Page 126 of Alpha Queen
"Hey, yourself."
"What did you bring me?"
"Nothing much. Just what your mom made Strider cook for you. A prime rib, baked potato, sautéed green beans, rolls, salad, a piece of carrot cake, and three cans of bubbly water stuff."
"Is that all?" she laughed. Now that she was at the end of her first trimester, her appetite had returned, and her nausea had all but gone, with a few exceptions in the mornings.
Ares set the tray on the bed and then slipped out of his shoes and tie.
"Your pajama pants are in your drawer," River said, cutting her meat. "Why don't you get comfortable?"
He smiled. "Sounds good to me."
She chewed the meat that melted in her mouth, making her moan.
"Where's Apollo?"
Ares set his suit pants and shirt on a chair before pulling on his black satin pajama pants. "He went up to the cabins for the night."
River choked down the meat. "Is he upset?"
Ares shook his head and sat on the bed next to her. "He just wants to lock up the main cabin and make a list of things the rogues will need before they move in."
"Wow, he's moving fast."
"We can't keep them where they're staying now. It's tight, and it's already been a week."
"When will he be back?"
"Probably tomorrow night."
River wished she could call him, but he wouldn't have a signal anyway. She wondered why he hadn't said goodbye to her before leaving.
"So, did you two think about the idea? Did you come to a decision?"
Ares grabbed a roll, broke a piece off, and popped it in his mouth. "Not yet."
River nodded, not wanting to press him.
"So what do you want to do tonight?" he asked.
"Whatever you want to do."
"Well, I want to do what you want to do. Even watch that awful werewolf you have muted."
River chuckled. "It is awful. But that's why I love it."
"You and Apollo both. Sad to see you have the same bad taste in movies he does."
She feigned insult and threw a cherry tomato at him. It hit him in the forehead, and he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Oh really?"
She laughed and threw another one.
"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?"
She laughed again, realizing how good it felt. Even her wolf chuffed and bounced around. She hadn't laughed in weeks, and though the sound seemed foreign, it lightened her more than she could say.
