Mystery Man by Kristen Ashley
The minute they hit him, her eyes filled with tears, she dropped her hand and it fell limply to her lap while she whispered, “Baby.”
Less than five minutes later, Cabe “Hawk” Delgado had his wife strapped into the Expedition, his sons safely secured in the back, his phone ringing to Bax at his ear and he was backing out of the garage on his way to the hospital.
* * * * *
“Son,” Hawk heard and he tore his eyes from the window to look into Baxter Kidd’s. The minute their eyes locked, Bax flinched so Hawk knew what he was feeling was written on his face.
Bax’s hand came up and his fingers curled on Hawk’s shoulder.
“This happened with Libby,” he said quietly. “Same thing, Cabe. Same exact thing. I didn’t say anything, Ash and Bruno were so easy, I thought…” He stopped, closed his eyes, sucked in an audible breath, opened his eyes and went on. “Libby was fine. Gwen was fine. And now, Gwen and Deacon are gonna be fine.”
Hawk nodded once and looked back out the window. Bax’s fingers gave him a squeeze, disappeared and then Hawk felt his presence move away.
Meredith and his mother had tried to get Hawk to agree to Tracy taking the boys away but Hawk refused to allow it. It might be the wrong decision but he didn’t give a fuck. They weren’t taking his boys from him. He needed his boys close.
The doctor had examined Gwen for about five seconds before he started barking orders, they urgently yanked her gurney out of the bay and rushed her down the hall. Gwen hadn’t uttered a word but her eyes never left him until they had no choice because she’d lost sight of him. They’d forced Hawk out of the bay and to the waiting room where Meredith and Bax were waiting with Ash and Bruno.
It had been two hours since they’d wheeled his wife away. His mother and father showed, Von and Lucia, Jury and his wife Gloria, Tracy and her husband Uri, Cam and Leo, Elvira and her man Malik, Troy and his wife Keeley, Mrs. Mayhew – but they heard no more.
Not a fucking word.
Hawk’s gaze was at the window but all he saw were Gwen’s frightened, pain-filled eyes locked to his.
He closed his eyes and shit collided in his brain.
Gwen’s body pressed to his, the silk of her dress under his hand, her smiling lips on his, her mouth tasting of frosting, her laughter sliding down his throat after they’d cut their wedding cake and shared bites. She’d pulled half an inch away and looked into his eyes before assuring him, “Don’t worry, baby, that little piece of cake won’t give you a gut.” After which he yanked her right back and kissed her so hard and so long, their audience started catcalling, hooting and he heard Elvira threaten to throw cold water on them.
Gwen walking out of the bathroom when they were on vacation in Bermuda. The windows open, a breeze blowing the thin curtains in, the sounds of the ocean filling the room. She had her hands behind her back and was wearing a little, sexy nightgown, a smile playing at her mouth. He’d watched her as she’d come to the side of the bed, climbed in and straddled him then whipped her hand around and showed him the white stick with a pink plus sign on it. Then she’d tossed it to the floor, plastered her soft torso to his frozen one, framed his face in her hands and announced through a grin, “If it’s a boy, Maria and I have decided on Asher. If it’s a girl, you get to name her.” When she was done speaking, his arms went around her, he rolled her to her back and kept her occupied for the next two hours so she could say nothing more than moaning her sweet, “Baby.”
Coming home late to see Gwen in Simone’s chair, her legs thrown over the side, her head rolled on the back, Ash cradled safe in her arms, both his boy and his woman asleep and neither had woken when he carried them in turns to their beds.
Gwen, her belly slightly rounded with Bruno (but she was still in spiked heels), wandering The Monstrosity while Hawk, Ash at his hip, and the real estate agent watched. Then she’d walked to him, put her hand to his abs and proclaimed on a complete exaggeration, “This monstrosity is bigger than your lair.” He’d hooked her around the neck, pulled her deep into his body, kissed her hard while Ash banged them both with tiny baby fists and when he lifted his head, he kept her close but looked at the agent and stated, “We’ll take it.”
Watching Gwen cross her legs in his Camaro while she fixed her lip gloss, staring into the mirror on the sun visor and muttering, “I think I love Meredith and Dad’s anniversary more than they do.” To which Hawk had teased, “Because it gives you an excuse to wear expensive shoes?” And Gwen had turned her head, he felt her eyes hitting his face and she’d replied, “No, because it’s also the anniversary of when you told me you love me which was, and even with all the beauty you’ve given me in between, it still is the best day of my life, Cabe ‘Hawk’ Delgado.” And Hawk had had to stop the car so he could kiss her which meant she again had to fix her lip gloss.
He’d lived a nightmare for eight years, closing off the world and refusing to feel anything only to walk up to a goddamned restaurant and through a window see the woman of his dreams wearing a sexy, little black dress and laughing with abandon. Then he’d fucked around for a year and a half. A year and a half. Every night he left her he told himself he’d never go back and then every night he fought going back until he couldn’t fight it anymore and he had to taste her, touch her, hear her soft, sweet voice whisper “baby”, feel her limbs hold him tight after he made her come, feel her eyes on him while he dressed and struggled with climbing right back into her bed and holding her close until he could see the sun shine on her beautiful face.
