I opened my eyes and frowned.
“You’re already dressed.”
She shook her head but the smile on her face was radiant.
“Is it always going to be like this?” she asked.
I knew exactly what she meant.
“Yeah, I think it will.”
She seemed to consider that for a moment and then accept it as truth.
For me it absolutely was. Now that I’d found her; now that I’d had her and tasted her; there was no way I wouldn’t always crave her. I knew it in my heart to be true.
“So are you going to get up and get dressed for work or not?”
“Are you going to make me?”
“Clay.”
“Winnie.”
She sighed. “It’s already after six.”
“And you don’t have to be at work until seven,” I said with a smirk.
“But you do.”
I grinned. “Babe, I am the boss. I actually set my own hours unless something specific is going on and then Ruby and I will split the time necessary for whatever project we’re working on. Right now, the new girls are still settling in. We have several expecting new moms, but none close enough to worry about. The rest of the dairy is a smooth operation. Now when those calves start to drop, then I’ll be insanely busy for a while, but right now we’re in a lull period so I can come and go as I please.”
She snorted. “Well, some of us need to work.”
“You want to work, Winnie. You don’t ever have to work a day more in your life here. I’ll take care of you.”
She frowned. “But then what would I do? Life would be so boring. I need to stay active and feel like I’m contributing something around here.”
“What if we decided to have pups? We haven’t exactly been taking precautions against it,” I reminded her.
I knew I should be using a condom, but I just couldn’t seem to let myself do it. I didn’t want any barriers between us. Not ever. If that meant she got pregnant with my pup sooner rather than later, then so be it. It shocked me to realize that I really didn’t care. I would welcome a pup with her.
I hadn’t really given much consideration to fatherhood before, but now, things were different. I had someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Maybe it was just the bond of true mates making me feel that way, but I didn’t care if that were the case, because I did feel that way.
There was no doubt in my mind that I was already falling in love with her.
The more time I spent with Winnie and the more I got to know her, the more I knew this was right and she was who I was meant to be with. I had no desire to fight this when it felt so right.
“I’m on the pill, Clay. Chances of an accidental pup aren’t very high.”
My heart sank and I realized that I really did want all of that with her. I should have been glad she was taking precautions when I hadn’t been.
I nodded but couldn’t bring myself to say I was happy to hear it.
“So, work?”
I scoffed. “You’d really rather go to work than ditch out and spend the day in bed with me?”
She laughed. “Yes. I mean, no, but I believe in honoring your responsibilities. So, I have to go to work.”