Page 32 of The Devil on my Chest

“I’ve had decades of practice,” Rocky said as he walked Doc out. “It doesn’t get any easier just because I’m not cursed anymore. What time do you think Joe will be in?”

“Seeing as Petra and Finch wake us up at about five thirty, he won’t be late.” Doc smiled. “I’m looking forward to Levi getting back. I could do with a bit of time off myself, but don’t worry. I will be around when Mal’s ready to give birth.”

“Oh, that’s right. Levi’s back at college isn’t he?”

“Only for a few weeks. He’s taking some extra lectures on shifter hybrids, seeing as there are so many of them here in Arrowtown. At least you know what yours will shift into. Some of the mixes here in Arrowtown, including Joe’s and my own kids…” Doc shook his head. “It works. Somehow it all works, and if you have faith in your mate, you will be the wonderful dad I’m sure you’re capable of being.”

“I’d settle for being a decent mate first.” Rocky waved Doc off and went to check on the boys in the cells. They were both asleep. Rocky shook his head at their innocent faces.

There’s so much to being a parent. And Mal and I both work. What the fart are we going to do about that?A dozen differentideas floated through his head – none of them particularly appealing because it meant one or both of them were going to have to quit their job.

But as Rocky was making himself another cup of coffee, he remembered what Doc had said.Trust in Mal.Because if there was one thing Rocky was certain of, Mal would know what to do.

I miss you so much, my mate.Rocky settled in an uncomfortable chair so he wouldn’t fall asleep. He didn’t want anyone suggesting he wasn’t keeping an eye on the boys in his custody.

Chapter Twenty-One

Mal kept his eyes closed even as he heard Rocky’s bike roar down their short driveway. It was morning and Mal felt so much better for enjoying a full night’s sleep.

The house had seemed so empty when Mal had got home the previous afternoon. But, reminding himself he’d mentally needed some space from his mate, Mal made himself a light meal, enjoyed a long hot shower, because baths were something he preferred to do with Rocky, and after reading for a few hours, he took the sedative Doc had provided and had a long and dreamless sleep.

He smiled as he heard the clump of Rocky’s boots being dropped by the door and seconds later the mattress dipped as Rocky climbed onto it, his arms wrapping around Mal as Rocky spooned behind him.

“I’m so sorry,” Rocky said softly. “Can we put this down to me being a new dad idiot?”

“I guess it depends on what this you’re talking about.” Mal pressed back against Rocky’s weight as his body sighed. It was as if every cell in his system had missed his mate.

“I was being overprotective. Like…I suppose you used a knife last night when you were prepping a meal?”

“I did. I chopped tomatoes and potatoes and even cut some chunks of cheese.”

“Hmm. And I suppose you sat on the dining room chair while you were eating.”

Mal’s grin widened even as he kept his eyes closed. “I did, and I used your chair as a footrest. But I showered before I went tobed, not a bath. It didn’t feel right being in there alone. It never does.”

“Last night was torture.” Rocky groaned into Mal’s hair as his arms seemed to hold him tighter. “I would’ve given anything to have been in a bath with you.”

“Are the boys all right?”

“They’re fine. They spent a couple of hours whining about how they hated being in the cells and they wanted to go home. I did not cave in even though there were tears at one point. But I knew they were safe. And then they started whining again, because Joe woke them up when he arrived early, and they were still sleepy. But Mrs. Hooper brought us all bacon buns this morning – yours are in the kitchen.”

“I swear that woman must be a seer – she knows everything that’s going on.” Rolling over, Mal hooked his arms over Rocky’s neck. His mate had tired lines around his eyes – even his hair looked limp. “You didn’t sleep at all, did you?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was being irresponsible, not keeping an eye on the boys. And then I worried I wouldn’t hear them if one of them called out through the night or had nightmares or something being in a strange place, and it didn’t feel right sleeping when I wasn’t beside you, so I just thought of all the ways I’d upset you and I promise you, I’ll try really, really hard not to do any of those things again. Really hard.”

“Rocky, take a breath. I love you so damn much.” Mal stroked down the side of his mate’s face. “You don’t have to try so hard. You just need to be yourself, and let me be myself as well. Do you honestly think I would do something silly and jeopardize the health of our little ones?”

“No.” Rocky twisted his head, brushing his lips over Mal’s fingers. Just that simple action sent shivers of awareness through Mal’s touch-starved body.

“We’re always best when we work as a team,” Mal said as he watched one of his fingers being sucked into Rocky’s mouth. “Your rejection of me, here in this bed…”

“It wasn’t rejection. I was just being an idiot,” Rocky mumbled around his finger, but then Mal’s finger was waving in the air again and within a blink Rocky was savaging Mal’s lips.

Never doubt how much I want you.

Mal could feel the truth of those words, even before they fluttered through his mind. He got wrapped up in the kiss – it felt like it’d been forever since Rocky had been loving on him, their bodies pressed together as best they could with a cover between them. But when Rocky pulled off to breathe, Mal had to say, “Don’t wind me up, mate. I can’t help my body doing what it does, but then when you leave me empty…”

“Not today. Never again.” Rocky jumped off the bed and stripped off his clothes, his uniform dumped in a heap on the floor. Mal barely had time to fling the covers back before Rocky was on the bed. Rocky groaned long and loud as their bodies slammed together.

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