His posture visibly relaxed when I just nodded. “Let me know if you need anything,” I offered.
“Will do.” He lifted his chin in farewell, then stalked down the steps and off into the darkness.
“Who was that?” Laina asked when I returned to the living room.
I dropped back down onto the couch and hauled her against my side. “A friend from Timber Ridge. Haven’t seen him in years. He needs a place to crash for a bit.”
“Why?”
I shrugged, and Laina poked me in the side, rolling her eyes. “You didn’t ask, did you?”
“It’s none of our business, baby.” She looked ready to argue, so I pulled her onto my lap and captured her lips in a deep kiss.
After a minute, she leaned back and glared at me. “Oh, no, you aren’t going to distract me.”
“Wanna bet?” I grinned wickedly and wrapped her body around me as I stood and headed for our bedroom.
I hated being away from my family, so I rushed into the house as soon as I arrived. I’d been gone for a week dealing with some business and swore I would never leave them that long again. If I had to be away for more than a day, I’d just take them with me.
I was about to call out for my mate when I heard her talking in the living room. Quietly, I approached the entrance and stood there, soaking in the sight of my woman and our cub.
“That’s our family,” Laina cooed to Atlas as she set a picture frame on the center of the mantel.
When we collected all of Laina’s possessions, I’d been surprised that she didn’t have any pictures of her with her parents or other family. When I asked her about it, she said her parents hadn’t been big on taking pictures. She had a few snapshots of herself growing up, but not many.
I was determined to make up for it, so I captured photos of our life constantly, and Laina had filled our walls with memories.
Last weekend, we’d gone back to the spot where I proposed—now considered our special place—and she’d insisted on taking a family photo. Looking at the picture in its rustic wooden frame, sitting in such a prominent spot, I had to admit that I liked it.
“We’ll have to replace it in about nine months, though,” she murmured to Atlas before brushing a kiss over his fuzzy little head.
My breath caught in my lungs for a second, then I inhaled deeply. Sure enough, I could smell that Laina was pregnant. Holy shit. Elation burst through me, and I wanted to beat my chest and shout like a damn caveman.
I was surprised she’d figured it out since I hadn’t scented it before I left, and I’d only been gone a week. That had to mean someone else told her. I had a feeling I knew who it was, and I was going to beat the shit out of him. Or better yet, one day when my little brother found his fated mate, I’d give him hell and get retribution.
“I’m home,” I said gruffly as I stepped fully into the room.
Laina gasped and twirled around. Big grins spread across both her and Atlas’s faces, and I felt complete for the first time in seven days.
“Hi!” Laina squealed as she held our son close while she hurried over to me. I gathered them both up in my arms and sighed with contentment. “I’m so happy you’re home! We missed you!”
I tilted her chin up with one finger and gave her a quick, hard kiss. “Not nearly as much as I missed you two.”
Atlas stretched his chubby little arms out toward me, and I laughed as I plucked him up and held him high so I could blow a raspberry on his tummy. He giggled while his arms and legs flailed, whacking me in the head.
After playing with him for a few minutes, he puckered his lips and looked at my chest as though he expected me to have grown a pair of tits. “Um, that’s Mommy’s department,” I said with a chuckle as I handed him back to Laina. My gaze dropped to her breasts, and all the blood in my head rushed straight to my cock. “But it’s Daddy’s turn after yours.”
Laina’s eyes darkened, and she squirmed a little as she walked across the room to sit in her recliner and feed our cub.
“Fuck, I missed this,” I groaned as I slid in and out of my mate’s tight pussy.
Laina gasped as I rubbed over her G-spot, her legs squeezing my hips as she arched her back. “More,” she moaned.
My hips punched forward as I picked up my pace, fucking her hard and deep as if I could fuse our bodies together so we’d never be apart again. I cupped her milky tits and licked each nipple, making her cry out. “Shhh, baby. Don’t want to wake Atlas.”
I suddenly remembered what I’d discovered earlier. When I slowed down so I was leisurely thrusting in and out, Laina glared at me, making me chuckle.
“Is there something you want to tell me, baby?”