“I’ve seen it,” he grumbled.
“People, especially men, are weird about pregnancy.I can work with fear.Depending on the person, I kind of like it.Condescension?Jokes about waddling and naps?I’m going to be punching and hexing assholes right and left.”
He slid his fingers over mine.“I can punch them for you so you don’t hurt your hand,” he offered.
I nodded against his chest.“That’d be good.I’m better with spell work than hand-to-hand combat.”
Rubbing my scalp through the towel, he asked, “Do we need to worry about your hair getting flat on one side and you having to do all that work again?”
Grinning, I had to hand it to him.The man paid attention.“Yes, unfortunately.Now that I’m here, though, I wouldn’t mind a nap.”Growling, I rolled off the bed and went to my closet while pulling the towel off.“Gran was a stickler about dressing up for these Council meetings.I’m not sure if Mom cares.I mean, she always made a stink about what I wore, but I think that was because Gran cared.”
“Wear that purple top she gave you,” he suggested.“That’ll make her happy.”
“Oh, you’re a tricksy one.Wear the top she likes, then I can put on yoga pants and sneakers.Smart.”
While I pulled out clothes, Declan remained on the bed.Pausing, I turned back to him.“Are you going to watch me get dressed?”
“I was planning on it, yeah.”
“How about instead you go get the doors now and I’ll help hold them up for you,” I said.“I’d assume it’s easier to do that with two people.”
Eyes twinkling, he got up and strolled over to me before pulling me into a very hot and extremely thorough kiss.“Why are you taking my naked fun away from me?”
“I’m mean.I thought you knew that.”
He kissed down my neck and shoulders.“No, you’re not.You just like to pretend you are.”
His beard tickled and I felt a clutch low in my belly.“How about naked fun later, after the Council meeting?Last time we fooled around before one, Mom and Gran caught bits and pieces as we were going into the vision.”
Declan laughed, giving me a squeeze.“Okay.That did it.We’re not exposing your teenaged niece to dirty pictures of us.”He kissed my forehead.“I’ll go get the doors and be right back.”
I dressed while he was gone and was hit by a tidal wave of nausea.Thankfully, I had a claw clip on the bathroom counter and was able to grab it while I flipped up the toilet lid.I was considering no vomit in my hair to be a win.
As I brushed my teeth, I thought about a spiral croissant filled with pistachio paste.I wondered if I had time to make a batch before Declan drove me to my mom’s because I was suddenly ravenous.
THREE
Arwyn’s New Favorite Get Out of Jail Free Card
Declan had outdone himself with the doors.They were eight feet tall—mostly, because the top wasn’t a straight edge.He’d given them an undulating design that echoed my tentacles.They looked perfectly organic to the space, and I loved them.
He’d backed his truck right up to the deck so it wouldn’t be obvious that he was lifting five-hundred-pound gates by himself.Once he’d taken the first one out and propped it against the wall of the gallery, I hugged him hard and went up on my tiptoes to kiss his chin.
“They’re perfect!I love them.Thank you so much.”I hummed into his kiss when he leaned down to meet me halfway.
He ran his hand over the wood.“I’m glad you like them.They’ll block stalkers while being an extension of your aesthetic.”
“Perfect,” I said again, looking between him and the gate.“You don’t actually need my help to do this, do you?”
He shook his head.“I’ve got it.Is there something else you want to do?”
“Yeah, eat.”
“But we—no, yeah.You should eat if you’re hungry.”He looked confused but clearly wasn’t interested in discouraging me from food.
“Yes, I know we already ate, but then I got sick and lost it.My stomach has decided it’s starving.”I detoured to the railing, not remembering if I’d already said hello to my friends.“Charlie, Herbert, you’re both a glorious orange today.”My starfish friends never responded, but I was pretty sure each of them mentally waved a point at me.It was implied.
“Hello, Cecil!I hope you, Poppy, and the eggs are doing well.”One of Cecil’s tentacles rose above the surface and slapped down on the water.“It’s good to see you too.”I glanced around the deck for the waterlogged tennis ball and found it in Declan’s hand.
