Page 31 of Gaming with the Gargoyle in Hallow's Cove

Gwen

“So,theremightbemore I need to tell you…” I square my shoulders, doing my best to embody Rena. I wring my hands, because even though I am incredibly comfortable with him, I know that what I am about to tell him could jeopardize everything. “I’m pregnant.”

Gabe’s wings snap out wide, hitting the bookcases on either side of the room. He scoops me up in his arms, and spins me around. He catches my lips in a kiss and I melt into him. I don’t know what is happening with us, or what will happen, but surely this reaction is good?

“That’s amazing!” he says when we break our kiss. “Why did you act like it was going to be bad news? You really had my heart going there.”

“I just worried… that all this had to be over now…”

As I say it, I realize that it’s even worse than I thought. I’m pregnant… and maybe I don’t evenneedto be. Have I tricked this man into having a baby he doesn’t evenwantwith me? Once he realizes how stuck with me he is, he’s going tohateme. I did all of this because I didn’t want to lose him, now, I’m going to cause the loss instead. He didn’t evenwantto do this… he was worried we’d ruin our friendship and now… I have.

Gabe has frozen, chewing his lips. He frowns down at me.

“Hey,” he says, tipping my chin up to him. “No spiraling. I can see your thoughts going a mile a minute. Talk to me, Gwen. It doesn’t have to be over. Actually, it’s a good idea if we keep doing ‘all this.’”

“It doesn’t? Is this another way Gargoyle pregnancy works differently?” Does he need to keep giving me his seed to keep the pregnancy viable? I don’t think I can keep having sex with him if I’m in love with him, that sounds like a monumentally bad idea. Gods, I keep doing this. I really can’t be trusted to pick partners. I need to start thinking bigger, because it’s not only going to be me I need to think about, it’ll be the baby, as well.

“No, it’s just that if this being over makes you sad, I’m happy to continue… because I’d be sad if it’s over too.”

My racing thoughts come to a screeching halt. “You would?”

“Gwen—” He looks me straight in the eyes. “Have I been the only one having the most amazing, earth shattering, life-changing sex?”

I blush and shake my head, overwhelmed. It has been amazing. A dream. Better. But he’s only talking about sex. And if one thing has become painfully clear, it’snotjust sex to me.

“Gwen, these few weeks have been the best of my life.” He leans down, smiling at me and adjusting his glasses.

“But what does that look like? We just keep having sex?”

“Yes…and more… if you want.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Gabe takes a deep breath, and it almost looks like he has bad news himself.

“Gwen…”

Oof, it’s not starting well.

“I accidentally bonded to you.”

Record scratch. I shake my head. “What?”

“I bonded to you.”

“I thought that takes a long time!” From what he’s told me in the past, it should takeyearsfor him to bond to me.

“It does… but apparently you don’t have to be having sex with the person during those years…”

“Did we spend too much time together?” Waves of guilt assail me. I’ve trapped Gabe with a baby and a bond? It’s a miracle he doesn’t hate me. “Oh Gabe, I am so, so sorry. If I had known that this would happen to you I—”

“No. Spiraling.” His voice is stern, but there’s a hint of laughter there that soothes my nerves. Sincere eyes I could drown in, framed by his adorkable glasses, smile down at me. “I have been in love with you for years, Preston just stepped in before I said anything.”

Love?

Love. I might be the queen of self doubt, and I might question my own taste in men, but one thing I haveneverquestioned is Gabe. Gabelovesme. Me! It probably shouldn’t be a big surprise, considering how we’ve been acting but… we are really good at playing pretend.