“Just a couple minutes,” Chase said, watching Lily’s figure in the moonlight as she moved around the bed, taking off her scrubs. She’d cut her hair to just above her shoulders—easier in the ER, she said—and her generically shapeless scrubs hid the swelling in her midsection Chase swore she could see, even though Lily said it was too soon. “Your T-shirt’s on the chair over there.”

Lily chuckled softly. “You straightened up, didn’t you?”

“Wasn’t much to do.”

“Were you awake worrying?”

“Nope, just woke up.”

“Uh-huh,” Lily murmured. “How did things go up at Big Bear with the hiker who fell?”

“She’ll make it. Broken femur. She was lucky to get away with just that. She fell fifty feet, and we needed the helicopter to get to her.”

“Rough insertion?”

“Not really. The helicopter drop was a little tricky. It was windy.”

Lily made a slight huffing sound. “You know, I’m a lot better at this than I was a year ago.”

“Better at what?”

“Being the wife of a forest ranger. I know what you do now. And helicopter and windy do not equal easy or simple.”

Chase pushed back the sheet, and Lily settled in beside her. “Tricky’s part of the job.”

Lily kissed the angle of her jaw. “I know that. Just remember, I speak ranger now too, so I’ll know if you’re obfuscating.”

“Obfuscating?”

“As in sugarcoating the rough stuff.”

“I’ll remember that.” Laughing, Chase ran a hand over the curve of Lily’s belly. “How are you doing?”

“I’m happy to report that I have progressed from water and crackers for breakfast to oatmeal. I’m fine.”

“You know, I was thinking, maybe we ought to get a place in town.”

“And why is that?”

“So you don’t have to drive the Jeep up and down the track.”

Lily laughed. “Love, women ride horseback until they’re practically ready to deliver. The Jeep is a lot more comfortable than that, and the track is not exactly a rock face.”

“Yeah, but still…”

“It’s way too soon for you to start being worried. In fact, there’s nothing to worry about at all. Childbirth is a thing that women do pretty naturally.” Lily kissed the corner of Chase’s mouth and settled her hand in the center of Chase’s abdomen. Lily’s skin was warm and soft, and the slight pressure sent distracting sparks southward.

“Yes,” Chase muttered, trying to ignore the growing arousal, “but you’re my woman.”

“I am. And right now I’m a woman with needs.” Lily pulled off the T-shirt she’d just put on and slid on top of Chase. In the moonlight, her eyes glinted with humor and something else Chase recognized. Something that brought more heat to her belly and a fist of need to the center of her chest. “Aren’t you tired?”