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When Holly awoke, she first registered that Ethan was no longer in front of her But her back was cradled into a hard chest and a hand rested possessively on her rounded abdomen She smiled Ryan

She blinked the cloud of sleep from her eyes and marveled at how much better she felt Part of it was the extra hours of sleep she’d needed but the other part was the reassurance she fe

lt with Ryan curled around her body

Wanting to face hiled to turn over, a not-so-simple feat these days Gentle hands assisted her and warm lips met hers as soon she eased around

She sighed in utter content over hers She slid her hand up his naked chest then to his shoulder and over the puckered scar frounshot wound

Unexpected tears swaain relived the horror of that night Da basket case these days

“You’re not going to lose me,” Ryan murmured as he pulled away from her mouth

God, she needed this reassurance Her heart seized every time she looked at him lately

“I love you,” she said, her voice whispery with emotion

“I love you too,” he said gruffly

The baby kicked and rolled between therin

“Active today, isn’t he?”

He moved his hand into the waistband of her sweat pants and eased it doard until her belly was bared His fingers smoothed reverently over the taut skin Then he bent down to press his lips to the small bump just underneath her ribs

“Is that his foot?”

Holly chuckled “Could be I can’t ever keep up, he moves so quick”

He slid his hand up, pushing her shirt until he cupped one full breast Then he bent again and kissed the swollen nipple

“I’ve

She ertip around the puckered tip, left daue

“I’ve missed you too,” she murmured

In reality, she was about to scream in frustration They hadn’tconsiderate of her discomfort, but it was an unnecessary restraint of their part

They’d been nothing but excruciatingly gentle since she’d returned to the her in the way they had before They made love to her reverently, almost as if they were afraid they’d hurt her

Sure, not a day—hell, an hour—went by that they didn’t touch her, caress her, shower her with tenderness, but it wasn’t the sa love to her

“I won’t break,” she said

A ragged sigh of frustration broke from Ryan’s chest

“I don’t want to hurt you or the baby Adam, Ethan and I discussed this We think it would be best to wait until after the baby’s born”

A frown tugged on her eyebrows She rose up on one elbow and glared down at Ryan

“Let ht You and your brothers decided, on your oithout consultinguntil after our baby is born?”

He eyed her cautiously “Uh, yeah”

She pressed her lips into a tight line “I see And did it never occur to you that maybe I had no desire to abstain? Since when do you make my decisions for me?”