Page 53 of Calamity Rayne Knocked Up

The sun was setting and the sky over the pool was a vibrant pink. “What time is it?”

“Momma,” Elara slid off Remington and rushed over to me. She kissed my eye. “Look! Dall, dall, dall!” She held up a marble decorative ball that usually sat in a bowl in Remington’s foyer.

“Should she have that?” It could quickly become a weapon for shot put.

Hale took the ball away from her and handed it to Marta. Elara screamed and I winced.

“Come,Princesa, I have a treat for you in the kitchen.” Just like her mother, Elara toddled dutifully after Marta, wholly seduced by the idea of food.

Speaking of which, I was starving. I pushed myself into a seated position and folded the blanket. Remington closed his laptop and gathered up his work. He was flying out to see Odette tonight and wouldn’t be back for a few days. He made no comment about me missing an entire day of work.

“I can’t believe I slept that long.”

“You probably needed it.” Hale sat beside me and ran a gentle hand down my back. “Are you hungry?”

My belly felt hollow and achy. “I’m starved.”

“Do you want me to have Marta whip up something light like soup?”

“No. I want a pizza with black olives and meat. Slightly burned.”

He drew back. “You sure about that?”

“Yeah. Make it sausage. And see if they can put some of those banana peppers on it. The spicy kind.”

“Right.” He pulled out his phone and called in an order.

Remington made a quick goodbye before heading to the airport with Alphonse. The house was always different whenever Remington was away. Miles hung around and joined us in the kitchen, as did Raoul, Marta’shusband. As much as I was a part of the Davenport family, I was also a part of the service family, and I loved how easily Hale infiltrated that tight-knit group because he knew my work family was important to me.

I ate my pizza while everyone else enjoyed takeout sandwiches and appetizers. We laughed and told stories. Marta picked on Hale in that sweet, adoring way a grandmother would. Hale’s real grandmother, who was on his mother’s side, was in a home in New Jersey. She didn’t remember Hale anymore, so it was nice that he had this connection with Marta, who had been an employee of the Davenports for more than three decades.

When we got home, Elara was passed out. I wasn’t tired due to my long afternoon nap, so I showered and found Hale reading over work stuff in bed—something we generally forbade.

“Um, are you working? It’s ten o’clock.”

“I just wanted to look over this contract?—”

“Hale.”

He met my stare, reading the warning in my eyes, and shut off his iPad.

“Thank you.” Iclimbed into bed.

It had been weeks since we had sex, and I was beyond ready to put aside my procreating miracle status to return to moonlighting as Hale’s naughty little wife. I took my time moisturizing my growing body, taking special care to hit all the areas where stretchmarks were known to scar. Then I gave Halethe look.

“Goodnight, baby.” He kissed my forehead and shut out the nightstand lamp.

I frowned, unsure what just happened.

Did I smell? Was I not putting out the right pheromones? Maybe I was reading the room wrong. This pregnancy had me all jacked up.

Easing under the covers, I recalculated. Husband—check. Baby asleep—check. Showered and smelling fresh as a daisy—check. What the hell did I forget?

Rolling to my side, I faced him and dragged a seductive finger down his shoulder. “Hi there.”

He opened his eyes, smiled, and kissed my nose. “Sweet dreams.” Then he shut his eyes again

I frowned. “Hale.”

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