A Baby For Christmas. Joanna Sims

cracked an eye open. “No.”

      Sophia grabbed a pillow and smacked him in the head with it. “Thanks a lot, Luke. That’s really sensitive!”

      She saw his chest moving; saw the corner of his upper lip lift. The man was actually chuckling. Amazing. Rare. She hit him again.

      Luke glanced over at her. “When has anyone ever accused me of being sensitive?”

      Sophia raised an eyebrow at him. “Good point.”

      After a minute, exasperated, she said. “Luke! Aren’t you going to say ‘you don’t look like you swallowed a basketball’?”

      Luke pushed himself up so suddenly that it caught her off guard. He leaned forward and turned his head toward her. He had a hard, exasperated look on his face. “You don’t look like you swallowed a basketball, Sophia,” Luke said in a clipped manner; his hand sliced the air as he spoke. “And, honestly, I don’t like to hear you say sh...stuff like that about yourself. You’re a beautiful woman who looks better eight months pregnant than most women I know who aren’t pregnant. If you need to put yourself down, don’t do it around me anymore.”

      Sophia was taken aback by Luke’s words. Shocked, actually. Just when she thought he was a total jerk, Luke would throw her a curve ball and prove her wrong.

      She saluted him. “Aye, aye, el Capitan.”

      Luke shook his head slightly at her sarcasm before he leaned back into the couch once again. “Can we enjoy the fire now?”

      Sophia didn’t agree because she had an agenda, but Luke didn’t seem to require her consent. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

      She wasn’t completely heartless; she would give him a few moments of quiet before she approached him about the main issue on her mind. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood; no time like the present was a personal motto.

      After a couple minutes, Sophia pushed herself up into a more upright position and turned her body so she could look at Luke’s profile.

      “Luke?”

      “Hmm.”

      “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

      It took several long seconds for Luke to respond. No doubt he didn’t like the phrase, “I have something to talk to you about.”

      “This isn’t what I meant by ‘enjoying the fire.’”

      “It’s important to me.” She tapped her finger to her chest, not deterred by the abrasive tone of his voice.

      With a sigh, Luke rubbed his hands over his face several times. “What’s on your mind?”

      Sophia had been mulling over in her mind how she should bring up the subject. There didn’t really seem to be any diplomatic way to broach it. Honestly, the direct approach seemed to be her only real option. Besides, Luke was a more “in your face” kind of guy. He was a marine. He’d probably appreciate her not beating around the bush.

      “Well, it’s like this.” She held out her hand. “And I really hope you don’t take offense, Luke, because I’m not trying to hurt your feelings...”

      “Before I’m ninety, Soph.”

      “Quit rushing me!” she replied, “I want to make sure that when I’ve said what I have to say that you’re not going to feel bad....”

      “Sophia...”

      “Fine. Here goes.” Sophia paused, took in a deep breath, then let the deep breath out, before she said, “Luke... I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but your face really bothers me.”