SEXY DIRTY SANTA (WELCOME TO THE NAUGHTY LIST)

CHAPTER SIX (2019)

It's the morning of Christmas Eve, and already I've hurled my guts out twice and it's not even 8:30 in the morning. Pulling my head out of the toilet bowl, I wiped my lips with a piece of toilet paper and flushed it down the drain along with my stomach. I forced myself to my knees, than my feet as I stared at myself in the mirror and realized how awful I looked. A quick rinse of cold water and a dash of mouthwash managed to hide the evidence on breath as I took a quick shower and went in search of my husband.

A search of the house and backyard proved to be useless in my mission to find Adam. And yet, his scent still lingered on the grounds. Warm as hot chocolate, cool as lemonade on a hot day and spicy like his Calvin Kline cologne. A pathway made by sand led me straight to the beach as a warm breeze circled around me. The sand felt good between my toes as I walked along the water's edge and looked out over the horizon. I sighed. Where the hell is he? And just like that, my question was answered.

Rising out of the water like Poseidon himself, I watched as the early morning sunlight reflected off his hard body. Beads of water clung to every inch of him as he ran his fingers through his hair and smiled once he saw me. The water got lower as he walked to get out and that's when I noticed that he didn't have a bathing suit on. I arched a brow and perched my lips to conceal the smirk that was growing wider by the second. After all this time, it still feels like only yesterday that we just met and I'm giddy like a schoolgirl.

"Nice day for a dip I see. How was the water?"

"Refreshing," he replied, giving me a kiss. "Only it would've been better if you were out there with me."

"Maybe later. Right now, what I want you to do is get dressed and take me into town."

"More Christmas shopping then, is it?"

"No," I said as we started making our way back toward the house. "Adam, I think this time it's finally happened. I think I'm pregnant."

"Shaun," he began but I cut him off at the pass.

"Let's just not get our hopes up until the tests come back. Hopefully positive. And while you're getting dressed, I will try and find ourselves a doctor."

"Good luck. It may be hard to find one at this point since it's Christmas Eve and all."

"Have some fate, love. I got this."

One of the many conveniences of going away for the weekend, is the use of internet access no matter where you are in the world. I fired up my laptop from the couch in the living room and used everyone's favorite search engine Google to find a doctor with special skills. After all, a normal, human doctor couldn't see a patient like me without raising a few alarms in the process. That's why it's important to find a doctor with the proper training and expertise who handle this matter privately.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed since I first brought up Google with no luck in sight. I'd try every keyword I can think of, every backdoor and still nothing. I sighed in defeat, setting my laptop down on the seat next to me as I put a hand to my stomach. I can't be wrong about this, I thought. Not after everything that's happened. We need a Christmas miracle. Emerging from the bedroom fully dressed with a smile on his face, Adam held up his phone.

"What is it?" I asked.

He tossed me his phone as I caught it and stared at the screen of a website's homepage. "What you have there is a doctor's office in Maui run by one Katrina Zarkova. She specializes in many other forms of medicine as well as the occasional werewolf pregnancy."

"Impressive. But how did you manage to find her? I tried everywhere."

Adam shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. "I called around."

"Meaning you asked your father for help."

He nodded. "My father knows everything, and everyone. So when I told him that you might be pregnant, he was more than happy to help."

"And this Dr. Zarkova, is she even open for business today?"

"No. But once the business of money came up in conversation. She managed to squeeze us in on her day off."

I scuffed. "Course she did. Well, come on, let's go."

"Want to bet what the gender will be?" Adam said as we got into the car.

"Hmm. I'm not one to spoil the fun. I can wait until the day finally arrives."

"And what happens if she spoils it right then and there after confirming the pregnancy?"

"I'll drop kick her into the next decade."

He laughed. "I'd have put money on that."

The office of Dr. Katrina Zarkova was located not far from the edge of town. It was a modern building. A mixture of concrete, steel and glass. We pulled up in front of the main door and took the elevator to the fourth floor. A knock occurred and the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. Her English was good enough to pass. But her native Russian accent was still there. She brought us back immediately as we stepped into a sterilized room.

No information about our visit was to be recorded, signed or dated under the strictest confidence as per the request with Adam's father. Given such secrecy it's no surprise that my baby would have noble blood running through its veins.

"Please, lie back on the table with your shirt raised," said Dr. Zarkova.

"I take it your payment was more than satisfactory," Adam replied.

"Indeed. And I'm warning you now," she looked at me. "This gel might feel a little cold."

She wasn't kidding. The moment the gel landed on my stomach I jumped a little. But all that went away when she smeared it around with a hand-held scanner that was connected to a computer. A few minutes passed as she typed away at the keys with one hand and moved the scanner around with the other. When she finished, she turned the screen slightly so we could both see it and pointed to a spot in the center.

"See that little blip right there?" She asked. "That's your baby."

Adam grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. "You mean he's pregnant? You're sure?"

"I'm positive. In fact, hold on." Another clack of the keys followed by the click of a mouse provided us with a sound effect that sounded like a heartbeat. "It appears that I stand corrected."

"What do you mean, doctor?" I said.

"Congratulations. You're having twins."

Authors Note: Hello everyone! I am so sorry. But I did actually mean to post this on Saturday. Then I forgot. And the same thing happened on Sunday. And well, you know the rest. 😂 On that note, four more chapters remain until next Christmas.