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okay.”
    “You know it’s not going to hurt the baby. The doctor promised the stuff he was sending home was safe. You don’t need to suffer, darling.”
    Turning slightly, she traced the strong outline of his jaw. “I know, but doctors say that all the time. All you see nowadays are commercials for lawyers and civil suits against medications doctors used to think were safe. Even Tylenol isn’t as harmless as people once thought it was. It’s not a chance I’m willing to take.”
    Capturing her hand, he kissed her fingertips. “I love you, baby, and I admire the fact that you are trying to be strong. Just don’t cause yourself any unnecessary hardships in the process.”
    “I’m not, Seb. I promise.”
    “Okay.” The indents framing his cheeks dimpled with his smile as he dropped his gaze to her stomach and once again started rubbing lazy circles across her navel.
    “I know that look,” she accused. “You’re up to no good.”
    His soft laugh rolled through the room and made her heart soar.
    “I was just thinking about some other things the doctor told me.”
    “Such as?”
    “Our sex life can actually be beneficial to the baby. Something about the rocking motion and contractions soothing them inside the womb.”
    She couldn’t contain her laughter. The amused shimmying elicited a fresh wave of pain in her battered system, but she rode it out, caressing his face with a mixture of appreciation and surprise. His grin widened and he dropped his forehead to rest against her temple. He turned, leaning his body over hers but keeping his weight braced above her on his arms. Taylor squirmed as his lips brushed the shell of her ear, igniting a fierce spark of desire. It had only been a few days, but she missed his body and his touch.
    “I’m warning you right now,” he rumbled. “Argue with me on that one and I am going to dig my heels in.”
    “I’m going to have to take your word for it.”
    “Such blind faith,” he teased.
    “It is. You got to see the baby, hear its heartbeat, and ask all kinds of questions. All I got was some pictures and a bunch of stupid pamphlets.”
    “We will get you in again soon, sweetheart. I promise. He gave me the name of a doctor who would be willing to help, despite the inconveniences. They run a family practice and are willing to make house calls if need be, so no one would be any the wiser.”
    Sighing, she settled her head back down against their pillows. She stroked the blanket he’d draped over them, using the luxurious buttery texture as a means of distraction. “Do you know if it’s a girl or a boy?” she whispered, trying to mask her disappointment.
    “No. It was still too soon for that. Another two months or so and we should know.”
    “Do you want to know, or do you think we should wait and have it be a surprise?”
    Sebastian blew out a deep breath and his brow creased with thought as he took her hand and twined his fingers through hers. “I’ve never been big on surprises, sweetheart. I, myself, would like to know, just so we can prepare and fill the nursery with things until our hearts are content. Either way, it’s going to be a surprise when we find out. One way is just sooner than the other.”
    “True…”
    “But,” he said, pausing, “if you want to wait until the baby is born, I will try my best to understand and accept that. I should warn you, though. I can be extremely persuasive when it comes to getting my way.”
    Another laugh bubbled up inside her and she leveled him with a look of sarcasm. “No, really?”
    “Really, darling,” he whispered, though his attention had already drifted to her navel again.
    “Seb?”
    “Hmm?”
    “You’re worse with the baby than most men are with boobs. My eyes are up here, handsome.”
    Laughing, he swung his gaze back up to her face. Her cheeks flushed with a pleasant warmth as she found herself trapped beneath his heated stare. The slow smile curving his lips was both sinister and reproachful