Page 315 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus
Mel’s twenty-seventh birthday rolls around, but she’s twenty weeks pregnant.
Nik and Carver come up with the intelligent idea to take her dessert hopping instead of bar hopping. By the third restaurant and the seventh dessert, Mel is green around the gills.
The ride to the house is filled with a lot of uncertainty and Oliver holding a shopping bag at the ready.
Needless to say, while she does survive the experience, she’s not happy about it.
“You two are banned from planning dates forever,” Mel groans as I help her unzip her dress.
“Aww, shit. I’m sorry, gorgeous,” Nik says, approaching with his head tilted. He looks a little like he’s trying to read the line of defense and he’ll duck and weave if she unexpectedly spews on him.
I chuckle at the thought and help her unhook her bra.
“I don’t know why you think it’s funny,” Mel says, shaking out of it and tossing it aside. “I’m going to be sleeping in your armpit and birthday sex is clearly off the table.”
“Damn,” Carver groans. “How about early morning fuckery before we leave for our flight?” He rubs his hands together. “Four days without you is going to feel like an eternity.”
“Maybe,” she says coyly, but the bond buzzes with her interest at his words.
“Do you want my undershirt?” I ask, tossing my button down aside.
“Yes, please,” she agrees.
I yank it off and kiss over her shoulder as she raises her arms.
I pull it down for her and Oliver groans. “Damn, I’m pretty sure your tits have gotten bigger in the last week or two.”
“I agree,” I muse, running my hands over the baby belly.
“The two of you will need to take Mel maternity clothes shopping while we’re gone,” Nik says, climbing onto the edge of the pack bed. “Fuck, I wish we didn’t have to go.”
I’m surprised that I don’t have to be there for the final hearing with the OPA, but they’re accepting my written statement. Nik isn’t getting the same luxury as the owner in charge when the unsanctioned bonding took place.
“Me too,” Mel says around a yawn. “But I’m sleepy. If you’re very sneaky once my stomach settles down...”
Oliver immediately elbows Carver in the gut. I sigh, pregnancy has not been kind to Melody’s stomach.
“You two are up to something,” she grumbles, jabbing a short finger at them. “I’m too tired to care. Snicker away, assholes.”
I laugh because she’s definitely settling in and no longer walking on eggshells.
I fucking love it...almostas much as I love her.
Life seems to fly by without much happening. Melody sets a self-imposed deadline for herself. Somewhere along the way she decides she needs to have two full books ready before the baby is born. That way she can take off six months or so without any huge gaps in her publishing schedule.
I don’t mind.
Nik does stocks and trading during the day, and he’s got his fitness app to record content for.
Oliver works on whatever new tech he’s developing.
Carver and I have been mostly useless because we rarely leave the house.
The OPA finishes their investigation, and ultimately, Nik and Nathan pay a pretty heavy fine and take a warning. From what Nik has said, Nathan is interested in selling off the franchise anyway.
Although there is some discussion on why that will need to be a careful process, it’s not my business, so I stay out of it.
Mel is just shy of twenty-six weeks when her belly really pops. Over the next couple of weeks it becomes impossible to miss. No matter what she’s wearing it’s very clear she’s pregnant.
