by Anthology
Night Shift 2
All proceeds donated to charity
Chelle Bliss
Toni Aleo
Brenda Rothert
Lauren Blakely
Sawyer Bennett
Kindle Alexander
Eden Butler
Virna DePaul
Susan Stoker
K Bromberg
Night Shift LLC
Introduction
All proceeds from Night Shift 2 will be donated to the Keith Milano Fund for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To learn more about Keith and the Fund, please CLICK HERE.
Inside Night Shift 2
Ten authors are bringing you more of your favorite stories and sneak peeks at future books in Night Shift 2.
Pucks, Sticks, and Diapers by Toni Aleo - First came love, then came the NHL, then came Baylor and Jayden with a baby carriage.
Secret prequel bonus scene by Kindle Alexander - A man must reveal his deepest secret to keep the ones he loves.
Max excerpt by Sawyer Bennett - The Carolina Cold Fury’s hot new star shows his bad-boy teammates that even nice guys can score big in this steamy hockey romance.
Nights With Him Bonus Epilogue by Lauren Blakey - Life for Michelle and Jack in Paris is about to get busier...
Forbidden Nights Bonus Epilogue by Lauren Blakely - The night before Casey and Nate's wedding...
Enshrine Prequel by Chelle Bliss - When the clock strikes Midnight on New Year’s Eve, two strangers share more than a toast.
Wicked Impulse Excerpt by Chelle Bliss - Bear, the bad boy silver fox, never thought he’d fall in love again. But when Fran DeLuca, a woman who’s known more for her track-suits, transforms into a vixen clad in skin-tight pants and a killer push up bra, he’s tempted to cross a line he swore he never would. There’s only one thing worse than dating his friend’s sister – sleeping with his mother.
Sweet Cheeks Excerpt by K. Bromberg - An all new second chance romance: When invited to her ex-fiance's new wedding, Saylor gets more than she bargains for when an old flame offers to be her date.
Read the final moments in Eden Butler’s Thin Love series in this deleted scene story, My Always - Every marriage has a moment—it defines the future, it settles doubt. That moment comes for Keira Riley-Hale when her marriage is threatened and she forgets how to find her way back to her husband. Will a brief getaway to the Tennessee mountains bring Keira and Kona to the moment that changes everything in their marriage? Or will that moment never come?
Royally Deep excerpt by Virna DePaul - A sexy quarterback and an adventurous princess turn some serious sexual tension into the romance of a lifetime.
Dirty Work bonus epilogue by Chelle Bliss and Brenda Rothert - Former political rivals Jude and Reagan seal the biggest deal of their lives with a kiss.
His bonus epilogue by Brenda Rothert – Andrew and Quinn are settled in to their happily ever after when a friend turned foe returns.
Rescuing Emily bonus chapter by Susan Stoker - See what happens when a Delta Force Operative, Fletch, takes single mom, Emily, and her daughter, Annie on an all-day date.
Toni Aleo
Pucks, Sticks, and Diapers by Toni Aleo - First came love, then came the NHL, then came Baylor and Jayden with a baby carriage.
1
Sleeping with a Pregnant Woman
“Babe.”
“Hm?
“Hey, can you scoot over?”
“I’m on the edge.”
His brows coming in, Jayden Sinclair looked over his shoulder, right into the face of his sleeping wife. “Babe, I find that hard to believe.”
“Huh?”
“There is no way you’re on the edge when your knee is up under my balls, the other leg is over my hip, and your nose is in my shoulder—while our child is kicking me to death in my back.”
Grumbling, Baylor said, “But I am.”
“You’re not.”
“You scoot over.”
“Bay, I’m on the edge of our California King bed that you said we had to have so we didn’t touch during the night because you always get so hot, and I’m a furnace. But yet, you’re basically on top of me.”
“I am not,” she complained, nuzzling closer, as if that were possible. “Shh, go to sleep.”
Sighing loudly, he glared at the wall. “I can’t because, this time, you’re the furnace, and like I said, our child is kicking me.”
“You’re welcome for giving you a preview of my life,” she said in his ear on an exhale. “Can you stop talking? I’m tired.”
Usually, he wouldn’t care. He’d deal with it because he loved her and wanted her to be comfortable. Lord knew, this pregnancy hadn’t been easy. At first, Baylor had been recovering from her painful knee surgery without pain meds once they found out she was carrying. The surprise of a child was a little more than they had been ready for. He had been knee-deep in hockey, working hard for the final prize, while Baylor was dealing with the fact that her career was over. After becoming the first woman in the NHL, Baylor hadn’t expected ever to quit, but injury led to that. She was ready to start working, at what she wasn’t sure since she had never had any plans beyond hockey, but then the surprise of a child rattled their world.
Especially when neither of them had discussed ever having kids.
It wasn’t in the cards. Hockey was in the cards, and that was it. But Jayden’s mom, Autumn, had always said, “The best surprises are those that knock you on your ass.” Well, hearing Baylor was pregnant sure knocked him on his ass. And her on hers.
