Page 33 of Slow Birth
“I know all that!” Vale exclaimed. Then it hit him. The pet name Urho had used… He turned to Urho speculatively. “Wait, though. Should you still call me that?”
“What?”
“Love? Should you call me a pet name like that?” Vale tilted his head, waiting, certain that this line of questioning would produce interesting results.
“If it bothers you, I can st—”
“No. I don’t care, but does Xan mind, do you think?” He raised a brow, studying Urho’s reaction.
Urho frowned. “I’ve called you ‘love’ for years—”
“Not when Jason’s around.”
Urho scoffed. “Because I don’t have a death wish.”
“So, what you have with Xan, it’s not…” Vale rolled his hand, watching Urho closely.
“Nickname material?” Urho hazarded.
“No!” Vale ran a hand into his hair and tugged in frustration, growling softly. How could Urho be so obtuse? “Is it not serious, you fool? What you have isn’t serious?”
“I have no ideawhatit is.” Urho wiped a hand over his face. “I haven’t seen him since he left for Virona. Between the twins, you, and this wretched flu season, I’ve barely had a moment, much less a day, away from the clinic or work. And he can’t come here. He’s ‘banished’ from the city, according to him. At least the work on his new office seems to satisfy him because otherwise, I’d worry.”
“Jason talks to him.”
“I talk to him, too,” Urho said defensively.
Yes! This was what he wanted to know! This would be entertaining! Vale dropped his voice conspiratorially. “How often?”
“Daily,” Urho admitted. His cheeks glowed.
“I see. So, it’s not serious, but you talk every day, and you miss him. I can tell.” Urho was such a fool. But Vale already knew that. He resisted rubbing his hands together eagerly.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t serious. I said it’s complicated.”
“You said you didn’t know what it was.”
“You’re so exasperating today!” Urho started to stand, but Vale took hold of his shoulders and pressed him back down to the sofa.
“You have to tell me everything. Now.”
“It’s a long story, and it’s been a long day.”
Vale rolled his eyes. “I’m a miserably pregnant omega who is essentially trapped in this house by the flu epidemic and tortured daily by the attentions of my loving in-laws.Pleasetalk to me.”
Urho gave a quick half-smile and then cast a glance toward the liquor cabinet across the room. That was an excellent idea. The truth would come out of him more smoothly with a bit of bourbon.
“I’ll pour you a drink if you tell me how it all began.” Vale crossed the room and lifted the bottle temptingly.
“I found out that he was involved…” Urho trailed off. “He was in a dangerous situation. So, I offered to fuck him, like a surrogate for an omega.”
Vale almost choked laughing. That was…that was more than he’d expected to Urho to give. He almost whooped, but instead, after pouring a generous glass, he collapsed beside Urho on the sofa and passed the bourbon over with a grin. “I see.”
Damn, he was good.
Urho sipped the bourbon before going on. “I didn’t anticipate how that turned out.”
“Oh, I imagine you didn’t.” Vale was utterly delighted. This was the most exciting thing he’d heard in weeks. Someone else’s dramas were so much more entertaining than his own.
