Page 31 of CADE & ANNA

She grinned and then giggled. “Are you sure? I was hoping I had a power I didn’t know about and that I could affect time.”

Cade coughed as he tried to swallow a sip of coffee and snort at her at the same time. “I’m positive you only get one special gift and clock management isn’t yours.”

Anna fake pouted. “That’s just stupid. I think I should get two gifts.”

“You should bring that up the next time you speak to the Goddess,” he teased.

Anna rolled her eyes and went back to glaring at the clock.

Cade cleared the breakfast table and held his hand out to his lovely mate. “If I drive slowly we can leave now.”

Her face brightened and broke out in a huge smile. “Thank you, babe. I’m going a little batty being restricted. Every time the phone rings or an email comes in I want to get back to work.”

“We’ll see what Dr. Marjorie has to say. But promise me, if she says you still need to relax, you’ll behave yourself.”

She scowled at him. It was obvious she didn’t want to consider any option other than getting back to her normal grind.

Cade settled an irritated Anna into a waiting room chair and checked her in with the nurse at the desk. She was tapping her toe impatiently, staring at the door that led to the examination rooms as if she could will it to open.

As he joined her, he whispered, “I don’t think that’s your special gift either.”

From the glare she gave him, she didn’t find his comment funny in the least.

A minute later, a nurse stood in the doorway and glanced up from a chart. “Anna Le Beau?”

He was astonished when his mate popped out of her chair before he could give her a hand. He hadn’t seen her move that fast in months.

They sat quietly while the nurse took her blood pressure and listened to her breathing and heart rate. This was a nurse he hadn’t met before and, unlike the other nurses, she didn’t read the results out loud.

When the nurse took the chart with her instead of leaving it for the doctor, Anna growled. “She could have left it so I could peek.”

Cade took her hand and sent her reassuring feelings and love. “I’m sure Dr. Marjorie will be here in a minute.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m just uncomfortable and grouchy.”

“Who’s grouchy?” Dr. Marjorie asked as she hustled through the door.

“Me. Between not working when I know there are things I need to do, and sitting around all day on my butt, I’m not a happy camper.”

“Well, young lady, leave that tent pitched for a while. Your blood pressure is still too high.”

Anna closed her eyes and groaned.

“Cade?” Dr. Marjorie looked at him until he turned her way. “Her camping comment gave me an idea. Is there a place you can take her that’s away from work? A place without telephones or Internet so she doesn’t think about it; yet also comfortable and not in an actual tent?”

“We have a very nice cabin on an island in the bayou, but I can only get her there by boat.”

“Riding in a boat shouldn’t be a problem on calm water as long as you go slowly.”

Anna was alarmed. “Cade, I have things I need to do.”

“The only thing you have to do right now is make sure you and the baby are healthy,” Dr. Marjorie insisted before Cade could speak.

“Fine. I’ll go to the island. How long is my sentence this time?”

Dr. Marjorie chuckled at her disgruntled expression. “A week. You can schedule a normal weekly appointment, and I will reevaluate your blood pressure then.”

“A week!” Anna squeaked.

“Think of it as a second honeymoon, just less exciting.” Dr. Marjorie winked as she left the room.

Chapter 8

Anna stared out the window as Cade drove them home.

A week! An entire week!

If she couldn’t use her laptop and Cade strapped her to a chair, or God forbid, the bed, what the heck was she going to do for an entire week?

Anna’s frustration beat at him. “It’ll be fun,” Cade offered as encouragement.

“Fun? What can I do that will be fun?”

“I could set a chair on the dock and you can fish with me. Or I’ll put a comfortable chaise lounge by the fire pit, and we’ll make s'mores? We’ll think of all kinds of fun things to do. I promise.”

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