“Wait a second, let me get this straight. So if it’d just been a place with me, with no one else around us, you would’ve allowed your father to tell you what to do?”
“Surely even you have learned to pick your battles. Besides, I can’t cook much besides toast and bacon. Delphine’s cooking has more than made up for my father’s protectiveness over the years.”
“So, we’ll be eating toast and bacon three times a day?” Rafe drawled.
She glanced at him. “I can make sandwiches, thank you very much. You, however, can make your own meals.”
“Sounds like a plan. Oh, maybe I shouldn’t mention that I’m a better cook than anyone else in my family?”
“I call bullshit.”
“I see through your plan, Nikki. Calling bullshit, which is a challenge, and then expect me to accept it. But you’re the one who suggested we each make our own meals.”
“Ah, but I said nothing about who makes food for the baby. I eat for us both. Ergo, you must do all the cooking.”
“Then you’ll have to earn that privilege.”
She stopped in her tracks. Facing him, she blinked at the amusement dancing in his eyes. “Is Rafe Hartley teasing me?”
He winked and Nikki’s heart skipped a beat. “Get used to it, because I plan on doing it a lot.”
“Who are you and what have you done with the argumentative bastard I know?”
Lightly tracing her cheek, he murmured, “There’s a time and place for arguing. Like right before I take you to bed.”
Memories of the last week played inside her head, causing heat to spread through her body. At Rafe’s chuckle, she cleared her throat. “I never said anything about sharing a bed again.”
Rafe leaned closer, his breath hot on her cheek. “I have plenty of time to convince you once we’re settled in and alone.” He grabbed her hand. “Now, come on or I’ll carry you.”
Yanking her hand away, she turned and jogged ahead without a reply. She might be exhausted still, but it was nothing Nikki hadn’t handled before. And surely she was too early in her pregnancy to really worry about overdoing exercise.
Or, was she? Truth be told, she knew nothing about babies and pregnancy.
Her beast spoke up. I’m sure Dr. Sid will visit us soon. Ask her then.
You seem pretty laid back considering you don’t know the first bloody thing about having a baby, either.
Before her dragon could reply, Rafe dashed past her and stopped directly in her path. “You asked for it.”
Scooping her up, he hugged her against his chest. Nikki squeaked. “Put me down this instant.”
“Or you’ll do what?”
Nikki extended a talon from her fingernail and tapped it against his throat. “I know how to slice to make you bleed, but not kill you.”
He snorted and met her eyes. “What? And incapacitate your partner for the Bourne mission? I think not.” She lightly scratched his skin, but Rafe didn’t so much as flinch. A smirk spread across his face. “Is that the best you have, woman?”
Retracting her talon, Nikki swung the heel of her hand into Rafe’s nose with a crack. He swore and dropped her to pinch his bleeding nose.
Nikki landed on her feet and moved a few feet away. “We agreed on no alpha bullshit unless my health or life is in danger. Consider that your warning.”
“No, I rather think it was a declaration of war.”
The coolness of Rafe’s tone caused a tendril of worry to swirl in her stomach. “Don’t even, Rafe. We have an agreement.”
“Oh, I know we do. But you were running when you were clearly exhausted, which means I’m in the right. And payback is a bitch.”