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Riley smiled. “Well, at least all of her comments were favourable. Too favourable in a few regions, but a girl wants what a girl wants.”

The guys chuckled.

Ranna pressed her hands to her cheeks and cleared her throat. “Must have been a bad connection.”

They laughed again, and Ranna asked them one by one what they wanted in a mate. The conversation got rolling, and Riley left the room.

She walked out to the main room, and Rath lifted his head from his tablet. “How are things going?”

“She’s laughing, they are laughing, and they smile when she makes comments about their physical construction. They will begin discussing more invasive topics now that I am out of the room.” She shrugged. “They will all discuss family structure at some point. They all come from Hmrain who have had children via multiple companions. They are used to blended families.”

Rath smiled. “Happy blended families?”

“Sure. I mean the Hmrain are the Hmrain, but the females and males who are still around are nice.”

“You called them?”

“Sure. I am rabidly protective. She’s my first Hmrain, after all.” She smiled brightly.

He extended his arm, and she settled on one thigh. “I am your last.”

“Well, aside from the little ones. Sure.”

“We will get a nanny. I still need your attention often and frequently.”

“Why? You are already burning soul fire.”

“Yes, but what else did the designers install? That is the question.”

“I will look behind your pointy ears. Might be something there.”

“Your ears have pointed as well.”

She shrugged. “Yours are the ones everyone looks at.”

He grinned. “They are spectacular.”

She leaned against his chest and braced herself with her hand. She felt him freeze and looked up at him. “Uh-oh.”

He pressed his hand over hers. “We never reset this after the rule change. Does it still apply?”

She grinned and looked at the closed door. “Can we be quiet?”

He set her on the table and slid her skirt up. “I doubt it.”

She giggled and looked him in the eye. “You are going to make a weird father.”

He grinned as he pulled her toward him. “I already am. She turned out okay.”

Riley grunted as she landed on him. “Yeah, the next one will be half me, so you are going to have to deal with that.”

He slid to the hilt, and she was stuck. He blinked. “Damn, I hadn’t thought about that. I suppose I will have to learn all the ways of your people.”

“You are old, I don’t think you are a particularly quick study. This could take some effort.” She bit her lip as he lifted her off and then let her drop again. She groaned.

“I can put in the effort if the goal is worth it. You definitely are. Now sing for me and embarrass Ranna.”

She started laughing and then sang for him as his body coaxed hers into pleasure.