He’d had her in his arms and he had no idea he was in her heart and he’d denied she’d touched his for a year and a fucking half.
He’d never get that back and now he knew exactly what he’d been missing and he’d never fucking get that back.
“Mr. Delgado?” he heard and he opened his eyes to turn and see a doctor in scrubs walking into the room.
Everyone but Tracy and Elvira stood. Tracy because she was cradling a sleeping Ash, Elvira because she was doing the same with Bruno.
Hawk didn’t move as he watched Dr. Hunter walk to him and he still didn’t move even when he saw the man’s smile.
“Your wife is fine,” Hunter stated then stopped a foot from Hawk before he finished, “As is your baby girl.”
“A girl?” Hawk heard his mother cry as he heard other noises of relief and joy.
He just stared at Hunter and demanded, “I want to see my wife.”
“Of course,” Hunter nodded. “She’s sleeping,” he went on to warn.
“I want to see my wife,” Hawk repeated.
Hunter nodded again. “Follow me.”
Hawk’s eyes scanned his sleeping sons but didn’t move to anyone else in the room as he followed the doctor.
* * * * *
He saw it the minute her eyes opened.
She looked confused a moment then his hand in hers squeezed and her head turned on the pillow.
“Cabe, baby,” she whispered.
He felt her words like a physical touch.
Then he felt her hand squeeze his and his thumb slipped, brushing across her wedding rings.
He closed his eyes.
Thank Christ. Thank fucking Christ.
Hawk opened his eyes. “We’re namin’ her Genevieve.”
He watched her eyes grow round.
“Genevieve?” she whispered.
“Yeah,” he whispered back.
She stared at him. Then, still whispering, she declared, “Vivi.”
“Whatever,” Hawk muttered.
Gwen smiled at him and, seeing it, his hand automatically tightened around hers.
Thank. Fucking. Christ.
“No more kids,” he proclaimed.
“’Kay,” she agreed softly.
He got up from the chair but stayed bent so his face was close to hers.
Then he admitted, “You scared the shit outta me, Sweet Pea.”
Her eyes got soft and her face gentled. He’d surprised her in a way she liked.<
Fuck, but he loved that look and he didn’t love it any less no matter how often he saw it, which was often considering he worked hard to earn it.
“Superheroes don’t get scared,” she told him and for the first time in hours, he felt his mouth smile. She smiled back. Then she asked, “Where are my boys?”
“Sleepin’ in the waiting room.”
“Can they come in?”
“Don’t care, you want ‘em, I’ll go get ‘em.”
“I want them,” she whispered.
“You got it, babe,” Hawk whispered back, bent closer and touched his mouth to hers.
When he pulled away her hand got tighter so he stopped and caught her eyes.
“We have a little girl,” she said softly.
“Yeah,” he replied just as soft.
“Can I see her?”
“I’ll bring her too.”
Gwen nodded and studied his face for awhile.
Then she asked quietly, “What am I going to do?”
“What?”
“I don’t have anything else to daydream about. Now what am I going to do?”
Hawk felt his gut get tight, his chest swell and something stung his throat.
“I’ll find a way to keep you occupied, baby,” he whispered.
“’Kay,” she whispered back.
His hand again tightened in hers and his other hand lifted so he could run his knuckles down her pale cheek and when he did, her eyes closed.
“Love you, Sweet Pea,” he murmured and her eyes opened.
She smiled then she replied, “Love you too, baby.” He started to pull away again but she called his name so he stopped.
“Yeah?”
“Before you go, give me the dimples,” she demanded.
That thing in his throat prickled and Hawk dipped his head and kissed the indentation at the base of his wife’s throat. Then he lifted his head and smiled at her.
Her hand came to his face and he felt the pad of her thumb in one of his dimples.
Then her eyes moved from her thumb to his and she smiled back.
####
About the Author
Kristen Ashley lives in the beautiful West Country of England with her husband and her cat. She came to England by way of Denver, where she lived for twelve years, but she grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana. Her family and friends are loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen’s Mom moved her and her brother and sister in with their grandparents when she was six. Her grandparents had a daughter much younger than her Mom so they all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Discover other Titles by Kristen Ashley at Smashwords.com
The Rock Chick Series:
Rock Chick
Rock Chick Rescue
Rock Chick Redemption
Rock Chick Renegade
Rock Chick Revenge
The ‘Burg Series:
For You
At Peace
Golden Trail
The Colorado Mountain Series:
The Gamble
Sweet Dreams
Other Titles by Kristen Ashley:
Lacybourne Manor
Penmort Castle
Sommersgate House
Three Wishes
Connect with Kristen Online:
Official Website: www.kristenashley.net
Kristen’s Blog: www.kristenashley.net/menu/blog.html
Kristen’s Facebook Page
Cover Art and Photograph by DM Ashley
Kristen Ashley, Mystery Man