Jennika smiled.“Ah, the perfect time to play the pregnancy card.Alphas fall all over themselves to help.It gets more interesting when I wear a dress.”
Xiroth frowned.“You have been taunting alphas?”
“Only when I want to choose my spot in the movie theatre or at a restaurant, or when I am at the market and want something carried.So I guess I have been using alphas more than taunting them.”
Xiroth leaned over and pulled her carefully onto his lap.“I am the only alpha you are allowed to use now.”
Jennika looked at him.“You aren’t my boss.”
“No, but I am very good at catching what I chase.See?I just caught you, and by the societal rules, I get to keep you.”
She looked at his shadow-on-shadow features with his gorgeous purple eyes, and she smiled.“That is a weird technicality.By societal rules, I should have been handed to the first alpha who would have me when I got pregnant.”
Xiroth winced.“Right.I didn’t know you knew that.”
She laughed, and it turned into a yawn.“Right.I am going to head to bed.I have to be up in six hours, which will probably turn to eight.”
Sable asked, “Do you need a hand?”
Xiroth simply stood up with her in his arms.“Where am I taking you?”
Jennika smiled and pointed to the hall, where they had moved her room.It meant fewer stairs, and that was a good thing.
It was surreal, but Xiroth helped her out of her clothing and into her nightwear.The after-work shower had already taken care of her smelling like food, so this was just getting settled for sleep.He tucked her in, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and inhaled slowly.“You have an amazing scent, and I can detect our little one in it.”
She stroked his cheek.“It is so strange that I ran into you yesterday.”
“My people love a party.There will be many more bookings at your venue.That is for certain.”
“Yay.I do love job security.”
He pulled the quilt up over her shoulders, and she smiled.An image flickered across her thoughts, and it was one she wanted to keep.The difficulty was in getting a baby carrier in his size.
She was asleep between one breath and the next.
* * * *
Xiroth returned tothe kitchen, where Sable and Vine were sitting with note pads.
“What are you doing?”
“A baby shower.If she is going early, we have to be ready, and if he expands fast, we are going to need a vast array of onesies,” Vine muttered in her harsh voice.
Sable nodded.“And an assortment of diapers.”
“Tuvel has quilts and baby blankets covered.”
Xiroth crouched near them and asked, “What can I provide?”
Sable looked at him, stripes flowing over her white fur.“Stuff for Jennika.Her body has been surrendered to the baby.She needs the chance to reclaim herself.Not sexy stuff, but comfortable stuff that leads to things that are more fitted.I don’t know if they make a sexy nursing bra, but that sort of thing is up her alley.”
“I thought you said no sexy stuff.”
“Sexy for her when she looks in a mirror.If you do sexy for a guy, things get strappy and uncomfortable.”
He nodded slowly.“I understand.”
“Good.She’s spent the last four months being uncomfortable, so we want to get her back to herself quickly, so she can transition from being pregnant to being a mom.”Sable smiled.
