“Okay.” Nate scrambled into the driver’s seat, his eyes bright with panic and excitement.
“She’s going to be fine,” May said firmly.
They pulled away.
Ace stepped up beside her, his hand finding hers without asking. “I’ll walk you to the clinic.”
“Thanks.”
They crossed toward Second Street, the night quiet except for the distant hum of engines and the shift of small rocks underfoot.
“Think it’ll be a long night?” he asked.
Who knew? “This is their first baby. Sometimes the process takes a couple of hours. Sometimes we’re here all night. There’s no way to know.”
“All right.” He tugged on a strand of her hair. “I’ll hang out at the clinic.”
She looked up at him. “Ace, I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Yeah, you do.” His mouth curved. “And I have a definite interest in your body.”
She shot him a look, but her lips twitched. “It’s late enough we’ll lock the hospital doors. Don’t worry. Plus, I think Christian gave you a sign?”
“Yeah. He has to hunt down a poacher tonight for the troopers and wants me to keep an eye on Amka until she’s finished,” he said reasonably. “If you lock your doors, I’ll do that. Call me if you need anything, especially if you finish and want to head home.”
“Deal.” She studied him for a second. “I don’t suppose you want to see a baby being born.” Those two kids probably wouldn’t mind.
He made a face immediately. “Hell no. I’m not ready for that.”
She threw her head back and laughed, the sound carrying down the quiet street as they walked toward the hospital lights. Then unease skittered down her back as if somebody watched her. It was a strange feeling, one that came with a chill. She looked toward the tavern, but nobody stood outside.
That was odd.
Chapter Twenty-Three
May stretched her neck, her body tired, her mind calm. She finished making tea in her toasty warm house. It had been a long night delivering the adorable baby girl, but both mother and child were perfectly healthy, so all was good.
A knock pounded through her front door.
She jumped and placed the cup on her counter, hustling out of the kitchen, her heart racing. Just as she opened the drawer of the cabinet next to the sofa to get her gun, Ace’s voice rang out.
“May?”
Relief caught her and she slammed the drawer shut. Shaking her head, she hurried to open the door. “Ace? It’s after two in the morning.”
“I know.” He brushed past her, his green eyes glittering. “What I don’t know is why the hell you’re here by yourself.”
She shut the door and turned to face him. “Huh?”
His chin lowered, giving him a predatory look. “You said you’d call me if and when you left the hospital.”
Oh yeah. “It’s almost three in the morning.”
His eyebrows lifted. With the scruff along his jaw and the flush across his face, he appeared dangerous. Deadly, even.
Flutters cascaded through her abdomen. She’d figure out why later. “Ace?”
His nostrils flared.
