Page 75 of Claiming Xan
There was fucking and there was making love—there was a difference—and while the beginning of our rocky relationship had been wild and hot, the closer we got to my due date, the gentler and more passionate River became.
We made love atop the duvet, River panting softly against my skin, sucking at the mating mark he’d made on my neck months ago. It sent quivers of pleasure through me, and it didn’t take long.
“Oh god!” I cried out. “River!”
I clung to him, shuddering as his cock struck home and sent me spiraling into oblivion. As my Alpha sank in deep and knotted me, we fell back into the sheets, our breaths ragged and bodies spent.
River held me close, nuzzling his nose into the nape of my neck, his leg curled over the top of mine. I sighed happily. I’d never felt more loved by anyone in my life. River was everything I’d ever wanted, and then some. He wassoworth the wait.
After we cleaned up, I was content to cuddle my mate. I pulled out my phone and tapped on my notes app. “Have you thought of any baby names yet?” I asked, curious.
“Hmm. Not really. We still have time,” River said.
“Babe.” I laughed. “It’s almost February. We’re quickly running out of time. I want at least a short-list of choices before the day comes.”
“Okay. So doyouhave any baby names picked out?” he asked, rolling over so that he could face me.
I paused. “Well. No. But I know I want an earthy-sounding name, like River. Maybe Storm? Or Rain? Rain DuPree.”
River surprised me by growling, low and rumbling. “No.”
I hesitated. “No? You don’t like the names?”
“No. We’re not using my last name,” he stated. “My father was a good-for-nothing who left my mother to raise two wild children on her own, and my family has been nothing but terrible. The DuPree name is bad news, and I won’t let it poison our child. He’ll take your name. End of story.”
He crossed both arms over his chest. I could tell he was dead serious. I was quiet for a moment, studying him. The hard set of his jaw. The way his gaze locked on the wall across from us.
“And what about you?” I finally asked, my voice soft. “Will you let that name poison you, too?”
“It’s a bit too late,” he remarked.
I took a deep breath. “I mean… I know it’s too soon, but if, down the road, we got married… You’d be welcome to take my name too, you know.”
River’s head snapped up, those bi-colored eyes suddenly staring into my soul, like he hadn’t thought of that.
I smiled at him, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “I love you. I’m happy to share my name, my family, and my life with you, River.”
I saw his throat work. “I love you too,” he murmured, his voice thick, before he pulled me into a tight embrace. When he finally let me go, the tension in the room had all but dissolved, and I knew that I’d said exactly the right thing.
43
XAN
Of courseI had to work on Valentine’s Day—it was one of The Candy Jar’s best-selling times of the year—but I found I didn’t mind it as much now that TJ was gone.
After Roger had looked over the security footage and found that I hadn’t been lying, TJ had been fired on the spot. I’d been asked if I wanted to press charges, but honestly? I just wanted TJ out of my life. Never having to work with him again? To not deal with the daily harassment? That was enough for me.
Of course, there was always the possibility that TJ might come after me, turn into a stalker or something, but after how bad River messed him up? I was pretty sure I was safe. Plus, I had my trusty pink can of mace, in case of emergency.
After my shift, I used my discount to buy a couple of bags of my favorite candies—malted milk balls, pecan turtles, maple nut clusters—as well as a giant solid chocolate heart, and had Angie package them all up nice and cute in a shiny red bag.
I wanted to surprise River.
“Good luck!” Angie called after me, but I wasn’t done yet.
I drove to the sex shop and bought some flavored lubes and a couple of different sex toys, since Dr. Armand said we probablyshouldn’t have penetrative sex until after the baby was born, but I was still horny as hell. So I was getting inventive.
With my items tucked inside a discreet black plastic bag, I tossed everything onto the passenger seat and headed home.
