Page 45 of Used By the Unicorn

It’s the feeling of things being so right it should scare me. So right I can’t imagine ever coming down from this high.

I sigh and snuggle against him, giving myself up to it completely.

Before long, I’m back to sleep, not caring that I’m sticky and sweaty. Not caring about anything but this.

EIGHTEEN

Stirling

I lean against the side of my van to pull out my phone and text Jade. I’ve got one more delivery left for the day and then I get to go home to her. To my herd.

Stirling: It’s Friyay. What are we doing this weekend?

Jade: You’re a dork, u know that right?

Stirling: your dork ;)

I can picture the scowl on her face as she tries hard not to laugh at my stupid jokes. God I love the way she pretends to hate it, but not so secretly loves it.

I drain the last of my coffee and I’m about to jump back in the van, when Jade sends a message.

Jade: what did u have in mind?

I hesitate. Last weekend we all went camping out at the property and spent a good long time naked in nature. The weekend before we hosted another party. Smaller than the one we met at, but big enough to involve a fair bit of scrambling to plan at the last minute. Only I need to make sure she’s happy. I need this to be enough for her.

I don’t have a good enough answer yet, so I don’t reply straight away. Instead I start the engine and take off, heading for my final drop off. I’m chatting to the goblin collecting the order at my last pharmacy, when Jade’s next message comes through. I panic a bit. I still haven’t thought of anything that will top the last two weekends.

“Everything OK?” I don’t know Ghallast very well, but he’s a friendly guy. We always have a good chat over a delivery.

I sigh. “You got a mate?”

He grins. “Sure do. Don’t tell me you’ve got problems with the missus.” He frowns. “Oh, ah, or mister. Actually unicorns have a whole lot of mates, right? Geez. Now I see what’s with the long face.”

I can’t even muster a half hearted laugh at his terrible joke. And I normally love a bad joke. “It’s not exactly a problem. Not yet.”

“Oh man.” He scratches his round belly under his shirt. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. Not yet anyway. Only I haven’t planned anything for the weekend and I’m worried she’ll think I’m boring.”

My goblin friend chuckles. “New relationship, huh? Well I remember those days. Don’t worry. You’ll soon settle into your comfortable groove. Like a nice dip in the sofa from where your ass goes every night.”

I grimace. That’s not what I want life with Jade to be like. I can’t help thinking about what he said as I climb back in the van and head for home. It’s too soon for things to be settling into a groove, isn’t it?

She greets me almost as soon as I get in the door, slipping her arms around my waist and laying her head on my chest. I try to hug her like I normally would and disguise the way my mind is uncharacteristically full of worry.

Jade pulls back and looks up at me. “Would you be disappointed if we had a weekend in? I’d kinda like to just hang out.”

I grin. I’d like nothing more. I don’t need anything beyond the four walls of the herd house if she’s here too. The last month has been next level, don’t get me wrong. But this is exactly what I need.

“Absolutely. You got it.” I lead her to the couch and have her sit. Then I pull up the ottoman so she can put her feet up. She’s been at work all day after all.

“Where are you going?” she calls as I stand.

“Are you hungry? Let me get you a snack. If we’re staying in we can binge watch your favorite TV shows and I’ll get you whatever you want to eat. Aren’t there supposed to be pregnancy cravings? Have you got any?”

I snap my fingers when I remember we have a whole unopened bag of salt and pepper crisps in the cupboard. I know she could put away a whole bag of those given about two minutes.

When I trot back into the loungeroom, it occurs to me that I could give her a foot massage. I’m about to go get the basin when she stops me.

---