“Your feet are cold,” she murmured, sleep roughening her already sultry voice.
Niko dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. “Nothing else on me is cold, I promise.”
He pulled her closer, until they were spooned together with no space between them. Renata laughed quietly as she settled against his hard body. “Is that a Magnum in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
His answering chuckle sounded as hungry as he felt. “Baby, I’m always happy to see you.”
He moved against her, unable to resist the heat of her soft curves. He would never tire of holding her, whether they were simply lying under the covers in each other’s arms or enjoying more vigorous activity. Both of which he intended to indulge in this morning.
He had never known what true contentment felt like until fate blessed him with Renata.
“Where’ve you been?” she asked, sighing as she nestled into his embrace. “I woke up a few minutes ago and you weren’t here.”
“I heard a noise downstairs. Someone was just coming in after spending the night outside. A couple of someones, that is.” He grunted, still bemused by what he saw. “Evidently, Aric and Kaya decided to catch the sunrise together.”
“What?” Renata shifted in his arms, turning to face him. Disbelief shone in her jade green eyes. “Are you saying you think they had sex last night?”
“Judging from the way they were looking at each other as they came inside, hell, they might be going at it again somewhere right now.”
It was a joke, but Renata didn’t laugh. “Niko, they only just met.”
“Since when has that ever made any difference?” He grinned. “It didn’t make much of a difference to us.”
“I don’t know if I like this.” Renata frowned, concern bracketing her mouth. “She only acts like she’s tough, Niko. Inside, Kaya’s still that scared kid we found camped out on our hill a few years ago.”
He couldn’t argue that, nor would he try. Renata knew a thing or two about acting tough to cover deep wounds. As formidable and strong as his amazing Breedmate was, even when Nikolai first laid eyes on her, she’d been scared too. She’d been scarred in ways that staggered him even now.
“What if Aric breaks her heart, Niko?”
“What if she breaks his?” He shook his head, reaching out to sweep aside a tendril of dark hair that fell over her pinched brow. “Just about the most dangerous thing a man can do is let a beautiful, broken female into his heart. And into his bed. He’s a goner before he realizes it.”
Some of the worry in her eyes faded as he cupped her face in his palm and kissed her. When she finally surrendered all of her troubled thoughts on a slow sigh, Niko gathered her close and deepened the gentle meeting of their lips into a kiss that made them both moan with need.
With their legs tangled and Renata’s body pressed against the front of his, Nikolai couldn’t think of any better way to greet the day. His son, however, seemed to disagree. A hard kick rippled beneath the stretched skin of Renata’s rounded belly.
“Oh!” Her eyes flew wide and she drew back with a laugh. “Did you feel that?”
He nodded, unsure if he felt more wonder or annoyance at the baby’s interruption. “Our boy is going to have to work on his timing.”
“First, he has to get here.” Renata’s smile was filled with love as she placed her hand tenderly atop the swollen rise and made idle circles with her fingers. “I can’t wait to hold him in my arms, Niko.”
“Maybe there’s something we can do about that.” He smirked, letting his hand trail off her hip and into the heated juncture of her thighs. Her gaze was skeptical, but she didn’t deny him when he stroked her sex. God help him, she was already hot and wet, silky against his fingertips. “They say making love during late term can bring on labor.”
“Is that right?” She laughed softly, her voice breathy as he found her clit and toyed with the hard bud. “Since when do you know so much about pregnancy?”
“I know I love the way it looks on you. And I love making it happen.”
He kissed her again, devouring the low moan that escaped her when his finger slid between her folds and into the entrance of her body. Despite the depth of his hunger--or his teasing about hastening her labor--Nikolai rolled her onto her back with tender, reverent hands.
On his knees between her spread legs, he gazed down at her, entranced. Worshipful. Renata had always been gorgeous, but right now his mate was a goddess. He had never loved her more.
“How did a son of a bitch like me ever get so lucky?” he murmured, bending to kiss her belly. “I love you, Renata. Christ, I love you both so damned much.”
“We know. And we both love you too.” Her mouth curved beneath shining eyes that danced with devotion. “Now, let’s talk some more about this interesting theory of yours.”
“Talk about it?” He smirked, both his fangs and his arousal throbbing with enthusiasm. “Maybe we should test it instead.”
Her sultry smile was all the permission he needed. She reached for his erection and her touch nearly undid him on the spot.
It might have, if not for the abrupt buzzing of his comm unit lying on the nightstand next to the bed. The incoming call showed on the display was restricted, but there were few people who knew how to reach him this way. Given the early morning hour, it couldn’t be good news.
Niko bit off a curse. “Evidently, our son’s not the only one with lousy timing.” He grabbed the device and put it to his ear. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
One of his contacts in the local JUSTIS office, a fellow Breed, was on the other end of the line. “There’s been an attack down here in Pointe-Claire
