Caelan blinked. “Um. Okay. Can we wait until I’m finished here?”
I nuzzled noses with him. “Yes, but I can feel its need. Fee and Poe help a little, but I’m tied to your land now. Wintertime leaves most of the land in slumber, but it still needs care.”
Caelan brushed a kiss over my lips. “And you would know best. Alright. We’ll go out later tonight and walk the property. Fee is missing you.”
Regret panged inside me. “I missed her, too.”
He took a deep inhale. “No matter what happens to us, you are always welcome on my land to see them and to care for the property.”
I blinked at him. “Caelan. That’s…extremely generous.”
He cupped my chin. “No matter what happens, it will not be because I do not love you.”
I sighed and let my head rest on his chest. “My father isn’t answering my calls. He knows I’m onto him.”
“Mine neither,” he confirmed.
“Mom is trying to stay out of it, but she’s furious with him.”
“I don’t think she’s my biggest fan, either, but I’m glad to hear she doesn’t like his meddling.”
“Mom is no saint, but she’s never gotten involved with my relationships. For all her faults, she believes I need to make my own mistakes in love and life.”
“As any good parent would do.” He rolled, trapping me under him. His eyes had grown serious. “There’s something we should discuss.”
“I’d rather be doing something else,” I said.
His lips quirked. “We’ll get to that in a minute.”
Caelan nuzzled my neck and gently put his teeth on my collarbone, biting down enough to make me squirm. “Do you want children?”
I froze. “Um.”
He licked my collarbone and bit down on my shoulder. “I’m asking because we haven’t been careful.”
My back arched. Caelan’s hand slid up the side of my waist and cupped my breast before he toyed with my nipple. When his mouth replaced his fingers, a moan tore from my throat.
“Fae have trouble reproducing,” I said breathlessly.
“So do shifters,” he murmured.
His hand drifted down, nudging apart my thighs. “Do we continue on the path we’re on, or should we take more care?”
“Birth control doesn’t work on me.” It made me crazy, but it didn’t prevent me from ovulating. Fae were always hesitant to use any form of birth control because of low birth rates.
His fingers slid between my folds. I let out a gasp.
“I would find a child a blessing, Evie. But I would not presume to think you are of the same mind.” He slid down my body, his thick hair brushing against my thighs. “This decision is yours. There might never be a child between us, but there is a chance, and you should be the one to say if you do not want one as much as I do.”
My thoughts were scattered as Caelan played my body like a fine instrument. I’d never wanted children because of my childhood, but finding out the entire thing was a lie, and I was loved had changed some things.
Maybe I’d never have one. Maybe fae and shifters couldn’t procreate, but the thought of having a child wasn’t as terrifying as it once was.
He stilled at the apex of my thighs and waited.
“I like the path we’re on,” I said after a taut silence.
The wicked smile that curved his lips made me smile in return, but when his head dipped, and he put his mouth on me, my hands gripped the sheets tight, and a scream tore from my throat.
