“He must have just stepped out. I’m happy to take a message for you, or I can just let him know you stopped by.”
“Sure. You let him know Leo and Mack were here. He’s got an—” the man's eyes flashed to Hawk and thenreturned to Jessie, “invoice discrepancy we need to straighten out. Let him know we need to hear from him this week.”
“Sure thing. Mack and Leo. I’ll let him know.”
The two men turned, Mack knocking his fist against the counter top and Leo sending a wink her way, before leaving the shop.
“Who the fuck were they?” Hawk asked.
“Those are the guys Dakota was meeting with at the diner a few weeks ago. Lach said he wasn’t going to work with them, but I guess he changed his mind.”
Recognition flashed in Hawk’s eyes.
“That one is the creep who couldn’t take no for an answer, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.” Her body shook with the disgusting memory of his hand gripping her ass.
“I want you to call me if they show back up here again.”
Jessie wanted to say something sassy. Something that reminded Hawk she could take care of herself. But honestly, she didn’t feel like she could at that moment. So instead, she just nodded.
“Well, doughnuts are delivered.” Hawk’s smile widened as he dropped his gaze from her face down to her belly, where her hand was resting. “Have you felt our bumblebee moving again?”
The hope in his voice was precious.
“No. I’m sorry. I think it was just wishful thinking. Fourteen weeks is really early.”
Hawk shrugged. “Like you said, I definitely wouldn’t be able to feel it yet anyway. But it’s fun to imagine them moving around in there. I wish I could have seen your face when you felt it.”
Damn. Jessie swallowed down her guilt. She was being too stubborn, wasn’t she?
“Hey, Jess? Where do you want these?” He spun thedoughnut box in his hand and her mouth filled with saliva. Only, it wasn’t because she was craving them. Nausea swelled, and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she could answer.
“You can put them over by the window.”
“You okay? Sounded like you were looking forward to them. Now you don’t want to dig in?”
“I’m fine.”
Hawk’s growl sent a shiver down her spine. God, she really did go weak in the knees when he was overprotective. Lord, help her.
“Nausea level?”
She really hated to admit it, but the more time passed that morning, the worse she was feeling.
“A seven. Maybe an eight.”
He took two steps and closed the distance between them, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he circled his thumb over her bracelet.
“Fuck. Did this stop working?”
She shook her head, letting it fall against his chest. “I just… I don’t know what it is. I’ve just been feeling more and more nauseous as the day has gone on. And maybe a little dizzy. It’s hard to think. I swear I’ve restarted this spreadsheet four times because I can’t focus.”
His body went stiff under her. “I’m going to take you back to the apartment.”
“No. Don’t be silly. I’m only here for another hour anyway. Then I have a break before I’m supposed to be at the diner.”
“Jess.”
