Page 18 of The Christmas Cowboy

*

Once Val wasup and feeling better they went hiking. Liam knew Val didn’t need him hovering or second-guessing her about how much she should be doing. He also knew pregnant women didn’t need coddling—at least that’s what Val had told him right off the bat. But he couldn’t help worrying. Maybe reading the books would help him know when to worry and when to leave her be.

Val certainly seemed fine after she’d recovered from her morning sickness. Last night when he’d gone to bed Val had been sound asleep. Undoubtedly a good thing. But he couldn’t help wishing they could be a normal couple and do what most people did on their honeymoon. Like have sex. Lots of sex.

Damn, he had to quit thinking like that. Still, waking up with Val in his arms had been really nice, even though it hadn’t been planned. Too bad it made him think about what making love to her would be like, with the expected result. In his defense, he’d been attracted to Val for a long time and only recently had realized that the age difference that had been too much when they were younger, now that they were both older wasn’t as big a deal. Could he help it that he found his wife attractive? Attractive, hah. Val was sexy as hell, and she didn’t seem to have a clue that she was.

Yep. Blue balls.

The hike was an easy one and they were able to talk. Also, he made sure to go slower than he normally would, even though he knew Val wouldn’t thank him for it.

“Liam, can I ask you something?” she said when they stopped for a water break.

He was probably going to regret this, but he shrugged and said, “Sure.”

“Were you in love with Cici? And if you were, are you still in love with her?”

“That’s two questions.” He’d expected the questions. He just hadn’t been sure when she’d ask them.

“Not really. One’s a continuation.”

“No, I was never in love with Cici. I like her a lot but there’s no chemistry there.”

“None? She’s really pretty.”

“No question. She is. But we’re just friends.”

“Who decided that?”

“It was mutual.”

She looked skeptical at that, but it was the truth. He wondered when she would ask him about Caroline. He figured she would. Maybe not now but sometime. “My turn.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Other than the baby’s bio dad how many serious relationships have you had?” Because he had no clue. Sure, he’d listened to Riley bitch about some of the guys Val had gone out with but none of them had sounded serious.

“The baby’s bio father was a one-night stand. I told you that. Obviously, it wasn’t serious.”

He hadn’t meant to piss her off but he also wasn’t about to walk on eggshells with her. They’d have to get used to each other. They were married. And it wasn’t too much to ask about her past. Or for her to ask him, for that matter.

“Okay, then. Tell me about your most serious relationship.”

She didn’t hesitate before saying, “I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“Because it makes me look like a fool. Even more than my current situation.”

Meaning her pregnancy. “Your ‘current situation’ doesn’t make you look like a fool. You acted responsibly. It wasn’t your fault the condom broke. It happens.”

“No, but it was my fault for going to bed with the jerk in the first place.”

“But you didn’t know he was a jerk. Not until later.” Everyone made mistakes. Look at him.

“Has it ever happened to you?”

“Not that I know of. But I can tell you one thing. If I knew a woman was having my baby, I wouldn’t rabbit.”

---