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throat constricted. Ready? Lordy no. But with a perfect smile, she turned to the doctor and nodded. Years of practicing yes when it was really no was a gift she couldn’t fault when she clutched rainbow-colored pipe cleaners from a towering height.
    The registrar's hand shook a little. Skylar gave him an encouraging smile, thinking she too would be nervous if Nick was giving her that stare. Nick was a stone-cold Marine. The one time she met Nick’s commanding officer, at a memorial service for one of the men in his unit, she couldn’t tell who’d be a contender for playing Thor, the God of Thunder. Nick, the man who sat beside her the entire time like a statue or the larger than life man, who shook his hand when the brief service was over.
    “Darn it!”
    She knew the instant she’d thought it, that it was out loud. Not in her head, like she’d meant.
    “What is it?” Nick asked, coming closer to the screen. “Can you see something wrong with the baby?”
    She shook her head. She couldn’t tell him she recognized that look in his eyes as the same one he had at the memorial service. What would he say to that?
    Her hand automatically went to her chest, and she squeezed her fist against her ribs as though that would ease the burn.
    “Skye, baby, what is it?” He was concerned.
    She knew it. The last time he’d called her baby, was…frankly, she couldn’t remember when the last time was.
    His hand had found hers, and she pushed it away. He wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her when he knew the truth and right now, it was better that way.
    “I’m all good. Heartburn. First trimester stuff.”
    His gaze narrowed. “First trimester?”
    Darn it.
    The doctor moved the probe again, ignoring the tension in the room. “Ah, finally, a heartbeat. There you are.”
    Skylar looked carefully at the screen. Yes. There it was. The little heartbeat, complete with everything else.
     After pressing a few buttons and a few moves around her belly with the probe, the resident looked up.
    Nick moved closer to the screen. His fingers locked together as he watched the blip come to life.
    “Congratulations.” The doctor looked barely out of braces as he stared at the screen in newfound wonder. “The baby looks really healthy. From the scan, you look to be about thirteen weeks pregnant. I'll make a copy for you.”
    Nick’s gaze didn’t leave the screen. “Thirteen weeks pregnant. Are you sure?”
    The resident moved closer to the scan, looked down at the numbers, and then turned. She could see the effort he put into his next words. “These scans are pretty accurate.”
    “You're sure?” Nick repeated.
    This time the registrar shuffled the papers in front of him, as his face held a lost-boy look.
    “Nick?” Skylar sighed. Maybe she should tell him and get it over with.
    With both the registrar and Skylar staring at him, Nick turned away from the scan and looked at her. After a long pause, he spoke again. “Thanks, Doctor.”
    Skylar waited for the resident to clean the probe and put the machine back in its corner before she turned her attention to Nick. “I know having a baby was never in your plan, but could you have waited for the resident to leave before making it seem like I was carrying the devil’s spawn?”
    Nick had the decency to look embarrassed, and she felt guilty.
    “We were together at the time of conception. We were having sex then too.” Her voice thinned to a whisper.
    Nick turned a shade darker as his lips formed a line. “I remember.” His voice was husky.
    The room got smaller as he paced the small path beside her. As hospital rooms went, there was barely enough space for a bed and a chair. Add a very formidable man and a hint of sexual tension, and you had the ingredients for claustrophobic hell.
    “There was that time on the beach. That night after you—” Skye couldn’t make eye contact as she spoke.
    Unexpectedly he was at her side. He cupped her face. His thumbs stroked her