Page 22 of Luna

Some of my joy dimmed at the thought. I was pregnant. If I told Halos, would it seem like I was trying to trap him? Maybe make him feel sorry for me? I wanted to be wanted, not just because of the baby.

I couldn’t tell him. Not yet.

I scarfed the entire plate in record time. Halos made me a second plate without asking, and I pretended like I wasn’t a pig.

Finally full, I was ready for a nap. With Halos cuddled up next to me. Drowsiness stole over me, and I stared at the plans for the garden.

Work. I was supposed to be working.

“I could come by tomorrow? Your order from last week is in so I can drop it off and then we can look at the plans.” Halos arched an eyebrow. “You look tired. You should get some rest.”

I stifled a yawn. “You wouldn’t mind? I’m sorry, I’m just off today.”

“Of course not.” Halos brushed his hand over my arm again. “I’m the impoverished son of the duke, right?”

“You are.” I smiled. Ember had made a long joke last time we were at the nursery together, telling me Halos and I were like a period drama because Halos was so polite and gentlemanly.

The joke had grown legs when Ember decided we were sneaking out at night to do some gardening by the light of the moon, and an inside joke was born.

“Tomorrow afternoon?” Halos looked out the window, like his schedule was written in the air. It was endearing how he looked into the distance when he was thinking. “I’ve got deliveries in the morning, and after that I’m free.”

“Free sounds good,” I said. I hid my blush by drinking the last bit of my tea.

“I could make some more sauce if…” He trailed off, looking uncertain for once.

“Please?” I looked at him. I wanted to touch his arm, but I felt like if I started touching him, I wouldn’t stop. I’d crawl into his lap and rub myself all over him until we were both sweaty and naked.

I swallowed hard. My perfume had to be heavy by now. It was time to leave, calm myself down.

“Alright.” His voice was huskier than before, and his scent filled the small space.

I left. I went straight to bed, trying to nap, but everything was wrong. My bed didn’t smell like anyone but me.

I tossed and turned, rubbing my face on my forearm where Halos had touched me, trying to get the slightest whiff of him.

If this insanity was a preview of what being pregnant was gonna be like, I needed to lock myself in my cottage.

Chapter7

Luna

The next morning crawled by. I tried and failed to eat some crackers. I spent time moving everything in my nest around, and then decided it was all terrible, and rearranging it again. My bedroom got the same treatment, only worse.

My stomach rumbled for spaghetti. Only for spaghetti. I fantasized in equal parts about what Halos would do to me when he arrived, as well as eating plate after plate of the Italian ambrosia.

It wasn’t until late morning that Halos pulled up his truck with a trailer filled with plants attached. I did a quick victory dance inside where he couldn’t see me then went outside to greet him.

“Hi,” I said. “You want something to drink?”

The urge to throw myself at him grew stronger. He wore tight blue jeans again, with a white shirt and a green hoodie.

“Hi yourself. I’m okay right now.” He gestured at the rows of plants in the trailer. “Let me unload this and then we can get the sauce simmering.”

“Okay.”

Halos brought the groceries inside, putting meat into the fridge and leaving the other ingredients on my small kitchen island, before turning back to me. “Time to get the plants unloaded.”

I followed him out to the trailer to get started, but he shook his head. “I got it.”

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