Page 43 of Rockstars, Babies & Happily Ever Afters: Vol. 1

“They always need you. I’m not disputing that. You need a break and I need a few hours with my wife.”

That did it. He wasn’t proud of using that as a way to get his gorgeous wife away from the support system that the women had become for Harper McCoy. They were so afraid she was going to break.

Harper was one of the strongest women he knew. She had to be to deal with his bandmate, Deacon McCoy, and their kid who had more energy than five children combined. And that was saying something since everyone in his damn band was procreating at the speed of bunnies.

But since the accident, everyone was treating Harper with kid gloves and someone was staying with her around the clock. Because they didn’t have kids, Margo was constantly on call to help out. She was bouncing between her sister’s place and Harper’s so much that he barely got to see her.

And he didn’t begrudge her absence…much.

Well, except for the surplus of downtime he had and the nightmares he’d had to stuff down since the accident.

But it was two weeks before Christmas. Once the holidays arrived, he’d never get alone time with her. Between the band’s responsibilities for the new album, promo, and the newest disaster to touch their lives, he knew the rest of the year was going to be a blur of activity.

Simon didn’t think he was being too selfish.

Not right now.

Not when she was looking more tired and drawn than he’d ever seen.

He stroked his hand down the glossy mass of her perpetual ponytail. “Just a few hours, babe. We both need it.”

“We had sex…” The little wrinkle between her brows made him laugh.

“Yeah, it’s been a few weeks. But that’s not what this is about.” At her skeptical eyebrow lift, he sighed. “Not what it’s only about. You need some time away from all of…that.” At a loss, he slid his arm around her waist and dropped a little lower to the once lush curve of her ass. She hadn’t been eating enough and he wasn’t a fan of the fifteen pounds she’d lost in the last few months.

Margo had been anxious about her curvy figure since they met, but he’d always loved that she wasn’t one of those women who were more bones than curves. He loved that he could grip her hips and not worry about breaking her.

But she was wasting away with the constant hours between her band responsibilities as their violin player, and the emotional weight of her grieving sisters—one of her heart and one by blood. She needed some pampering, dammit.

“I’m taking you away for the night.”

“Wait, you said a few hours.”

“We’ll be back in the morning. I promise. I already covered it with Jazz. She and Bri are going over there. And you know, maybe Harper might want to take a shower and wipe her ass without you guys hovering over her.”

Margo melted into his arms and rested her cheek against his shoulder. “I know.”

“Lauren and Molly are with Jules tonight. Everyone is covered.” And he couldn’t listen to Margo fall apart in the shower one more time. She thought she was hiding it from him, but he knew.

He always knew.

But he’d hold her in the night and let her have her space. That was about to end. He wouldn’t allow space between them any longer.

“Juliet’s sniping at us all the time. I want to leave her be for a bit. I know she needs it, but the minute I think about leaving her, I have…I don’t know. I just know I shouldn’t.”

“Babe, you guys are running yourselves ragged. She’s going to have to be alone sooner or later.”

“I know.” Her voice broke and his heart stuttered.

Margo didn’t get choked up in front of him very often. And knowing she was that upset only firmed his resolve to take her away from there for at least a little while. It might not be much, but at least he could put a smile back on her face.

At least he hoped so.

He slid his fingers into the loose hair at the nape of her neck and tipped up her head so he could look into her eyes. The sheen of wetness starring her lashes gutted him and his own voice went rough. “Let’s get out of here.”

She nodded and allowed him to tuck her into the car. The fact that she did it without a complaint or a quippy remark worried him even more.

He took off into the midday traffic, weaving in and out of the cars until he could shoot onto the freeway. She stared straight ahead. Didn’t fuss with the radio like she usually did. Hell, she didn’t even pick up her phone.

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