Page 40 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane (Rise of the Resistance #2)
TAURUS
I couldn’t help myself.
I felt so good about her damn ceremony and our decision to try for a wee one—I had to get her something. The goddess would laugh me out of the house if she saw me right now.
It didn’t feel right to follow the ‘big secret’ with something equally big, so I didn’t go to Amsterdam or South America to look at stones. I figure jewelry the likes of which I’m considering should be its own big moment.
Instead, I headed to Italy and saw the hairy git. I swear to Christ, that little weasel can’t stop himself from touching parts of me that do not need tailoring. The minx would’ve found it funny for ten seconds before she filleted the best tailor I’ve found in years.
Regardless, I’m carrying a large box wrapped in hunter green and gold with my purchases tucked inside.
When I get to our place, she’s sitting on the bed with Aradia while she works on her laptop. I suppose she’s sending out another blog entry or working on the plans for that blasted party for her primary. She’s got on the glasses she only wears when no one can see her. You’d think someone with a predator’s eyes would switch to that vision, but she’s got so much human left in her that she puts them on to work with technology. It makes me chuckle and squeezes my heart every time I see it.
I cough, letting her know that I’m coming. Chuckling when I hear her scrambling to stow the glasses in the bedside table drawer, I wait for a moment.
When I finally round the corner, she gives me a big grin. “Hello, baby. Did you have a good day at work?”
She’s pretending not to see the honking great box I’m carrying. For someone mated to so many people, she’s unfamiliar with people doing things to make her smile. It makes me wonder what went on with my brother’s family and what still goes on with the gnome’s family. She’s always eager to show an abundance of gratitude—almost a little too eager, but who the hell am I to complain?
I pad over to the bed, sit the gift down, and kiss her. “I did at that, my love. I had Italian after my trip and they were delicious.”
Her eyes widen. “You didn’t!”
“Of course not, minx! You never waste good, and that hairy little prat is the best tailor I’ve found on three continents. I found some petty thieves to snack on.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, she gives me a crooked grin. “Stayed with the wicked this time to make me happy?”
I grouse under my breath and push the box towards her, not wanting to admit it. “I’m not getting any younger. You plan on opening this or what?” Her chuckle is pleased and I pummel myself internally.
The minx has me tied like a bow and she bloody well knows it.
Her claws flick out and she cuts the ribbon, trying to stop herself from ripping in like a toddler on Christmas Day. When she gets inside, her gasp makes me beam. I think I got it right. She holds up the infant-sized duster that matches ours—right down to the silk lining with the peacock and panther design. The git assured me it wouldn’t matter if the nipper turned out to be a girl or a boy—it would fit. She’s cooing and making squishy womanly sounds that make my black heart burst with love. When she looks up at me, the look in her eyes floors me for a moment and I don’t have words.
Sod off. It happens, even to me.
“It’s beautiful—no, perfect.” She leaps forward and knocks me to the bed, kissing all over my face like a cartoon character, and I laugh.
Christ, the things I do to make her smile and the things she does to me when she does. “You haven’t changed your mind about the wee one after the magickal minx reveal? You’re not worried that we’re going to make a baby of infinite power that will destroy the Universe?”
Her snort is loud as she sits on top of me, her lips quirking up. “Baby, I’d be disappointed if we didn’t make a baby that threatens the fabric of our existence. It would boggle the mind.”
I grin and kiss her. “A powerful mite she shall be then, I’m sure.”
Her brow arches as she gives me a look. “She?”
“Not that I’m averse to a son, but honestly? I have a yen for a girl.”
“Oh, yes, Daddy’s little princess. I can see you buying the entire stable when she asks for a pony!”
I frown. “A pony’s got to have somewhere to live, right? There’s nothing wrong with that.”
She laughs again and leans down, her hair cascading over us like a waterfall of soft crimson curls. “You are adorable when you’re being all silly.”
“None of that, woman. I’ll not have you telling every chit and their mate things that ruin my sterling reputation for being a conscienceless killer.”
“I suppose I get to see the silly because I’m letting you dip your wick, huh?” She rolls her hips, and I lose a moment of thought before I can reply.
“You think I let every chit I’ve slept with see this? Pffft. Plus, there’s a suspicious lack of dipping going on here to back up that claim.”
Sitting back on her haunches, she smirks. “I do, multiple times a day, give you dipping privileges. Once I’m preggo, you know that will increase, right? Especially in the last leg, women get rowdy all day, every day. It’s the hormones.”
My face clouds as I realize that I’m not here every day, all day, and it’s possible that her needs may get serviced by those who are. I’m not sure who’s left on the horizon that’s not a mate, but hell if I’m pulling out the bloody list to look. I stop moving as the brood settles in because fear and anger are gripping me inside.
Must. Stay. Calm.
“Taurus? Did I say something wrong?” Moving like lightning, she pulls off what little clothes she has on and positions herself on the bed as if she’s waiting for something. I don’t have time to explain what worried me before she pastes on a smile and crooks her finger at me. “Come now, love. It was a lovely gift. I’ve got plenty of ways to thank you in mind.”
I sit up, admiring her form as I try to muddle out what is happening. I’m not sure why she’s so complacent, but it’s unnecessary. I need to man up and ask her the question that’s pinching me.
“You look tasty as can be, my minx, but you need to give me a tick before we get playful. I’ve got a question, and I’m quiet because I’m not sure how to ask it.” She looks worried, tugging the shirt back on and watching me silently. Her gaze is wary and I’m not sure what’s wrong, but I’m going to forge ahead. “You said mums get all panting, and you’d need to up the dipping. Um, what about when I’m not here? What about the others?”
“I don’t want to be unfair to anyone,” she whispers. “But with everything that has gone on—no matter what that’s about—I would prefer that it only be you while I’m pregnant.”
I have to look like someone slammed me in the face with a sodding brick. I didn’t expect her to say that. I was trying to figure out how to live with her decision. I figured I could always take out a small colony of trailers or something to burn off my rage.
“That makes me ecstatic, love, but are you sure that will make you happy? It’s bound to make others unhappy, and I know how that weighs on you.” I’m being supportive, but cautious. I don’t want her making a promise that she can’t keep. That would cause a much bigger problem than if she’s honest with me right now.
“I feel like while I’m pregnant—if I get pregnant—it should be the father of the child handling my sexual needs. I don’t want to exclude people from interacting with me, but it doesn’t feel right to have anyone else intimate with me during pregnancy.”
She’s giving me a small, hopeful grin as if she wants me to agree with her and I take her hand. “It would honor me, minx. I’ll even go with you to tell people if it’ll make it easier on you.”
Her eyes go wide, and she shakes her head. “Oh, no. I think it will sting less if I impart that decision on my own.”
I sense that something is off, but not knowing how to resolve it, I nod. “Okay. If you have any trouble, though, you’ll let me know, right?”
She smiles and nods, crawling over and wrapping herself around me as if she’s trying to absorb into my skin. ~I will. ~
I kiss the top of her head and chuckle. “Oi, woman. I meant to give you a present to show you what you mean to me. You show me up every sodding time. I don’t know how you do it.”
“If you can’t be good, be good at it. That’s what my grandpa used to say.”
I grin and nip her neck. “You, my minx, take that advice to heart every bloody time you draw breath.”