Be My Hero (Forbidden Men 3)

"Quinn's holding her," Pick said.

"Wasn't he sitting all the way across the driveway?"

"Yep. Kid moves fast when he needs to." Lifting his face away from mine, he asked, "Where's her room? I'm going to lay her down."

"It's this way. Follow me," Reese instructed just as someone else asked, "Should we take her to the hospital?"

Pick took charge as he carried me inside. "Let's see if she broke anything open first."

Though my stomach felt as if it had been cut apart without anesthesia, I was glad to be back in his arms and inhaling his intoxicating coconut scent. He was laying me down on my mattress way too soon for my liking. Without him right there against me, I curled into a ball and tucked my knees up toward my chest as I cradled my inflamed stomach.

I heard enough voices to realize just about everyone at the picnic was cramming into my room, trying to get a peek at me.

"Is she okay?" Ten asked, right before Pick growled. "Get the fuck out of here."

"Okay, that's enough," Aspen instructed, her voice brooking no room for argument. "Why doesn't every guy get out? We need to make sure she didn't re-open her incision."

"Wait," I gasped at the last second, reaching out my hand blindly. "Pick."

He was there immediately, kneeling next to me. "I'm here, Tink."

I pulled him closer and he came without any kind of resistance, his brown eyes swirling with anger and concern. The anger was what worried me.

"Promise me you won't kill Ten. It's my fault he—"

"It was not your fucking fault."

"I was egging him on and elbowed him first."

"Well, he should've used his damn brain. And even if you were perfectly healthy, no way in hell should he have elbowed back that hard. Fucking idiot."

I grasped his chin in my hand. "Patrick."

He growled out his irritation but gave a terse nod. "Fine." Then he leaned in and pressed his lips to my forehead for a long twenty seconds. Just before he moved away, he brushed his tongue out and tasted my skin. Then he smoothed my hair with his fingers. "You better be okay."

"I'll be fine." The pain was already subsiding. Everyone had made a much bigger deal about my injury than they'd needed to.

Once Pick was gone, Reese shut the door after him. She, Aspen, and Caroline remained.

"Let's see what we have here." As Aspen neared the bed, I tried to sit up.

"Dr. Kav . . . " Crap, forgot I was supposed to use her first name.

"It's just Aspen," she said, smiling slightly. "And I'm not really a doctor, doctor."

I nodded, a move that made me wince. "Sorry."

"Quite all right. Do you feel comfortable with letting us see your . . . ?" She motioned vaguely toward my lap.

I gave a small laugh. "A room full of complete strangers got up close and personal with my hoo-ha when I gave birth. I think I'm okay with it."

"E.'s not exactly shy. Or modest." Reese sat on the mattress next to me and took my hand.

"Geez. Streak topless across a beach once and you suddenly get labeled indecent." I rolled my eyes and squeezed her hand back.

"Actually," Reese argued with a grin. "I think it was you laughing and screaming 'Look at my titties' that cinched the whole indecent label for you."

When Aspen and Caroline exchanged scandalized glances, I sighed. "In my defense, I was really drunk at the time."