Page 102 of Claimed By the Cowboys
I doubted that woman could look bad, even if she tried.
“Hey, want a snack?” I asked quietly as I approached her.
She shook her head. “I’m okay,” she whispered, her eyes never leaving our sleeping son, who was on his back, arms spread wide as he slept deeply, his chest rising and falling softly.
“Weren’t you supposed to be taking a nap?” I asked with a smirk. Piper was stubborn at the best of times, but she hadbeen completely exhausted. None of us should turn down an opportunity to take a nap.
Her heat was coming soon. Between that and the baby, she needed all the rest she could get. Once she was in the full swing of her heat, the only rest she would be getting would be when her body was so physically exhausted that she passed out.
“I was,” she agreed. “But I came in here to check on him, and then I just started watching him…”
I turned my attention to our son. Even fast asleep, he was fascinating to watch. The way his eyelashes cast more shadows across his chubby cheeks, the way his hands clenched as he dreamed.
“When Maisie was a baby, sometimes I would simply stop and watch her for hours. It was some of my favorite times,” I admitted. “She was just so calm and at peace.”
A light snort escaped Piper. “I'm sure that didn't last when she started crawling.”
“It did not. As soon as she was mobile, the house was in chaos, but it was the best time of our lives.”
She cocked her head to the side, her eyes still on Jackson. “Well, at least we have a few months before he's up and crawling.”
“We’d better baby-proof the entire ranch because I have a feeling he's going to be a little chaos gremlin and get into anything and everything he can.”
Piper smiled wide and bright. “Yeah, I think so too. If he’s anything like his daddies…”
“Just imagine if he takes after Zeke,” I chuckled.
Piper grimaced. “In that case, I'm very glad there's five of us to run around after him, because any child with the energy of Zeke would be unstoppable.”
She wasn't wrong there.
For a while, we just stood there, watching our son. Basking in the calm of his sleep, knowing that likely wouldn’t last long.
Our sweet moment of silence was interrupted when a hiss escaped from Piper's mouth as she crouched over and fluttered a hand over her stomach, a grimace tugging at her face.
“Are you okay?” I asked, gently smoothing a hand down her back, assuring her I was near but also giving her space if she needed it. Her sweet honeysuckle scent was getting so potent now that her heat was going to hit soon.
Very soon.
Then again, heats after pregnancy were weird. She had been smelling like she was going straight into heat for the last few days.
“The cramps are getting worse,” she admitted.
“Is it time?” I asked.
She shook her head, rubbing her stomach lightly, her face still a grimace. “I don't think so. Everything feels different this time. I don't know if it's because I gave birth or because I’m bonded.”
“Maybe a mix of the two?” I offered unhelpfully.
She laughed lightly, shaking her head. “I wish I knew what to expect. I used to be like clockwork!” Her voice rose from a whisper, and she winced, checking on Jackson. Once she was happy with his lack of movement, she jerked her head toward the door.
Following her lead, I headed out into the hallway so we could talk at a more normal volume. Pulling her into my arms, I kissed the top of her head, and gently rubbed her back. She melted into the embrace.
“You’re looking a little pale. What can I get you?” I asked. I needed to make her feel better. I just had no idea how best to help.
Piper chewed on her lip. “I… I think I need to go sort my nest out.”
Hell, yes.
