Macy stayed with Erin through breakfast, then to help her shower without getting her bandage wet, as well as to wash and dry her hair.
Afterward, Erin collapsed onto her bed, exhausted. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Macy grinned. “My pleasure. Mr. Bodyguard might have his uses”—she wagged her eyebrows to emphasize the point—“but only a girlfriend can help with things like this. Unless . . . you wanted him to see you naked again?”
Erin peered up at her friend from her prone position. “Are you crazy? That’s what got me pregnant,” she muttered.
“Clearly his sperm is as potent as he is.” Macy chuckled. “Need anything else before I go?”
“Between the food and the help, you’ve gone above and beyond.” And Erin appreciated the bond between them more than she could express at the moment.
“Hey, I know you’d do the same for me. I’ll check in on you later.” Macy blew a kiss and started for the door, turning before she walked out. “If you’re interested in more from Cole than him keeping you safe, you’ve got the man exactly where you want him. Do something about it,” she said, then bounded out of the room before Erin could reply.
Not that Erin had a ready response anyway. She needed to think, not act spontaneously. Again. She placed her hand over her still-flat belly, unable to believe there was life growing inside her. Whatever happened between her and Cole, it wouldn’t be because Erin pushed him beyond what he was capable of giving—or worse, more than what he wanted to give. No matter what Macy wanted to whip up in her fairy-tale-oriented brain.
As she thought about Macy, Erin bolted up in bed, groaning in pain as she did. “Shit!” She just realized Macy had gone downstairs alone, which meant she was free to corner and grill Cole.
Unwilling to let that happen, Erin rushed downstairs in time to hear her friend say, “Not that I’m one to meddle, but that’s my best friend up there and if you hurt her, I’ll come after you with a shotgun.”
“Get in line behind her brothers,” Cole said, arms folded across his chest, an amused half-grin on his sexy mouth.
Erin didn’t know what he found funny, but she was plain embarrassed.
“This isn’t high school revisited,” Erin said to her best friend.
“What are you doing out of bed? You said you were exhausted.” Macy shooed her away with the back of her hand.
Instead of taking the hint, Erin continued down the stairs. “I was trying to stop you from making an ass of yourself—and of me—but I see I was too late.”
“Nothing wrong with someone having your back,” Cole said to Erin, taking her by surprise.
“And I believe he’s got yours.” Macy nodded toward Cole.
“Message received,” he assured her.
Erin rolled her eyes. “Go home, Macy.”
Her friend blew a kiss. “Check in on you later!” With a wave, she let herself out the front door.
“You want to watch TV and rest?” Cole asked.
She nodded.
A few minutes later, they were in the family room, where they watched a half hour of television before her heavy eyelids drifted closed. Cole insisted she go back up to sleep, and instead of being annoyed by his bossy tone, she bolted to do his bidding, needing space from her ever-present awareness of him as a man. A sexy, potent, desirable man.
She was just about to head upstairs when her doorbell rang. Erin stood, but Cole held up a hand to stop her.
“I’ve got it. Stay here.”
She scowled, but again let him take charge. Her arm throbbed and burned, she was exhausted, and appeasing him seemed easiest, at least for now.
Once at the door, Cole looked out the glass on the side and opened the door a crack, his hand on his holstered weapon.
Jeez, she thought. Overkill much?
He spoke to someone through the small crack in the door, then opened it wider and returned with a vase full of yellow roses. Her favorite.
“I wonder who they’re from,” she said, excitement in her voice, since what woman didn’t like receiving roses?