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He watched Demi. Slowly, she turned in a circle, drinking everything in. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders and spine. Ledger clenched his fist to keep from reaching out and stroking the soft strands.
Then she pivoted into profile, giving him a view of a face far more perfect than any of the art creations. Her skin was back to glowing, a flush of color that could only be pleasure at what she was seeing kissing her cheek. She’d tucked a lock of hair behind the perfect shell of her ear that showcased a small silver stud earring.
When she turned, his gut clenched at the sight of her sweet smile and the light of happiness in her eyes.
“I love it!”
He started to question her sanity, but a knock at the door broke the moment. He turned to Colton, standing in the open doorway.
Every time Ledger saw one of his fellow SEALs out of their military gear and sporting a cowboy hat and boots, it caught him off guard. But the attire suited Colton.
“Can I have a word?”
Ledger nodded, then turned to Demi. “Make yourself comfortable. There’s a futon for you to lie down.”
Demi waved a hand, absorbed with examining a painting of an abstract cat—made out of purple triangles—curled up in the sunshine.
Ledger and Colton stepped outside, and he closed the door so she couldn’t hear their conversation.
Colton faced him. “Wanna tell me why the vet was sleeping in our hay loft?”
The long day suddenly got longer. Colton deserved an explanation. It was the creed of their SEAL team to disclose any and all information.
But he wasn’t totally prepared to talk about Demi’s condition.
“She was up all night. She was tired.”
Colton scrubbed a knuckle across his jaw, creating a scuffing noise. “I’ve seen her up all night before. What’s different?”
Tugging the brim of his own Stetson, Ledger tried to think of a way out of having this talk.
He guessed that he and Demi were cut from a similar cloth—she was avoiding speaking with him too.
“Why is she here? In the shed you sleep in?” Colton demanded.
“Doctor’s orders.”
Confusion pinched his brows. “The doctor ordered her to move into the she-shed with you? What am I missing?”
He shuffled his feet. “The doctor put her on bedrest.”
“For a head injury?”
He met Colton’s gaze. There was no help for him.
“For a pregnancy.”
Colton’s eyes widened. “Yours.”
“Yes.”
His brows shot higher. “I never thought it would be you who got a woman pregnant. Wolfe, sure. But you don’t even like anybody.”
He darted a look at the closed door. “I liked her.” He swallowed. “Still do.”
“Damn, brother. Then I guess I should say congratulations.”
He felt that strange potion of elation and nerves knot his stomach. “Thanks. I think.”
