Page 49 of Tiny Precious Secrets (The Brothers of Calloway Creek The Montanas #4)

Asher

“How many clothes do two babies need?” I shake my head in amusement as I unload the car.

I never knew two women could shop so much. Don’t we already have everything?

Allie and Bug have been shopping together.

A lot . When Bug was grounded, it was the only way she could leave the house other than school and soccer.

But she hasn’t been grounded for a few weeks, and it makes me so incredibly happy that she still wants to go shopping.

So, even knowing we have little room for anything else in either nursery, I shouldn’t be too hard on them.

I hate that my thirteen—now fourteen-year-old—had to go through what she did in order for them to finally form a bond.

But I can’t deny it’s been worth it. Watching the two of them get closer over the past few months has brought me more happiness than I thought I could feel.

And with just a week to go before the babies come, there’s no time to spare.

I’ve thought about bringing up the marriage thing again. After all, I’ve been carrying around Mom’s ring in my pocket for so long now I’m surprised I haven’t lost it. But there’s a lot on our plate being so close to D-day.

“You’ll be amazed at how quickly they grow out of things,” Allie says, out of breath as she walks from the garage to the kitchen.

I pull out a chair for her. “Sit. You shouldn’t be on your feet so much.”

I remove her shoes and pull her feet onto my lap and rub them.

She shifts uncomfortably in the chair. For weeks now, she’s been unable to find good positions to sit and sleep in, not to mention having sex.

That’s pretty much been off the table. The babies are taking up so much room, there isn’t room for anything else—including her own internal organs or my cock.

“Just one more week,” I say, kneading the balls of her feet.

Bug comes into the kitchen and starts getting out ingredients for dinner.

She cooks three nights a week. I cook three nights a week.

The other night we go out or order in. Allie balked about being left out of the rotation when we insisted on it about a month ago, when it started to get hard for her to get around.

But now she’s come to appreciate everything that gets done for her so she can stay off her feet.

“Mel wants to come visit the babies,” Bug says. “After Christmas maybe? During her holiday break?”

I laugh. “I think Mel wants to come visit you and you’re just using the twins as an excuse.”

“It’ll be okay, though, right? Please? After visiting her, we vowed never to go more than a few months without seeing each other.”

The first thing Bug asked for after her six weeks of being grounded, was to fly out to see Mel for a long weekend. It was the least I could do after she took her punishment so well. She never once complained about being stuck in the house.

I was a wreck, putting my teenage daughter on a plane all by herself. But we got her a non-stop flight and, since she’s no stranger to flying, at least she knew how it works.

“Yeah, I think that’ll be okay. I’ll even spring for the flight. It’ll be my Christmas gift to her.”

Bug squeals and shoots off a text. Then she proceeds to make a delicious chicken casserole from Allie’s recipe.

After I’m done with the dishes, I peek over at the couch where Allie looks like she can barely stay awake.

“How about I draw a bath for you?”

Her eyes flutter open. “A bath sounds heavenly.”

“Dad!” Bug shouts from the back door. “I’m going to Christian’s.”

“Is his father home?”

She peeks out from around the corner. “Would you stop? I don’t like him, you know. He’s my Mel.”

That doesn’t make me feel much better. I was fourteen once. And a boy. Best friend or not, the kid is still a red-blooded guy with teen hormones running amok.

“You didn’t answer the question.”

Her eyes roll. “Yes, warden , his dad is home. Want me to have him call you?”

I let the ‘warden’ comment slide due to the obvious sarcasm in her voice. It’s something she called me a few times when she was grounded. But since she was the perfect inmate, I gave her a pass. “Nope. I trust you. But that doesn’t mean I still won’t check up on things from time to time.”

“Whatever. Come spy through the windows if you want, we’ll just be playing video games.”

“Be home by ten.”

“Yup. I know my curfew. Bye.”

Once the door shuts, I turn to Allie. “Do you think her curfew should be nine? What was yours when you were fourteen?”

She shrugs. “I can’t remember. Ten seems fair for a freshman in high school.”

“She’ll probably ask for it to be eleven next year, then midnight. By the time she’s a senior, she’ll want to stay out until one in the morning.” I pinch my brow. “I’m not ready for this.”

“Not ready for her to grow up?” She touches her stomach. “We’re going to blink and these two will be Bug’s age. Promise me we’re going to cherish every second and not waste it on trying to be perfect parents raising perfect kids.”

I laugh. “Since when have I ever been close to being a perfect parent?”

