Merry Christmas, Baby Read Online Free PDF Page B

half months pregnant, she had that special something that would have any man turning his head to watch her. It was a combination of looks and attitude and liveliness, and he’d thought about her 24/7 since he’d left.
    “Slow,” he said when she tried to suck in too much air and he heard the telltale wheeze of her asthma. If she had an attack now, he’d have to get her to the hospital… “Slow,” he said again, and breathed with her.
    She nodded gratefully and stared at his mouth, mimicking his breath.
    “You’re back,” she finally managed when the contraction passed, and her voice sounded almost…surprised.
    The surprise shocked Sawyer to the core. They’d never had it easy. In fact, their relationship was akin to a porcupine and a cactus trying to make a life together—prickly as hell.
    And amazing.
    She’d changed his life, for the better. She’d added color to his black-and-white world and was his heart and soul.
    But being with Chloe was more like being on a roller coaster than a smooth highway. It was a fast, hard ride, and there were ups. There were downs.
    And he wouldn’t change a second of it for the world.
    But the pregnancy hormones hadn’t been easy for her. Or him. She’d been on edge nearly the entire time, and he had yet to figure out what to do or how to talk her down. Everything he’d done or said had only seemed to make it worse. So he’d thrown himself into work, thinking if he was out of her hair enough, she might not be tempted to kill him.
    But that she’d actually be surprised to see him come for her? Damn. “Did you think I wouldn’t come back?”
    She shrugged and tried to turn away. But hell no. He planted a hand on either side of her hips and leaned in close. “Chloe.” He waited until she looked at him. “I’ll always come for you.”
    Something in his fierce tone seemed to get through, and she relaxed slightly. But not enough to suit him. He slid the palm of his hand to the back of her neck and stroked her soft, damp skin. “You’re in pain.”
    “It’s better now that you’re here,” she said breathlessly. “How did you make it? I heard the roads were closed.”
    He considered his response a moment, not sure she needed to hear the difficulties he’d had in breaking away to get here after Tanner had called him to say she’d come to the party. “Got stuck about a mile back,” he said. “Had to walk the rest of the way in.”
    She put her hands over his and gasped. “You’re soaked, and your hands are freezing!” Her voice was tense. The pain was getting to her. “Oh, Sawyer. You shouldn’t have come—”
    “Could say the same to you,” he said, and slid both Jax and Ford a long, hard stare. They both had the good grace to look a little apologetic.
    Good. The fuckers. He’d tasked them with the most important thing in his life, and here she was, in labor, in a snowstorm…
    “Don’t start in on them,” Chloe said. “They didn’t know. I sneaked out.”
    There was something most definitely in her voice now, and he cupped her face.
    Yep. She was ready for battle.
    “I wanted to be here with my family and friends.”
    He suspected she was going to need that energy for the night ahead. “Then let’s enjoy it,” he told her, and then headed off any reply with a soft hello kiss right on those lips that loved to talk back to him.
    Never before had he had someone in his life continuously do that, and at first he hadn’t known what to do with her. It’d taken him a while to clue in, but in the end, he’d had no choice but to love her with his entire heart and soul.
    Reaching into his bag, he came up with an inhaler and set it on the table in case she needed it.
    She slapped her hand out for it and took a long hit. And then a second. Both a struggle that pinched at his heart. Her debilitating asthma was in better control these days, but stress brought it out. Labor was definitely going to be a trigger.
    “You had one of my inhalers on you?” she