Page 47 of Duke's Baby Deal
“Yeah. I’m going to work on the cradles again today, and I have a commission for a new table. Your parents have been good for business.” He kissed me again, grinning against my lips, then patted my ass possessively and wandered yawning back to bed.
I bit my lip and watched him go, so happy I could burst.
It took me the better part of an hour and a half to eat the same amount as I could have before this nausea hit. Even with the medicine from the human doctor, meals were hit or miss. I was taking protein supplements now because half the time, the smell of cooking meat sent me running for the bathroom faster than lightning struck, and I never knew when it would hit. But I tried as hard as I could to eat real food, and Duke and—surprisingly—Quin, were completely on board with getting in anything I could tolerate. So breakfast that morning was grapes and bananas and some dry toast and a little bit of jerky because that was the only meat I seemed to be able to manage on a regular basis. I topped it off by mixing some protein powder—chocolate flavor—with some milk and sipping at it while I cleaned and figured out which of my clothes fit today.
Just before I had to leave, I crawled into bed and woke Duke up with kisses, because it was really fun. He rolled me onto my back and kissed me thoroughly, but let go before things got heated on his end.
“I have to go to work,” I whispered.
“Wish you didn’t,” he whispered back.
I grinned. “It’s only a short shift today. I’ll be back in time to make supper.”
“Looking forward to it.” He dropped a kiss on my nose and gave me a light push toward the door. “Don’t be late.”
“I’m never late!” I sat up and gave him a playful push, then got to my feet. “So I’m going now.” I waved goodbye and headed out to put on my boots and my heaviest jacket.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
I set the last of the toddlers down for their afternoon nap on their little foam beds and snuck carefully away to tidy up around the playroom while they slept. My back felt stiff and I stretched and pushed my fists into it to loosen up the muscles.
“How are you feeling?” Jason asked from the doorway.
“Shhh, they’re sleeping. Are you here for Macy?”
He nodded. “But if she’s asleep, I can wait.” We stepped out into the hallway. “Bax tells me you’re eating more.”
“I kind of have to,” I said dryly and gestured at my belly.
He grinned. “Yeah, I remember that.” His own was half the size of mine, which was logical, but I could still see the curve of it bulging out beneath the tails of his loose dress shirt. One of Mac’s old ones, I thought, with a frayed collar and odd buttons.
We found some chairs and sat down just outside the nap room. I was glad to sit, and Jason could see it. “Yeah, they suck a lot of energy out of you. I imagine it’s even worse with two.”
I nodded. “I don’t know. I suppose some day I’ll be able to compare.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said firmly.
“I’m glad to hear that.” He leaned back in the seat and stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles. In a low voice, he continued, “Mac says Duke asked to go play security at the Alphas’ meeting this summer.”
“Oh? Oh.” Yeah, my mate had a temper. It was a long, slow fuse, but Justin and Montana Border had definitely set it alight. It wasn’t a huge worry, because there was half the country between them, but if he was wanting to go to the summer meeting, then he was looking to stir up trouble. “I’ll talk to him.”
“That would probably be a good idea. Mac doesn’t know about…you know, and I can’t push the issue any more than I have without telling him.”
“I will. Tonight.” I leaned back and let out a sigh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when these guys are full term.”
“Have you started talking about names yet?”
I shook my head. “We’re going for another ultrasound and he says he’ll be able to tell me then whether I’m having boys or girls or one of each.” Names. I’d been so busy trying to get food into me I hadn’t even thought that far ahead.
“I think Duke’s already trying out names, from what I’m hearing.” Jason chuckled softly. “I’m looking forward to having time to think about names with this one. We were so worked up about the trial with Macy that she was born before I put any thought at all into it.”
“You want a boy or another girl?” I asked.
“I don’t really care. Maybe another girl.” He stared at the giant cartoon bumblebee on the wall opposite us. “I worry about this whole True Omega thing. I don’t want to pass it on. It’s too scary.”
“I bet.” I couldn’t imagine living the life he had. I mean, I wasn’t a coward, but some of the stories he told scared me. I wouldn’t want that for my pups either. Casually, I put a hand on my belly, hoping that neither of these would be omega.
