Page 12 of Embracing the Stalk

He’d barely mentioned it before there was knocking on my front door.

Come on, Red, let me in, I need to pee. The babies are kicking my bladder.

Seriously? I turned off the shower and stepped out, dripping water all over the floor to grab a towel and wrap it around myhips as I trailed downstairs, moaning and complaining as Tim chanted at me.

Pee. Pee. Pee. This stalk-a-doodle needs to pee.

I yanked open the door and didn’t have time to utter a word as Tim ran past me, leaving Burke staring at me sheepishly. “I wish my babies just kicked my bladder.”

Stepping back, I ushered Burke inside and closed the door, quickly bolting it. “Still got you climbing up stuff?”

“Yeah, and practicing getting down isn’t going so well with my belly getting in the way.” As if to make the point, he ran a hand over the round mound of his T-shirt covered belly.

I glanced down at my own flat stomach and wondered if, after everything we’d done, I could be in the rhubarb patch like Tim and Burke. It seemed we were all a fertile bunch. What about Glass and Apollo? They hadn’t mentioned having babies yet, or not that I’d heard.

Would that mean the potato doctor would have to stay? I’d not met him, but I’d heard the parcel gossip about the guy who it seemed was a friendly potato. If not a little reserved as he’d yet to partake in any of the rhubarb activities in town, much to the dismay of the gossips, who were stalking to get to know more about him.

“Are you gonna dry yourself and get dressed?” Burke asked, his gaze sweeping down my body.

Blushing all shades of rhubarb, I darted for the stairs. “Make yourself at home, I won’t be long.”

Towel flapping, I ran head first into Tim as he came out of the bathroom. “Hold your stalk,” he muttered, using his hands to ward me off as I tried to backpedal to stop him toppling over.

My foot caught on the top stair, and I wobbled backward, heart racing, nearly heading back down the stairs. I swayed forward to gain my footing, scowling at Tim. “Sorry,” I muttered crossly. “But you’re the one who invaded my home, needing the bathroom, and nearly pushing me down the stairs!”

He grinned, not looking at all offended. “Hey, you tell that to my babies because they aren’t getting that they shouldn’t kick their daddy’s bladder. Right now it’s any toilet in a storm. And is it my fault you came up the stairs like a rhubarb out of hell?”

“I—”

He did the same as Burke, eyeing me before interrupting me. “Aren’t you gonna get dressed? I mean, I’m your brother and I believe this look might be more suited to your goat.” He came closer, lowering his voice. “Is he as randy as the others made him out to be?”

Back to the blushing season, I glared at Tim. “That is none of your business!” I swung in the bedroom's direction and my towel unraveled from my waist, dropping to the floor.

“It seems he is!” Tim exclaimed, giggling.

I stomped into my bedroom, knowing exactly where Tim’s gaze was. “At least I have an ass worth nibbling on!”

Chapter Nine

Gordon

Sheriff Butch raised an eyebrow at me. “I’m surprised you left your bed and your luscious mate.”

I bristled at the leer as he said ‘luscious.’

You don’t think I’m luscious?

Damn, of course my mate had to hear that. Now the hurt rolled off him.

You know I think you’re the most luscious creature ever to walk the earth.

You do?

Red sounded breathy, even at my snappish tone, and I realized it was the words that mattered to him. My mate needed my words.

I do, honey. You and me, we’re fated to be together forever.

If Red could deal with an over-libidoed goat with a love of flowers, then he was mine.

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