Corsairs: Kaspar (Corsair Brothers 2) - Page 132

Well, three, I guess, if you count the baby in Alice's arms. Four, if you count the carinoux that's sprawled on the sofa, watching them with a bored expression.

"Look at the sweet little ruffles on this one," Fran coos as she holds up something that's bright yellow and hideous. "Jasmine didn't even get to wear it once before she was too big. It comes with the most darling little hat, too."

At her side, Alice rocks back and forth, bouncing the enormous Jasmine on her hip. It always strikes me how small Alice is in comparison to say, Fran or Zoey. She's tiny like Catrin, Tarekh's mate, and I mentally picture something as big as Jasmine coming out of her delicate body and a cold shiver goes down my spine.

"You're just the biggest baby, aren't you?" Alice's voice raises a silly octave, like it does when she's making kissy-faces at Sterre. "Just the biggest, prettiest baby girl in the galaxy!"

Jasmine burbles happily, her gaze locked on Alice.

I know how she feels. I'm entranced by the sight of my mate holding a child. While this one looks like Kivian, right down to the nose, Jasmine's skin is a soft blue and her hair black like mine, and for a moment, I imagine this is what our child would look like, and I feel…odd. Not weepy. Never weepy. Alice is the weepy one.

The knot in my throat is from the dry ship air, that's all.

I clear my throat to announce my presence and nod at the overflowing satchel of baby garments on the couch, next to Sterre's lazily flicking tail. "Please tell me we're not taking all of that?"

Fran just gives me a smile and gestures at the ugly yellow ruffled thing in her hand. "I'll make sure this one is in the bag." She folds it carefully, glancing over at me. "It's a time-honored tradition amongst human women to pass baby clothes down to best friends and family when you find out they're expecting. Since both Jade and Alice are going to be having babies, I'm sending along everything that Jasmine's outgrown. You'll be thanking me later."

As she picks up the pinkest little gown ever, I'm not sure she's right. All these clothes look like they came from Kivian's tailor, which…the less said about, the better. "Alice isn't due for another year or more."

"It'll fly past," Fran says, as if she's the voice of experience. "Trust me."

My mate just presses a dozen kisses on Jasmine's fat cheek and sways, rocking her. She snuggles the child, a blissful expression on her face. "Why do babies smell so good?" she asks, a dreamy tone in her voice. "I swear, there's nothing better than baby smell. You want to come hold her, Kas?"

Ugh. Me? "I'll stay right here, thanks." I like my spot by the door. All the better to flee if Fran tries to dress me in Kivian's cast-offs next.

My mate's eyes gleam. "You're not scared of babies, are you?" She plants another kiss on Jasmine's face and doesn't even blink when the little girl grabs a fistful of my mate's bright yellow hair and yanks. "How can you be scared of something as precious as this?"

"I'm not scared," I scoff. "I just don't want to hold her."

"Scaredy cat," Alice teases.

She's just doing it to get under my skin. I know she is. Even so…I stride forward and put my arms out. "Fine. I'll hold her. Happy?"

Alice presses another kiss to Jasmine's fat cheek before handing the baby over to me. Immediately, her little arms and legs flail, and I panic. "Why is she doing that?"

"Because she's a baby? Just hold her close." Alice moves over to my side, pressing up against my arm. "Make her feel secure."

I tuck the child against my chest, and I can't help but notice that she might have seemed huge in Alice's arms but she seems awfully fragile now that I'm holding her. I give her an awkward little bounce, mimicking Alice's motions, and Jasmine makes a sound of pure delight. I grin at that, and take a few steps forward, giving her a twirl. The baby laughs harder, and so I do it again. "You like that? You like hanging out with Uncle Kas?"

"Stop," Alice teases. "My ovaries are melting."

I stop twirling, and Jasmine immediately grunts in a way that sounds like protest. Her legs kick, and it's clear she's not done playing.

"If he's going to hold her, you can help me go through these clothes," Fran says. "I've got piles and piles of them."

When Alice hesitates, I give Jasmine another little spin. "Go ahead," I tell my mate. "I don't mind." The baby laughs again, and it makes me laugh, too. And when I hug her close, I notice that she does smell good—a strange, baby smell that I find incredibly appealing.

Tags: Ruby Dixon Corsair Brothers Fantasy
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