But after the initial shock, they both became beyond excited.
Or so they thought. Because weeks after she started feeling like a person again and not an invalid, then she got godawful sick. Baylor had lost over ten pounds, and for a while there, Jayden was nervous because of how skinny she looked. She couldn’t eat without throwing up, and she wouldn’t take medicine because she was so nervous for the health of the baby. She was still nervous that the pain meds she had taken when she was injured could have hurt the baby, and she didn’t want to cause any more problems for their child. While he agreed with the doctors, there was no arguing with a passionate Baylor. So instead, she puked her brains out, and he couldn’t do anything but watch and hand her crackers.
But then, by the grace of God, she started eating again without throwing up. He hadn’t realized he could get so excited or turned on watching his wife eat two slabs of steak, a hot dog, two portions of potato salad, and beans. He was just thankful, happy, and optimistic for their future. Hockey was going great, the Assassins were playing the best he had seen them play in a while, but nothing could compare to the moment their child started to show itself in his wife’s belly.
Jayden was convinced he had fallen in love with her all over again.
Months passed, the baby grew, and they decided not to find out what it was when the time came. They had decided since the baby was a surprise from the beginning, it should stay that way. He was thrilled. Though, he felt in his heart it was a boy. Jayden couldn’t explain it, but he just felt it and that filled him with all the excitement imaginable. He already had two nieces, and he knew he would have the first grandson. Just knew it.
Baylor was doing well too. She wasn’t sick, she was walking well, and she actually felt normal again. She had gone to work with her dad as the assistant coach for the boys hockey team over at Bellevue University, where she and Jayden had both graduated from. They were happy, things were good. But then the baby moved onto Baylor’s sciatic nerve. While he loved watching his baby grow, he hated seeing Baylor in pain. It would paralyze her—to the point where she would need to sit down and wait for the baby to move.
Jayden was convinced Baylor hated life, but when he asked, she assured him she had neve
r been happier.
He was now always two seconds from a panic attack.
His constant worry for her was maddening, but then he had the Assassins to worry for too. They were in the play-offs, kicking ass, but they couldn’t close. Losing at the end. It was heartbreaking. He wanted more than anything to hold that Cup up. But then he realized he was about to hold his baby, and that was an even greater prize.
That was, if he didn’t kill Baylor first.
Turning over, she glared at him as he sat up on his arm, looking over her to the amount of space beside her. “Baylor, we could fit the whole team beside you.”
Her brows came in even more. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, scoot the hell over!” he said, his voice rising. “You’re burning me up!”
“I want to sleep with you.”
“You are, but give me some space so I don’t die of heatstroke!”
With a grunt of annoyance, she rolled over. “Ugh, whatever.”
Shaking his head, Jayden lay down once more, cuddling into his pillow. He could breathe. But just as he started to fall asleep, though, she said, “I just think it’s messed up that you won’t cuddle with me and I’m carrying your child, which is the reason I’m burning up.”
Opening his eyes, he stared at the wall.
And here they went.
“Babe, I love cuddling with you. But I have to be up early to clean out my locker and do press. I can’t sleep through that, and I definitely can’t sleep with you burning me up and our child kicking the hell out of me.” He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. “I love you, though. You know that, right?”
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.
“I love you,” she whispered back, her heart pounding into his.
&nbs
p; “And I love you, babe. Go to sleep.”
“Okay.”
And as she cuddled into him, he knew he’d wake up sorer than hell and maybe even a little grumpy, but it would be okay.
Because he was in love with the most difficult woman on the planet, and she loved him back.
2
BBQ at the Adlers
“We’re so glad y’all could come!”
Looking to her husband, Baylor found herself breathless at the grin that covered Jayden’s face as his boss, Elli Adler, gathered her in her arms. “Don’t you look amazing! I love it!” she gushed, cupping Baylor’s growing belly as she looked to Jayden. “You did good, Mr. Sinclair.”
Looking down at herself, Baylor thought she looked crazy for the simple fact it looked as if her kid was completely sprawled out instead of being in a ball inside of her. But who was she to judge? She still had no clue what was going on; this pregnancy thing was one scary feat, but she was almost to the finish line. She almost had her prize.
“Isn’t she gorgeous?” Jayden asked, kissing her cheek. Still, even after two years of marriage, she felt like it was all a dream. She’d always known that they had something special and that he was the man for her, even thought she’d tried to deny it. Really, who finds their soul mate at twenty-one? She did, and she thanked her lucky stars for him. They were so happy. Even when she got injured and her career ended early, she was still happy.
Because he made her happy.
Not too many men would even try to love her, but Jayden did it with the passion of a thousand armies. Lord knew, she wasn’t easy to deal with before the pregnancy, but now, with their child in her, she had the mood swings of thirty sixteen-year-old girls on their periods. She gave him a hard time about almost everything, yet he loved her through it. More than she could ever deserve.
