You’ve had some higher blood pressure readings and I am not going to fuck around with you or your baby’s health. We are going to the hospital now .”

Her breath caught, and I felt her heartbeat flutter.

“All right, Ambrose.”

I grabbed the hospital bag and guided her out the door and into the passenger seat of my car.

“Finn is going to charter a private plane to get here as fast as he can,” she said as we sped down the highway.

“All right,” I said. “If you want me to go when he comes, just tell me.”

I felt tense and panicked.

What if we didn’t get there in time?

What if there were complications?

What if I fainted again?

This time, I was determined not to be such an embarrassing mess, so I had bought ginger chews to combat my nausea and immediately I stuffed three of them in my mouth.

I was determined to be there for Indi for as long as she wanted me there.

We got quickly set up and Indi bounced on a birthing ball for a while, but it wasn’t long before her contractions were coming closer now. Every 5 minutes. Then every 3 minutes. Then every 2 minutes.

When I felt light-headed, I dug my nails into my palms and focused on encouraging her.

Good girl, Indi

You’re doing so well

I had been prepared for so many worst-case scenarios, but I hadn’t expected the gut punch when a nurse told me,

“You’re doing good, daddy.”

“Oh, I’m—not the daddy,” I said awkwardly. “I’m just a guy who’s in love with her.”

She gave me a bit of a strange look, but then Indi was in the hospital bed and it was time to push.

Astrid hadn’t wanted to see my face at all in labor, so I felt a lump in my throat when Indi gripped my hand as she pushed, bearing down as hard as she could.

Like maybe she didn’t hate me. Like maybe she did want me there.

And even when the baby’s head crowned, I was determined not to fail her. I dug my nails so hard into my palms they bled and I didn’t faint on her.

Doing perfect, Indi

I can see her head

She looks perfect

Almost done now

Indi’s fingers gripped me as with one last push her daughter came into the world.

”Amazing job,” I said, my knuckles white and tense on the railing of her bed.

Her face looked radiant, the auburn strands sticking to her forehead with sweat, and I brushed them aside gently with the cool cloth.

“Can I get you anything?” I asked after they laid her baby in her arms.

Would I be in the way? Did she want me there?

“A coffee,” she said.

“From your favorite place?” I asked. “I’m on it. I’ll be back in half an hour.”

I was so weak and sweaty with relief that my glasses kept sliding off my nose and I had to shove them in my pocket.

Maybe I could order some food for her , I was thinking as I headed back in the hospital. Or go out and get anything else she’d need.

Carrying her coffee carefully, I pulled the hospital curtain aside to walk into her room.

And stopped dead in my tracks.

Finn was there, bending over the bassinet to pick up his daughter for the first time.

Indi was smiling at him, looking luminous, and I watched as Finn carefully lifted their baby up and cradled the tiny swaddled newborn to his chest.

Now I absolutely hated this bastard more than anyone, but I let the curtain fall and stepped back.

I had to let them have these first moments together.

Even though it hurt worse than anything yet.

Numbly, I walked down the hallways until I found an empty waiting room, then I sunk into a chair and stared at the drab walls and gently humming vending machine.

I didn’t even realize I was crying until the tears soaked through my collar.

This was all that I had given up.

All that I had thrown away.

Through ego and immaturity.

Well, my ego had been shattered, then pulverized.

I didn’t care about any of the things I thought were so important. The only thing I cared about was getting Indi back.

And that might never happen.

She might decide it made her happier to stay with Finn. After all, he was the father of her daughter. He could give her anything she wanted.

I came with fucking baggage . Humiliating mistakes, cheating, betrayal, ego, a fucked-up family, and I had taken her for granted. Didn’t appreciate what I had with her.

Why wouldn’t she choose that other somebody who hadn’t fucked up?

My eyes were aching, and I went out and got her a fresh, hot coffee, then came back.

I didn’t want her to think I’d forgotten her.

Hesitantly, I walked into her room. This time, Indi was breastfeeding and Finn standing beside her.

“Here’s your peppermint latte,” I said.

Finn’s eyes snapped up as soon as he heard my voice and I saw a muscle throb in his jaw.

“Oh, there you are, asshole,” he snarled, and his hands closed into fists as he stalked toward me.

But he had a right to be pissed. After all, for months I had been trying to win back the woman he loved.

And he had just met his baby for the first time. I didn’t want to ruin the big day.

So I just stood there and let him hit me.

“Don’t spill the coffee,” I said, holding it far away right before Finn’s massive fist landed directly on my eye.

