She smiled and laced her fingers through his. “That’s not exactly a punishment, you know.”
He relaxed and moved in closer, just wanting to be nearer to her. He stroked her hair, caressed her face, reassuring himself that she was here, alive. She was his, and he was damn sure never going to let her go.
“Maren?”
Maren turned in the direction of her mother’s voice, and then suddenly Diana flew to the bed and Steele moved away so she could be on Maren’s uninjured side.
“Oh my baby, thank God, you’re all right.”
Diana enfolded Maren in a hug the best she could without jostling her bound shoulder. Tears ran freely down Diana’s face as she and Maren wept together, holding on to one another as if they’d never let go.
“I’m so glad you and Dad are okay,” Maren choked out. “I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to you because of me.”
“Shhhh, don’t say that. You’re not to blame for that maniac’s doings. And he’s gone now. He can’t ever hurt you again.”
“When can I see Dad?” Maren asked anxiously.
Diana smiled ruefully. “If he has his way, he’ll be here as soon as humanly possible. He’s had the entire floor in an uproar. You know him. He’s a terrible patient. He’s telling the nurses how to do their job. Ever the doctor. He questioned the credentials of the doctor in charge of your care. He wanted only the best. He’s bruised and banged up, but nothing serious. No broken bones. Nothing that won’t heal in a week or so.”
“Thank God,” Maren whispered fervently. “I love you, Mom. I’ve missed you so much.”
Diana squeezed her again. “Your young man has sat at your bedside when he very much needs to be in a hospital bed himself. He’s in far worse shape than your father and they’ve admitted him. But Steele refused anything beyond cursory treatment in the ER because he couldn’t wait to get to you.”
Maren looked beyond her mother and found Steele’s gaze, love and a watery sheen shining in her eyes.
“He’s a good man,” Diana said. “You chose well, Maren. He’ll protect you and your child with his life. A mother can’t ask for more than that for her daughter.”
“I know,” Maren said softly, her gaze still locked with Steele’s.
Diana pulled away and then glanced at Steele, understanding in her eyes.
“I’m going to go back and check on your father. Maybe he’ll calm down now that you’re awake and I can tell him you’re doing just fine.”
Maren squeezed her mother’s hand. “I love you, Mom. Tell Dad I love him and that I’ll see him soon.”
Diana leaned down to kiss Maren’s cheek and then she turned and to Steele’s surprise and befuddlement, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly before going up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
“Take care of my baby,” she said fiercely.
“Never doubt it,” Steele said in a grave tone.
Diana turned back to smile at Maren and then left the room.
“When can we do the sonogram?” Maren asked anxiously.
“I’ll go tell the nurse you’re awake. I knew you’d want to see the baby as soon as you woke, so I made sure they had the portable sonogram moved to the floor. I’ll go get her now so she can page the sonogram tech, and then you and I will meet our child. Together.”
CHAPTER 42
MAREN lay in the hospital bed, Steele standing at her side, his fingers laced tightly with hers as the sonogram tech pressed the wand to her belly.
“Want to find out what you’re having while I’m poking around?” the younger man asked.
Maren automatically looked up to Steele, a silent question in her eyes.
“Yeah,” Steele said, eagerness in his expression. “I’d love to know. Unless you’d rather not?”
“No, I want to know too,” she whispered.
Anticipation gripped her. She squeezed Steele’s hand even tighter and he added a second hand to hers, sandwiching her hand between his.
The tech smeared gel on her belly and slid the wand around, pressing in at certain spots as he watched the monitor. Maren’s gaze was glued to the screen, holding her breath as she waited for confirmation of that tiny life inside her.
“There’s the heartbeat,” the tech said, pointing at the blip at the bottom.
Tears filled her eyes and the screen went blurry. The tech poked and prodded, positioning the wand as he took a series of shots.
“I’d say the little tyke is doing just fine,” the tech said. “Now let’s see if I can get him or her to cooperate and show us if it’s a boy or a girl.”
The next seconds seemed a lifetime as the tech angled and pressed. The images didn’t seem real. The tech pointed out features. The beating heart. The head, legs and arms. It was pure magic. This was their child, alive and well, safely ensconced in her womb.
“Ah, here we go,” the tech said, a smile broadening his features. “Looks like we have a little girl. See? No penis. And she’s not modest at all. No mistaking here. She’s definitely showing us all she has.”
Maren heard Steele’s sudden intake of breath and her heart lurched. Had he wanted a boy? Was he disappointed? But when she looked up, she was floored by the glitter of tears that shone brightly in Steele’s eyes. He looked enraptured. His gaze was riveted to the monitor and he looked so shaken, so in love, that her own throat knotted as she watched his reaction to the news he was having a daughter.
“A daughter,” he whispered, the words choked and broken.
Then he lowered his gaze to Maren and she was struck by the depth of emotion in his eyes. Not just for the image of their daughter. But for her. His love for her shone like a beacon, so unmistakable that she was overcome.
He leaned down and kissed her, sweet and infinitely tender. As soon as the tech wiped the gel from her belly and began putting away the equipment, Steele slid his hand over her belly, cupping it possessively. Then he broke away from her and bent to press a kiss to her abdomen.
“A daughter,” he said again, so much awe in his voice that she smiled.
“What in the world are you going to do with a daughter?” she teased.
Steele straightened, a panicked look entering his eyes. “Oh shit. Boys. Oh hell no. She’s not dating until she’s thirty.”
Maren laughed. “Don’t you think you’re being a little overzealous?”
He was utterly serious when he shook his head.
Neither noticed when the tech rolled the sonogram out of the room and shut the door, leaving the two alone.
Steele pulled the chair back to the side of her bed, positioning it as close as he could manage, and then he leaned over the bed, grasping her hand in his.
“I love you, Maren. You scared the hell out of me. I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love another person. I care deeply for my team. I care about KGI. I respect them and they have my loyalty. But nothing compares to what I feel for you. You have my love, Maren. You’ll always have it.”
She breathed in deep, savoring the heartfelt words. He said them in an almost awed tone, as if he didn’t quite understand it himself and marveled at the idea of feeling so deeply for another person.
“I love you too,” she said softly. “So very much, Steele.”
“This isn’t the way I wanted to do this,” he said in a gruff, uncertain tone.
She cocked her head, studying his expression, the sudden unease and the uncertainty that crept into his gaze.