Page 88 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

“Believe me, you don’t have a limit right now.” Since Telos still hadn’t protested his touch, Mav slowly rubbed his belly. Somewhere in there was his and Telos’ baby. It was going to grow, and soon, Mav would get to hold their baby in his arms. Telos’ muscles twitched against his hand.

“Fine. Make me food,” Telos said imperiously.

Mav was only too happy to raid his kitchen.

“I filled your fridge with ghost peppers,” Hilly-Billy said airily.

“Ghost peppers?!” Telos spluttered. “Are you trying tomurderme?”

“You’ll enjoy it,” Mav said. He pressed his hand to the small of Telos’ back, leaning in to sniff him properly. Telos’ scent was usually a mix of freshly cut grass and wild berries, but right now, it was overlaid with citrus, sage, woodsy notes and sea salt.

Mav froze.Thatscent, he knew like the flame in his core. “Are you wearing my cologne?”

Telos stiffened against him. “No.”

Mav stepped away and retraced his steps to Telos’ hoard, except this time he turned and pushed open the door to Telos’ bedroom.

“You’re not allowed in there!” Telos squawked, feet thumping on the floor.

Mav scanned the room. An antique wooden dresser hugged the closest wall, covered in all manner of knick-knacks—picture frames, books, dinosaur keyrings... and a very familiar glass bottle.

Mav picked it up. The bottle was half-used, smudged with fingerprints, and it smelled like grass.

Telos froze in the doorway, his face growing red.

Mav’s thoughts raced. He’d never caught Telos wearing his cologne before. He would know; he sniffed his friends discreetlywhen they met, just to check out what scents the others wore. He’d never caught this on Telos.

And yet... This bottle had been used. A lot.

“Did you buy this new?” Mav asked.

“Yes,” Hilly-Billy shouted.

Telos rubbed his temples with one hand, hiding his face. “What the fuck.”

“You secretly wanted to smell like me?” Mav asked, amazed. He set the bottle down and closed the distance between them, brushing his palms down Telos’ sides to leave his scent on Telos’ skin.

“He sprays it on his bed at night,” Hilly-Billy added.

“I’m firing you right now,” Telos growled. His ears were red. He really was kind of adorable like that.

“You could just sleep in my bed,” Mav said quietly. “It smells more like me.”

Telos’ breath hitched.

“What’s more, it’s already fireproofed. You won’t have to worry about embers.” Mav tucked his nose against Telos’ neck and breathed in deep. Beneath Telos’s scent and Mav’s cologne, he thought he smelled a hint of smoke.

Mav growled, pressing Telos up against the wall. “You smell like us. And the pregnancy.” He rubbed Telos’ belly again. “I can’t wait to see you swell up with our baby. Can’t wait to hear our baby’s heartbeat. Show Estie her new sibling.”

Telos’ gaze softened, right before he puffed up his chest like an indignant bird. “I’m going to fuckingwaddle,and it’s going to be your fault. I’m going to get mood swings, and puke, and make you drive out at 4 AM for ice cream.”

Mav nodded. “I’ll get you ice cream.”

“You’ll have to rub my feet for hours,” Telos added, on a roll now. “And rub my back. And make sure you show up to doctor’s appointments. Because it’s your fault.”

“Granted, you enjoyed it when I filled you up with multiple loads.”

Telos glowered.

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