“She’s safe,” Hayes said. “You don’t think Clint will launch into overprotective mode the second someone threatens her? Around Annabel?”
Hayes had a point.
He still didn’t like it much. What if she’d wandered off? Then again, hadn’t he told her how safe the Ranch was?
“I can’t believe he’s sleeping,” Kent whispered. “She got him to sleep. None of us have been able to do that.”
They were all whispering as they stood outside the doorway, peeking in.
“Do you really think he’s asleep?” Corbin asked Kent.
The other man held up his finger to his lips. Then a loud snore filled the room and Kent let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank fuck.”
They waited several moments to ensure Clint was in a deep sleep before heading into the room.
Bebe stared up at him with wide eyes. Clint’s head was slipping onto her shoulder.
“Quick,” Kent said, grabbing a cushion. “You get up, Bebe. Hayes, hold the cushion for his head.”
“Never thought I’d become a cushion-holder for a paranoid, grouchy rancher,” Hayes muttered. But he held the cushion as Corbin helped Bebe stand up, away from Clint.
“Poor guy is really tired,” she whispered.
“He hasn’t really slept since the baby came,” Corbin told her, pulling her against him.
“I don’t know if the baby should sleep with him, though.” She chewed her lips. “Not that I know much about babies.”
“I’ll take her off him,” Kent said.
“But then he’ll worry if she’s not there when he wakes up,” she said.
Corbin gave her a squeeze. It was sweet how concerned she was about him.
“I’ll quickly put the baby up in her crib and check on Charlie,” Kent told them.
They all waited with bated breath as he undid the buckles at the sides of the front pack. Then he gently took out the baby and lifted her into his arms.
Clint let out a loud snore and they all gave sighs of relief.
Kent carried the baby away while Hayes awkwardly helped Clint lie down on his side.
“Where did the blanket come from?” Corbin asked.
“Oh, I found it,” she said. “Thought it might help him sleep. I also played this playlist I have on my phone that helps me sleep. I thought it might help as well. Maybe it sounds a bit childish.”
“Not at all,” Kent said, returning.
“I told Charlie that Clint is asleep. She was about to walk down the stairs by herself to do something about him, which he wouldn’t be happy about.”
“Charlie had a traumatic birth and had to have a C-section,” he whispered to her. “The baby was quite early, and they both had to stay in the hospital for a while. That’s part of the reason that Clint has gone a bit crazy.”
Ahh, right. It made sense why he was so protective.
They got Clint settled and then Kent nodded his head toward the door and they followed him out.
“I’m going to stay here. Clint is going to be roaring mad when he wakes up. I’ve got the baby monitor with me so Charlie can rest too.” He turned to Bebe. “You, young lady.”