Micah cracked a grin. “Sure thing, doll. I know when I’ve been given my marching orders.”
He leaned down to kiss Angelina and then stepped around the women and ambled over to where Cole stood with Damon. Not two seconds later, Sam appeared with wine for Cole and Ren.
After Ren took her glass, Serena motioned her and Angelina toward the couch. “Let’s go sit.”
Angelina grinned and leaned toward Ren. “She’s cranky. Don’t mind her.”
“I heard that,” Serena grumbled. She eased back onto the couch and sighed so loud that the men threw amused looks over their shoulders.
Ren perched on the loveseat across from Angelina and Serena, still unsure of what to make of these women.
“She and the others were all about cracking jokes about me when I was a waddling house,” Angelina continued with a smug smile. “It’s not so fun for Serena now that the shoe’s on the other foot.”
Serena glared at Angelina. “Shut up.”
“Who are the others?” Ren asked curiously.
“Our other friends. Girlfriends,” Serena explained. “There’s Faith, Julie and now Lyric, and of course Angelina and I.”
Despite not really wanting to get into sensitive subject matter, Ren was fascinated by Serena being pregnant and how it played into her relationship—the type of relationship—she and Damon had. She knew enough from Cole to know that Damon was the dominant force twenty-four seven, in and out of bed. And yet when Damon looked at his wife, his eyes were soft with love. When he touched her, there was such gentleness and caring. Damon was the type of man Ren herself most longed for and had found with both Cole and Lucas. The other men in her life? Not so much.
“You look preoccupied,” Serena said, interrupting her thoughts. “Is something wrong?”
Ren smiled slightly. “I was being nosy and trying to decide whether to be rude and ask you a question.”
Both Angelina and Serena lifted their eyebrows. “Oh do tell,” Angelina said. “I think I definitely want to hear this.”
Ren’s cheeks warmed and her courage faltered. “It’s none of my business.”
Serena shrugged. “I’ll let you know if it dips too far into the off-limits territory.”
Ren sucked in her breath. “I just wondered, with you pregnant now and a baby entering the picture. How did it change your relationship? And before you think I’m some freak with too much curiosity for her own good, it’s just that I’ve often weighed my desire for a family—children—with the type of relationship I need and I can’t reconcile the two. But you …you seem to have it all. I think I envy you.”
Serena’s eyes softened and she and Angelina exchanged secret smiles.
“I was worried at first. The decision to have a child wasn’t made lightly by either of us. But in a lot of ways it heightens our relationship. It’s hard to explain. I’ve always loved Damon’s dominance and his protectiveness when it comes to me and how he cherishes me and takes care of me. But it’s even more pronounced now that I’m pregnant with his baby. It’s been truly wonderful.”
Angelina nodded her agreement. “It was the same with me and Micah. He was just so gaga over the idea of me being pregnant with his child. He wouldn’t let me lift a finger. He wasn’t any less dominant, but his dominance was exerted in other ways.”
“It’s not that things didn’t change,” Serena continued. “They did. I mean, it’s not like he’s going to bust out with a flogger or something when I’m as big as a house with swollen ankles and hormonal swings from hell. He still demands my obedience and my respect but he’s less demanding of me physically if that makes sense. But no less emotionally.”
“No, it makes perfect sense,” Ren murmured. “I think it must be wonderful to have that.”
“You should have seen Cole that night in the restaurant,” Serena said in a low voice. “When he saw you again. I’ve never seen him like that. He was so determined to find you.”
Ren smiled. “Yes, he was.”
“As much as I hate to interrupt you ladies, dinner is being served,” Damon said as he came to stand beside Serena. He lowered his hand and gently pulled his wife up beside him.
Ren stood and edged toward Cole. His hand slid over her shoulder and he squeezed reassuringly. Just that simple gesture warmed her to her toes. He wrapped his arm around her waist and stood there holding her to him while he waited for the others to precede them out of the living room.
“Everything okay?” he murmured in her ear as they turned to follow.
She nodded and then laced her hand with his, liking the comfort of his touch. He kept his fingers twined with hers as they entered the dining room and then he ushered her into her seat before taking the one next to her.
Dinner conversation was light and she relaxed more as the evening wore on. Cole’s friends were good people. Down to earth. Damon obviously had more money than God, but he wasn’t pretentious, seemed to have no ego, but he wore confidence as surely as Cole did.
Micah wasn’t as affluent as the other two men but he fit in well with the others. He too oozed confidence. His expression, his demeanor, it all spoke of a strong man who knew exactly what he wanted and apologized to no one.
In the company of so many gorgeous, alpha males, Ren was light-headed. She was well acquainted with the entire spectrum of dominant men. There were those who played at being dominant, those who tried to be dominant and then there were those who just were. It didn’t take effort or practice. It came to them as naturally as breathing. They had nothing to prove, no ego to be stroked. They liked what they liked and adored the women in their care.
These three were such men.
She was suddenly eager to return home with Cole so she could enjoy his every whim. It heated her blood to imagine what he would want from her, what he would exact or how he’d seek to gain his pleasure from her.
And then she imagined herself round and big with his child. How much more adoring would he be? He already was so mindful of her well-being. Her throat tightened at the wistful thoughts. Having his baby was a lovely fantasy.
She shook her head. Seeing Serena had made her fanciful. She was still far too young to worry about having babies. She hadn’t even managed to land in a stable relationship yet. But one day…
“I hope you’re thinking of me.”
Cole’s soft murmur caressed her ear and she started guiltily. When she realized only he had noticed her inattention to the current conversation she relaxed and leaned into his side.
“I was,” she admitted. “I was thinking of later tonight. When I’m yours to command. I was imagining what you would want.”
His gaze smoldered and the blue in his eyes burned like a flame. And then he simply stood, helped her gracefully to her feet and said in Damon’s direction, “Thank you for dinner, Damon.” He nodded at Serena. “And you, Serena. It was lovely. I’ll be taking Ren home now. I’m afraid the evening has been tiring for her.”
Amusement gleamed in Micah’s eyes as his gaze drifted from Cole to Ren. It took all of Ren’s control not to blush.
“See you later, man,” Micah called.
“It was nice to meet you both,” Ren said to Serena and Angelina. “I hope to see you again sometime.”
“Oh, I think you can count on it,” Angelina said with a grin.
Cole’s hand tightened around her arm and she found herself being propelled toward the doorway where Sam waited.
“Good night,” Sam said politely as he showed them out.
Cole muttered a good night and then hurriedly pushed Ren into the car. When he slid into the driver’s seat a moment later, his hands shook as he put the keys into the ignition.