"Hmm, delicious," he said now, lifting his lips off hers at last, "I've been craving-" He broke off suddenly. His expression went completely blank.
Stevie began to laugh softly. "Now who looks like he's been goosed?"
"What the hell was that?"
"That," she said, taking his hand and moving it down to her swollen abdomen, "is our baby, moving for the first time."
Judd's adam's apple slid up and down his neck when he swallowed hard. "Oh, Geez," he groaned, "I knew I should have insisted that you stay in the room. I knew this would be too tiring.
Standing up on this damn hard floor brought this on. Why aren't you sitting down?"
Happiness bubbled out of her in the form of soft laughter. "Will you calm down? It's normal.
It's right on time. The doctor told me on my last visit to be watching for movement. There it is again. Feel it?" They waited expectantly, but nothing happened. "I guess he went back to sleep."
"Unfortunately," Judd said thickly, "touching you has brought me wide awake." He nudged her with his middle so she couldn't possibly mistake his meaning. "I'm a lucky cuss. Married to the sexiest prego broad on earth."
"Have I ever told you that you really have a romantic way with words?"
"No."
"Good."
It was a word game they often played. He was smiling at her wit as his hands skimmed past her thickened waistline and moved up to her breasts.
Over the past few weeks they'd grown larger with her advancing pregnancy. "Tender?" he asked as he massaged them through her dress.
"Not as long as you're doing that."
He swept his thumbs across her nipples; they didn't disappoint him. "God, I love you. You came along when I needed you most." He swallowed hard again, this time with emotion.
"Every time I think about your surgery and what could have been…" He let the unbearable thought go unspoken.
"But it wasn't, and we are blessed with each other." Again they kissed, putting behind it the love that brimmed in their hearts.
"Judd, it's happening again!" she said excitedly.
She guided his hand down to her tummy and they smiled radiantly at each other as the child of their creation moved within her.
"Does it hurt?" he whispered.
"No," she whispered back.
There was a knock on the door. "Mr. Mackie, the crowd is getting testy."
"What does it feel like?" Judd asked his wife, ignoring the panicked bookseller and keeping his voice low and stirring.
"It feels marvelous. It makes me feel alive and wonderful. 'Victorious. Almost as good as I feel every time you're inside me."
Judd laid his lips against hers and growled,
"I've gotta go for now, Mrs. Mackie, but hold that thought."