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Warriors Surprise

Page 14

by Teresa Gabelman

She really needed to stay the hell away from that Warrior. She was here to work, not hook up with anyone and she best be remembering that.

CHAPTER 6

Becky hung up from FaceTime with Frankie. He was so excited about the baby and more than ready to be a big brother. Walking out of the bedroom, she smiled as she stopped in front of the nursery. Leaning just inside the doorway, her hand rested lovingly on her stomach as her eyes slowly roamed around the room.

Her smile slowly slipped.

Lately, Sloan had seemed...different. He was present, but then again, he wasn't. It was hard to explain, and she'd really tried to pinpoint exactly what it was, but something was bothering him. It wasn't the normal Warrior business. No. This was different, and she was afraid it had something to do with her pregnancy. Actually, she wasn't afraid it was. She knew it did. Every time she asked him what was bothering him, he'd tell her nothing, then change the subject.

Sloan was a complicated man who she loved dearly, but he had many layers to him. One minute she knew exactly what he was thinking, then the next she was second-guessing everything.

Seeing one of the pictures Jill had painted of a little red barn with adorable animals hanging just a little crooked, she pushed away the troubling thoughts and walked over to fix it. He'd either figure it out or he wouldn't. Right now, she needed to focus on their child, who had yet to be named because they'd decided not to find out if they were having a boy or a girl until the baby was born. She'd found out with Frankie and wanted to be surprised this time around.

The picture hung behind the crib, just out of reach. Walking to the end of it, she grabbed hold and started to move it.

“What are you doing?” Sloan asked, not sounding happy.

“That picture's crooked.” Becky huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

Sloan gently moved her out of the way so he could slide the crib over. Becky smiled her thanks before straightening the picture a little. “How does that look?”

Stepping beside her, Sloan studied it for a second. “A little to the left...there.”

Becky smiled as he pushed the crib back into place. “Jill is very talented.”

“Yes, she is,” Sloan agreed, but instead of leaving the room, his gaze slowly swept over everything before settling on Becky. “Don't be moving things.”

“I know.” Becky sighed. “I'm in the nesting stage and everything in this room is driving me crazy. So much still needs to be done, but I'm too fat to do half of it.”

Sloan frowned. “Nesting?”

“It happens to a lot of pregnant women toward the end.” Becky shrugged. “It's like this overwhelming urge to get everything ready for the baby. We clean, organize, move things around, and then usually do it all over again.”

“But everything is already ready.”

“I know.” Becky laughed. “That's the problem. It doesn't matter. My hormones are telling me it isn't.”

“So your hormones are telling you to move a crib because a picture was crooked?” Sloan frowned.

She pointed a finger at him. “Don't judge me, mister.”

“I'm not judging.” Sloan looked around the nursery again before his gaze came back to her. “I'm trying to understand the logic.”

“There isn't any logic.” Becky smiled. “It's just one of those weird pregnancy things. Right now my brain is convinced that if every drawer isn't organized, every picture isn't straight, and every blanket isn't folded just right, then somehow this baby isn't ready to come home.”

Sloan was quiet for a moment, his brow furrowing as he thought about it. “That sounds exhausting.”

“Oh, it is.” Becky blew out a breath. “Trust me, if I could tell my hormones to knock it off, I would.”

Becky figured this was the perfect time to talk to Sloan. Walking over to the rocker, she sat down and looked up at him. He was so damn handsome. Even now, he still made her heart flutter.

“Are you happy, Sloan?” Becky finally asked as they stared at each other.

She could tell by the look on his face he didn't like the question, but they were going to have this conversation whether he wanted to or not. “I know something's going on, and I know it's not work.”

“Is that also your hormones?” Sloan asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Maybe.” She shrugged, definitely not liking that question, but figuring she had that coming. “Or maybe it's the woman who loves you more than anything in this world wanting to make sure you're okay with what's happening.”