Page 149 of Petite Fleur

I think it would be best if I stayed home.

I can pick Sean up tomorrow. It's not like his routine is all that different from day to day.

Most nights, he closes the bar, so all I'd have to do is pick one and be at his apartment about an hour after the bar closes.

So, I carefully lift my girl into my arms and carry her into our bedroom. I love that she wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her face in my neck while I walk us to bed.

I think I'm addicted to the trust she has in me, something I never thought I'd earn.

When I lay her down on the bed, I quickly strip down to my boxers and crawl in behind her, but she groans, rubbing her eyes with her hands for a moment before turning in bed to face me. "Go back to bed, ma fleur." I say quietly as I press my lips to her forehead.

She yawns and looks up at me with an adorable sleepy face, grumbling, "Sean."

I love her adorable, sleepy voice and how cuddly and needy she is when she's tired.

I don't even know if she realizes she does it, but if she's tired or isn't feeling well, it's like she can't get close enough.

I wrap my arms around her, settling a hand on her lower back to keep her close to me. "Not tonight. Let's just get some sleep; we've both had a long day." I say quietly.

I kiss her forehead a few more times, hoping she'll settle into me and go back to sleep. She's had a long day, and I'm sure her nap wasn't nearly enough. It's only been a few hours since she laid down.

I can wait to tell her that she's pregnant and that we already have to take her piercings out; that can be a discussion for the morning.

Technically, I know I could leave them in, but I'd rather her body not have to go through the healing process while pregnant. I'd rather not risk her or the baby with an infection while her body is already in overdrive trying to create life.

Maeve sits up on her elbow, staring at me defiantly while I hold onto her. "But we can't leave Abby there." She says quietly.

My Maeve and her beautiful soul.

I graze my knuckles across her cheek while smiling down at her. "We will get her out, ma fleur, but not tonight; you need the rest. We'll talk in the morning." I promise her, but all I seem to do is worry her.

She stares up at me with a panicked expression across her face. "What happened while I was asleep? Is Abby okay?" She asks.

I nod, pulling her into my chest further. "Abby is fine. The lab called while you were asleep to talk to me about your latest blood test." I tell her.

I'm worried that if I don't tell her what's going on, I'm going to scare her, and she won't be able to sleep, but it seems like I scared her anyway; her eyes open wide, and a sad look crosses her gorgeous face. "Am I okay?" She asks me sadly.

I graze my knuckles down her cheek lightly, holding onto the back of her neck after I made my way down her throat. "Yes, ma fleur. You're okay. You have nothing to worry about." I say.

I don't know how else to tell her. I don't even know how she's going to react, but I have a feeling she won't be as excited as I am.

She looks up at me, both scared and confused. "Then what's going on?" She asks.

I stroke my thumb across the warm, smooth skin of her cheek for a moment while I think about how I'm supposed to drop this on her.

I'm not supposed to have to tell her this; she's supposed to tell me this kind of thing.

"You're pregnant. I can't risk something happening to you when I pick Sean up. So I need you to stay home." I explain.

I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but I definitely didn't expect her eyes to gloss over with tears and her gaze to settle on absolutely nothing. She's staring at the wall behind me as if she can see right through it, and her expression is unreadable.

She looks lost.

“Tell me how you’re feeling.” I insist when she doesn’t say anything, and her gaze never finds me.

Her eyes stay fixated on nothing, hollow and lost, and it worries me that she's either going to blow up on me or crack.

Have I broken her?