Page 26 of Under Fire in Big Sky

Nonetheless, he was glad she had a partner she trusted, and he grieved for her when she lost Sean.

“I know,” Eli said. “Not that I ever had any right to be jealous.”

They stared at each other.

His words hung in the air, silence filling up the space of all the unspoken things between them.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” she said. “The baby. The future.”

That uncanny thing went both ways. It was like she could see his worries and his fears. “Don’t we?”

“Eventually, yes, but not tonight. Not while we’re working on this assignment. I’ve had weeks to adjust to this.” She rubbed her stomach. “To sort through my feelings. It’s okay if you need time. Space,” she said, sounding far more patient than he deserved. “There’s no rush.”

If only it were that simple.

But when it came to Liv, it never was.

Frustration stirred inside him. He was no longer certain of the next move to make with her. At least not the right one. “I think we missed the dinner cart. You must be starving,” he said, standing up from the bed.

“Did you hear my stomach growling?”

“No, but you usually like to eat dinner early.” No later than six. He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost eight. Besides, you didn’t have lunch and you’re supposed to be eating for two.”

“Please don’t bring back a ton of stuff. In the first trimester, I don’t need any extra calories. Later on, it’s only about two to four hundred more. But I do need my prenatal vitamins that were in my purse.”

“We’ll get you more.” He picked up the pitcher of water the doctor brought in earlier before he left and refilled her cup. “I think the cafeteria stays open until nine. Any cravings?”

“Soup and carbs. Maybe dinner rolls, or crackers, or something.”

Olivia usually only wanted protein and veggies. She didn’t turn into a pod person after all. Liv was just pregnant and had been scared to tell him.

“On it.” He plodded into the hallway, with no appetite of his own, and more ready to sleep.

A man stepped off the elevator with a baseball cap pulled low, carrying a large bouquet of flowers in a basket that blocked his face, and went to the nurses’ station.

Eli headed down the hall, wondering if the hospital let just anyone upstairs with deliveries. His gaze lingered on the man, and he caught a glimpse of dirty blond hair. The guy was slim. Tall. Wore black pants.

Gray hiking boots.

Boots he recognized. Eli’s stomach clenched and he stopped.

“Right down the hall,” the nurse said. “Room 405.”

Adrenaline burned through Eli.

“Thanks.” Turning, the delivery guy looked up, his hazel eyes meeting Eli’s, and froze.

It was Kevin. From the hotel.

Son of a—

The guy whirled around and took off down the corridor. Eli bolted after him.

Kevin raced toward the stairwell. Shoved a nurse out of his way, knocking her into the wall. He glanced back over his shoulder and tossed the flowers at him.

Eli swatted the basket to the floor.

All could he think about was Liv down the hall in the room. If Eli left two minutes sooner, she would’ve been unprotected and easy pickings for this NDR fanatic.