Page 76 of Mending Scars

“Huh?” I questioned.

“Ryker. He really loves you. I can tell by the way he looks at you.”

Because you’re an expert? Pffft.

I looked away from her to Ryker, who glanced away from Drew to me. He gave me another heartwarming smile as our eyes locked.

“He never looked at me that way,” Molly added.

I didn’t really care what she was saying because I was so caught up in Ryker. He patted Drew on the shoulder and told him something, then walked in my direction. My heart pounded faster with every step he took, and Hayden started kicking me again.

Molly was right about one thing—the way Ryker was looking at me displayed the love he had for me all over his face. He wrapped his arms around me when he reached me. “Hey, Warrior.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I smiled up at him. “Hi.”

His hands came back around to my stomach. “Having a good time?”

“Much better now.” I placed my hands on the outside of his forearms as I gazed up at him.

His eyes darted to my lips right before he leaned down and kissed me. The gentle press of his mouth on mine sent passion flaring through me. I shuddered a shaky breath when he pulled away.

Ryker smirked as he swept his thumb over my lips, then cupped my cheek. “I love you.”

I nuzzled into his palm and closed my eyes. “I love you, too.”

He looked down at my toilet paper-wrapped stomach. He grinned and raised an eyebrow in question. “Why do you have toilet paper wrapped around you?”

“For a game. People have to guess how many squares of toilet paper are wrapped around me.”

He chuckled. “Weird.”

I pulled him to one of the kitchen counter. “That’s nothing. Check this out.” I motioned down to the counter that had diapers with various melted chocolates on them. “People have to guess what chocolate it is by smelling it.”

Ryker scrunched his nose in displeasure. “Gross.”

I giggled. “It’s just chocolate.”

“Yeah, but it looks like shit.”

“That’s the point, genius,” Nori teased as she interrupted.

Ryker scratched his forehead with his middle finger as he gave Nori a teasing grin.

Nori playfully returned his gesture, then looked at me. “Ready for the games?”

“Sure.” I nodded and grabbed Ryker’s hand. “Let’s get started.”

Nori made Ryker and me sit on the couch before starting the first game. Everyone was laughing and having a great time as we played the silly games Nori had planned for the shower.

By the time we had finished, my stomach was growling. I got up to go grab some snacks, then circulated around the apartment with Ryker to talk more to some of the guests.

“Time for presents!” Nori announced loudly as she came up to me. She grabbed my arm, then pulled me away from Ryker.

“Sorry, Ry,” she giggled, leading me back to the couch, where she had arranged all the gifts on the coffee table.

Ryker sat down next to me as Nori handed me the first present. Kamden had a camera ready when I started unwrapping the gift.

Most of the presents were clothes and diapers, but we also got some bigger items from Nori, Kamden, and my boss. Nori had bought us a swing, Kamden had gotten the matching changing table to the crib set we had purchased already, and my boss had gifted us a set of bottles and the corresponding bottle warmer.

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