Max’s wedding ring. He had been intending to pop the question after the baby was born and figured they would not be in any hurry for the actual wedding. It had been a spontaneous decision to get married the day before, but it had worked out perfectly. The ceremony had been amazing and even the reception – organised at the very last minute – had been no less fun than one planned a year in advance in Ryker’s estimation. Thanks to Knox, they had managed to secure enough alcohol for Darius to get drunk. And that, right there, was enough said. Any party where Sir Darius consumed copious amounts of liquor was a good party.
Ryker followed Max as she poked around and discovered a well-appointed, rustic yet modern barn conversion with a very spacious bathroom with a giant clawfoot tub, a huge, four poster king sized bed in the bedroom and a spectacular view of the valley from their private back porch. That was where he found Max, staring out at the dense trees and the rolling mountains in the valley below. Coming up behind her, he wrapped her in his arms and kissed the side of her neck, hugging his wife and child close. Their rings flashed like fire in the evening sun and he shook his head, still unable to believe Slate had found an identical stone and had turned it into a ring for Ryker in secret.
“Does this mean you forgive him?” Max asked, leaning back and settling in.
“I guess I’m going to have to,” Ryker replied. He knew Max was referring to Slate’s poor welcome of Max to their society. Slate had treated Max as if she were shit he scraped off the bottom of his shoe. And he had treated Ryker and his fellow paladins the same over the years. But it seemed the new IDC representative had undergone a change of heart.
“He’s a good man,” Max assured Ryker. “Just not as good as the one I married.”
Ryker kissed her. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter Eight
“Are you okay?”
Max looked up at Ryker from where she had been glaring at her legs for the last few minutes. “Yes, it’s just this stupid cramping in my upper thighs,” Max mumbled, rubbing the offending ache.
“They’re back?” Ryker asked, setting aside the Thai food he had been dishing up for dinner.
After spending another wonderful day sightseeing and driving from one lookout to the next, as well as some easy walking along some trails, they had decided to have a casual dinner in their rental instead of going out. Most of that had to do with how tired Max was, as well as the damn cramps she kept getting in her legs all day. Not to mention the sporadic backpain as well. To say she was now feeling a little grumpy was an understatement. Max looked at Ryker as he squatted down in front of her, his big, warm hands rubbing over her thighs. Max sighed, enjoying the feel of her man’s hands on her as always. They also helped alleviate some of the shooting pain. Bonus.
“They never really went away,” Max admitted.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” Ryker demanded, looking concerned.
Max laughed a little and tugged on a strand of his hair. “Because it’s just leg cramps. They’re common in pregnancy.” Although, she thought they were usually more in the calf region rather than the thigh. But what the hell did she know? It wasn’t like she was an expert.
Ryker was still frowning and looking unconvinced. “Maybe spending a whole week away was a bad idea. Maybe we should head back tomorrow instead of the day after.”
“No way,” Max was adamant. “This is our honeymoon, and I am having a wonderful time. It’s perfect, truly, Ryker. I love you so much.” It didn’t take much encouragement to get him to lean forward and kiss her. She sighed into his mouth, happier and more content than she had ever been. They had spent the last five days exploring, eating, and sleeping. Just the two of them. It had been pure bliss, and she was determined they would vacation together more regularly in the future.
“I love you too,” Ryker murmured, kissing her cheeks. “But I don’t want our daughter getting any ideas to come out early.”
“I still have three weeks until my due date. We’ll be home in two more days. Don’t worry, she’s not going anywhere,” Max promised. Although, the feeling of heaviness between her legs was a little disconcerting. Not