“Why don’t you let me decide what I deserve?And what I want.”
Millie’s eyes widened, and she pulled away, so I wrapped my other arm around her hips and slid my head across the pillow until I was nose to bump.
“Hi, baby.”I kissed Millie’s stomach, as I did every time she returned.I liked the opportunity to talk to my kid—and the soft smile that always curved Millie’s lips when I showed our Bree affection.Rolling onto my back, arms still cinched around her, I met her troubled gaze.
“Hey, stop that.You don’t need to worry, not about this—me.”I glanced at the clock and frowned.“Why are you here?”
“Because I have a doctor’s appointment in half an hour and thought you’d like to come.”
My confusion deepened.“I thought that was tomorrow.”
Millie smiled, her eyes alight.“It was, but it got moved to today.You still want to join—”
“Hell, yes.”I scrambled around her, out of the bed and into the bathroom.“Give me two minutes.”
I washed my face and brushed my teeth, a twinge of longing hitting me when I returned my toothbrush next to hers in the holder.I wantedthis.I wanted Millie to remain in my life, in my condo,ustogether.
I hadn’t brought it up again, not after I caught the wonder and fear in her eyes every time I cleaned up after dinner or brought her a cup of herbal tea, like I had yesterday morning when she was feeling lousy.
I exited the bathroom to find Millie still standing next to the unmade bed.She lifted her head, and her expression held a longing so intense I stumbled.Righting myself, I settled on the balls of my feet, waiting for her next move.She dropped her gaze, but not before I saw fear in her eyes.
“You should sleep here,” she said.Her voice shook.She cleared her throat.“Tonight.”
“I’m not kicking you out of your bed,” I scoffed.“Especially not with us traveling tomorrow.”I scooted around her, nudging her so I could pull up the sheets and comforter.Then I went to the living room to grab the shoes I’d left next to the couch.
She inhaled sharply.“I was, ah, thinking we could both sleep here.”
Chapter8
Millie
“So, it’s no problem to travel as long as we watch her water intake and move every hour between naps?”Luka asked Dr.de Silva.
He was determined to make sure Bree and I could fly safely tomorrow.
She shook her head, a slight smile on her lips.“That’s correct.They’re both healthy, and she still has ten weeks before she’s considered full-term.”She aimed a pleasure-filled grin my way.“I’m guessing that as a professional hockey player, he takes workouts and hydration seriously.”
I gasped.“You know who he is?”
“Love hockey,” Dr.de Silva answered.“I was miffed when Stolly missed a game last season, until I met him in person.”She winked.“Move,” she told me.“Your ankles will swell because of the altitude.And remember, absolutely no air travel if you have complications or after thirty-four weeks.”
Luka and I nodded our understanding.
“Great!You kids have fun.And win the Cup next year, okay?”
“I’ll do my best,” Luka said, his expression grave.
We exited the doctor’s office and headed down the street for an early dinner.I was hungry.These days I was either starving or too full to eat another bite, nothing in between.
As we ate, my mind continued to replay Luka’s expression when I’d asked him to sleep with me tonight.
“I’d like that.”
He’d like to sleep in bed with me so he doesn’t need to nap all day, I told myself.So his back won’t hurt.Yeah, I’d caught his grimaces.
Or did he want to sleep in the bed with me because he wanted to hold me?
I desperately wanted it to be the latter, but I couldn’t let myself hope like that.I just couldn’t.I’d thought I was in love with Trent.He’d paid me attention; he’d opened doors and looked deep into my eyes and kissed me so sweetly.
