“I can’t take this from you,” he agrees, “but I want to take care of you. I don’t want you to go through this alone, sweetheart.”
His hand slides to the back of my neck and my fingers pause on the sweater I was pulling free of the rack. I turn to him. There’s worry bleeding into his eyes and my stomach twists for a different reason now.
I sigh, my hands resting against his chest. “And I love you for that,” I say, “but I can handle it.”
Lie.I’m handling nothing right now.
He stares at me, like he’s seeing wounds I can’t. “I’m calling Dr. Patel.”
I blink. What the?—
I might feel like shit now, but usually the nausea backs off enough for me to get through the day. I might not be thriving, but I am surviving.
“Don’t you dare.” I grab for his phone the second he pulls it out. He lets me take it from him, his jaw clenching. Mine is too. “I’m fine. I don’t need to see the doctor.”
“You’re not fine.”
I count to ten and take a steadying breath. He’s just worried. He’s just overprotective, completely in love with you and all these little things are just about keeping you safe and healthy.
Except, they’re having the opposite affect. I don’t feel like his wife. I feel like his problem.
“I’m pregnant, Jensen,” I say slowly. “Did you think it was going to be nine months of floating around in maternity wear, radiating health and happiness?”
“I didn’t think you’d be this sick. And I sure as hell didn’t think you’d be sneaking around to throw up.”
My chest tightens, and my guilt sharpens my tone. “I didn’t sneak.”
“I only knew you’d gotten sick because I heard you.”
I throw my hands up, frustrated and too exhausted to have this argument. “Because I can’t even sneeze without you calling Dr. Patel.”
He frowns at my outburst. “I’m just taking care of you.”
Calm down, Mia.Jensen isn’t the enemy. He’s just your idiot husband.
I rub my aching temple.
“You’re coddling me,” I correct, “and I don’t feel like I can say anything or feel anything or do anything without you freaking out.”
His shoulders are tight as he stares at me. Yeah, he’s really hurt and normally I’d give him space to feel what he needs to, but I don’t have the energy to do that and drag myself through the first trimester hellscape.
“Is that what you think I’m doing, Mia? Coddling?” He steps closer, his huge frame blocking out the rest of the room. “You know what I really want to do?” His hand covers my stomach, so gentle and yet possessive. “I want to tie you to our bed and force you to rest.”
His words aren’t anything I haven’t heard from him before, but they punch harder this time.
“Kinky,” I mutter, “but also unnecessary. You don’t have to tie me to keep me in our bed, Jensen. I sleep beside you every night willingly. But you can’t control this.” I gesture to my stomach. “I’m going to be sick. I’m going to be tired and grumpy and hormonal. It comes with the baby.”
“I know you’re going to be all of those things. And I know I’m difficult—” I snort. He ignores it. Obviously “—but I can’t handleyou keeping things from me.” He catches my chin, his grip firm but not hard. I glare at him. Defiant. Pissed still. “You don’t hide this from me, Mia. Not ever. You get sick, you call me. Your back hurts, you tell me so I can rub it. I want to be here when you need me.” That slow twist goes through my gut again as his gaze combs over my face. “Please don’t push me out.”
I stare at the man I’ve loved since I was fourteen years old. I want him involved, but I want to breathe, too.
I run my hands over his chest, the cotton of his shirt soft beneath my fingers. I can’t feel his heart pounding, but I’m sure it is. “I’m not trying to, but I need you to stop acting like every symptom is a red alert. Dr. Patel’s going to stop taking our calls if you don’t chill.”
And honestly, I wouldn’t blame her.
He presses his forehead to mine, his arms around me, like he can sew our bodies together. “I can’t. You’re my wife, Mia—the love of my life. And when I see you suffering, I want to take care of you—especially when you’re not taking care of yourself.”
That annoys me. I mean, everything annoys me right now, but that?Yeah.
