Page 195 of Between Sky & Sea

“Will it hurt?” I nuzzle the side of her face, tracing my fingers down her arms.

“It shouldn’t. Just a bit of discomfort.”

Mayah shuts her eyes and sets her glowing palms to her belly. Her body tenses against mine, a faint crease immediately forming between her brows. Wary of disrupting her focus, I keep my hands still against her sides. Her breathing shallows, back arching slightly, and I brush a kiss against the crown of her head.

Three hundred and seventy-two.

Her glowing hands move over her abdomen for three hundred and seventy-two heartbeats. Then, a tired sigh slips free, and her body sags against mine.

“Here,” I murmur, scooting out from beneath her and tucking a pillow beneath her head. I rise up onto my knees by her feet, surveying her closely. “How do you feel?”

Her eyes are bright, a soft smile curving her lips. “Good.”

“Are you in pain?”

She shakes her head. Her smile stretches wider as she rests her feet in my lap.

I trail my fingers up her calf, and her breath hitches. “I-I had the block in place for over a decade. It could take months, maybe over a year, before my monthly bleeds return.”

My fingers inch higher, skimming the soft skin of her thighs, until they hook beneath lace. A rosy flush paints my wife’s cheeks down to her chest. “And it could take years of trying before I actually conceive.” Her voice cracks as I slide the scrap of lace down her legs.

“Years, hmm?” I raise her leg to my lips and press a wet kiss against her ankle. “Sounds like I have my work cut out for me.” Her energy signature pulses with anticipation. “I better get started right away.”

The End