Page 34 of Her Second-Hand Mate

“Are you really that upset just because you wanted to be pregnant?” he asked in a puzzled tone, like it was out of the realm of the possible.

“Yes, darn it! I’ve always wanted to be a mother, why is that so unbelievable?”

He seemed sheepish for a moment, and then he said, “Well, we never talked about it.”

“We never talk about anything!” I snapped and his mouth tightened. “You’re my mate, of course I want your pups!”

His mouth was suddenly on mine, and it took me a minute to respond, but when I did, I matched his urgency.

He had gotten a haircut at the beginning of the month, but now it was getting long again, and I reveled in the way my hands felt buried in his hair. Especially when said head was between my legs like it was now.

He tired me out and I didn’t even remember falling asleep, but when I stirred at some point during the night, it was pitch black outside. I could smell him everywhere. Since my heat, he’d acquired the habit of rubbing some of his release into my skin every time we made love. I loved it when he did that, it made me feel likehis.

I went to the bathroom to relieve myself and brush my teeth, and when I came back, he pulled me onto him and started kissing me as I sat astride on top of him.

“I love your hair,” he spoke into my mouth as the curtain of my hair around us made the dark even darker.

“Dominic,” I helplessly moaned into his mouth as I rubbed my face against his stubble, “please, I need -”

“I know, I know. I will take care of you Penelope, I will give you what you need, you just have to be patient with me, can you do that for me, sweetness?”

“Yes, yes,” I chanted mindlessly as I chased my pleasure, and soon we were both lost to the world.

I woke up with a gasp and sat up on the bed. What had woken me was a pang of terrible anguish, and it wasn’t mine.

Dominic.

I jumped out of bed and pulled my nightgown on. When I opened the bedroom door, I heard voices, and I stealthily approached the floating staircase to see what was happening. Someone opened a window downstairs. Dominic probably reeked of me as much as I reeked of him right now.

“She would have been 26 today,” Heather sniffed. “I just thought we could celebrate it somehow.”

“It’s a nice thought, but I really don’t have the time.”

“Oh, okay. How’s everything, how do you feel?”

“Why? About what?”

“I know a lot has changed for you lately, and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“Everything’s fine.”

“I know your new mating was unexpected,” she said tentatively, and when Dominic didn’t respond, she added, “And she’s nothing like Cassie.”

There was the anguish again.

Then my mate scoffed and said, “You got that right.”

I don’t know how I made it back into the bedroom. My heart was pounding in my ears. My eyes kept darting around the room. I had the almost irresistible urge to flee the house. Suddenly, two strong hands were holding me.

“Penelope, what is it? Are you alright?”

Don’t let him know what you heard,the angry voice urged. I squeezed my eyes shut and thought about my failed pregnancy. I forced myself into the mindset of last night.

Dominic’s eyes softened and he hugged me again.

“I’ll be back in a minute, will you be alright?”

I just nodded. He went to probably send Heather on her merry way and I got dressed as quickly as I could.

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