“I want to.” He turned to face her, his expression serious. “Let me do this, Chloe. Let me take care of you.”
The rawness in his voice made her throat tight.
“Okay,” she whispered.
He nodded once, satisfied. “Now. Couch or bed?”
“Couch. I’m not tired, just…” She gestured vaguely. “Unsettled.”
“Understandable.” He guided her to the couch and helped her settle against the cushions, adjusting pillows behind her back. “How’s that?”
“Good.”
“Pain? Discomfort?”
“No. I feel fine now. Just a little foolish for panicking.”
“You weren’t foolish.” He left her long enough to build a fire, then returned and sat on the coffee table facing her, close enough to touch but maintaining a careful distance. “You were protecting your baby. That’s exactly what you should do.”
His eyes were doing that thing where they softened when he looked at her. The thing that made her want to climb into his lap and never leave.
“Thank you,” she said. “For coming. For not making me feel stupid.”
“You could never be stupid.” He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering. “Brave, yes. Occasionally reckless with heavy lifting. But never stupid.”
She caught his hand before he could pull away. “Victor.”
“Yes?”
“Will you stay? Just for a bit?”
She watched him wage the internal battle—duty versus desire, professional boundaries versus personal need. His jaw tightened and his free hand clenched into a fist. Then he exhaled slowly. “Yes.”
Relief flooded through her. “Thank you.”
“But only if you promise to rest. No getting up for things you don’t need. No arguing about being coddled.”
“I never argue about being coddled.”
“Chloe.”
“Fine. I promise to be a model patient and let you hover to your heart’s content.”
“Good.” But he was smiling now, the tension easing from his shoulders.
He moved to sit beside her on the couch, careful not to jostle her. She immediately curled into his side, her head finding the space between his shoulder and chest that seemed designed specifically for her. His arm came around her, secure and warm.
They sat like that for long minutes, not talking. Just breathing together while the fire crackled and the baby shifted lazily in her belly.
“I was so scared,” she admitted quietly. “When the contractions started. All I could think was that it was too early. That something was wrong.”
“That’s a normal reaction.” His hand moved to her belly, spanning the curve. “But you and the baby are both healthy. Strong. There’s no indication of preterm labor.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You’re doing everything right, Chloe. Taking care of yourself. Eating well—mostly. Staying active. This baby is lucky to have you.”
The casual affection in the gesture made her heart squeeze.
