Page 80 of Pulled By the Tail
“Standards have fallen.” Amusement slipped into his voice but vanished quickly. “She planned her exit.”
Georgia wanted to protest that Fiona didn’t seem the type for planning or plotting, but that would be buying into the shallow, empty-headed persona she obviously honed. Fiona slipped away too easily, vanishing off the planet when she should have stuck out like a sore thumb. “I suppose she did.”
“I’ve ruined us.”
Georgia tossed him a sharp glance. “As much as I’d love to watch you heap abuse on yourself, cut yourself some slack. You’re tired. I’m sure there’s something tasty in the kitchen that Bright would be more than happy to shove down your throat. I’m all for it if that keeps you quiet.”
He gave a thin-lipped smile. “Such tender maternal instincts.”
“Oh, fuck off already.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not interested in your pity parties. People make mistakes and trust the wrong person all the time. You’re not special.”
He huffed. “Talen is right. Your brand of affection is harsh.”
“Stop trying to flatter me. Now, let’s eat.”
Talen
Talen climbedinto bed next to his mate. “I think we should share this room and let the kit have mine. Your bed is much nicer than mine.”
“Of course, it is. Your mattress feels like it’s stuffed with rocks. Are you ready to sleep?” She partially closed the book, marking her place with her index finger.
He cringed at the unneeded stress to the spine but felt pleased that she read his gift. The clerk at the bookshop assured him that the series was popular and locating a copy in Georgia’s original language took no effort. Georgia could mistreat that book and he could replace it a hundred times over.
His bibliophile gut cringed at that. Perhaps he could procure a set for display purposes and try to ignore his mate’s mishandling of the books.
“Read to me, please. I want to know the story of the orphaned wizard.”
“I’ll start at the beginning.” She held the book in one hand, in such a manner that put too much pressure on the spine.
He tried to look away. He tried to focus on her voice and the story, but his eyes kept drifting back to the book’s spine. It would crack. The glue and binding would come undone.
“Hold it like this,” he said, moving her other hand to the book. “Both hands.”
“You’re so fussy tonight,” she grumbled but held the book correctly.
With that minor atrocity rectified, he fell into the story. Georgia briefly had to pause and explain the physical appearance of a Terran owl and how they were wild predators, not suited to deliver mail. After two chapters, her voice grew thick from use and she closed the book, using a scrap of paper to mark her place. He barely noticed, really, but left a stack of suitable bookmarks at her bedside.
“Hairy seems an unusual name,” he mused. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling.
“It’s pretty common, actually.”
“Why would humans wish their children to be hairy? It is a strange aspiration.”
“Not hairy like hair.” She touched her own chestnut hair. “It’s short for Harold. Maybe Harrison.”
“Would you consider it a good name for the kit?” He rolled to face her. Without thinking, he placed a hand on her stomach. Visually, her stomach appeared only slightly more rounded, but the tactile sensation had changed. Before, his mate had been all softness and pliable. Now, her belly felt denser. He thrilled to feel the changes in her body as the kit grew and could not wait to see her grow large.
“That’s sweet. Harry is a lot nicer than Correction or Obedience,” she said.
“Those are no longer fashionable. Names tend to be more hopeful now, rather than disciplinarian.”
“Discipline isn’t bad,” she said. “As a name, I mean.”
“It most certainly is.”
“I could be persuaded on Erection.”
His mouth fell open. “No.”
