“How so?” I can understand, though, because sometimes Charisma is a bit high-strung and prickly, but having been around her for months now, I suspect that hides a heart of pure gold so she doesn’t end up getting hurt.
“Well, all my father would say was we have to see it to believe it.” Maverick shrugs; daily things like that are beyond his comprehension since he spent so many years on his own. I hope like hell my brother hasn’t upset my mate’s best friend, otherwise my home life may take a sideways turn.
“I’ll check into it once we’re home.”
He tilts his head from side to side and I hear cracking sounds. When he catches me looking, he smirks. “Gotta work the kinks out.”
“Hey now, we don’t talk about our kinks in public,” Connelly teases, coming over and sitting in Mav’s lap. I watch his ears redden at her words and chuckle.
“You letting your mate tease you, brother?” Paxton asks Maverick, which earns him a glare. He tosses his hands up in a placating gesture. “Fine, fine. Mav, I think we’ve all earned a few days of rest, don’t you?” I glance over to my right to see Esmerelda still sound asleep and nod my agreement.
“Don’t see why not, Colton knows we’re coming home from a mission. Not only that, but we need to get Ice and Leigh both back in fighting shape,” Maverick replies.
“Esmerelda’s wiped out too; this took a lot out of her and Tabatha,” I state.
“Then it’s settled. Unless it’s an absolute emergency, we’re home for the next week. Minimal personal workouts, of course, but no training,” Mav declares.
Esme never stirred when we landed nor when I carried her to the SUV that was waiting to take us back to the compound. After we arrive home, I carry her into the house and undress her before slipping her under the covers, grateful we had the foresight to change the sheets. Since I was part of the actual mission, I head into our bathroom for a quick shower. I’m grateful we have the next week off, I feel as though I could sleep for most of it but know that I’ll also want to be buried in my mate. Once I’m done, I quickly dry off, swipe a comb through my hair, then brush my teeth before sliding into the bed and pulling her into my arms.
“Love you, Esme,” I whisper, gently kissing her head. She mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like I love you too before settling back into a deep slumber. As I drift off, her safe and secure in my arms, I smile.
Esmerelda
I wake up disoriented but quickly realize that we’re home, in our own bed and Beast’s arms are firmly wrapped around me. It dawns on me that he tucked me in naked, which I personally detest. Even after we’ve made love, I always wear something to bed. Typical man, I muse before I flick my fingers. Now in a comfy nightshirt, I snuggle back into my mate only to hear a low chuckle. “Esme, you keep that up and I’m going to forget you’re exhausted,” he murmurs, his voice husky with sleep. I can feel his dick as it hardens against my ass and low back, which has me grinning.
“Go back to sleep, sugar bear, there’s time enough for that in the morning,” I reply.
“Are you saying no, my sexy sorceress?” he asks, lightly grinding against me.
I turn in his arms to look at him. “I’ll never say no, sweetheart. But I know you’ve got to be tired as well.”
“You can do the work if you’d like,” he replies, grinning at me. Deciding that two can play this game, I throw my thigh over his hips so his dick is seated at my core. Reaching between us, I guide him inside me then groan at this new position. Lazily, as if we have all the time in the world, we both begin to move, him thrusting upward while I use my hands on his shoulders to press down. “Fucking perfect,” he proclaims, leaning down to kiss me. As our tongues duel, he flips to his back as his hands go to my hips. My rocking motion combined with him moving me up and down soon has me nearing my climax. When it hits, he captures my moans with his mouth while increasing the speed of his thrusts. Soon, he’s calling out my name as his hands run up and down my spine to cup my ass.
“Goddess, that was so needed,” I say. I can feel our combined release leaking from me but am feeling too sated to move. Flicking my fingers, we’re both magically cleaned up which has him chuckling beneath me, causing my pussy to clench on his still-hard dick.
“What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” he asks, looking at my face. “I know the mission took a lot out of you, so I expected you to be exhausted, but this is more.”
“I’m pregnant, sugar bear,” I whisper. “We’re going to have a baby, which excites and terrifies me.” I know I told him just a few days ago that I wasn’t expecting, but our babe made themselves known to Gara, who told me while the rest of my family were on the rescue mission.
“A baby?” he questions. “You’re going to have my baby? You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Esme. Why are you terrified?”
“Because what if our child ends up being hunted because it’s a hybrid like Leigh and Maverick?”
“Our children will be safe here, Esme,” he emphatically decrees. “Besides, that shit’s been worked out.”
“I know. Just silly worries from a pregnant woman.”
“When… how did you find out?” he inquires. His hand is cupping my abdomen.
“I didn’t. It was Gara. She saw the baby’s aura when we were all together. Said our child is going to be the best parts of us both and very, very powerful.”
“I hope it’s a boy,” he
