Page 89 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

Mav shut up and nodded again. “I’ll be there. I’ll do everything you ask.”

“Good.” Telos sniffed. “Maybe this won’t be so bad.”

“I want to make this worth your while,” Mav said. “Whenever you’re ready, feel free to move into my lair.”

“Movein? Not stay temporarily?”

Mav hesitated. He hadn’t meant to say that, but... “Yeah. We’re going to have a baby. You’re welcome there anytime.”

Telos watched him warily. “I will decide when I’m ready.”

“Okay.” Mav nuzzled his throat. “Will you let me make you some food now?”

“Fine.”

Mav wrapped his arm around Telos’ waist and tugged him out of the bedroom, to the kitchen. Telos perched on a bar stool; Mav opened his mouth.

“If you tell me that I’m going to fall off this stool, I’ll gut you,” Telos hissed. “Especially when I’mverypregnant.”

“Actually, you’re kind of hot like that too,” Mav admitted.

Telos scrunched up his face. “I guess I will forgive you. Carry on with the praise.”

“You’re seriously very capable.”

Telos watched him for a while. He must’ve decided to believe Mav, because he smiled. “Yeah?”

“You were amazing on this rescue. Even when you stayed out of the fighting. You got us intel, and you got it fast.” Mav grinned. “Hearing you rattle off all the guards’ positions and what you found, that was hot.”

“I hope you weren’t groping yourself while you were listening.”

“Maybe I was.”

Telos laughed. He was handsome like that, too, his eyes sparkling, his lips parted. He wasn’t what Mav had expected to find in a mate, but... he was a good man. He was strong, competent, and he had a lot of emotions. Emotions that Mav wanted Telos to share with him.

He opened Telos’ fridge to take stock of what he had. He grabbed the bag of ghost peppers; Telos eyed him warily and backed away.

“You won’t have a reaction to this right now,” Mav said. “Estie, too. But Hilly-Billy will; he doesn’t have any fire resistance.”

Hilly-Billy pouted. “I need an adult.”

Telos snorted and exchanged a look with Mav; Mav straightened his shoulders.

“You could wear a gas mask,” Mav said, and opened the bag of peppers.

“You know what, I’m going to pull out Telos’ baby pictures,” Hilly-Billy said.

“No,” Telos growled.

“Too late!” Hilly-Billy cackled and sprinted away, his shoes clicking against the floor.

“Stay in your fucking room,” Telos yelled after him.

“I want to see the pictures,” Mav said.

“Don’t you dare, Minion,” Telos growled.

“Baby photos, coming right up,” Hilly-Billy yelled.

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