Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
He looks like he’s busy, so I head past the tables, giving Sinath and Rektar a little wave as I do, and head for the back of the office. The men’s desks are lined up in neat rows back here, and in the small kitchen of the office, I can see Khex shoving a piece of pie into his mouth.
“I hope you saved some for me,” I declare as I head toward him.
Khex’s eyes widen as I approach. He swallows quickly and puts a hand to his mouth to shield it from spraying crumbs. “Kef me, Naomi, you’re huge!”
I mock-scowl, but I’m kind of used to that reaction. My belly’s become increasingly prominent the last few weeks, which I hope is a sign that I’m going to deliver soon, and I’ve taken to wearing a couple of caftan-like tunics that flow to my ankles but don’t exactly slenderize a gal. “I’m going to tell your woman you were being mean to me. Now give me some pie.”
He chuckles, a pleased expression on his face as he dishes a large slice of the pie out for me. It’s a local root that Lucy manages to make taste like sweet potato, and it makes an amazing pie. He hands me a small plate and I immediately dig in, biting back a moan the moment the heavenly flavor touches my tongue. “Didn’t mean it as rude,” Khex says. “I was just surprised. You’re so tiny and your belly has gotten so big.”
“Have you seen Ainar?” I ask between bites. “He’s not exactly a tiny guy himself. Of course his baby’s big. How’s Ashley?”
“Cranky as ever,” he says, and the way he says it makes it sound endearing, as if he’s delighted in his mate’s attitude. “She’s coming by later today to celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?” I ask, shoving another huge bite of pie into my mouth. Would it be rude for me to eat a second piece, I wonder. Nah. I’ll play the pregnant lady card.
“Oh, uh…” Khex wipes his mouth and straightens. “No reason. Look at the time. I have to head out. See you soon, Naomi.” He pats my shoulder and then all but races out of the kitchen, and I frown at his back as he leaves. I’ll have to ask Ainar what the deal is.
He can’t keep a secret from me. I’m too good at working it out of him.
Smiling to myself, I polish off another piece of Lucy’s incredible pie while I imagine the delicious torture I’m going to inflict on my big sexy alien. Tickling, I decide. Definitely tickling. And maybe a blowjob or two. My belly seems to be growing daily, and my libido has skyrocketed as well. It takes everything I have not to pounce on Ainar whenever we’re alone.
Heck, maybe I won’t even wait until we’re alone. I’ll just pull him into the nearest supply closet and pretend like we’re being quiet. Am I a bit of an exhibitionist when it comes to him? Absolutely. Do I love making him lose his mind when I touch him? Without a doubt.
I’m contemplating all the ways to jump my guy when he heads into the back, looking around. His eyes light up the moment he sees me, and I give him a little wave. “You think anyone would care if I had a third piece of pie?”
A wide smile creases his face. “Save some room. I asked Lucy to make you those sweet and salty buns you like so much.”
My jaw drops. My mouth waters. “Oh my god. You did?”
“I did.” He pulls out a large food container from under his desk and holds it out to me.
With a squeal, I race toward him as fast as a pregnant lady can move when there’s her favorite treat being offered. It isn’t that fast, but it feels fast to me. I clutch the box to my chest and the aroma of fresh baked goods hits me. Gazing up at Ainar adoringly, I wonder if any woman was ever as lucky as me. “Have I ever told you that you’re amazing?”
He beams at me. “Open it.”
“I mean it, Ainar. I wake up every day and I feel lucky to have you.” I’m getting all weepy at the thought, because truly, I’ve lucked out with this man. Just this morning he made me pancakes and did the morning rounds before dawn so I wouldn’t have to waddle out there. For me, Ainar is wonderful in all ways. He’s great in bed, he listens to me, and we have great conversations. We’re on the same page with what we want out of life. If that was all he had to offer, I’d consider myself lucky. But for me, it’s the small gestures that make my heart swell. It’s me complaining that the air-sled’s seat hurts my back and I go out the next morning to find that the padding on the seat has been reinforced. It’s me mentioning I love the scent of a particular flower and finding a dozen of them in the house a week later. It’s Ainar fixing dinner without me asking, or him going by the tiny library of “human books” in town to see if there’s a new one for me.