The Healer's Hellion - Miranda Bridges Page 0,53

I’m being denied by my infertility. I’ll never have children with Braxton, and the idea causes my heart to squeeze painfully and my tears to flow all the more.

Before I can make a complete and total idiot out of myself, I bring the baby over to Natalie. “He’s beautiful like his brother,” I say, sniffling. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m so glad they are finally here.”

I look over at Kolton, ready to hear what he’s thinking, but he’s not with us mentally. No, he’s staring down at his son as if he’s life itself and there’s no one else in existence. The love in Kolton’s gaze is a perfect love, one that’s unconditional and forever.

So of course I weep some more and hand Natalie her baby.

“Thank you for being here with me, Skylar,” she says. “And for letting me borrow Braxton.” She grins at me, a twinkle in her eye. “Someday I hope to return the favor and be on the side of the bed and not in it.”

I nod, not having the strength to tell her that will never be.

Hours later, after Natalie and the babies are situated with Kolton hovering nearby, Braxton takes me back to our quarters. He doesn’t say anything, but I can tell he wants to talk to me. And by that time, I’ve gathered the gumption to finally reveal my secret.

“Braxton?”

He looks over at me from where he sits on the bed, his hands frozen in the act of removing his clothing. Immediately he narrows his eyes as he no doubt detects the thread of anxiety in my voice. “What is it?”

I swallow deeply, hoping that I can actually get the words out. To give myself a few more seconds to compile my thoughts, I walk over and sit next to him on the bed. He looks at me, concern swirling in his gaze.

I wring my hands in my lap, more unsure of myself than I’ve ever been in my entire life. But I know this is long overdue, and if I truly care for Braxton, then I need to be honest with him.

“This time with you on Najarie has been amazing,” I say softly, keeping my gaze glued to the floor. “I know you’re a physician and that you heal people, but I don’t think you realize how much healing I’ve received since you came into my life. Before I met you, I couldn’t stand to look at myself because I felt ugly and tainted, but then you told me I was beautiful, and I actually believed it. Then you supported me emotionally during this time of grief concerning my parents.”

I turn to glance at him and give him a trembling smile. “It has been the hardest thing in my life to accept, but every day I grow a little more at peace with what happened because I choose to focus on the loving memories I have of them. You taught me that. But that isn’t all. You taught me how to open my heart and be vulnerable. I love you, Braxton, and I trust you more than anyone else in the world. And it’s because of this that I need to tell you about something I’ve been hiding from you.”

He stiffens beside me and works his jaw from side to side but remains quiet. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but it doesn’t matter. Unable to look at him while I make my confession, I go back to staring at the floor.

“You once told me that you wanted children, and I saw the way you looked at the babies tonight,” I say. “But that is something that I can never give you because I’m infertile. I hoped to find a way to help other women like myself because I know the pain they’re experiencing. It’s the reason I studied DNA analysis.”

“Skylar, I—”

I hold up my hand, silencing him. “Please let me finish or I won't be able to. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but I was so worried you wouldn’t want me anymore. But I’m just praying you love me as much as I love you and that this won’t come between us. However, if it does, you’re going to have to use your medical knowledge to keep me alive because it will kill me.”

Braxton gets to his feet, drawing my gaze as he comes to stand in front of me. Then he kneels and rests his forearms on my thighs while taking my