Pucks, Sticks, and Diapers
Page 2

But she was glaring, her little lips pursed as she held his gaze. “Oh yeah, I forgot you live such a busy life and need all the sleep you get. While I can’t sleep a certain way due to the fact it hurts because I’m the vessel your child is sucking the life out of.”
“I thought you loved being pregnant.”
“I do!” she yelled, and his brows went up. “That’s not the point. I’m just reminding you that I don’t get sleep, and I sure as hell don’t get to play hockey anymore, but it’s fine. I’ll try to sleep all the way over here, alone and without the love and support of my husband because he has to get some sleep. God forbid he doesn’t have sleep,” she mumbled, and he wanted to laugh. She was ridiculous. But before he could tell her that, she looked over at him and said, “And just a reminder, Jayden Sinclair, when this child comes, say fucking good-bye to sleep.”
Blinking, he held her gaze. “I guess I should say good-bye to sleep now because I’m sure I’m not getting any more tonight.”
Her eyes darkened, and he swore he had never seen anyone as beautiful as his wife. Even with her hostility, he thought she was gorgeous. That may have made him an insane man, but he didn’t care. “You got that right,” she snapped, rolling over and letting out a loud sigh. “I just wanted to cuddle.”
When he heard her sniff, he closed his eyes, a smile pulling at his lips. The emotional roller coaster of Baylor Sinclair was a ride no man should ever have to experience, but Jayden was in the front-row seat. Reaching out, he went to cuddle with her, but she smacked him away. “I don’t want to cuddle now!”
“Fine,” he said, rolling over and cuddling back into the pillows. Sometimes, he couldn’t win with her.
“I just want you to know, I did want to cuddle, but that’s gone now!”
“I hear you.”
“And I’m upset!”
“I got that,” he said with a sigh as he slowly back rolled over, looking at her.
“I don’t think it’s fair. I cook, I clean, I work, and by the way, I’m carrying your child!”
“And I appreciate you more than I can ever say.”
“Then you’d cuddle with me!”
“But, Bay, I need sleep as much as you do, and you are giving off the heat of Mordor,” he tried, but she shook her head, glaring at him.
“Well, if you need sleep and I’m so hot and our child won’t stop kicking you, then go sleep somewhere else!”
“Seriously?”
“Yes! Go to the couch!”
Surely, she was joking. But then she yanked the covers off him, pulling his pillow out from under him and throwing it to the floor. “I need sleep, and I’m too mad at you to sleep with you in here. So, you go.”
“Because I won’t cuddle with you?”
“Yes,” she yelled, the tears rolling down her face.
“Then come here, I’ll cuddle,” he tried, but she threw the covers to the floor.
“No! I don’t want to cuddle!”
“Then let’s go to bed.”
“No! I’m mad!”
“You’re being ridiculous,” he laughed, and why in the world he did that would be his last thought.
Because he was pretty sure he was about to die.
“Go!” she roared, at which he paused.
He was waiting for her head to start spinning.
When it didn’t, though, he held her gaze. “If I go, I’m not coming back tonight.”
“That’s fine. Maybe tomorrow you won’t mind cuddling with your child and wife.”
“Baylor, I said, let’s cu—”
“I don’t want to cuddle,” she yelled, falling into the bed with a sob. “I just wanted you to want to cuddle with me!”
Watching as she cried, he slowly shook his head. They obviously needed some time apart, or better yet, he needed to go to give her time to breathe. Getting out of bed, he picked up his blankets and pillows and then looked back down to her. “You sure?”
“Did I stutter?” she snapped, pulling the blankets up to her face. “You broke my heart, Jayden.”
He went to say something snarky, but he knew it would get him nowhere. “I’m sorry for the fact I didn’t want to cuddle because of the death heat you were putting off. I love you. Good night.”
When she didn’t answer, he shook his head, smiling as he walked out of the room. Heading to the couch, he lay down and looked up at the ceiling. Only two more months, and then maybe he’d get his sane wife back. He was lucky he played on a team with men who had kids and also had gone through the months of torture otherwise known as pregnancy. If not, he wouldn’t know it was normal for his wife to be completely and utterly irrational about the stupidest things.
Today, it was cuddling.
A week ago, it was because he ate the last Oreo.
Next week, it might because he moved something she needed.
Lord, two more months. He could make it.
Leaning back on the pillow, he slowly closed his eyes, thankful he’d chosen the most comfortable couch known to man. He hoped she had stopped crying. He was tempted to check, but he really didn’t want her to bite his head off. Cuddling into the pillows, he rolled to his side, and just as he was about to drift away, he felt someone beside him.
Opening his eyes, he saw his very pregnant wife looking down at him.
She looked adorable, her hair a mess, her shorts way too short and too tight. The shirt she wore was one she used to wear when they were in college. A crop top that now made her look more like Winne the Pooh than the young girl with her heart set on playing in the NHL. He was pretty sure Winnie had nothing on his hot, sexy wife, though, who was still crying.
“Jayden?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Can I lie with you?”
He didn’t want to fight with her. He wanted to love her, but sometimes, she made that so damn difficult. Chuckling to himself, he scooted over as far as he could as she lay beside him, her stomach pressing hard into his as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his jaw.
“I’m sorry I’m batshit crazy,” she whispered against his cheek, her tears wetting his face. Their child moved like mad, kicking against him, and all he could do was hug her back.
“It’s okay, baby,” he answered, kissing her once more.