Fuck, he had a massive reach and it stung, my eye instantly swelling closed.

“Stop!” Indi said sharply. “That’s enough, Finn.”

“Thanks for the coffee,” she said to me.

I would’ve rather died than stress Indi out after she had just given birth by demanding she choose between us.

“I’ve—got to go get Julian,” I said. “Just text me if you need anything.”

And then I left them there together.

Dad, Julian, and I went to an AirBnb in town for the week. I knew Finn would have to go back to his tour, but I was sure he’d be back as soon as he could. Indi said he planned to buy some massive mansion in town so he could be close to their daughter.

I could tell he was going to be a good dad.

What if Indi decided to marry him after all?

Just because we had fucking amazing mind-blowing sex didn’t mean she was going to choose me.

After all, Finn had never cheated. He had never betrayed her. He had never been so stupid as to divorce her.

I had to accept that she probably wasn’t going to choose me.

But I didn’t want to accept it, and I only went through the motions of each day, doing what needed to be done to feed and take care of my dad and brother, suspended in uncertainty, frozen with fear of losing her.

After a week was up, I got a text.

“Ambrose,” it said. “We need to talk.”

Shit, I thought I knew what that meant. My stomach sunk.

But, even still, I was desperately excited to see her.

The snow was gently falling as Julian and I drove through the streets to Applewood, and my brother was still asleep as I hauled his carrier inside.

I had agonized over my outfit, ironing my shirt over and over, picking a paisley-printed tie to go with my powder blue collared shirt.

“Come in,” I heard Indi’s musical voice, and my heart ached at how lovely and glowing she looked sitting on the couch with her baby in her arms.

“Want to hold Aoife?” she asked as I put Julian’s carrier down.

“Of course I do,” I said, even though I felt like throwing up from the nerves. “Let me just check one thing.”

I looked hastily in the laundry room. Yep, sure enough, the baskets were piled high with dirty clothes. I threw a quick load in and dumped a hasty cupful of baby-friendly detergent, then washed my hands.

“Sorry, just wanted to run a quick load,” I said. “So you didn't have to do it.”

I couldn’t interpret Indi’s expression. “But I want to hold her,” I said quickly, sitting down next to Indi.

Aoife was tiny and perfect, with curly auburn hair and bright blue eyes that blinked up at me.

“She’s beautiful,” I said. “Look at that sweet little expression on her face. She looks just like her mama.”

“She just had a bunch of milk,” Indi laughed. “Such a good eater.”

I raised Aoife up a bit to hold one of her tiny hands, and she looked marvelingly at me.

Then she threw up all over my shirt and tie.

“Oh—I’m sorry!” Indi cried.

“No need to apologize,” I laughed, dabbing at the spit-up with a burp rag and then sitting Aoife up and supporting her neck carefully so I could pat her gently on the back. “Powder-blue is a bit of a passé color anyways. Really she did me a favor.”

I patted her back gently until Aoife gave the cutest burp and I looked up to tell Indi about it when I saw my ex-wife had tears in her eyes.

“What’s the matter?” I asked anxiously. “Are you OK?”

“Ambrose, I—missed you. You and Julian. And Harold, of course,” she laughed. “But I missed you a lot.”

A wild, untamed hope sprung into my heart.

“Indi, does that mean—do you mean—”

I could barely even bring myself to verbalize what I was hoping.

“It seems I still love you,” she said, the tears hovering angelically on her lashes.

“I love you, Ambrose.”

Carefully cradling Aoife against my chest, I slid to my knees in front of her.

“I love you so much, Indi. I swear I’ll never make you cry ever again. I can’t stand being apart from you. Marry me again .”

My arm was around her waist, squeezing her delicious curves. Wanting to hear the words over and over.

“Yes,” she breathed, and I felt the cool soft sensation of her hands sliding around my neck, touching my flushed and overheated skin, making me burn everywhere for her.

“I could live without you,” she said. “But I don’t want to.”

My head filled with such pure joy as she tipped up her lips to be kissed that the room spun around me and I had to gasp for breath.

“O goddess of mountainous mercy,” I cried, forgetting that my pompous poetry was absolutely not going to do me any favors, but she only laughed delightedly.

“It was your cooking, Ambrose,” she teased. “Your cooking that turned the tide, not your poetry. But I kind of like it, tell me some more.”

“Your hair is like a fiery deluge,” I began, before starting to laugh too, at myself, at the wild, untamed joy that flowed through me, and I sat on the couch beside her and kissed her again.