She smiled slightly at me. “I promise you, it won’t hurt the baby.”

I bit down on my lower lip. “Well, I am in a lot of pain, so maybe—”

“You’re in a lot of pain? Should you be walking, Emma? Maybe she should be resting,” Garrett said as he walked up alongside me and held on to my arm.

I let out a laugh. “Garrett Mathews, you will not treat me like I’m incapable of doing anything. Of course I’m in pain. I just pushed a watermelon out of a hole the size of a grape. Now, don’t harass the nurse. Walking is very good for me, and the faster I can get out of the hospital and home with you and our son, the better.”

Garrett nodded his head and smiled. “Yes, ma’am. Ladies, I do believe I’m going to go peek at my son through the nursery glass again.”

I let out a giggle. “Tell him I love him.”

Garrett leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. “I will, Buttercup.”

After a few more minutes of walking, I turned to the nurse and said, “You know what? I’ll take that pain medicine now.”

She chuckled and led me back to my room. “I have a feeling you will be heading home soon, Mrs. Mathews.”

Garrett pulled up, and we both let out a sigh of relief. “Jesus, that was the most stressful few hours of my life. Tell me why we decided to have the baby in Austin?”

I laughed. “Because my dad insisted we have the baby at his hospital.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Em, but the next one will be born in Mason.”

Garrett jumped out and ran around to open my door. He helped me out of the car and then took Jim in his arms. We walked up the steps with our son for the first time. We stopped right outside the door and looked at each other.

“Garrett, are we going to be able to do this? I mean, he’s so small. What if I drop him or he slips when I give him a bath? I can’t bear the thought of hurting him.”

He let out a chuckle as he handed Jim to me. “Em, you’re going to be the most amazing mother ever. You’re not going to drop him or hurt him. You’re going to love him and protect him always.”

I nodded my head. “Okay. Well, let’s do this then, shall we?”

We walked into the house, and the smell of freshly baked bread hit me almost at once.

“Is that fresh bread?” I asked.

Garrett turned and walked backward as he said, “I asked Margie to organize it. She, Peggy, Mama, and Lily all pitched in and made a few days’ worth of meals. Mama said she would be by in a few days, but she wanted us to get settled first.”

I tried to hold back my tears, but I finally just let them fall. I couldn’t possibly love this man any more than I did in this very moment.

“Garrett, you always think of every little detail,” I said.

He reached over and kissed my nose. “Emma, I love you so much. I just want you to be happy.”

My heart began beating harder in my chest, and I was sure it would wake up Jim. “Garrett,” I whispered, “I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now.”

He gave me that panty-melting smile of his. “Come on, let’s put Jim down and get you into a hot bath.”

Oh my. Yes, I could get used to this.

After my bath, I was so relaxed. I made my way over to our bed and crawled under the covers.

Garrett walked in with Jim. “My little guy wants something to eat. Then, I thought I would take him out for a bit of fresh air.”

“Garrett, please don’t take him into the barn or around any animals, not yet,” I said as I reached for my little man.

Garrett threw his head back and said, “I’m excited about teaching him about ranching, Em, but I do think I can wait a few years.”

After I fed and burped Jim, Garrett took him from my arms. “Now, rest for a bit while we go on a short walk.”

I smiled as I watched Garrett walk away with our son. Nothing was sexier than seeing him holding our child. I closed my eyes and wished like hell we could be together. The doctor had said six weeks and no sooner. Margie had told me how much fun she and Billy had doing other things until they had finally broken down and had sex at four weeks.

I slid down and closed my eyes. I opened them again and turned to look at the nightstand. There was an envelope with my name on it. I sat up and reached for it. I began to open it.

It was a letter…from Garrett. I sat back some and began reading it. The more I read, the harder I cried. I had to stop a few times since I couldn’t read through my tears. Twice, I had to put the letter down to try to control the crying. When I finally was able to finish, I folded the letter and carefully put it back into the envelope.

I got up out of bed and quickly made my way over to my dresser. I opened up my lingerie drawer and searched for the sheer black baby doll lingerie that Margie had given me for my birthday. I had been pregnant at the time, and I had been so pissed that she gave it to me then. When she’d told me it was for after the baby was born, I’d hugged her and told her she was the best cousin and best friend in the entire world.

I rushed into the bathroom and slipped it on. Ugh. I hated that I was bleeding so badly, but all I wanted to do was make Garrett happy. Wearing this would be just the start.

“Em? Are you okay?” Garrett called from the other side of the bathroom door.

I smiled and did a little hop as I looked at myself in the mirror. Just a few pinches to each cheek, and I was good to go.

“Is Jim awake?” I asked.

Garrett laughed. “Hell no. The country air knocked him out cold. I think he is going to take one hell of a good nap.”

I opened the door and leaned against the doorframe. “Good. I’m going to need time to make sure my husband has one hell of a good orgasm.”

Garrett’s eyes traveled up and down my body, and he swallowed hard. “Em, what are you…where did you…what…what’s happening?”

I giggled as I walked up to him. I began lifting his shirt up and over his head. “Mmm…your body drives me insane with lust, Garrett.”

I placed my hands on his chest and began moving them up and down as I licked my lips and looked up into his eyes. They were dancing with passion, and I couldn’t help but smile, knowing I was making him feel this way.

He closed his eyes and then opened them as he let out a long sigh. “Em, we can’t, not for six weeks.”

I began pushing him, so he had to start walking backward.

I slowly shook my head. “Oh, Mr. Mathews…this is all for you.”