A few days later, Ranger was released from the hospital, and we began the process of resuming our regular routines back at Rangeman. Now with the added bonus of bullet-wound recovery, crazy pregnancy hormones, and morning sickness.

One afternoon I was in the process of regurgitating my second breakfast on seven when I heard the front door open and close.

"In here," I called.

I quickly wiped my mouth and started swishing around some water before Ranger had the misfortune of walking in on me kneeling at the porcelain throne. Again.

"Still not past it yet?" I heard him ask from the doorway.

I frowned. "I was just reading somewhere that there are women who have morning sickness their entire pregnancy. Isn't that awful?"

Ranger made a face. "That's rare though, right?"

"One can only hope."

He walked over and kissed my head. Then he wrapped his arms around me. "I came up here to talk with you about some things."

I raised my eyebrows in curiosity. "Such as?"

"The headaches I've been having."

My heart skipped a beat. "I'd kind of forgotten about those, actually."

Near-death experiences tend to overshadow trivial things like headaches. But now that I was thinking about it again, maybe they weren't all that trivial.

"So what do we need to talk about? Is this something I should be sitting down for?"

Ranger's mouth twitched. "Not likely."

"Well?" I pressed impatiently.

"I had a few scans done before I left the hospital." He paused. "And the good news is they all came back clean."

I breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's great!"

"But," he continued.

I hated the word "but." It practically ruined whatever was said before it.

"But?"

"Things are going to be a little different around here."

I frowned. "I thought you said all the scans came back clean?"

"They did. Turns out my brain is fine. My eyes on the other hand…"

"Oh my gosh! What's wrong with your eyes?"

Ranger laughed. "Nothing. Well, not nothing. Turns out I just need glasses."

I pressed my lips firmly together in an extreme effort not to laugh. "Glasses?" I blurted.

Batman needed glasses. That was just about as crazy as finding out Superman needed a cane.

He gave me a look. "It's not funny."

"Of course it isn't," I snorted back a snicker. But the mental image of Ranger in thick-rimmed glasses from the 70's just wouldn't leave my mind.

"It's not a big deal. I went ahead and ordered some contacts."

"Ooh!" I exclaimed, suddenly getting excited. "You should get those ones with the bat symbol on them! Or go with the all-black ones. They're freaky."

"If it's all the same to you," he said, almost rolling his eyes, "I went with the regular, clear ones. Because they're something I need, not a fashion accessory."

I stuck my lip out in a faux pout. "You're no fun."

He slid his hands under my shirt as his lips brushed the spot just below my ear. "Care to revise that statement, babe?"

"I didn't think you were cleared for any strenuous activity," I purred.

"Then I guess you had better be very, very gentle with me."

I licked my lips. Then I frowned. "Hold that thought."

I rummaged through the cupboards. "What happened to the mouthwash?"

Ranger made a face. "You must have used it all."

Damn. Tasting like partially digested food was a real mood killer.

"Raincheck?"

###

Several days later, I was sitting in Ranger's office on seven googling the nine hundred million so-called "remedies" for morning sickness when I felt a familiar tingle at the base of my neck.

"Ranger?" I called.

I hadn't heard the door, but considering I'd married a ninja, that didn't mean all that much. After not hearing any response, I got up and poked my head out into the living room. Ranger was sitting on the couch.

"You're back early," I commented as I walked over.

He looked up at me, and I froze mid-step.

Whoa.

"Somehow they messed up my order with the contacts," he grumbled. "So I'm stuck with these for a few days until they come in."

"Oh."

I really hoped it wasn't just a few days. Because Ranger in glasses was just about the sexiest thing I'd ever seen. And that included Ranger in a tux. Maybe even Ranger naked. It was all I could do to keep from jumping him right then and there.

"What do you think?" he asked.

Oh my gosh. He looked so unsure of my response. As if the glasses had somehow marred all of his incredibly handsome features. Or maybe he thought they diminished the whole intimidation thing he had going. Honestly, I didn't care what he thought. If it were up to me, those glasses would never leave his face.

I licked my lips. "I like them. A lot, actually."

His mouth twitched. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah."

"They kind of look dorky though, right?"

Maybe if the definition of dorky included phrases like "drop-dead sexy" or just plain "yum." I took a seat next to him on the couch and grinned.

"Say something sexy," I requested playfully.

"Something sexy," he deadpanned back.

I rolled my eyes. "That's not exactly what I had in mind."

His mouth twitched as he leaned closer. "¡Qué hermosa te ves!" he breathed against my lips just before kissing me. "Better?"

Hot. Damn!

I scrambled to my feet and quickly pulled Ranger onto his. I pushed, prodded, and practically shoved him into the bedroom. "I have no idea what you said just now, but it was like a freaking aphrodisiac."

I was growing frantic as my hands fumbled stupidly with all our clothes. Why did we have to wear so many damn pieces of fabric anyway? And buttons? Who invented those stupid contraptions? You practically had to know rocket science to get one undone. And Ranger's shirt had like half a million! What the hell?

He gave a small laugh as I blew out a sudden sigh of exasperation. "Need a little help there, babe?"

And that's when I started crying.

Damn hormones.