Colters' Promise (Colters' Legacy, #4)(31)

He’d had his doubts about Max being the dominant force in his relationship with Callie. It had pissed him off, truth be told. But Max adored and worshipped Callie, and it was hard to find fault with the hard-ass when he would cut off his right arm before ever allowing any harm to come to Callie.

“Has she been sick in the mornings?” Michael asked.

Michael often left early, before everyone else was out of bed, so he wasn’t around when Lily began her day. His workday started early at his veterinary clinic but he always made it a point to be home by the afternoon. It was a schedule they worked out together. Dillon, more often than not, worked evenings at the pub when things were busier. Callie covered some nights for him so he wasn’t always away from home. Seth could be called out at literally any hour of the day or night. His traditional hours were eight to five, but it was rare for him to stick to that schedule. As sheriff he was on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, rain or shine, holiday or not.

But they’d arranged it so that someone was always home with Lily, and now Seth was more grateful than ever that they’d taken those steps.

Dillon grimaced. “Some, yeah. The problem is that she’s been sick at all intervals of the day.”

Seth nodded. “Smells seem to do her in more than anything. Painting’s been hard for her in the past few days because the paint nauseates her.”

“She walked by the cat litter yesterday and had to run for the bathroom to puke her guts up,” Dillon said wryly.

Michael frowned. “What the hell is she doing near the cat litter anyway? She’s not supposed to be changing litter when she’s pregnant. I swear I’m going to get rid of that damn cat.”

Seth snorted in amusement. As if Michael would ever get rid of Lily’s precious cat. The stray had been dumped at the clinic on a day when Lily had been helping Michael, and she’d given Michael puppy dog eyes, and voilà, the cat found a new home. With them. And it had been with them ever since.

“I didn’t say she changed the cat litter,” Dillon said with a scowl. “I said she walked by it. As in, by the mudroom where the litter is. The cat had just taken a dump and it did Lily in.”

So deep were they in their discussion that they hadn’t realized that Lily had awakened. Only when she moved to sit up did Seth notice.

Her eyes gleamed with amusement and a soft smile curved her lips. She leaned her elbow on the arm of the couch and rested her face in her palm as she stared at her husbands.

“If you could only hear yourselves,” she teased. “Like a bunch of mother hens.”

Dillon moved toward the couch until he loomed over her. “I highly doubt a mother hen thinks how much she’d like to see you naked right about now.”

She arched one dark brow and then her smile broadened.

“Or what kind of vulgar, indecent things she’d like to do to you,” Michael offered as he went to sit beside her on the couch.

She laughed and then her gaze found Seth’s. “And you? Not going to add your two cents?”

His let his gaze stroke silkily over her until she was well aware of just what occupied his thoughts. “My brothers talk too damn much. While they’re telling you what they want to do to you, I’m going to be showing you.”

To prove his point, he pushed forward, pulled her to her feet before Dillon or Michael could react, and swept her into his arms, heading for the bedroom.

She laughed out loud at the what-the-f*ck looks on his brothers’ faces and it hit Seth right in the gut. She sounded and looked so damn beautiful. She looked happy. Her eyes were full of joy and warmth. The worry was gone, even if the signs of her fatigue were still etched in the lines of her face.

He pressed his lips to her forehead and closed his eyes as they entered the bedroom. How much had his life changed over the last year and a half? Not only had he found the love of his life in Lily, but he was closer than ever to his family. Surrounded by his brothers, his sister, and his mom and dads.

Now his child would grow up sheltered by the love and support of his family. The same love he and his siblings had been given as children.

“Seth, are you all right?” Lily asked softly.

He refocused his attention to see Lily staring up at him, her blue eyes shadowed with worry. Then he smiled. He honest to God wanted to spin her around in a dozen circles and do something crazy like let out a series of whoops, but it wasn’t the smartest thing to do with a pregnant woman who had a queasy stomach.

“Yeah,” he said huskily. “I’m just so damn happy.”

He laid her on the bed with a gentle bounce. Dillon and Michael stood to the side as if waiting for him to finish his piece. Hell, what else was there to say? How could you possibly put words to indescribable joy?

“I love you,” he said. “I hope you know that.”

The worry faded, replaced by warmth and answering love. “I love you too, Seth. I hope you know I trust you.” She moved her head to include his brothers in her gaze. “I trust all of you. I know you’ll help me through the pregnancy and afterward. Our child will be so loved. I don’t doubt that even for a moment.”

“That’s good,” Michael said as he moved onto the bed beside her. He lay on his side, head propped in his palm as he gazed down at her. He put his hand over her belly, cupping protectively as if he were sending a silent message, a pledge of protection. And love.