Page 38 of Omega's Pretend Mate
I was fine with fewer people in Gabe’s house, but part of me wished that they were all staying in hotels.
I hadn’t spent a night in Gabe’s bed since his heat, not from a lack of desire, but because it was too strong. A part of me worried I wouldn’t be able to hold back if I was half-asleep. But I couldn’t avoid it any longer. I was going to be sharing the same bed as him until after the wedding.
Liam’s youngest toddled over to Gabe’s grandfather, Martin, then lifted his arms. “Up!”
My entire family froze as we turned to watch the interaction, but Martin just laughed and lifted him onto his knee.
“Well aren’t you an adventurous little man,” Martin said, booping my nephew’s nose. “And what’s your name?”
“Tent!” he declared.
Martin laughed, then quickly met my eye.
Trent,I mouthed.
“Nice to meet you Trent,” he said. “Are you having fun?”
Trent nodded, then started babbling about the ocean and the pool, and whatever else a two-year-old found exciting.
My family seemed to relax, and so did Gabe’s. Soon the kids had mostly clustered around Martin and his wife Irene, listening to stories of famous people he’d met, and places he’d visited. Mom and Gabe’s dad Walter were talking business, even though a billion-dollar publishing company and a small-town gift store were about as opposite ends of the spectrum as they could get. Even papa and Gabe’s mom Helen seemed to have found common ground, leaving Gabe and I to mingle with my brothers and their husbands.
I draped my arm across Gabe’s shoulders as we settled onto the couch.
Liam had just passed out a round of beers when I noticed that Benjamin wasn’t drinking. Then I noticed a slight swell in his middle.
“Benjamin… Are you pregnant?” I asked.
He blushed and smiled. “We were waiting to make a big announcement until after the wedding.”
“Congratulations!” Gabe said. “How far along are you?”
“Three months,” Benjamin said. “We found out only a few days after you announced the wedding, and didn’t want to steal your thunder.”
“Do you need any accommodations?” Gabe asked. “Should I get you an umbrella and a reserved seat? Do you need to be on an end if you have bad morning sickness?”
Benjamin laughed, and Philip kissed his shoulder.
“I’m good,” Benjamin said. “So far this pregnancy has been a breeze. Thank you though.”
“Just let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
I smiled. Gabe was so considerate, and I hoped that people would be just as kind around him when he eventually decided to start a family. I glanced down, briefly imagining him round.
Liam chuckled. “Got something to say Christian?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“Don’t think I don’t know that look. I’ve got five kids because of that look. Alex starts looking at me like that, and next thing I know we’re calling mom and papa to watch the kids so he can spend the night knotting another into me.”
I blushed and Gabe glanced at me. “I… I wasn’t…”
Everybody else broke into laughter.
“Busted!” Philip said. “I bet it’s only a month or two before there’s a pregnancy announcement.”
“Well at least they’ll have a cousin their own age,” Liam said, sitting back. “Except for Trent, mine are all getting old enough they wouldn’t want to play with the younger kids.”
