I’d just work the fuck out later, burn off all this shit. But right now, it all sounded pretty damn good.
“Those bear brothers look like they’d eat small children for a snack.”
“For fuck sake,” I muttered and shook my head slowly as I listened to what they said about me.
Bear brothers.
That seemed like an accurate description for who and what we were.
I grabbed a case of water and tossed it on to the bottom of the cart, maybe a little too forcefully as the cart slid forward a couple inches.
Going down the produce aisle, I counteracted all my junk food with fruits and vegetables.
“I’m so out of fucking place.” I muttered those words under my breath, ready to find Ali so we could get the hell out of there.
I had looked up and down every aisle for her, except the last one, which happened to be feminine hygiene products. I was just about to turn and make another round, away from the aisle that would have me looking out of place, when I heard something drop and then her sweet voice ring out a filthy curse word. I grinned.
That was my girl.
I turned the cart down the aisle and saw her crouched, picking up a few boxes that had clearly fallen off the shelf.
“I knew as soon as I heard my mate say ‘fuck’ I was in the right place,” I teased and grinned wider, but when she stood and I noticed what boxes she held, I sobered immediately. My entire body was tense, my gaze darting from her face to what was in her hands.
Pregnancy tests.
I didn’t know what to say, how to react. Obviously, she’d be holding those for one reason.
She thought she was pregnant.
I felt my heart start to race at the very thought she could be carrying my child. How could I have missed this? How could I have not scented that she was pregnant?
And as I inhaled de
eply, trying to take in her scent, I realized her warring emotions had masked the aroma that she had been fertile … and that she was now with child.
I swallowed, my throat feeling tight, the words lodged, poised at the tip of my tongue. “Ali, baby?”
“You didn’t say anything, like didn’t mention you knew I was fertile or pregnant, so I assumed I wasn’t. But I’m two weeks late, my boobs hurt, and I feel like bursting into tears every time a Hallmark commercial comes on.” She lifted up the boxes and gave me this awkward little smile. “It’ll probably say I’m not, but I want to be sure.” It was clear in her voice she was nervous, and as I smelled her anxiousness, her anticipation, the hesitation, there was also the undertone of happiness and joy.
Of hope.
She wanted a baby.
And underneath all of that, I smelled something much sweeter, filled with life … our baby.
I grinned and walked up to her, pulling her into an embrace and burying my face in her hair. I closed my eyes and just held my mate, not caring that people had stopped to stare. Let them. I wanted them to know she was mine, that she was carrying my child.
I pulled back, my hands on her waist, my fingers gently pressing into her waist. “I didn’t sense it before because you have a lot of emotions swirling around. The stress masked it pretty well.” And then I moved back another inch and dropped to my knees in front of her. I looked up at my mate and saw her smiling, her cheeks pink as she looked around.
My PDA was on point when it came to Allison. I wanted everyone to know how much I loved her.
I rested my forehead gently on her belly, focusing on the faint sound of a heartbeat. There it was.
Ours.
God, I felt like a failure for not knowing this, recognizing it sooner. For weeks, I hadn’t known my mate was with child.
I looked up at her and grinned. “Our baby is right in here, Ali.” I leaned in and kissed her stomach, knowing I could’ve stayed here forever. I forced myself to stand, though, then cupped each side of her neck, staring into her eyes.