She squeezes my thigh. “You’re an amazing father. I’m so glad it’s you.”

“So glad what’s me?”

“Who knocked me up.”

“Sweetheart, you have no idea.” I kiss her belly. “I’m going to draw you that bath.”

~ ~ ~

“This is exactly what I needed,” she says, settling into our large soaking tub.

“You don’t have to keep taking her shopping. It’s probably hell on your feet.”

“It’s become our thing.”

I sit on the edge of the tub. “Who’d have thought the two of you would ever have a thing?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty great.”

“ You’re pretty great.”

“I don’t feel pretty great. In fact, I don’t feel pretty or great. I feel like a beached whale.”

I stand, crack a smile, then undress. Stepping into the tub, I work my way around her so her back is leaning against me. I reach a hand around her and whisper in her ear, “I know just what to do to make you feel both.” Then I touch her clit.

Her head falls back against my shoulder, and she groans.

I love the sexy little noises that come out of her when I touch her.

I love how she’s not afraid to moan and mewl and tell me what feels good.

She’s the most sexually compatible person I’ve ever been with—just one more reason we’re meant to be together.

My dick grows hard against her back. “Fuck, I love the way you feel.”

She moans her appreciation when I slip a finger inside her. I alternate playing with her clit and her pussy, driving her to the brink and then pulling back. It’s been a minute since we’ve done this. She needs a good release. Maybe that will help her sleep tonight.

“Oh… yes… Ash… right there… don’t stop.”

I smile against the side of her head. “You like it when I do this.” I swirl a finger around her clit.

“Yes.”

“You like it when I do this, too.” I plunge two fingers inside her.

“Mmmmm,” she moans.

“You love the way I make you come,” I mumble slowly in her ear.

“Please… Ash… do it.”

I’ve teased her long enough. I use my finger like I’d use my tongue, flicking her clit back and forth, keeping up constant pressure.

Her head presses back into me. Her back arches.

She shouts out with her explosive release.

It’s so damn sexy, I almost come myself.

It doesn’t matter that I don’t. This is about her, not me.

Her body. Her pleasure. Her comfort. I don’t move my fingers until she pushes them away, drawing every last quiver out of her body.

Her chest heaves with a huge sigh. “Wow. Thanks, I needed that.”

“Anytime. And I mean that.” I move my hand up to her stomach. “Did it calm them down or wake them up?”

“It—”

Her entire body stiffens, a complete contradiction to how relaxed it was just a moment ago.

“Allie?”

“I felt a pop. Asher, I think my water just broke.”

My eyes go wide. “Oh, shit. But how will we be able to tell given you’re in water?”

“I’m pretty sure. It’s a fairly distinct feeling. And I remember it from… before.”

I gently get out from behind her, pull the drain on the tub, and wrap her in a towel.

“Wait. Do you see any blood or anything? Hudson will want to know if it was clear fluid or not.”

I scan the tub. “It looks clear.” I pull over her makeup chair and help her sit on it. Then I dry her off. “I’ll get my phone.”

With only a towel around my waist, I race to the kitchen to get it, then call Hudson.

“Allie’s water just broke. Well, she thinks so. She was in the tub.”

“Was the fluid clear?”

“Yes. That’s good, right? Is it too early?” I stop and lean against the wall, my heart racing.

“She’s right at thirty-six weeks. Babies born now have the same chance of being healthy as full-term babies. But I do want you to get her to the hospital right away. Has she had any contractions?”

I push off the wall and go back to the bathroom. “Hudson is asking if you’ve had any contractions.”

“Braxton Hicks, I guess, for a few days now. Or at least I thought they were Braxton Hicks.” She sighs, clearly upset with herself for missing the signs. “But my water definitely broke. I can feel it trickling out of me.”

I relay the message.

“I’ll meet you there,” Hudson says and then ends the call.

I fall to my knees in front of Allie. “Is this really happening?”

She swallows and looks at me, terrified. Allie has been so upbeat during the entire pregnancy, I’m shocked to see her like this. Is she thinking something will go wrong? Is she thinking about Christopher?

“Sweetheart, it’s going to be okay. It’s not too early. They are going to be fine.” I cup her face in my hands. “We’re doing this. And tonight or tomorrow we’re going to meet Alex and Christina. And, oh my god are they going to love their mom.”

She nods over and over, unable to speak.

I stand and hold out my hands to help her up. “Let’s get you dressed and go have some babies.”