Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 131

Chapter 131

They both stood, Luca with a non–pregnant grace, Sutton with an awkward step. She felt his hand at her elbow, steadying her, and though she didn’t need the help, she didn’t shake him off. It was a little like turning to put the horse in the barn after it had bolted.

The nurse walked them into a waiting room. “I will run a few checks before the doctor comes to see you.”

The routine was normal: weight check, which she didn’t look at. She wasn’t vain, but she still didn’t want to know, only that she was in the healthy range Her blood pressure was slightly elevated, but no alarm bells.

Then the nurse peppered her with questions. “Any swelling in your feet or ankles?” as she made notes on her tablet.

Sutton glanced down at her feet, stuffed into the only pair of flats that still fit comfortably. “Some in the evenings,” she admitted. “Not too bad.”

Liar, her ankles silently accused. By five o’clock every day, they puffed out like bread dough, her skin stretched tight.

“Any headaches, dizziness or unusual pain?”

“Just the normal backaches and occasional Braxton Hicks, which I’ve been having since my second trimester.”

The nurse nodded. “It’s like that with some pregnancies,” she said before handing her a blue paper gown. “Change into this; open in the front. Dr. Matthews will be in shortly.” She left, closing the door softly behind her.

The moment they were alone, Luca turned his back without being asked, facing the wall. Sutton liked that she hadn’t had to ask, although there wasn’t much of her body he hadn’t already seen. Still, this was in a doctor’s office; it felt… well, different to flash her body to him now.

She struggled with her dress. The zipper ended up catching it halfway down her back, and she twisted awkwardly, trying to reach it. She let out a huff.

“Need help?” Luca asked quietly, still facing away.

“No,” she said, then reconsidered as she nearly toppled sideways. “Actually, yes. Just with the zipper.”

He turned, moving to stand behind her. She felt the tug of the zipper tab as his fingers gripped it. His fingers brushed her lower back as he lowered the zipper; an unexpected shiver raced down her spine. His touch lingered for a moment, and his breath stirred her nape. They both froze as Luca groaned.

Finally, he stepped away, saying, “If only we were not here.”

Sutton took a moment to steady herself because she felt the same way. Then she slipped the dress off her shoulders, letting it pool around her feet. She stood in her underwear. It was just a black pair of cotton panties and bra, nothing like the lacy things she used to wear for him before. Quickly, she stripped off her underwear and donned the paper gown, before folding her clothes and putting them on one of the chairs.

on the exam

face. “I hate that I wasn’t here for this. I also hate that

was shocked by how hot and primal his look of lust was. She was seven months

the desire written on his face said

She was hot and breathless

“Not now, not

voice made her cheeks warm. She was thinking of a way to respond when a knock

man with salt–and–pepper hair and kind eyes behind wire–rimmed glasses. He had a calm, reassuring presence that Sutton had appreciated from her first visit. She had wanted a woman at first until

to Luca with a slightly more assessing

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Chapter 131

my name is

about time you turned

miss it,” Luca

looks excellent so far. Blood pressure’s not too bad, weight gain right on

pain, especially at night. Worse than before. And the

almost seven months,” Dr. Matthews assured her. “The baby’s getting bigger, which puts more strain on your body. Try a heating pad for your back… not

he were mentally filing away

Dr. Matthews helped her lie back on the exam table, the paper crinkling beneath her. He opened the gown to expose her belly, rounded and taut, with a dark line running down the center. Luca moved closer,

though she already knew. He always talked her through what was going to happen. He squirted gel onto her abdomen, and she flinched anyway, her body tensing at the shock

smile. “Technology advances every day, but

smiled. He told the same joke on every

precision until the monitor displayed a grainy black–and–white image. And then, filling the room, the rapid whooshing sound of her baby’s heartbeat–strong and steady and

28 weeks. He’s in a good position too,

excellent.”

wide with undisguised wonder. Without seeming to think about it, he reached for her hand, his fingers warm as they entwined with hers. Sutton didn’t pull away. Couldn’t have even if she’d wanted to, transfixed as she was by their child on the screen. So she could understand how he was feeling… seeing the

Dr. Matthews pointed. “See the profile? That’s his nose, his lips.

“He?” Luca asked.

a figure of speech. Sutton hasn’t wanted to know

thumb?” Luca asked, his voice hushed with

practice all sorts of behaviors in the womb. Getting ready

eyes off the screen… off their baby, their child, real and whole and alive inside