Page 47 of Bossy Grump's Secret

"Let's just continue." I put as much strength into my voice as possible and tried to stand up, but I could only do so with Lily’s support. “I might as well get used to it now and maybe learn to control it.”

Dylan disagrees. "There are enormous machines here, Ava. You’re lucky you haven’t fallen in one of them,” he chides. There’s no way to get out of this. However strong my will is, I fear an accident.

I let Lily escort me to the room, and I lie down to get some sleep. I’d probably get motion sick of playing video games or watching movies.

So far, so good; I really love being pregnant. The thought is laced with irony. I was getting ready to knock myself out when a sudden knock startled me and Dylan walked in unannounced. He’s holding something that smells fantastic…so I don't complain until the food is properly unboxed.

“I don’t want shrimp," I pout. The odor alone makes me want to puke.

“Well, that’s what I got, so you're going to have to…"

I interrupt him with a retch. He immediately flies from my immediate vicinity. Another retch is enough to send him scampering to replace the meal with something else. I shake my head because he didn’t think his next plan through. Before I put anything in my mouth, he goes wherever he's getting the food but makes three round trips.

"You know," I say when I finally stuff my mouth with the only thing that doesn’t make me feel like throwing up - a burger without cheese and extra onions. I continue, teasing, “…I find it cute that you’re doing all this for me. In fact, it warms my heart.” Being alone with him eventually allows me to ease up around him. There is no queasiness anymore. All I can think of is how to further press his buttons.

“When you’re done eating and have enough energy, maybe you just might resume your shift,” he threatens, but by now, he should know that I am the goddess of threats.

"You don't think it's cute? You certainly know how to care for women," I laugh, engulfing another giant bite.

"I'm only doing this because I'm caring for the baby. I’m sure you know that,” he huffs, throwing his face into another angle.

“Sure? Well, even better. That just means you’re going to make a terrific father! I’ll call the child Dylan junior, even if it’s a girl.” I reel high in laughter and even start choking on a piece of meat stuck in my throat.

He just shakes his head and gives me a side-eyed look. “You seem to enjoy this pregnancy very much.”

“No, only tormenting you with it,” I shrug. Now go get me a yogurt parfait," I order, and he just sits there frozen.

“Drink water first,” he grunts.

I look at him for ten seconds. He holds my gaze before I reel my eyeballs to the back of my head and retch.

Again, he gives a reasonable distance between us. "I need something to keep it down,” I command.

“Fine, fine. I’ll get you your freaking parfait.” With that, he disappears from the room and leaves me smiling in satisfaction. He can lie all he wants, but what is clear is clear. He still can’t bear to let me out of his sight.

Well, he is in luck because neither can I.

Dylan

I let her work for a while, monitoring her every move until I’m sure the others look at me like I’m a creep before running off to do other things.

What are you even doing? I murmur to myself. Watching Ava will do her no good; it just lowers my productivity, not to mention that people would be looking to contact the cops if they notice how seventy-five percent of my time, my eyes are devoted to enslaving her form.

We ended things weeks ago, but her pregnancy unifies us once again. The problem comes in defining the relationship. What is it? Are we friends? Lovers again? Is she just the mother of my baby?

There's only one way to find out how she really feels, and that's by asking. Ava is crass and derives too much pleasure in poking holes in my ego. I’m sure she won’t hesitate to tell me off before the question even leaves my mouth…

She might tell me off if she likes me, but it's a matter of body language. There are certain no’s that mean Bloody hell, yeah! And the line between replies is not that invisible. Before I let these thoughts consume me, I go over to her with mental singularity and interrupt her work with Lily.

“Ava, one second?” I beckon, and she heeds the command almost immediately. When we are in our private conversation bubble, I begin my question only to have her turn to head back.

“Hey, what’s going on?” I ask, with confusion.

She turns back to me and shrugs with a straight face, “Didn’t you say one second?”

I drop my tense shoulders and cast her a flaccid look in reaction to the bad joke. She maintains her blank gaze until she can no more hold it. She finally breaks into a full cackle as a hint of a smile fails on my face at the light humor.

“It’s not even that funny,” I say, shaking my head.

---