the living room. She could just see them in their carrier through the door he had left cracked open. Smart man, he’d realized that she would worry if she couldn’t see the boys the moment she woke up.
They made a cute picture, the three males. Rocky was staring at his laptop screen, occasionally sparing a loving glance for the babies who rested in their comfy carrier at his side. Both the laptop and the big carrier w ere positioned on the long coffee table in front of the couch on the far side of the living room, in line of sight with the door to the room where she slept.
He must have traded the use of his more powerful desktop computer for the laptop’s portability so she could see them immediately upon waking. His thoughtful gesture brought a smile to her lips even through the echoing memories of those horrible dreams.
She got up and went to the door as quietly as she could. Rocky heard her the moment the blanket rustled, of course, but said nothing. The babies were sleeping, looking angelic.
“Do I have time for a shower?” She spoke as softly as she could, knowing Rocky would figure out what she was saying. He had super sharp hearing. Unfortunately, so did the boys, and she really didn’t want to wake them until she’d had a chance to calm down from those horrendous nightmares.
He looked down at the babies, then up to her and nodded with a concerned smile. This was a departure from the routine they’d established. Normally, she wanted to cuddle her sons the moment she woke up, but today was different and there was no hiding it from Rocky.
But she couldn’t go near Rocky yet. Not now. She didn’t have time or the inclination to discuss her nightmares with him before she’d had a chance to wash away the sweat that clung to her skin. She’d have to ask Rocky if fear really did have an odor. Maybe it was for the best that she didn’t get too close to her babies if they could smell the terror that had filled her dreams. She didn’t want to upset them—or Rocky.
She wanted to be strong for all three of the males. She wanted to be as strong emotionally as their bear side was physically. It was a tall order, she knew, but she’d been strong for the past ten months. She could be strong a little longer. That was her mantra, and if she repeated it enough she might even begin to believe it.
Maggie grabbed a few items and headed for the bathroom. Fifteen minutes. Just fifteen minutes of cleansing hot water. That’s all she needed now to make her ready to face the bears waiting for her out there again.
Twenty minutes later, a freshly washed and dressed Maggie joined Rocky in the living room. The babies woke as she entered and sent up those cranky sounds that she’d learned preceded outright wailing. Without a word, she took them back into the bedroom and closed the door. This once, she wanted to care for them herself, without Rocky’s help.
About a half hour later, she opened the door to the living room once more. The babies were back in their carrier, dozing lightly. She took them with her as she left the bedroom.
“Is everything okay?” Rocky asked in a gentle, soothing tone she was certain he cultivated for the benefit of the babies. His eyes squinted in concern as he met her gaze.
“Yes and no.” She sat on the sofa a few feet from him, placing the boys’ carrier back on the coffee table. “Rock, I had awful nightmares all night long.” She studied him to see if he understood the seriousness of her pronouncement , and it was clear he didn’t get it. “I’ve had nightmares off and on since Tony died, usually right before a close call with the jerks on my trail. The dreams are warnings.” She smiled and shook her head. “I never would have said something like that a year ago, but I’ve learned the truth of it. The dreams come when danger draws near.”
Rocky’s brows lowered and she was glad to see he was considering her words carefully. He stood and started to pace. Well, for a mere
They made a cute picture, the three males. Rocky was staring at his laptop screen, occasionally sparing a loving glance for the babies who rested in their comfy carrier at his side. Both the laptop and the big carrier w ere positioned on the long coffee table in front of the couch on the far side of the living room, in line of sight with the door to the room where she slept.
He must have traded the use of his more powerful desktop computer for the laptop’s portability so she could see them immediately upon waking. His thoughtful gesture brought a smile to her lips even through the echoing memories of those horrible dreams.
She got up and went to the door as quietly as she could. Rocky heard her the moment the blanket rustled, of course, but said nothing. The babies were sleeping, looking angelic.
“Do I have time for a shower?” She spoke as softly as she could, knowing Rocky would figure out what she was saying. He had super sharp hearing. Unfortunately, so did the boys, and she really didn’t want to wake them until she’d had a chance to calm down from those horrendous nightmares.
He looked down at the babies, then up to her and nodded with a concerned smile. This was a departure from the routine they’d established. Normally, she wanted to cuddle her sons the moment she woke up, but today was different and there was no hiding it from Rocky.
But she couldn’t go near Rocky yet. Not now. She didn’t have time or the inclination to discuss her nightmares with him before she’d had a chance to wash away the sweat that clung to her skin. She’d have to ask Rocky if fear really did have an odor. Maybe it was for the best that she didn’t get too close to her babies if they could smell the terror that had filled her dreams. She didn’t want to upset them—or Rocky.
She wanted to be strong for all three of the males. She wanted to be as strong emotionally as their bear side was physically. It was a tall order, she knew, but she’d been strong for the past ten months. She could be strong a little longer. That was her mantra, and if she repeated it enough she might even begin to believe it.
Maggie grabbed a few items and headed for the bathroom. Fifteen minutes. Just fifteen minutes of cleansing hot water. That’s all she needed now to make her ready to face the bears waiting for her out there again.
Twenty minutes later, a freshly washed and dressed Maggie joined Rocky in the living room. The babies woke as she entered and sent up those cranky sounds that she’d learned preceded outright wailing. Without a word, she took them back into the bedroom and closed the door. This once, she wanted to care for them herself, without Rocky’s help.
About a half hour later, she opened the door to the living room once more. The babies were back in their carrier, dozing lightly. She took them with her as she left the bedroom.
“Is everything okay?” Rocky asked in a gentle, soothing tone she was certain he cultivated for the benefit of the babies. His eyes squinted in concern as he met her gaze.
“Yes and no.” She sat on the sofa a few feet from him, placing the boys’ carrier back on the coffee table. “Rock, I had awful nightmares all night long.” She studied him to see if he understood the seriousness of her pronouncement , and it was clear he didn’t get it. “I’ve had nightmares off and on since Tony died, usually right before a close call with the jerks on my trail. The dreams are warnings.” She smiled and shook her head. “I never would have said something like that a year ago, but I’ve learned the truth of it. The dreams come when danger draws near.”
Rocky’s brows lowered and she was glad to see he was considering her words carefully. He stood and started to pace. Well, for a mere
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