Page 44 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

He was definitely not listening as Mav opened the glass bottle with a pop, taking a sip.

“It’s bitter,” Mav said anyway. “Bland with no salt or sugar, but I taste a hint of sweetness from the clam at the very end.”

“That sounds disgusting,” Telos said.

Mav hummed. “Could be worse. I don’t mind it.”

Mav crossed the room and turned on the TV, adjusting the volume to fill the quiet. He flipped through the channels until he landed on sports; Telos heard a snicker from outside the room.

“We could provide commentary like a basketball game,” Hilly-Billy whispered to Hadley.

“Shut up,” Telos growled. “I don’t want to hear a sound from either of you.”

Hadley coughed. Mav began flipping through the channels again, until he landed on a foreign film.

The background hum was apparently what Estie needed. Within minutes, she was asleep, drooling on Telos’ shirt.

Telos gulped. He kept rocking Estie, pretending she was still awake because he wasn’t sure what he was going to do after he set her down.

Behind him, Mav picked up the glass bottle again. His throat worked around the broth.

“Did the sip work?” Telos asked casually, holding onto Estie like she was a life raft.

“Maybe. I’m drinking the whole bottle to be sure.”

Telos’ brain filled with a series of swear words. He paced in front of Estie’s crib, ever so aware of Mav stripping down, going into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Mav wasn’t wearing much anymore—just a pair of gray boxer-briefs that hugged his ass and hidnothing.

When Mav was done with the bathroom, Telos ducked in there to brush his teeth.

Still holding Estie.

“Really?” Mav cocked an eyebrow.

“She’s comfortable like this,” Telos said defensively.

Somehow, he managed to do everything one-handed. Then he emerged from the bathroom to find Mav stretched out on his bed, miles of bare skin and one hand resting on his abdomen.

“It doesn’t seem to be working,” Telos observed.

“I haven’t begun moving my blood.” Mav hooked his thumb into his waistband. Telos hurriedly grabbed a bath towel, bringing it to the crib so he could drape it over the railing, to create a curtain between Estie and the other beds.

He finally set her in there, and she nuzzled contentedly into her pillow.

And now he felt unmoored, at risk of being swept away.

There came the soft sounds of skin rubbing against skin. Skin against soft sheets. Mav grunted, and the bed springs squeaked.

Telos tried to breathe. Especially when the sounds grew longer, more drawn out. He picked up the remote and raised the TV volume slightly. But he could still hear the whisper of skin on skin, a slow, rhythmic sound that he was only too familiar with.

Mav’s breathing deepened. The sounds grew slick.

There was something very wet behind him, and Telos’ mouth went dry. He could almost smell the salt and musk; he felt the low thrum of arousal in their connection, and it went straight between his legs.

“Mmm,” Mav groaned.

Telos’ pants tightened. His ass grew wet.Whythe hell was he wet? He hadn’t tried to change his body. But now that he was aware of it, each new slick sound made his balls ache, made him wetter.

He ripped off his shirt. “Just getting ready for bed,” he said through gritted teeth.

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