As soon as they arrived at the clinic, the nurse showed them into an exam room.

Paige made quick work of her dress and managed to avoid Devlin’s helping hands as she changed into the gown. It did something to her to see the look in his eyes as he saw her both reveal and cover her swollen form within reach of his hands, and yet the caress of his eyes was almost more… intriguing than his actual touch in that moment.

It was a visceral reaction to having him near.

The door opened and Doctor Shigezawa came in with a bright smile on her face. “Hey there, Mommy and Daddy.” She sat down on her rolling stool and checked to make sure that the warmer on the sonogram machine was ready. “I know Daddy’s busy today.”

Paige brightened and set her hand on Devlin’s arm, giving him a gentle squeeze. “It’s the first official day for the SCPS. They’re having a big press conference at Police Headquarters and any chance I get to see Devlin in a suit is fine by me.”

Devlin’s hand covered hers and his thumb slid under her hand to sweep against the sensitive skin on the inside of her wrist, eliciting a subtle gasp from Paige’s lips.

The doctor’s soft chuckle brought Paige almost back to the moment. “Hey now… let’s keep our eyes on the prize, hmm?” She looked up at him. “Go ahead and help mommy lie back on the table, just no funny business until you are home.”

Paige was grateful for the assist. Getting up and lying down were no longer things she could easily do on her own. It was so much easier to have help. It was also something she didn’t like to do with a full bladder. The baby had a unique ability to pick exactly the wrong moment to shift.

With Devlin’s help she eased back with a sigh.

The doctor gestured to her nurse who lowered the lights.

“I know I don’t need to lower the lights for Daddy, but it’s easier for Mommy this way.”

Paige laughed. “Actually, you’d be surprised what I can see now. I just wonder how much of my new sensitivities I’ll be able to keep after the baby is born.”

The doctor shrugged. “It’s different with every birth, every baby. We’ll just have to wait and see.” She typed a few keys on the keyboard and they started a new file. A few more clicks and the screen shifted to the familiar darkness of the imaging machine. “So far,” she gave a little grimace, “baby Kerr has been more than a little cagey about showing us the goods. So, we’re going to see if the little one is ready to settle the bets.”

“Devlin hasn’t said anything about what he wants. We both really don’t care which sex.” Paige looked up at her mate. “Although, I can’t help myself. I keep calling the baby ‘she’ and my father thinks I’ll give the baby a complex if ‘she’ turns out to be a ‘he.’”

The doctor nodded. “Well, let’s try to reassure the Mayor then. I’m always happy to make him happy.”

The nurse spread a blanket over Paige’s legs and then lifted the hem of her gown to reveal Paige’s stomach.

The distinctive squish of the warmed gel spraying into the doctor’s palm made Devlin’s upper lip curl. “Does it have to sound like that?”

Paige laughed, and her belly quaked in the half-light of the room. “Now I know what the ‘bowlful of jelly’ looks like.”

The doctor met Paige’s eyes and waited for the nod before she painted part of her belly with the warm gel.

“All right then… let’s have a looksee.” She moved the wand in one direction and then the other, making a few widening circles of movement. The throbbing pulse of the baby’s heartbeat echoed in the room and Paige heard Devlin’s indrawn breath. It made her own eyes tear up as he leaned closer to the screen, his hand taking hers in a gentle embrace.

“Goodness,” the doctor chuckled, “baby is getting bigger by the day.”

Her shock was a pleasant one and Paige relaxed into the examination.

“I think we’re looking at barely two or three weeks before you two have diaper duty and midnight feedings.”

“So soon?” Paige’s voice was filled with joy and wonder.

“It’s tough to pinpoint the exact split between human gestation and tiger. These images are giving me a very well-developed baby and I think we’re going to be stepping up your due date to match this sudden spurt in development.” She paused for a minute, sliding the imaging wand under Paige’s rounded belly and nudging a little to one side. On the screen, the baby wiggled and shifted ever so slightly. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

Another few minute adjustments and the doctor looked over her shoulder at Devlin. “You sure you want to know, Daddy?”

Devlin lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss against Paige’s knuckles. “Absolutely.”

“Well, congratulations you two.” She smiled and blinked back a tear. “You’re having a girl.”

The doctor set the wand back into the holder and picked up a towel, wiping the gel from Paige’s round belly, but the happy couple wouldn’t have noticed if she walked out of the room on her hands or turned into a show pony.

So, she left them alone to enjoy a few minutes of peace before they had to make a run to the press conference.

Devlin drew Paige into his embrace as he sat carefully on the edge of the exam table, tasting their joy mingling on her lips. He held her carefully, but his mate had no qualms about digging her fingers into his broad shoulders and holding him close.

Paige was his mate in every possible way, but no matter how long they would have together, no matter how many children they would raise, Paige Kerr would always be his innocent bride.