Listen To Me: A Rock Star Romance (True North) Read Free

debilitating self-doubt with smiles and bitchy baby hormones.
    “There you are,” he said, striding into the bedroom office and sweeping me into his arms. “How was your day? Did the chicklet practice kung fu with your bladder again?” he asked, palming my enormous stomach.
    “Of course.” I stroked his cheek, feel ing the slight stubble growing back from this morning’s shave. He smelled of hair product and mint gum and something sweet and warm that I could only identify with him.
    I rose on my toes and pressed my lips to his, closing my eyes and inhaling through my nose, deeper than I had all day. His arms circled me and held me tight, as close as the baby would let us get.
    It was times like these—times when the screaming doubt in my head subsided—when I never wanted him to let go of me. “I missed you today,” I said, feeling the absolute truth of my words rush through me. I never thought I’d need someone else to be my rock, but that’s what Adrian was. When he wasn’t around I was all tears and hyperventilating. God, I hoped this passed after the potato sack was born. I didn’t want to walk around with my nerves on edge for the rest of my life.
    “I missed you too,” he said, kissing my forehead. “And you,” he said to my stomach, bending to give it a kiss. “Do we really have to wait four more weeks? They told us that a baby had all its parts at thirty-six. Can’t they take her out now?”
    “No!” I took a step back and he smiled at me, straightening to his full height.
    “Don’t be afraid of the delivery,” he said, taking my hands. “I’ll be there with you and before we know it, she’ll be here.”
    I don’t think I’d ever seen a person look as happy as Adrian with the gleam in his blue eyes and the grin spreading across his tan face. Even his hair seemed to glow. I thought I was supposed to be the one glowing.
    “I am afraid.”
    “Hey,” he said, pulling me back in and putting his arms around me. “That’s what the Lamaze class is for next weekend. Right?”
    Lamaze! “Shit! Adrian, I forgot to sign us--”
    “Shh…” He put a finger over my lips. “It’s taken care of. I got us in the all day Saturday class.”
    Again, my heart rate slowed to normal. “You did? How did you know I’d forget? I never forget anything.”
    “You’ve been stressed lately and that’s normal. You have a lot on your mind. Didn’t you read the pregnancy book I bought you?”
    I bit my lip, hating to admit I hadn’t. I flipped through the pages, saw a few illustrations and fought of the urge to hide in the closet crying. “No.”
    “Well, I did. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. Your job is to be in expectant mother bliss. My job is to make sure you are, so come here.” He took my hand, led me into the master bathroom and started the water in the whirlpool bathtub. “ Strip for me, babe. I want to remember you with that beautiful baby belly for as long as I live.”
    He alternated lighting candles and watching me undress, holding his arms out to me once I was completely naked. I padded over to him, my bare feet cool on the tile floor. He held the sides of my stomach in his hands and ran his eyes over me from head to toe, reverent. “ When you told me you were pregnant, I wasn’t sure what you would say next. We’d only known each other a little while and you could’ve easily not told me at all and taken care of it without me ever knowing. Instead, I’m sitting here with my hands on you, feeling my unborn baby inside you.” He took a shaky breath. “I never thought about having a kid. I mean, I figured someday… But this is insanely amazing, Kay. Thank you for giving me the chance to be a dad.”
    Too many thoughts and words and emotions rushed to the surface. I opened my mouth and only a sob came out. I slapped my hand over my mouth and felt the tears again, falling down my cheeks that had t o have grooves carved in them from all the crying I’d done lately.
    How could