his daddy.
“Let's unload, Papa!” Uriel ordered precociously, squealing with glee when Uriah snatched him up and tossed him into the air. There was nothing more beautiful than the sound of those joyful little boy giggles, or the playful snarls Uriah made as he pretended to munch on their son's belly.
“Don't you forget who the boss is around here, youngin’,” Uriah said with a mock growl of reproach.
Uriel's answering grin was downright devilish, but his question was sweet and devilishly innocent. “You mean, Mama?”
Ivy winked when Uriah looked her way, clearing his throat with a mild look of affront. “Yeah, I do mean.”
“Hi, boss!” Uriel shouted, like the Grand Canyon was between them, and not a few hundred feet of grass and flowers.
Love and adoration fizzled through every cell and pore in her body. It almost made her eager for the excruciating pain to come. “Hi, baby bear. I missed you, come give me a hug.”
Uriah put their wild child down, and he tore across the ground toward her, only slowing because Uriah shouted out and reminded him to be gentle.
Uriel would have pounced on her for sure if he hadn't, but Ivy wouldn't have cared. His unabashedly loving hugs were the best. She wrapped her arms around him, breathing in the scent of her lavender shampoo that he'd washed with last night and the sharper smell of freshly cut wood.
“Oohh, you're getting so big!” she accused, giving him a tight squeeze before setting him back on his baby work boots. “Did you get even bigger while you were out running errands?”
Uriel gave a shrug, looking down at himself before turning to the side to comically stick out his belly. “No, but you did!”
“What? You little monster!” She laughed, reaching out to snatch him up, but he artfully evaded her and went running around the flower beds with a wild shriek.
Uriah dodged their speeding bullet and dropped to his haunches beside her, reaching out to settle his palm on her huge, distended belly. His grin was wide and proud as he rubbed gentle circles over her, leaning in to steal a soft, thorough kiss.
“How are my girls?”
“Well, I'm fine, and she's fine, but apparently today's the day. My water broke about a minute ago. I was going to get up and call in the troops, but I felt you coming.”
Even though she tried to sound upbeat and positive, Ivy saw a momentary flash of panic take hold of her mate.
Uriah’s throat worked audibly, the hand splayed wide across her taut abdomen gave a tremble. Then, with a blink, he settled and gave her a dopey grin. The panic was still there in the tightening around his eyes, but he put it aside in favor of taking care of her.
“No worries, honey. I got you. Just another day in paradise, right?” He scooped her up like she didn't weigh a ton and a half, holding her close to his heart as the first contraction of many rippled through her.
Ivy's laugh turned into a groan, sweat popping out on her forehead. “Totally. This is awesome. Can't wait.”
“I've got everything all ready for you upstairs. I'll get you squared away and then call the girls, okay?”
She nodded, closing her eyes when the pain subsided, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “Sounds good. Ilex will be here soon to wrangle the monster.”
“RAWR!” Uriel roared, leaping out from behind some bushes, making his father—who was so focused on her he hadn't heard their son sneaking up on them—startle and jolt. “Uh-oh, Mama! Were you so scared you peed your pants?”
“No, baby bear. I'm just a little wet because your sister wants to come out and see you.”
“Oh yay!” Uriel cheered, galloping and whooping his way inside, helpfully heaving opened the door for them on his way. “Heya, uncle! Guess what? Mommy's all wet because my sister's comin’ out!”
Ivy looked up to see Ilex coming through the patio doors just as Uriah was carrying her into the house. It was a skill she hadn’t been able to learn, and was still confounded as to how he could travel almost instantaneously from one end of the forest to the other in just a few steps.
Something about the ground giving way to his will, he said, but it was a good thing today because she definitely needed his help to keep Uriel from climbing in the tub with her, or all up in her baby business to inquire about the process and how long it would take.
Ilex really was