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ChapterEight
Briar
The moment I stepped out of the shower, the scent of something sweet wafted into my room. For a moment, my stomach growled, then it churned, and I had to run to the restroom. When I was done dry heaving, I kicked on my fan, praying the scent would go away.
With my stomach queasy and a feeling of bone-deep exhaustion hanging around, I fell back into bed, not caring that I was wearing only a robe or that my hair was wet.
A knock on my door had me peeking out from my blankets, but I couldn’t find the energy to get up, so I made sure I was covered before calling out for whoever it was to come in.
The moment the door opened, the overwhelming scent of sugary pastries hit me, and my stomach revolted again. This time I had no choice but to get up, barely keeping my robe closed so I didn’t flash Tallon as I ran to the bathroom. His eyes were wide, but I could offer no explanation. The reality that I’d vomit on him instead was all too real, and we’d just barely managed to connect with one another.
When I came back out, I was surprised to see him waiting there. I winced instinctively, hating that he’d witnessed and possibly heard that. I’d been lucky enough to avoid morning sickness so far, but the scent of baked goods was apparently now out. Which was entirely unfair as far as pregnancy symptoms went.
“Sorry. I don’t know what’s cooking out there, but the baby hates it,” I groaned, laying back down and clutching a pillow to my stomach as I pitifully stared up at him.
It was like watching someone come back to life. He was a stoic statue for a moment then in a panicked frenzy the next. If I wasn’t momentarily under the weather, I might have laughed about it.
“I’ll go kick some fans on and tell Beckham to stop baking!” he said with a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm. Assuming he was gone after that, I drifted off to sleep again. Thankfully, the scent had stayed away, so I didn’t make any more hectic runs to the bathroom.
“Briar?” Tallon’s voice called out, just loudly enough to hear but soft enough to not wake me if I were asleep.
“I’m up,” I called out. “Come in.”
He walked in carrying a pharmacy bag, and his cheeks were a bit red when he stopped next to me. “I wasn’t sure what would help, but I grabbed a Gatorade, a Sprite, some lollipops the pharmacist recommended, and some crackers.”
My eyes burned with tears before I squeaked out my next words. “You got this for me?”
He shrugged and chuckled. “Yeah, you looked pitiful, and I didn’t want you suffering all day.”
“Thanks,” I said. I grabbed the outstretched bag, choosing the Gatorade and crackers. I nibbled the corner of the cracker and was happy that there was no immediate nausea this time. “I think the crisis is averted. This is perfect. Thanks, Tallon.”
“You’re welcome.” He started to turn away then stopped like he wanted to say more. “Do you need anything else?” I was hit with dusky amber and eucalyptus when he shifted forward again, a warm and soothing scent that was an interesting contrast to his generally harsh personality. Until today, Tallon and Wells were both a mystery, keeping enough distance that I couldn’t quite place their scents.
Stop breathing him in like a freaking psycho, Briar.
Blushing, I forced my mind to other things.
“A distraction?” I hedged.
A genuine smile bloomed on his face, the sight nearly breathtaking. “Now, that I can help you with. Are you a movie buff? Gamer? Cards?” he asked, speeding through the options like an auctioneer.
“Are you a gamer?” I asked. “Because I’d definitely watch you play while I veg out.”
He blanched. “What?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Why is that so shocking?”
“Because unless a person is a gamer, most don’t just like watching,” he said. The weary tone to his voice had me imagining it was his ex that he had in mind.
“I’m not great at fighting unless there’s an easy mode, but I enjoy the storyline,” I admitted.
His grin was blinding, which felt like a reward in itself. It was giving me whiplash, though a good kind, to see this different side of him. If we were going to be in close quarters, it was for the best that he let me start seeing the real him behind the armor.
“Then come on. I’ve got one in mind,” he said, offering me a hand. I started to stand before realizing I was still in the midst of a slight wardrobe situation.
“Uh, one sec,” I stumbled out. He chuckled as I gestured at my lack of clothes.
“Right… I’ll just wait outside,” he said and rushed out. For a brief moment, I thought I caught a scent of lust, but it was gone before I could be sure.
Not wanting to dwell on that thought and the men I couldn’t have, I threw on some comfy clothes. But the moment I glanced in the mirror, I winced. My hair was crazy, sticking out at odd angles from showering then sleeping, so I spent a few minutes fixing it down to a smooth braid over one shoulder before calling it good.
Tallon was waiting right outside of my door when I opened it. He held out a hand for me, and I didn’t hesitate to take it, something that didn’t go unnoticed by him. His grin spread before he ducked his head and turned to lead me to the opposite end of the penthouse. I held my breath as we walked past the kitchen, my urgency making him walk faster.
The moment he opened his door and pulled me inside, I was surrounded by that warm amber and eucalyptus. Maybe it was yet another weird pregnancy symptom to thirst over scents like this, but either way, it was refreshing and calming.
“It’s a bit messy,” he mumbled, letting go of me as he hurried around the room, picking up the dirty clothes on the ground and tossing a bit of trash in the garbage can.
“It’s lived in,” I corrected, ignoring whatever perceived mess he had going on and heading for his gaming setup. There was a fluffy, well-loved couch with an entertainment center right across from it. The TV was huge, so no matter where I sat, I’d have a good view.
“Are you sure I can’t grab you a snack or some real food? Don’t you need to feed the baby?” he asked. He was totally out of his element, his expression all confused frown and furrowed brows.
“I’ve got this for now,” I said as I held up the drink and crackers he’d bought me. “Maybe I’ll want something else in a bit, but I’m okay for now.”
“Okay,” he conceded, grabbing a throw blanket from the back of the couch and handing it over. I felt a bit lazy since this wasn’t the first time that I’d found myself on one of their couches over the last two weeks, lounging through the day, but I also couldn’t find it in me to complain.
A thought that kept bugging me in the back of my mind was how badly I needed to find a doctor and make sure things were okay, but I knew that would make this even more real. As silly as that sounded, even in my head, it was easy to forget sometimes. Honestly, a guilty little part of me kind of liked it when I forgot.
Each symptom and thought of the baby was a glaring reminder that I had to be strong enough for the two of us, and that was a scary thought when my life felt so chaotic and uncertain.
“Hey, you okay?” Tallon’s voice brought me out of my head, and I gave him a reassuring smile.
