Page 20

Micah

From the moment he was gifted the studio, Edwin was like a man possessed. With the festival over, I could get by without him in the shop, and he took that time to work on getting his ready. Without the big mortgage he had expected to take on, he could use his savings for improvements to the building.

I had assumed that the place was nearly ready to open, with just some cleaning up to do, but closer inspection revealed that more repairs were needed and also Edwin wanted to upgrade. He was having the floors sanded and refinished, delighted to find that they were hardwood and could take the treatment. The painting he was doing himself, but the plumbing in the bathroom needed work, and also, he was putting in a whole new lighting system. It was still much cheaper than the mortgage would have been, and he’d have a beautiful facility when he was done, but for now, it was taking all his time and a good bit of his money.

And I was all for it, only wishing I could be more help. Unfortunately, a lot that was going on was not recommended for a pregnant omega to be exposed to, according to the internet. Chemicals in paint and the floor coating and I didn’t even know what could cause damage early in pregnancy. Even though shifters were safe from most human diseases, we could still have problems due to toxins in our environments. I wasn’t even thrilled with my alpha being around it all.

I still wasn’t 100 percent, but as the pregnancy progressed, my symptoms had begun to ease a bit. Also, it probably didn’t hurt that I wasn’t working as hard. I made a personal vow not to do that again, at least until after the baby came.

And finally the toxic parts of the studio were completed, and I made a plan for a surprise date with my alpha. I left work early and prepared a special picnic to take over and share with Edwin. In some months, there would be a baby in our lives, and I was very excited about that but also aware that would limit the time we had together as just the two of us.

“Anyone here?” I called as I came in the back door, expecting to find my mate in his office there. But there was no sign of him, and I set the basket down by the door and walked down the hall toward the main studio area. Every part of the place looked so nice. The last time I’d been in here had been before any work was done, and the improvements were huge. The hallway had been so dingy, the floor dull and stained. Amazing what paint and a little toxic floor finish could do. I continued on, following strains of music, and came to the double doorway where I stopped.

“Oh, alpha,” I murmured. My mate was dancing, all alone on the big, shiny floor. He wore only tight black tights that ended at his ankles, even his long, elegant feet bare, and he took my breath away. Sometimes it was hard to believe he was mine. And even though I wasn’t very far along in my pregnancy, I already felt a little bloated and soon would be whale-sized.

While he would continue to be lithe and athletic and…

“Mate!” He pirouetted over to me and took my hands. “Dance with me.”

“I can’t,” I protested, pulling back. “I have two left feet.”

“You do not.” He tugged me to the middle of the floor. “I watch how you move as you cook or temper chocolate or straighten up the kitchen, and it’s pure magic. You have a grace in the everyday that I envy. Now, dance with your alpha.”

“I guess I have no choice but to obey,” I sighed. “But when I crush your toes, you’ll regret it.”

He set one hand on my waist and arranged me to please him then made a few steps. I stumbled after him, almost managing the toe crushing while I tried to avoid it. Then he stopped.

“See? I warned you.” I tried to pull away, but he held me fast.

“Just relax and go with the flow. Wait.” He moved over to the sound system and changed the music to something slower and sensual then returned and took me in his arms again. “Now, let me lead, okay? Pushy omega.”

“I thought you like that about me.”

“Not on the dance floor.”

“Okay, it’s your damage.”

“Just try.”

And we set off again, but this time, he murmured sweet things to me, distracting me from my own klutziness until suddenly we were moving smoothly around the edge of the room. He guided me, romanced me, and made me feel like the graceful creature he claimed I was. Any wonder I loved him so?

We had our picnic much later because one thing led to another led to a whole different kind of romance. Less graceful but even more pleasurable.