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“You were kinda lost in thought.”

“I was.” He turned to take Cullen in his arms and make sure he wasn’t still…spotty. He had no idea whose clothes his lover was wearing, but they were too big. “Are you feeling okay?”

Cullen looked so tired.

“I am.” Kissing his chin, Cullen leaned against him. “It’s just been a roller coaster of a day.”

“I bet.” Orion felt the same way, and he hadn’t been in there for the birthing. “So is your new niece amazing?”

“She so is. She’s very pink. And so pretty. Kind of more like My Little Pony than dragon…”

“Oh, I have to see her soon, huh?”

“Yes. She’s your niece too.”

Orion felt that like a punch to his chest, and he stood with the feeling for a moment, trying to get a grip on it. Okay. Okay, he could do that.

“So what all are you making?”

“Bread is in that bowl, cinnamon rolls in that.” He pointed to bowls that sat on the back of the counter by the huge old stove, staying warm. “And I am about to make empanada dough. That I have to keep cool.”

“That is so cool, babe. And I smell broth?”

“Vegetable broth. I thought I would separate some out and make bone broth or chicken soup or whatever they have for everyone, and some veggie for me.”

“You are amazing.” Little exploding hearts started going off behind Cullen’s head.

“Is that on purpose?” It was adorbs. Yarrow had told him no one said adorbs anymore, but he’d reminded Yarrow how many centuries of slang he had on the guy.

“What?”

“The hearts.” He pointed, and Cullen craned his neck to look.

“Crap. No.” But they didn’t stop.

“I like them.” He loved Cullen. So much suddenly that it hurt. Magical chemistry was a weird thing. He couldn’t imagine a life without Cullen now, and it had only been a few weeks.

“I can’t wait to eat your food.”

“You hungry?” He nuzzled Cullen’s cheek.

“Starving. Thank you.”

Orion smiled. “For what?”

“Being here for us. For me.” Cullen rose on tiptoe to kiss him.

“I’m glad I am.” And he was. Because he wasn’t alone in the kitchen anymore. Cullen was with him.

ChapterTen

Cullen looked at his hands, which were…fuzzy. Like sasquatch hands. Like, oh man, you were jacking off and got hair-palm hands.

Which was stupid. He never lost control of his body part illusions like this.

Maybe it was the new baby. Not that she was a bad baby, or that she was sick. No, she was happy and healthy and a little bubble of bubblegum joy. Elliot had been alittlegrumpy, but not too bad at all, and Orion was always willing to entertain the little guy.

There definitely was something wrong. Maybe it was mating.