Page 84 of Strike Zone

“Oh God, my child isn’t going to have any male role models in her life. All she’ll have is you two goofballs. We’re doomed.”

Linc tilts my face upward, leaning in to brush his lips over mine in a ghost of a kiss. He knows exactly what that does to me. “You love me, goofball or not.” He darts his tongue out to tease me, leaving me panting as he pulls back. “Admit it.”

“I love your balls, you goof.” As I chuckle to myself, an odd ripple travels the breadth of my stomach, and it stops me in my tracks. Panic grips me, worried that I’ve overdone it today and something’s wrong with the baby.

It happens again.

And again.

“What’s wrong, Diana?” Linc’s voice is strained as he searches my face, the knit of his brow etched with worry.

As realization dawns, I grasp his hand in mine and press it tight to my stomach. “Just wait.”

“Are you hurting?”

“No…” It happens again.

“Holy shit! Was that the baby? Did she just kick me?” His gaze is full of wonder, sparkling with love and adoration as he drops to his knees, cupping my stomach with both hands.

“Yes.”

“Hi, princess.” Another kick. His eyes shoot up to meet mine, his smile nothing short of awe-struck. “That’s… incredible. You’re incredible. Our baby girl just kicked.” He turns to Brooke and Anders, his voice thick with emotion. “Come feel this.”

“Are you going to invite everyone to touch my stomach now?”

“Sorry. Is it weird if they touch it? I’m just so incredibly in love with you right now, and I think you’re the most amazing woman in the world with the most wonderful little life growing inside you. It’s beautiful, Diana. You’re stunning.” He plants the softest kiss on my stomach.

“You’re the only one who’s allowed to kiss it, okay?”

His face sobers, the protective Linc I know and love getting territorial. “Anders, no touching for you. Southpaw just made it weird, and now I’m going to murder any man who puts his hand, or anything else, on this beautiful belly.”

“Don’t be silly, he’s my brother-in-law. It’s fine for him to feel the baby kick. It’s not like he’s going to try and mack my stomach like you do.”

“Are you trying to rile me, woman?”

“Is it working?”

“Yes.”

“Good, I like you riled up right before it’s time to go to bed.”

“Brooke, we’re leaving. Boxes are done, and these two are creeping me out. I don’t know if I even want to feel the baby kick now. They’ve sullied it for me, turning it into some weird foreplay.”

“Shut up and come over here. It’s amazing.” Brooke doesn’t need to be told twice, rushing over to rub her hand on my basketball-size belly.

“How will I know?” The baby kicks at the sound of her voice. “Oh my God! She knows Auntie Brooke already. Anders, get over here and feel this.”

“Did I just hear your womb skip a beat?” If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the mighty Anders Verbeck is a little afraid of that possibility.

“Oh, hush. Come here.” As soon as he’s within grabbing distance, she thrusts his hand onto my stomach.

He meets my gaze. “Sorry about this, Dee. It’s a bit of an invasion of your personal spa…” He snatches his hand back as soon as the baby kicks as if he’s just been scalded by a pot of boiling water. “What the fuck was that?”

“The baby!” Linc exclaims, giddy as a schoolboy. “It’s phenomenal, right?”

“It’s… like something out of Aliens. Am I the only one freaking out that there’s an actual baby in there? Inside her body.”

“Bro, did you just call my baby an alien?”

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