Kieran's body trembled as he leaned forward.
Every breath he took seemed to scrape through his chest like gravel,his gasps were broken, but none of it mattered as his fingers slowly reached for the edge of the blanket covering Autumn's middle.
He paused.
His hand hovered above her womb, unsure… afraid… reverent.
And then, with a motion as gentle as dusk settling on the sea, he peeled the blanket back…just enough to reveal the soft, subtle rise of her belly.
His heart leapt to his throat.
He pressed his palm, lightly, to her skin… and waited.
Seconds stretched like lifetimes.
And then he felt them kick.
Kieran gasped.
His hand flinched, instinctively.
Another kick…stronger.
He stumbled back, nearly losing balance as if something had struck him from inside. His lips parted in utter shock. His fingers shook.
And then…he started laughing.
Or at least, something like laughter cracked out of his mouth…broken and trembling with disbelief.
