It made me want to jump his bones all the time. The fae bond had shown no real signs of slowing down, and I couldn’t exactlyask my mom or dad about why I was so hot for Rowan all the time.
Not that Rowan minded. Goodness. Dude had the stamina of a fleet of Navy men stepping off the ship for the first time in months.
“He deserved it.” I took another bite of pancake and watched Rowan.
His lips twitched. “I suppose he did.”
“How’s the baby?” Moira had brought me home, shoved me at Rowan and told him to feed me, then hurried home, her cheeks still crimson after seeing Ethan.
“Adorable.” Rowan dug a thumb into the arch of my foot, drawing a deep groan from my throat. He flashed a grin.
Yesterday’s magic drain hadn’t completely resolved yet, and I still had some body aches and overall soreness. I felt like sleeping another twelve hours, but Dad was due for training today, and he wouldn’t be so easily fobbed off.
Rowan had made excuses with Barrett but had a thoughtful expression on his face when he hung up the phone. “He seemed a little agitated over the cancellation.”
I lifted a shoulder. “Barrett is difficult to read. He followed me all the way here, so he seems invested in helping me learn my powers.”
“Mmm,” Rowan responded. “Is it possible he already knows about the baby?”
I blinked. “How?”
“No idea. This is only a theory. You’re supposedly the last female Chimera, which we both now know could be a lie. Barrett is the Chimera’s de facto leader.”
My mind whirled. “You think Barrett might be looking for the child and is using me to do it?”
Rowan tilted his head. “You did come out quite fantastically in Joy Springs. Most paranormals know who you are. Whobetter to keep their child safe than a female Chimera safe in a shifter pack?”
I wanted to wave his concerns away, but I couldn’t. If I’d learned anything over the past several years, it was that sometimes people wouldn’t stop until they realized their goals, whether they were for good or evil. Barrett might be on the up and up, but he did drop into my lap rather abruptly and claim I should be the one to lead our people.
Not that I’d done much of that. I preferred staying out of the limelight, first because I was still hiding my Chimera identity at that time, and second because I had issues with the Chimeras after what Finn had done to me, followed by his psycho companion, Rhona.
Barrett had helped me, no question about that, and he’d asked for nothing in return. Rowan’s words made me examine his actions under a closer microscope now. Very few people in my life, minus Rowan and my friends, had helped me without wanting something in return.
Was Barrett the exception to the rule or was the baby in danger once he found her?
“I can see the wheels turning in your mind,” Rowan murmured.
“Maybe we should test the theory,” I mused.
Rowan’s wicked fingers rubbed the knots from my calves. “Always willing to engage in some shenanigans,” he said with a quick smile. “But first, I want to talk about something else.”
My eyebrows lifted. “Oh?”
He patted his thigh, silently telling me to lift my other leg. I closed my eyes as he started working on the other leg.
“Mmm hmm. I was thinking we should get married.”
My eyes flew open. I watched him for a long moment, looking for the familiar twinkle of mischief in his eyes when he teased me, but there was nothing but a somber expression on his face.
When I said nothing, his lips twitched. “We’re mated, on my people’s side and on yours. Our laws see us as together for the rest of our lives.”
I nodded, still struck mute by his proposal.
“We don’t live in your world, and many humans claim citizenship in my territory. They do not often get to celebrate with us. Would it be such a bad idea to have a wedding here at the Keep?”
Tears swelled in my eyes. “You want to marry me.”
Rowan snorted. “If I haven’t made that painfully obvious by now, I’ve been remiss in my duties.”
