Page 104 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

Ilay on my back, gasping for air and trying to get my head to stop spinning from orgasm number… three? Four? When Gael walked back into the room and helped me clean up, he was gentle and caring, and something about the fact that he cared enough to do it made me feel like my heart was going to explode.

I was so extremely screwed. I couldn’t afford to let myself fall for him. Not now. Friendship? Absolutely. It would be much easier to co-parent if we got along and were friendly. But there was just too much between us to cross that physical barrier, and yet I’d still let myself cross too many lines. All the lines. It wasn’t simple sex between us, and I shouldn’t have invited him to stay.

But when he placed a gentle kiss on the inside of my thigh after he finished carefully cleaning me up, I almost cried. Why did he have to be so damn perfect? I mean, he wasn’tperfect. He was a man. He made mistakes just like I did. But he was perfectfor me,and that was ten thousand times worse.

“Thank you,” I whispered, trying to keep a hold on my raging emotions.

“You’re welcome. Are you okay? Not sore or anything?” His eyebrows drew down with worry as he scanned my body.

“No, no. I’m fine. Just hormonal,” I said with a laugh, doing my best to sweep it all under the rug in one messy pile.

“Not just hormonal,” he murmured, trailing his fingertips over my belly, the look of awe and excitement he gave me nearly breaking my resolve not to start sobbing. “This is new since the last time we were together.”

“She’s growing like crazy,” I agreed, trying to focus on the joy of our daughter. He was distracting me with the warm, firm feeling of his palm rubbing the bump when I felt something brand-new. A little nudge from the inside.

“Gael, stop!” I whispered, as if I was scared that speaking would break the spell, slapping both my hands over his to hold it stock-still.

There it was again. I quickly guided his hand down and a little to the right.There.

Thebump bumpfrom inside my belly came again, and this time, Gael’s face transformed with wonder as he felt it too.

“Was that… her? Petal?” He whispered too, and I broke into a ridiculous grin. I couldn’t help it; the wonder of the moment was too big to contain.Our baby.

“I think so. That’s the first time. I haven’t felt her before, but it was supposed to be any day. It kind of feels like she was waiting for both of us to announce herself.”

“Maybe so. She’s a daddy’s girl already, isn’t that right, Petal?” he crooned, rubbing my belly with both hands before planting a kiss right over the spot where she’d kicked.

The joy and the pain intertwined so brightly, it took my breath away. Luckily, he didn’t expect me to speak, and I was saved by a knock on the door.

“Leigh?” Brielle called through the door. “Are you alone? I need to talk to you.” Her tone was serious, all doctor voice, and I bit my lip as I cast a look at Gael. There was only one thingshe could be coming to tell me, and I absolutely did not want Gael here for it.

“One second!” I called out, sitting up quickly. “We’d better get dressed.” I bustled off the bed, past the pile of still-discarded shorts to pull open my dresser. There was basically nothing left except a pair of stretchy leggings, so I quickly dragged them on.

“Are those dirty? I can throw them in the laundry for you on my way out,” Gael offered, pointing to the pile.

I blushed. “Not… exactly?”

He blinked, staring at me. “How are clothes not exactly dirty?”

“They’re clean. They just don’t fit.” I gestured to the bump, which was stretching these leggings to capacity. They were barely hanging on.

“Ahh, well, that’s okay. Time to order yourself some new things. You found the card, right?” He pulled last night’s T-shirt over his head as if that was that.

“I did, but Gael… I’m not comfortable spending your money. I’m willing and able to work, especially now that I’m feeling better.” I turned my back under the guise of getting myself a shirt, but in actuality, I was being a chickenshit who didn’t want to face the angry alpha snarling I knew would be coming any second because I wasn’t willing to use the card.

But the alpha posturing never came. He was silent for a beat, then two as I slid on a crop top that sat above the belly. I turned back around slowly to see his thoughtful expression.

“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” he said with a wink, then kissed me on the lips before heading for the door.

Was this the same man? Had he been body snatched and I hadn’t noticed it, andthatwas why we were suddenly getting along?

It was the only logical explanation, and it was also why Iwas standing like a dumbass, staring after him long after he’d opened the door, told Brielle good morning, and left.

She walked in and studied me with concern. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“He didn’t argue with me,” I blurted, pointing at the door where Gael had just left. “I told him I didn’t want to spend his money to buy new clothes, and hedidn’t argue. He just said okay, kissed me, and left.”

Brielle shrugged. “Maybe he’s finally learning that going toe to toe with you is a losing proposition, just like the rest of us.”

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