Possession (The Mate Games 3)

“Maybe you’ll give me a treat later?”

That made a grin spread across my face. “Maybe.”

“Love you, Sunshine.”

Well, shit. Now I couldn’t be annoyed. “Love you too.”

He shut the door and left me alone with a mess to clean up.

As frustrated as I was at the unexpected turn of events, I couldn’t really be mad at them for being worried about me. This was unfamiliar territory for all of us, and Noah, more than any of them, had been jumpy from the start. I was just going to have to prove to my men that I wasn’t suddenly made of glass because I was pregnant. It would take some convincing, I was sure, but as I rinsed the almond-scented suds from my body, I was confident I could make them see reason.

The rag slipped from my fingers as I felt it. A little flutter, like bubbles. My heart raced, my thoughts following suit. Was this what I thought it was? I was four months pregnant, seventeen weeks to be exact. Itcouldbe.

I waited in silence with my palm pressed over the spot where the tickle had happened.

“Are you there?”

I held my breath, and just when I was about to give up and chalk the sensation up to something a lot less exciting, like gas bubbles, it happened again. Movement inside me. Tears swam in my vision.

The bathroom door swung open, slamming into the wall hard enough to leave a dent in the plaster as Noah stormed straight for me, stepping into the shower fully clothed in a pair of cotton pajama pants and a white T-shirt I’d never seen before. I didn’t even know he owned PJs.

“What are you doing, you crazy vampire?”

He cupped my face and stared into my eyes. “What is going through your mind? I felt you. You’re crying.”

Kingston and Alek shuffled into the bathroom, all but stepping into the shower with us. I shook my head with a wordless laugh and took Noah’s hand, pressing it to my belly. “I felt the baby move.”

“You... what? You did?” Noah dropped to his knees and pressed his ear to the gentle swell of my stomach. “I never tire of that sound. The heart beating like a hummingbird.”

Alek’s expression was broken. “I wish I could hear it. I might be Odin blessed, but superhuman hearing is a gift he left out.”

I threaded my fingers in his hair. “I can’t wait until I can hear it again too.”

“It wasn’t real to me until just now. Knowing I might’ve missed it all…”

“You and me both,” Noah said, holding me tight.

“Okay, drama queen. Now that we know she’s not dying, can you two get out of the shower? Or do you enjoy being a one-man wet T-shirt contest all the damn time?” Kingston asked, making me laugh with his put-upon expression. I’d never out him, but I think he was jealous that Noah could hear the baby’s heartbeat and he couldn’t.

Noah got to his feet and stripped out of his clothes then and there. “I’m going to wash up. We’ll meet you in the bedroom.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I’m already clean. Sorry to disappoint.”

“Dove, you never disappoint me.” He turned off the water and snagged a towel for each of us as Kingston and Alek left the room.

Tying his towel around his waist, Noah got to work drying me off. He was thorough in his ministrations, taking his time as he worked the soft terry cloth over my wet skin. I recognized the act for what it was. An apology, even though one wasn’t needed.

Finished, he kissed my cheek. “I’m going to go get you something to sleep in. Be right back.”

Once he left, I took a few minutes to pull myself together. The baby fluttered again, as though she wanted to remind me she was there and all I could do was stand there with a dopey grin on my face.

I finally left the bathroom, towel secured around me, to find pajamas draped across the chaise lounge by the window and three pairs of devoted eyes on me. They didn’t want anything other than to be near me now. No expectations. No demands. Just comfort.

Which was perfect, because it’s exactly what I needed.

“I call middle spoon,” I said, pulling on the stretchy shirt and loose pants.

Alek came over to me and scooped me up. “Then I’ll be the big spoon.”