Page 26 of Roman
Ours? “You want me to live there with you?” I closed my eyes and shook my head the moment the question was out of my mouth. “Of course you do. We’re mates, and mates live together. That was a dumb question.”
“No, it wasn’t. Just one not fully thought out. Not dumb though. How about I tell you a bit more about the house once we’re on our way there? It’s not far from here, actually.”
“Sure. You said Master Edison showed it to you this morning? So you live there?”
We started toward the door, and once more, Roman opened it for me. “I wouldn’t say I live there, but I do? I’ve been there long enough to unpack the things needed for our meal tonight and to have a shower and get changed. That’s it. Master Edison packed up all of my stuff from the cabin I was living in.”
Roman stopped next to a blue vehicle, and when he opened the door, I grinned at him as I climbed up into it. He closed the door, and I thought about what he’d just shared. He’d just moved? Today? We had a house? How was any of this possible? Once Roman was in the vehicle, I looked over at him, eager to ask him so many questions.
“What? You look like you’re about to explode.”
I smiled. “Did you need to move? I mean, that seems like a lot of trouble to go through just because you found your mate.”
Roman chuckled. “Yes, I did,” he told me as he started the vehicle. “I’ll show you the tiny little cabin I was renting from the pack alpha. It was just two rooms, basically. Three if you count the bathroom as a room. Sure, there would have been enoughroom for the two of us. But funny thing about mates: they rarely remain just two for long.”
I felt my face flush at what he was saying. He was talking about babies. Just two for long. He wasn’t wrong though. In our village, if and when you met your mate, there were no questions, no issues at all. You claimed each other, and that was that. A fertile period came shortly after and then a baby four months later. That was how we did things.
“You want kids?” I asked. “I mean, you already raised your brothers. Are you wanting to do that again?” He would certainly be experienced and know what to do.
“I wouldn’t say no to having children. Yes, I raised my brothers, but it’s a bit different. They’re my brothers, and although I love them as if they are my children, they’re not. I made it a priority to share with them just how amazing our parents were because they never got the opportunity to meet them.”
It was always sad. I was no stranger to death. My own parents, others in our village. Young, old, we’d lost many. Roman turned down a street that had houses on either side.
“What about you? Children? I know you just started the bakery. Are you wishing to hold off on starting a family? We’re supposed to be able to do that now. I’m not sure exactly how that works, so maybe it’s as simple as using protection during your fertile period. I didn’t think to ask Master Edison.” Roman pulled over to the side and pointed. “That’s the cabin that I lived in until this morning.”
I looked out the window before I turned back to look at Roman in surprise. “That place?”
He chuckled before he nodded. “I told you it was small. It would have been a bit cramped for the two of us, but I didn’t need much space. And I was used to living in small apartments with the twins.”
“It looks like our place in my village was bigger, and it was small.”
Roman laughed at that. I realized I was in trouble because his laughter did things to me. Fates, everything about the alpha did, but sadly, I didn’t really know how to do anything about it.
“That is why Master Edison had a conversation with me this morning. The neighborhood the house is in has nothing but other paranormals living in it. It’s gated, and there is plenty of room for a growing family. Or just the two of us if that’s what you wish. I won’t push for children. We have time, and it would make sense that you wanted to wait for a bit.”
I felt an ache in my chest at Roman’s words. The thought of not being with him completely, of not giving him children, caused that ache, and I didn’t like it.
“The house is bigger, then?”
Roman nodded. “Considerably. Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a gorgeous kitchen to cook and bake in, a large room with a wall of windows that looked out back with a view of the national forest. I’m also told there are other fae that live in the neighborhood, but I’ve not met anyone there yet.”
It sounded wonderful, and I couldn’t wait to see it. “It’s close by?”
“Somewhat. Did you wish to see it?”
“I do. Is that all right?”
“Of course. If it turns out that you don’t care for it, I’m sure we can find somewhere else. I used to live up on Treasure Ridge when I was running the council’s store. I left once Monroe took over.”
“The fae alpha that runs the store?”
Roman nodded. “Yes. He’s been here around six months. He brought his two youngest siblings with him. His mate is also raising his siblings, but they’re teenagers, and after somestruggles in the beginning, I’ve heard they’re a great help with the younger kids.”
I’d seen Monroe several times when I was at the council’s store. Several times he’d had a baby with him. She was a cutie and always happy. Would I be able to do that? There was a big difference between working in a store and running a bakery. Would I be able to use so much magic to run the bakery while still having energy left for any children Roman and I would have?
“You seem lost in thought. Are you having reservations?”
I slowly shook my head. “Not really, no. I was thinking about the few times I’ve seen Monroe at the store. More than once, he had a little girl with him. She couldn’t have been a year old yet.”
