By the time I walked away, they'd reached an arrangement. It probably wouldn’t last, and I’d have to check on them again in a week.
Asher and I usually had lunch together. We agreed that dinner was for family, and unless it was an emergency, that time was sacrosanct. During lunch, we’d sit at the back of the dining hall and hash out budget deficits and security issues. And there was always someone who didn’t respect den rules.
Asher wasn’t afraid of the hard decisions. He took people’s opinions into account and weighed those with the danger to the den.
Everyone understood we weren’t to be interrupted during lunch. Asher wasn’t an old-style Alpha as his father had been, but he drew boundaries when necessary.
When I made it home this evening, Ford was cooking dinner. Neither of us wanted to share our precious alone time with the rest of the den in the dining hall.
Pressing myself against his back, I wrapped my arms around his bump.
“How was your day?” He was stirring something that smelled delicious, but it wasn’t as enticing as his scent. I kissed the back of his neck. “And the baby’s?”
“Mine was great. I got a raise.”
“Woo-hoo. Tell me about it.”
Ford’s boss was about to retire, and he’d told my mate he wanted him to take over the business. None of his kids had any interest in it, and besides, they lived hours away.
“I’m so proud of you.” I hugged him and nuzzled the base of his throat. Gods, he smelled good.
“But our little one has been causing a ruckus, doing somersaults and possibly cartwheels.” He switched off the gas, and I turned him around.
I got on my knees. “Hey in there, have you been a menace? You need to sleep and give your dad a break.”
“We need to get the nursery finished this weekend.”
I’d been building the cribs and dresser, and Ford had chosen wallpaper, paint color, and curtains.
“Ready to eat?” my mate asked as he grabbed two plates.
I tapped his butt. “You’re talking about food, right?”
Ford laughed. “Yes, because I’m starving, but the night is long.”
16
FORD
My belly was getting big—really big. Ginormous, even.
People at work looked at me and thought I was due any day now. I wasn’t. According to the midwife, I was having at least twins. Twins!
There had been a time when I never thought I’d find someone to settle down and have a family with, and here I was growing two babies. My coworkers had become really overprotective at work and no longer let me do anything that required lifting more than, well, pretty much an ounce. It was sweet but also kind of a pain.
Usually I indulged them. It was nice having people care about me and my wellbeing. But today, I was rebelling. My dragon was antsy and sitting at a desk doing admin work wasn’t helping. When the delivery came during my lunch break, I jumped into action knowing full well that it was only a matter of time before Sampson figured out I wasn’t eating any longer.
Truck unloaded, I checked off the inventory by unpacking everything and then entering it into the tablet. He wouldn’t mind me doing the actual data entry part of this, but unpacking theboxes and putting them in piles to be labeled… that would have his protectiveness on high alert.
The delivery was a bunch of random things. There were work clothes, butterfly nets, and cookie mix in jars in the first half. Then, in the second, there were rugs, pillows, blankets, and kitchen sponges. I wasn’t sure if that was how distribution worked for the larger stores, but that seemed pretty typical around here.
“Oh, Sampson’s gonna be pissed.” Sally stood there, looking at my piles. If I didn’t know she was human, I’d be sure she was a cat the way she constantly appeared out of nowhere.
“Not if you hurry up and get things put away so he doesn’t know.”
Around here, it was easier to beg for forgiveness than ask his permission and be turned down.
She reached for the pile of blankets, and I shook my head.
