I pressed my hands against Tane’s chest, and he stilled. “You know that thing Allegra said, about finding me a guy so I wouldn’t be too far behind Larissa and her in having babies?”
“Fuck, yeah.” His hips jerked up, pressing his dick harder against me. “I’m all for that idea, baby. But I want your gorgeous body spread out for me on my bed first.”
“Crap,” I mumbled, my body tensing as I worried about how he’d react to what I had to tell him before we went any further. Both of my friends had gotten pregnant super fast after meeting their mates, but as thrilled as I was for them, that wasn’t what I wanted for myself.
4
Calliope
Tane released my hair and stroked his hand down my back. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Um…I’m not really sure how to say this other than to just spit it out.” I squeezed my eyes shut so I didn’t have to see the disappointment in his. “I don’t want to get pregnant right away.”
“Okay.” He slid an arm under my knees and the other around my back, lifting me as he stood. I thought he was going to set me in the chair or something, and my heart dropped. Then he started moving, and my eyes popped open.
Gripping his shoulders, I peered up at him as he headed toward the stairs. “Wait. Don’t you want to hear why?”
“Of course, I do.” He smiled down at me. “I want to hear everything about you, but whatever you have to say isn’t going to make a difference to us as a couple.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “It’s not?”
“Nope.” He shook his head as we reached the top of the stairs and continued down the hallway. “You can tell me anything. You’re mine, and nothing is going to change that.”
His declaration overwhelmed me. That steadfastness was a huge part of why I’d wanted a hunky shifter of my own. As close as I was to my best friends, I’d never had anyone in my life who was all about me. A solitary tear slid down my cheek, but I wiped it against his shirt as he carried me into the bedroom. He kicked his shoes off—I hadn’t been wearing any—and climbed onto the bed. After he got us settled with his back against the headboard and me sprawled on his chest, he asked, “Why do you want to wait to have babies? Is it because this is going too fast for you? I don’t want to rush you into a mating if you aren’t ready for it.”
“No, it isn’t that at all,” I rushed to reassure him, stroking my hand up his chest to cup his cheek as I stared into his eyes. “I’m one hundred percent on board with being your mate. After meeting every eligible male in Timber Ridge, I was ready to give up hope on the possibility that fate had someone in store for me. Then you walked into Zeke and Allegra’s kitchen and made my dream come true.”
“Damn,” he sighed, shaking his head.
I started to pull my hand away, but he wrapped his fingers around my wrist and held it in place. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, it’s just a shame that I’m going to have to kick the ass of every unmated member of the pack.” His lips curved up in a smirk that said he had no concerns about being able to back up his claim.
“You can’t possibly be jealous.” I rubbed my palm against the scruff on his cheek. “None of the guys felt even the tiniest bit of desire for me since I’m not their fated mate.”
“I get that it might not be the most logical thing in the world, but fuck being reasonable when it comes to you,” he growled, his eyes filled with a possessive gleam. “They had time with you that should’ve been mine.”
I loved his reason since I’d always wanted someone who would look forward to spending time with me. “You just added more points onto your perfectness scale.”
“I have no problem with you thinking I’m perfect as long as you realize I feel the same about you.” He brushed his lips over mine. “Now tell me why you want to wait for babies.”
“I have another dream I’ve wanted to fulfill ever since I was a little girl, but I never want my children to feel as though they come second to anything else in my life.” I knew far too well the impact that had on a kid.
“What’s your dream, baby? I’ll do everything I can to make it happen,” he promised as he ran his fingers through my hair.
I flashed him a grateful smile. “Unless you have connections in the fashion world, this one’s all on me.”
“Tell me everything,” he urged with an answering grin. “You might be surprised by the strings I can pull when it comes to your happiness.”