Page 19 of A Single Thread Of Hope

A tear rolled down my cheek, dripping down to land on his bicep. “Me too.” I sighed, snuggling closer to his chest, eventhough the heat made everything sweaty and sticky. “If we were having a girl, I would’ve called her Zelda.”

He huffed a little laugh. “Next time?”

The noise I made could’ve been mistaken for a laugh, if you ignored the slightly hysterical undertones. “I think we’ll be a little busy for a while, don’t you think?”

He growled, rolling me easily so I was straddling his hips. He was clad only in thin swim shorts, and they provided very little barrier to the bulge beneath. “Maybe a little busy, but I’m still going to imagine pumping you so full of my release that you can’t help but get big and round with my baby every time we make love. Practice makes perfect.”

I groaned. Teron had suggested no sex until the babies were born, but man, that felt like an eternity when Nate’s hard cock wasright there, nudging my clit. I moaned a little as I wriggled my hips, trying to get some relief.

“Are we too old to dry hump?” I whispered conspiratorially, catching his lips with my own. His hands landed on my hips, dragging me against him as he fucked my mouth with his tongue. When he finally pulled away, I was gasping for air, my whole body on fire.

He grinned at me, a smug smirk that was full of male pride. “You’re never too old to grind on my cock,mo stóirín.”

He thrust up against me, and I moaned against his lips. It wasn’t quite what I wanted, but it was enough. Grinding on him, I threw my head back as his hands wandered higher, cupping my full breasts.

Until someone cleared their throat.

The low rumble of annoyance in Nate’s throat might have been more terrifying if I didn’t know him so well. Looking over my shoulder, I took in Cy’s grinning face.

“If I were you, I’d run,” I teased, but Cy just grinned wider.

Beside him were two dogs—one big and bulky, and if I wasn’t wrong, the very pregnant mama dog who now looked a little less pregnant. I blinked in surprise, then noticed the basket in Cy’s arms.

“You had your pups,” I squealed, climbing off an irritated Nate’s lap. Before, I might’ve run over and looked in the basket, but I was beginning to realize that dogs were a lot more empathetic than humans gave them credit for. Stopping a few feet away, I looked at the dogs on guard at Cy’s feet. “Congratulations on your litter. I’m sure it’s a relief not to be pregnant anymore.” I stroked my own rounded stomach, unsure if they could understand me, but I trusted that Cy would translate later for me if they couldn’t. I bowed my head in their direction, trying to remember what the dog whisperer on TV had said about body language and eye contact. “Thank you for coming to my aid.”

I’d been thanking each of the dogs as I came across them. They’d had the most significant losses, and it seemed only right to show my appreciation to the pack.

The mama dog gave a small butt wiggle, and I took that to mean she didn’t find me a threat. Looking at her soft brown eyes, I smiled. “May I see your babies?”

I looked between her and Cy, who I was pretty sure was communicating with them somehow. He gently lowered the basket to the ground before helping me sit down. Not going to lie, with a belly this big, it wasn’t an easy feat. Though as the tiny bodies wiggled around in the mish-mash of clothes, it was worth it.

“They’re just beautiful,” I whispered to the mama dog. The pups squeaked for their mother, and she nuzzled them with her nose. I wanted to reach out and pet them, but knew that would be overstepping. I wasn’t sure how I knew, but I did.

Looking up at Cy, I tilted my head toward the adult dogs. “What are their names?”

“Tsíli and Listís. They’re mates. They haven’t named the pups; they’ll grow into their own names, eventually.” He smiled down at them. “Listís is an excellent warrior.” Tsíli gave him a sharp-eyed expression, making Cy chuckle. “Tsíli wants you to know that she is also an excellent fighter, when she is not mothering a litter of puppies.”

“Mothers are the most ferocious of fighters,” I told her admiringly. “Cy will get you settled somewhere safe and quiet.”

Cy nodded, and the amusement slid from his face. “We need to speak once I get this family settled.” He looked between me and Nate, and I could tell it was serious by the downturned curve of his lips. Cy was usually happy, a golden retriever of a man.

I sighed. Small happinesses. I had to hold onto these fleeting joyful moments, or I might have a complete breakdown and run screaming naked through the streets of Amourgeles. Nodding, I wandered back toward Nate and lay down beside him. “It’s always serious news. Maybe I should move to a tiny, uninhabited island in the middle of the ocean.”

Nate raised an eyebrow at me, but didn’t disagree. “It’s okay to be angry,mo stóirín.You didn’t ask for any of this. Though, selfishly, I’m glad you needed me in some small way. Otherwise, I would have spent decades just watching you from afar and never making a move.”

My lips curled. When Nate had been my neighbor, I’d spent my fair share of time looking at him with goo-goo eyes from across the hall. If it hadn’t been for the babies and how overwhelmed I’d been, I probably would’ve run the other way every time he spoke to me, just as I had for the last five years.

Rubbing my stomach, I leaned up and kissed his chin. “Selfishly, I’m happy too.” One of the babies headbutted me in what felt like a lung, and I coughed. “What about Byrne asa name?” I laid my head on Nate’s chest, and he rubbed my stomach, like he was trying to herd the babies downwards. There really wasn’t that much room in there.

“I like it. Though Byrne means ‘from Bran’ after the king from the area where the name originated. He was a decent king for the time. Bran’s a good solid name, not quite as harsh as Byrne.”

Bran.I tasted the name, and it felt right. “Did we just name our baby?”

He laughed, leaning forward to give me a scorching brand of a kiss. “I think we did. One down, two to go.”

Cy reappeared, and with him came Demke. The enigmatic Minoan God looked at my position against Nate’s chest, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of envy on his face, but it was gone just as quickly.

I’d figure that out later. One crisis at a time.

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