“I hurried back for you, and for this one.” He smiles back and places his hand gently on my very swollen belly. He drops his head and kisses me there and says, “Aefre, I am so happy. I have everything I ever wanted. You as my wife, making this baby with you, this miracle child. The first of its kind, and ours. I love you.”
I give him a coy look and pull him to me for a kiss, saying, “Yes, ours. Yours and mine. As it should be. I love you, Lance. I love you so much.”
I awake suddenly, my eyes popping open. In the dark, I think I see a shadow hovering over me, and I sit upright, but there’s no one there. I put my hand on my, thankfully, very flat stomach and sigh in relief. Just a dream. Well, a nightmare. I used to dream of Lance often during my time with him and after as well, but it was always the horror he inflicted upon me. To dream this about him is disturbing and unnatural. CK will throw a shitfit if I ever tell him about it. Shaking my head to clear away the nasty thoughts, I check on Cole. He is fast asleep. He’ll be getting up soon, so I leave him to sleep until his alarm goes off. Devon is also flat out, so I leave them both. I need to get up now, I am restless. Not bothering with a robe, I get out of bed and head out to the sitting room to get a drink. Cole keeps an emergency stash in a secret compartment of the fridge, and I need to feed. I get a bottle and jump a mile when I notice someone standing by the windows.
“Xane!” I whisper snap at him. “What the fuck are you doing in here?”
“You were anxious. I came to see if you were okay. You weren’t joking about the three,” he says, turning towards me, pointing to the candles, his eyes ablaze at my naked stature. I magick on a robe, out of a sense of decency for Cole. He would not be happy if he came out and saw me parading around naked in front of a man, I seemingly have no bond to. Crap on toast. He is going to freak when he inevitably finds out that I’m connected to Xane in a way that is undeniable. I should perhaps start paving the way for that bombshell.
“I’m fine. What do you mean I was anxious? Were you just in my bedroom?” I ask suspiciously.
“Don’t get dressed on my behalf,” he says instead, coming closer.
“I’m not. My husband won’t be happy, and he is due up soon.”
“Oh, so you want to stand naked in front of me?” He tilts his head.
“Just answer the question,” I snap at him again.
“No, I wasn’t just in your bedroom. I think you were dreaming, as it didn’t seem immediate. Did you have a bad dream, Liv?”
“Yes. It was most unpleasant,” I admit. “How do you know?”
“I know you. I am connected to you. I keep telling you, but you keep denying your feelings, so you don’t feel it as I do.” He steps even closer until he is right in front of me, gazing down at me from his foot-and-a-bit height advantage over me. “I do love you in just your bare feet,” he murmurs, curling my hair around my ear gently. “So, fragile.”
“Don’t forget that looks can be deceiving,” I murmur back, aware that only a few days ago, Cole had said the same thing to me in this very hotel suite.
He chuckles. “Oh yes. I have no doubt that you could kick my ass if you chose to.”
“Does that turn you on?” I ask wickedly.
“You turn me on,” he murmurs back and drops his mouth to mine. “I need you again, Liv. It’s been too long.”
His words bring me to my senses. I step back, my hand on his chest. “Not here. Not now,” I say, but that isn’t what I meant to say. I meant to say an outright “No”, but it didn’t come out that way.
He realizes this and smiles slowly. “Just say when and where and I will be there,” he whispers against my lips, crushing me to him for another kiss before he steps back swiftly and Astraports out just as Cole steps into the sitting room. I sigh. Well, at least he took the high road and left instead of letting Cole find him here.
“Hey,” he says, running his hand through his hair. “What are you doing up? It’s still early for you.”
“I know. Just hungry.” I hold up the bottle.
“Did you sleep okay? You seemed to be moving around a bit, it’s not like you. Devon was close to putting you on the sofa so that he could get some sleep.”
“Oh, nice,” I say sarcastically. “But no, I had a bit of a bad dream but it’s fine. Just a dream.”
“What about?” he asks, concerned.
“Oh, just all this time travel has played havoc with my mind. It’s nothing.”
He accepts that and comes to kiss me. “I have time, if you would be so inclined, to take a shower with me.”
“Well, no way am I turning down the opportunity to see you wet and naked,” I say. “Although, it would be rude to leave Devon out seeing as he is in our bed.” I wink at him and he laughs.
“Very rude,” he says. “Go get him up and I’ll bring you some more blood.”
I give him a grateful smile and disappear back into the bedroom to wake up my gorgeous charge by sucking on his cock so hard, he comes within seconds of waking. Then everything and everyone else is forgotten as they lead me to the bathroom.
Chapter 5