Crush - Kelsie Rae Page 0,5

exam. Internal exam. Internal exam.

“Yup,” I force out while trying to ignore the butterflies that are currently assaulting my gut without mercy.

His hands are warm as they practically engulf my stomach while checking my organs to make sure…. I have no idea what he’s checking. My stomach quivers under his touch, but I tell myself I’m just nervous in general. It has nothing to do with the hot doctor who’s touching me. Nope. Not a bit. Besides, I was nervous before Dr. Bennett made his entrance, so it’s not like he has anything to do with those stupid butterflies attacking my gut, right?

The heat from his touch disappears as his deep, husky voice explains, “Everything looks good so far. I’m going to squirt some stuff onto your stomach, and then we’ll get to the good part.”

Doesn’t the good part usually come before you squirt something onto my stomach? I want to ask, but I bite my tongue. No need to stoke the fire when he’s going to be all up in my lady bits in a few.

Gah! He’s gonna be all up in my lady bits in a few.

Seriously, though. I’m gonna kill Dylan.

And Sway.

Her knowing smirk is killing me as she watches our interaction like a reality TV junkie minus the popcorn.

A loud, squirting noise echoes throughout the room as Dr. Bennett squeezes a bunch of pink gunk onto my stomach. I gasp when it touches my skin.

With a quiet laugh, I look up at him. “It’s cold.”

“Sorry, the warmer must not be working. Let me just grab my wand, and then we’ll get to the fun part.”

He turns around to grab the wand while my teeth dig into my lip to keep from laughing. Swiveling my head to the right, I try to contain my embarrassment, but Sway bounces her eyebrows up and down as soon as she comes into view.

And I lose it. My snort is far from quiet as tears leak from the corners of my eyes before I finally give in and laugh. It’s loud. And embarrassing. And so impolite I should probably burn in hell for the thoughts churning in my head. But I can’t help it. He’s gorgeous, and he just mentioned his––cough––wand.

“Something funny?” Dr. Bennett rumbles with his head cocked curiously.

“Nope,” I reply through another bout of laughter as Sway joins in.

Kill me. Kill me now.

“It’s the nerves,” Anthony covers for me. “Right, Marcy?”

“Mmmhmm,” I hum as a fresh wave of tears well in my eyes, and my face stretches into an even wider grin. Wiping them away, I apologize, “I’m sorry. Seriously. Anthony’s right. It’s totally the nerves. And the hormones. Let’s be real. I’m a mess.”

He chuckles softly before raising a wand into the air. “You’re not a mess. You ready to hear this heartbeat?”

I nod, my dopey grin slowly sliding into a soft, comfortable smile. “Sway. Anthony,” I order. “Get your butts over here and listen to your baby’s heartbeat.”

Like a little bunny, Sway jumps up then bounces over to me with Anthony trailing a foot behind. Once they’re both beside the exam table, I look up at Dr. Bennett and release a deep breath. “We’re ready.”

Sway grabs my hand as Dr. Bennett presses the wand a few inches above my pelvic bone.

Brows furrowing, Dr. Bennett moves it a little to the left, but I don’t hear anything. He shifts the wand to his other hand and presses it into my stomach at a forty-five-degree angle.

Still. Nothing.

Squeezing my hand a little tighter, Sway rests her head against Anthony’s shoulder but doesn’t say a word. I can feel her anxiety rolling off of her, and it amplifies my own until I’m desperate to break the silence.

“Everything okay?” I whisper, my voice threatening to crack.

Dr. Bennett moves the wand to the right side of my uterus but keeps the same forty-five-degree angle. His brows are wrinkled with concentration before a soft rustle echoes through the static of the doppler. As his eyes connect with mine, his triumphant grin is contagious.

My heart stops.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The rhythmic beat is louder than a siren in the otherwise silent room, and my eyes close as I soak up every single pulse.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A quiet sniffle grabs my attention, and I look up to see Sway’s eyes red with tears. Wrapping his arms around his wife like a security blanket, Anthony pulls her into his chest and rests his chin on top of her head. His knuckles turn white as he holds onto her so tightly