Page 73 of Shark’s Rise

I kissed the top of his head before taking a seat at the table with him. My stomach was still full from lunch, but I wanted to keep him company while he ate. But as I watched him, something seemed…off. But not with him…

“Oh, wait!” The recognition zapped me at once. “You need the fixings for your pozole, baby.”

“Huh?” Bas mumbled around a mouthful of Dori’s delicious soup.

“All the great stuff that goes on top of the broth,” I explained. “That’s what makes the whole thing. Hold on. I’ll get it out of the fridge for you.”

I scrambled up from my chair, since I was only a couple of steps from the refrigerator—but apparently I had two left feet tonight. Maybe three. At once, my ankle got caught on one of my chair’s legs. I stumbled out but caught myself. Still, I felt like I’d tripped over a hairline crack.

“What the hell?” I muttered. “Clumsy elephant in the house—unless I really just learned to walk lately?”

I was just as unsure about Bas’s reaction. I was already bracing for his hysterics in all their blustering glory, but this time the man merely shrugged. “It’s the increased blood supply,” he said offhandedly. Him and his damn pregnancy books.

“What?” I laughed, walking more carefully to the refrigerator to get the shredded cabbage, radishes, onion, and cilantro that Dori had prepared in little ramekins.

“The reason you are tripping on your own two feet,” he went on. “Increased blood supply makes it so you have less feeling in your extremities. Almost like you are numb without the tingly pins and needles.”

I set the tray in front of him. “It’s freaking me out that those are possibly the sexiest words I’ve ever heard you say.”

“Hmmm?” He glanced at me, openly perplexed, while piling his bowl high with the fresh veggies and herbs. “Why?”

Damn good question. I didn’t know if I had a clear answer. I couldn’t decide if he was sexy because of his endless quest for knowledge or because the knowledge he sought was explicitly about my changing body and our developing child. Right now, I wasn’t sure the clarity even mattered. The only thing that seemed important was the message I did decide to vocalize at that moment.

“I love you, Sebastian Shark. I love you so damn much it hurts.”

He dropped his spoon so suddenly, the silverware clattered against the table. He stood just as abruptly, and the look he drove into me said everything.

He didn’t care about any other answer either.

With two sweeping stalks, he covered the short distance around the table and right into my personal space. I still just sat there, mooning like a schoolgirl over her first crush. Desperately hoping…

That he’d lean over, exactly as he did.

That he’d smash his mouth on mine, exactly as he did.

That he wouldn’t relent either—exactly as he did.

That he’d keep pulling and sucking and kissing, until every molecule of oxygen had been stolen from the room. Until he left me dizzy and hot and swoony with desire.

All so true…until the man sat back down and started eating his dinner again.

Grinning about it.

Oh, this man.

“But you didn’t overdo it today, did you?” he finally asked.

After clearing my throat, not trusting what it would sound like after what he just subjected me to, I answered, “No. I even had a nice long nap. This rainy weather and that pozole…” I motioned to the bowl in front of him. “Little man loved that stuff. He was Kung-Fu Fighting after I had a bowl.”

“Good. It is delicious. Dori’s spoiling us something terrible. But I have to say, Craig’s been equally invaluable at the office. I think it’s a better fit for him. It’s funny how things fall into place, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it can be.”

He set down his spoon again, this time with calmer intention. “What’s up?” he probed, his brows knitting. “That was a very wistful answer.”

I kneaded my lips nervously. “Don’t miss a thing, do you?”

“Not where you’re concerned, Red. But you know that part already.” He moved back around the table, sliding into the chair next to mine. “What’s going on?” He slipped his hand into mine. “Everything still good with Dori?”