Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints. Kasey Michaels

get to the phone in time to answer it. Besides, she had her answering machine on.

      She could vaguely hear a man’s voice, but not loud enough to recognize it. She’d check the message when she got out.

      Ten minutes later, when her skin felt as though it was shriveling, she began the laborious task of getting out of the tub. Once she was upright, she wrapped her body in a big bath towel, thinking she looked like a house moving down the road. All she lacked was a tow truck.

      The doorbell rang, and she frowned. No one should expect her to be home, so who could it be? She decided not to answer it and continued down the hall to her bedroom.

      But she stopped because the caller abandoned the doorbell and began beating on the door itself, yelling her name. Afraid a neighbor might call the police, she rushed to the door. “Who is it?”

      “Bri? Open the door!”

      Recognizing the caller as Dr. Hunter Callaghan, Bri wasn’t inclined to follow his order. “What’s wrong?”

      “I want to make sure you’re all right!”

      “I’m fine. Go away!”

      “I’m calling an ambulance and the police if you don’t open the door in one minute.”

      “Why?”

      “I have to check your blood pressure!” Then he began pounding the door again.

      With a sigh, she opened the door. “Stop that! You’re going to upset my neighbors!”

      Hunter stared at her, reminding her she was wrapped in a bath towel. She began shoving the door closed, but he stuck his foot in it.

      “I’m coming in, Bri. I want to check your blood pressure,” Hunter insisted.

      “Fine! I have to go get dressed.” She gave up the battle with the door and stomped out of her living room. She came back a few minutes later, wearing a muumuu she’d bought in Hawaii several years ago. It was the easiest thing to wear when she was relaxing.

      Hunter was pacing the room, checking his watch every few seconds.

      “Don’t let me keep you if you’ve got an appointment,” she said, her chin in the air.

      He immediately opened his medical bag. “Sit down. I want to check your blood pressure. I noticed you were stressed at lunch.”

      “Of course I was stressed!” Bri yelled at him. “You were upsetting me on purpose.”

      “What?” Hunter responded, shock on his face. “I did not do that! I was visiting with your father, that’s all.”

      She still stood, staring at him, when he reached out. “You’re weaving. Sit down before you fall down.”

      She sank into the nearest chair and leaned back. “Look, just go back to the hospital and leave me alone. I’ll be fine if I get some time alone.”

      Her phone rang again.

      She stared at it, amazed that she was getting all these calls when she should’ve been at work.

      Without asking permission, Hunter snatched up the receiver. “She’s okay, Lisa. I don’t know—why didn’t you answer the phone?” he asked Bri.

      “Because I was taking a bubble bath to relax—until someone began pounding on my door.”

      He only repeated the first part of her sentence. “Yeah, I’ll stay with her a little while until I’m sure she’s okay. Yeah.” He hung up the phone.

      “Don’t mind me,” she muttered.

      “Sorry, I should’ve asked permission, but I was sure it was Lisa. When I called and couldn’t get an answer, we both panicked.”

      She closed her eyes. “I didn’t think you knew where I lived,” she muttered.

      “Lisa gave me directions.”

      She opened her eyes when he put the blood pressure cuff on her arm.

      “Just lie back and relax,” he said softly.

      The problem was she knew her blood pressure was high. She didn’t want him to order her to the hospital.

      When he released the pressure and took the cuff off without saying a word, she prompted him. “Well?”

      “It’s a little high, but I know you don’t want to go to the hospital. I’ll agree to that if you’ll let me treat you here.”

      “What kind of treatment?”

      “Remember when I told you I gave great foot massages?”

      “Yes.” He couldn’t mean what he was implying.

      “I’m going to give you a foot massage.”

      “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m fine.”

      “Stay calm. It won’t hurt.”

      “I don’t want you touching me.” She was afraid it would remind her too much of making love with the man.

      “Bri, either you let me rub your feet and calm you down, or you will have to go to the hospital.”

      “No, I—Okay. A foot massage,” she rapidly agreed. Even if she protested going to the hospital, it would only take one call to Abby or her father for Dr. Callaghan to make it impossible for her to stay home.

      “Let’s go to your bedroom.”

      “No! I can sit on the couch.”

      “We’ll be more comfortable on the bed. Do you have any foot cream?”

      “Yes. It’s in the bathroom. It’s pink, scented peppermint. I’ll—”

      “Go on to your bedroom and pile up lots of pillows behind you. I’ll get the cream.”

      He entered the room only a couple of minutes later while she was still piling up pillows on the bed.

      “I found the cream and a towel. Now, do you have a book to read, something you enjoy?”

      She nodded. “I—I started a book last night, but I fell asleep.”

      “Get it while I pour you a glass of milk.”

      “But I just ate!”

      He ignored her and headed for the kitchen.

      “Fine. Bring me milk. If it will get rid of you, I’ll even drink it!” she muttered. Then she grabbed her book, turned on the bedside lamp and crawled up in the middle of the bed.

      Hunter put a glass of milk beside her on the lamp table. “I’ll have to turn my back to you to do a good job, so just relax and read, drink a little milk.”

      Somehow, having his back to her made everything easier. He pulled her muumuu up to her knees, but no higher. Then he poured cream into his hands, holding it there for it to warm. He took her right foot into his large, warm palms and began to rub in the cream. His strong fingers kneaded the sole of her foot and she sighed.

      “I’m not hurting you, am I?” he asked.

      “No. No, it feels—good.” She hated to admit it, but it did feel great. She hadn’t seen her feet often in the last couple of months. Though she wore sensible shoes, as her weight increased, her feet grew more stressed.

      Her left foot edged toward her right one, as if making its own plea not to be ignored.

      Half an hour later, Bri lay back against the pillows, the milk glass empty and her eyes closed. She hadn’t read a single page of the romance novel. She’d been too busy indulging in her own fantasy.

      WHEN HUNTER finally felt he’d done all he could, he peeped over his shoulder to discover a relaxed Bri, her eyes closed, breathing deeply. He rose from the bed and moved around to the side, putting his fingers on her pulse.