Page 58 of A Burning Rage

“You mean bigger than the fact Shane is home? What is it?” Ingrid asks.

I press my hand to Beth’s lower belly. “We’re expecting.”

Ingrid’s eyes light up. “Oh, my goodness! How wonderful!”

“Expecting what, Daddy?” Luke asks, gazing up at me with the innocence of a child.

“A baby.”

His eyes widen. “We’re having a baby?” He looks past me to Beth. “Are you sure? Mama’s belly isn’t very big. Not like Aunt Annie’s belly. It’s huge.”

I laugh. “Please don’t let your Aunt Annie hear you say that.”

* * *

As a welcome home present to me, Sam and Cooper grill burgers and bake some potatoes on the back patio for a late dinner. We eat outside, and I celebrate with a cold beer. I’m done with the pain meds, at least the prescription ones, so I figure one beer is allowed.

After dinner, Ingrid says goodnight to us, gives everyone a kiss, and heads across the street to her home. She is undoubtedly exhausted from taking care of the kids while we were in the hospital.

Sam and Cooper say goodnight, too, disappearing into their suite of rooms. They haven’t seen a lot of each other while Cooper stayed with Beth in the hospital, and I’m sure they have a lot of lost time to make up for.

When the grandfather clock in the family room chimes eight times, Luke asks me if I’m going to put him in bed and read stories to him.

“I’m sorry, buddy, but I don’t think I’m up for that quite yet.”

Luke frowns, clearly disappointed.

“How about I help you get ready for bed,” Beth suggests, “and Daddy can read your stories to you right here on the sofa?”

“Yeah!” Luke cries as he races to his room. “I’ll get my PJs.”

We manage to make do, between the two of us. Beth gets the kids washed up and ready for bed. I sit with them on the sofa afterward and read them stories. As Ava starts to get sleepy, Beth picks her up and settles with her on the rocking chair so she can nurse her. It’s the first time Ava has nursed from her mother in a couple of days.

After the kids are asleep, Beth helps me walk to our bedroom. I’ve still got bandages around my torso, so a shower is out of the question. I’d give anything for a long, hot shower right now.

Instead, Beth directs me to sit on the edge of the big garden tub, which she fills with warm, soapy water. She grabs a washcloth, wets it, and gives me a sponge bath. She even manages to wash my hair.

Feeling her hands on me stirs a part of my body I didn’t know was up for it.

“How does that feel?” she asks when she’s done.

“That felt wonderful, but do you know what I’d like even more?”

She seems confused. “What?”

“I’d like to watch you climb into that tub and take a bath, nice and slow.”

Beth grins. “I think you’ve been out of bed long enough. I think you need to lie down and relax while I take a quick shower—alone.”

I frown. “Now you’re just being cruel.”

She steps closer and cups my face before she kisses me. “I want you to rest so you can get well.”

After she helps me do all the things I need to do before getting in bed, I do as she suggested, lying in bed, listening to the water running as she takes her shower. When she comes out of the bathroom, her beautiful blonde hair is hanging loosely past her shoulders. She’s wearing a Kingston Medical School T-shirt that doesn’t quite reach her ass, and nothing else.

That T-shirt never looked better.

She turns off the lights and climbs into bed, lying on her side to face me. She rests her hand high up on my chest, north of the bandages. I try to roll onto my side so I can face her, but the movement brings a grimace to my face, the pain making me wince.