Rory turned and pulled her into his arms. “Believe it. Believe me.”
She sighed and snuggled close. “When you think about it, we’ve spent what? Two weeks together? You have to admit this has all happened really fast. Eight weeks ago I didn’t even know you existed, and now we’re mated, with a child on the way.”
He rested his chin on her head. “You’re right. I guess it’s easier for me because I always knew there was a possibility—however slim—that I’d meet my one. Remember, I told you how I fought my reaction to you and would have continued fighting if the blue moon hadn’t happened.” When she stirred, he held her still. “Not because of you, but because of me. You deserve better.”
Rory’s chest expanded as he took a deep breath and let it out in her hair. “Then you left, and that changed everything.”
“Not everything. You tried to send me away,” she reminded him, some part of her still unable to let it go.
He leaned away and cupped her chin, lifting her face so she’d meet his gaze. “You have your fears. I have mine. We’ll face them together.”
Shay was smiling as Rory led her to the bed and pulled her onto his lap. “I need you to understand about Kian. I’m very protective of him. As I said, he’s different.”
The man had a way of messing up her head. She scrambled off his lap and went for the door.
“Where are you going?” Pure exasperation.
“I want to meet him.”
“Shay, for the love of God, it’s one in the morning,” he called out.
She heard him, but she was already out the door, jogging down the stairs. He came charging after her. “Shay, leave him alone.”
Shay spun to face him. “We’re family now. Kian’s this baby’s uncle. He lives in this house—my house, you said earlier. You think I’m going to have someone living here I haven’t met?”
Their wills clashed.
Rory took a deep breath, then tried reason. “I’m not trying to stop you from meeting Kian. I’m saying do it at a more reasonable hour. Would you appreciate being wakened to meet Kian if the situation was reversed?”
Decisions, decisions, decisions…
Sanity trumped curiosity. “Fine,” she said grumpily as she turned and started back up the staircase. “But I’m wide-awake now. You’re going to have to put me to sleep.”
He smiled wickedly as she came even with him. “I’ll think of something.”
Rory awakened with Shay sprawled across his body, sleeping with the abandon of an exhausted child. He shifted her to the side, giving a mild grunt of pleasure when she briefly clung to him before allowing him to be removed from her grasp. On some level not apparent when awake and alert, his wary mate accepted him. Usually their positions were reversed, and he woke clinging to her as though afraid she’d slip away from him during the night—again.
He studied her face, not liking the dark circles visible under her eyes. His mate wasn’t resting enough. Nor was she eating enough, he decided after examining the rest of her. She’d lost weight. Pregnancy was hard on a woman, and Shay had the added pressure of carrying a shifter child. Her metabolism must be off the charts. Shay’s former eating patterns weren’t enough to provide proper nutrition for both her and the babe. The woman had been a vegetarian!
Alex’s second said Shay was doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. He’d still like to have Laurie Bell look at Shay, for his peace of mind. Not that he doubted Carol’s capability, but he preferred one of his own—a trusted member of his pack, he added mentally as he remembered Conor’s warning to Shay.
He rolled out of bed and paused at its side as Shay sent a hand seeking his warmth, waiting until with a sigh, she pulled his pillow close and buried her face in it. Definitely bonding, he thought. If he wanted his mate to eat properly, he better go downstairs and get breakfast started.
After a short trip to the bathroom, Rory silently grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from a drawer and eased out of the room. Moments later he was downstairs headed for the kitchen when a knock came at the front door.
He sniffed. Laurie Bell stood on the doorstep. Rory switched directions and went to allow her entrance. “Is there a problem?”
“Morning, alpha. Sorry to disturb you so early, but I thought your mate could use this.” In her hand she held a clear baggie of loose herbs. “For her pregnancy. She mentioned being tired. This should take care of the problem.”
“Thank you. I’ll give it to her. You coming in?”
“No, I’m on my way to work.” Laurie Bell ran All Naturale, a shop catering to, as she called it, folks wanting to get back to nature. “Tell her to seep it in a tea for three to five minutes and sweeten with honey. She’s to drink it two to three times a day, or whenever she needs a pick-me-up.”
“I’ll let her know. Did she mention having you examine her?” he asked curiously. The two seemed to have hit it off last night. Maybe Shay wouldn’t be so reluctant if he broached the subject again.
Laurie Bell’s mouth crooked ruefully in a smile. “She mentioned her fondness for professionals with alphabets after their name. Don’t worry,” she added when he frowned. “A lot of folks prefer someone with a degree and formal training over someone to whom the knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. My feelings aren’t hurt.” She turned to leave, then paused. “Did you realize the door was locked? I was going to leave it in the kitchen with a quick note but couldn’t get in.”
Rory felt a flush of embarrassment rise from his neck to his face. “Aye,” he said simply, hesitating to elaborate until he’d discussed it with his men.
Laurie Bell laughed and gave him a wicked smile. “Good for you both. I remember what it’s like being newly mated. The last thing you want is someone walking in on you at an inappropriate moment.”
Air went down the wrong pipe, and Rory immediately began to choke.
Both Laurie Bell’s brows rose in contemplation. “I see. Well…” Obviously fighting back a smile, she said, “I really need to go or I’ll be late. Tell Shay I said hello.”
With a quick wave, she was gone.
Rory glanced at the herbs in his hand, wondering how he’d convince Shay to drink them. Shay didn’t strike him as the back-to-nature type, although she had been a vegetarian, so maybe she’d be open to drinking the herb tonic.
He went into the kitchen and prepared a breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast. Shay appeared in the doorway while he was scooping up the eggs. “Do I smell bacon?”
“Hungry?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.
From the looks of her, Shay hadn’t done more than run fingers through her hair. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep, and there was a pillow crease on her left cheek. She was in another one of his dress shirts, barely buttoned and slipping off her right shoulder. She looked sexy as hell.
“Starved,” she acknowledged, crossing over to the table.
When she sat, he handed her a teacup. Shay blinked at it owlishly. “What’s this?”
“Herbal tea,” he stated matter-of-factly as he went back to the stove. Rory watched out of the corner of his eye as Shay sniffed the contents.
“What’s in it?” she asked suspiciously.
“Something to give you energy.” He took down two plates and filled them with food.
“Uh-huh, but what’s in it?” Shay dipped her finger inside the cup and brought a drop of liquid to her tongue.
He wanted to laugh at the expression on her face. It couldn’t taste that bad. “Drink it, Shay.”
“I’d rather have coffee.” She pushed the cup away.