Page 49 of Laced With Secrets

I shot him a look, but he just raised an eyebrow, waiting. And the truth was, I wanted to. My inner omega was practically purring at the thought of sinking into that nest-shaped softness.

“Fine,” I muttered. “For Penny.”

I lowered myself onto the bean bag and immediately understood why I’d been drawn to it. The fabric was impossibly soft, the filling shifting to cradle my body perfectly. The curved sides rose up around me, and I felt… held. Safe. Like I was wrapped in a hug.

I may have made a sound. A small one.

Dominic’s expression shifted to something warm and knowing. “Move over.”

“What?”

He was already toeing off his shoes. “Move over.”

I shifted—there was plenty of room—and then he was settling in beside me, his larger frame making the bean bag shift and adjust until we were both cradled together, my back against his chest, his arms around me. His palm curved over my small baby bump, warm and protective.

It was ridiculous. We were two grown adults lying in a giant bean bag in the middle of a furniture store while Bing Crosby and Carol Richards sang about silver bells.

It was also perfect.

“Penny would love this,” I said again, but my voice came out softer than I intended.

“Mm-hmm.” Dominic’s chest rumbled with amusement against my back. “You and Penny can lie here together and plot whatever mischief you’re planning to turn my hair grey.”

A laugh bubbled out of me—genuine, surprised. “Your hair is already grey at the temples.”

“Distinguished silver,” he corrected.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

His arms tightened around me, and I felt him press a kiss to my hair. For a long moment, we just lay there, cocooned in softness, Christmas music playing around us, the stress and chaos of the past weeks feeling very far away.

“We’re getting it,” Dominic said.

“I don’t need?—”

“We’re getting it.”

I smiled, letting myself sink deeper into the ridiculous, wonderful, nest-like embrace of the giant bean bag. Into my alpha’s arms. Into this moment of peace and happiness.

“Okay,” I said. “Cause Penny will love it.”

“Yeah,” Dominic agreed, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

We lay there a while longer, planning our future, letting ourselves justbein the moment.

Eventually, we’d have to get up. We’d have to pay for our furniture and arrange delivery. We’d have to go back to Blake’s face reality.

But for now—for these few stolen, wonderful minutes—we were just two people building a life together.

And what a wonderful life it promised to be.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Ithink we need to reconsider the entire approach,” Victor said, his ice-blue eyes serious as he gestured to the completed shoe recreation on the workbench.

We were in the back room of Sebastian and Victor’s boutique, surrounded by mannequins draped in vintage-inspired pieces, their elegant lines softened by contemporary touches. The space smelled like expensive fabric and the lavender sachets Penny said Sebastian insisted on using everywhere.

“The whole murder investigation situation has changed everything,” Sebastian added, leaning against the antique desk they used for consultations. His amber eyes were troubled. “Now that we know the original owner was murdered…” He trailed off delicately.