Be My Hero (Forbidden Men 3)

Please. Please. Please.

His lips spread into a slow, sensual smile. "As if I could say no to you."

So I gave him another bite of potato salad, and the experience was just as jolting at the first time. Then I made the moment even more intimate by giving myself a bite. His eyes heated as he watched the fork disappear into my mouth.

"Pickle," I asked, lifting a dill spear next.

He nodded. "Hell, yeah."

So I let him rip off a sliver of pickle from my fingers. When a wet drop fell from his lip and landed on Skylar's forehead, I laughed. "Oops."

I grabbed a napkin and reached out to wipe her clean, but Pick was already lifting her to his mouth. He lapped up the splatter with his tongue.

My mouth fell open. "Did you just lick my daughter?"

Oh, crap. The mention of licking made me think of everything the guys had said earlier. When my face instantly heated, Pick winked. "Only because I'm not allowed to lick you."

I sucked in a breath, unable to believe he would actually say that.

Ten groaned. "Jesus, guys. Get a room already. There are kids present. And I'm trying to eat over here."

Pick and I exchanged a look before he tipped his head Ten's way. "What's his problem?"

I shrugged. "I think he's jealous. I let you hold Skylar."

Ten snorted. "Like I want to hold your damn kid."

"Hey!" I spun to deliver him a nasty glare. "Watch your mouth around my daughter, fuck face."

Ten gaped at me a second before he leaned past me to send Pick an incredulous glance as if he expected Pick to rein me in. "She's got a fucking mouth on her."

Pick grinned. "Isn't it great?"

While Ten snorted in disagreement, Pick bumped his knee into mine. I looked up at him, and he leaned closer. "Good one, Tink."

Across the way, I overheard Reese say to Caroline, "So Aspen said you graduate from high school next Sunday."

I lifted my eyebrows and nudged Ten with my elbow. "Oh, she's still in high school, huh. The plot thickens."

"Shut. Up," he muttered and nudged me back. Hard. Right in the stomach, way too close to my C-section incision.

Instantly dropping my plate full of food, splattering potato salad, pickles, and hamburger everywhere, I sucked in a breath and doubled over, clutching my belly. White-hot flames of pain licked up my abdomen.

"Oh, shit." Ten popped to his feet, clutching my elbow. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Tink?" Pick was there half a second later. For a breath, he was the only thing I could focus on. I leaned into him and clutched his shirt, burying my face in his neck as he swooped me up and tucked one arm under my knees with the other around my back.

When my ears stopped ringing, the first thing I heard was Mason's angry shout. "What the hell is your problem, Ten? She just gave birth three weeks ago and her gut is held together by staples."

"Not to mention that's where her asshole baby daddy hit her, sending her into premature labor," Noel added, his tone just as sharp and angry.

Pick pressed his cheek to my temple. "Eva? Talk to me. Say something, baby."

My knuckles were still white from holding onto his shirt so hard. But I managed to gasp, "I'm okay."

"Is she okay?" Reese asked, her voice coming closer.

I held my thumb up with my free hand but couldn't unclench my eyelids. "Where's Skylar?"