“What is it, baby?” My tone is sharp with sudden worry. “Are you okay?”

She lets out a heavy sigh and turns around in my arms, moving back to look at me. “Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

I exhale slowly, too relieved—and sexually replete—to get annoyed at her exasperated tone. “What is it then?” I ask more calmly, bringing the blanket up to cover her. The room is cool from air conditioning, and I know Nora gets chilly when she’s tired.

She sighs again as I tuck the blanket around her. “You know I’m not made of glass, right?”

I don’t bother replying to that. Instead, I stare at her, eyes narrowed, until she blows out a breath and says, “I just wanted to let you know that I talked to my parents, that’s all.”

“About the baby?”

“Yes.” A pleased smile curves her lips. “Mom reacted surprisingly well.”

“She’s a smart woman, your mother. What about your father?”

“He wasn’t on the call, but Mom said she’ll talk to him.”

“Good.” I find it strangely satisfying, knowing that Nora finally took this step. It means she’s that much closer to acceptance, to finally admitting that the baby is a fact of our lives. “Now you can stop worrying about it.”

“Right.” Her eyes gleam black in the soft light of the bedside lamp. “The hard part is over. Now all I need to do is give birth and raise the child.”

Her tone is light, but I can hear the fear underneath the sarcasm. She’s terrified about the future, and as much as I want to reassure her, I can’t tell her that everything will be all right.

Because deep inside, I’m just as terrified as she is.

Given the late night in the office, I sleep longer than usual, and when I wake up, Nora is already stirring.

Hearing my movements, she rolls over in bed and gives me a sleepy smile. “You’re still here.”

“I am.” Giving in to a momentary impulse, I pull her close, wrapping my arms tightly around her. Sometimes it feels like the time we have together is not enough. Even though I see her every day, I want more.

I constantly want more with her.

She drapes her leg over my thigh and burrows even closer, rubbing her nose against my chest. My body reacts predictably, my morning erection stiffening to a painful hardness. Before I can do anything, however, she distracts me by speaking. “Julian…” Her voice is muffled. “Who’s the woman in Lucas’s house?”

Surprised, I pull back to look at her. “How do you know about that?”

“Rosa and I saw her yesterday.” Nora seems reluctant to meet my gaze. “We were, um… passing by.” She glances up at me through her lashes.

“Were you now?” Propping myself up on my elbow, I study her, noting the flush on her face. “And why were you passing by? You don’t normally walk in that area.”

“We did yesterday.” Pulling the blanket around herself, Nora sits up and gives me a determined look. “So who is she? What did she do?”