Page 44 of Last Resort

“I’ll just bet you did,” Maci grumbled. Luke wisely loaded the dishwasher before turning back to her.

“Didn’t know you were coming in today, Maci.”

“That’s because she should still be home resting,” Chance said from directly behind her. He’d barely given her an inch to breathe since they walked in the door.

Maci waved his words away. “Ignore him. He’s annoyed because he lost the argument.”

“I didn’t lose the argument. I chose to stop fighting because you asked me to.”

That took the wind out of her sails. He was trying. Chance was overprotective of everyone on his best of days. Her pregnancy certainly hadn’t quelled that behavior in any way.

He didn’t like her being here, but he wastrying.

She made herself some tea and found her way to her desk. It wasn’t until she pulled out her chair to sit that he spoke again. “What are you doing?”

“I have hundreds of emails and dozens of invoices to get through. Thought I would get started doing the job you guys pay me for.” Maci turned on her laptop and waited for it to boot up.

When she glanced up, Chance was back to scowling. It wasn’t fair that he was so handsome when he brooded. “We’re all working in the conference room.”

“It’s easier for me to work out here.”

“I want you in there.”

She wasn’t about to delude herself that it was because he wanted to be near her. Nurse Chance just wanted to micromanage her choices.

“I’ve only got a few hours in the office, at your request, so I’ll work here where I can actually get things done.”

She moved to log in and Chance pulled her chair back, spinning it so she faced him. “It’s not a request, Maci. You wanted to come back to work and I’m respecting that—”

“I hardly consider badgering me at every opportunity respecting anything.”

“—but I’m going to keep an eye on you while you’re here. I know you won’t tell me if you’re hurting, so consider me your shadow until it’s time to go.”

Now it was Maci’s turn to glare. “You going to follow me to the bathroom too?”

“If I have to.” He didn’t look a bit like he was bluffing.

Maci debated arguing more. That’s what they did, argue. Chance didn’t have any right to tell her what to do with her time or her body, she knew that. But she could see the furrow in his brow and the tenseness in his shoulders.

He wasworriedabout her.

The attack had scared him, and now that he knew about their baby, he was doubly afraid. What was the harm in letting him coddle her a bit longer? Especially since she had every intention of moving back into her own place soon.

“Fine. I’ll stay in eyesight, but so help me, if you really follow me into the bathroom, I’ll be using those defense moves you taught me to takeyoudown.”

He kissed the top of her head, then moved her things into the conference room, greeting the others. She pretended not to notice as he brought in extra water and snacks for the table as well, knowing they were actually for her.

And definitely didn’t let her heart get all gooey at it.

While the brothers talked about the case, Maci put in her headphones, falling into her spreadsheets and files with easy bliss. She’d missed her desk job. Missed answering emails and doing paperwork. It suited her much more than her single attempt at undercover work did, that was for sure.

She dug through the backlogged emails, sending invoices to clients and vendors, and getting caught up on everything the guys had let slide the last few days. By the time the scent of takeout filled her nose, she was feeling pretty tired and hungry, but the sense of accomplishment she’d been missing filled her with joy.

Chance rapped his knuckles softly on the table at her side. She pulled out her headphones, and he nodded to the white foam boxes everywhere. “Time to eat. You’ve been in the zone for hours.”

“Perfect timing. I’m almost done.” With a few more keystrokes, she finished her last email and sent it off. Shutting her laptop, she moved everything to the side and grabbed the container Chance set in front of her. Chow mein with extra sauce and egg rolls. Perfect.

“This is so good.” Chance smiled at her as he and the others pulled their usual orders out of the bag. It didn’t escape Maci’s notice that he’d gotten her food out first.

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