Cali was getting her brains screwed out, she thought, as Dex powered into her. She was lying on the edge of their bed, with Dex standing next to it, holding her hips as he tortured her with his amazing body. She had to admit, it was the perfect position for her to be able to be flat on her back and yet still be able to wrap her legs around his waist like she loved to do.
“Damn,” Dex’s soft hiss, had Cali clenching once more.
She knew she was pushing him to the brink of his control – and she loved it. Dex had spent half the night worshiping her body, taking her to the edge of release, only to pull back. He would calm her pounding pulse and quivering muscles with soft words and soothing strokes, only to start his erotic torture all over again. Two hours. It had been two hours before he had allowed her to finally come. She had pretty much passed out after that, only to wake up satisfied but in no way satiated.
Hence, their current bout of love-making. Dex reached down to pluck at her sensitive nipples, making her gasp and arch. Since the pregnancy, everything had become more sensitive – a fact Dex was well and truly taking advantage of. Cali flexed her hips, feeling her ankles dig into Dex’s fabulous arse, and felt a flush start to take over her body. Cali knew it wouldn’t be long for her now and she wanted her man right there with her. Reaching a hand down between their bodies took some manoeuvring considering the small obstacle in her way, but she managed it. On Dex’s next retreat, she gripped his slick cock and squeezed.
Dex yelled Cali’s name so loud, she wondered if the Great Mother had heard him in Otherworld. He then slammed into her, his hips losing their usual perfect rhythm as he sought his release. All smug thoughts of a job well done fled, as Cali was forced to surrender to her own body’s pleasure.
Several breathless minutes followed, before Dex hiked Cali back up the bed. She rolled onto her side, unconcerned with her nakedness, as she admired her chaden. She loved the way his arse flexed as he walked and she found herself entranced by the divots in his butt cheeks when he twisted his body to search for some clean clothes.
“Are you fucking me with your eyes again?” he asked her, mildly, not looking in her direction.
“You bet I am,” she confirmed, putting her fingers between her teeth and releasing a loud wolf-whistle.
Dex laughed at her, his irises lightening almost to the original hazel they were before he became ill. “You’re so damn pretty.”
Dex snorted, sitting on the side of the bed, “You’re the pretty one. All round and beautiful, growing our child.”
Dex bent down to press a soft kiss against her abdomen and Cali blinked back the tears in her eyes. “I love you so much,” she told him.
“I know. I love you too,” Dex replied, kissing her on her lips this time, but with equal gentleness. When he pulled back, Cali could see worry in his eyes.
“Cali, I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow,” he began.
Cali felt her loose muscles tense up. She knew where this conversation was headed. “Dex. We agreed on this,” she remined him.
“I understand your dedication to your liege. Trust me, I do. And I know Max is your priority. She’s my priority too. But she’s no longer the only one,” Dex said, firmly.
Cali placed her hands over her stomach, feeling Hitch kick happily. “I know,” she responded. “I’ll talk to her,” Cali promised.
As it turned out, she didn’t need to go in search of her liege, because after a much-needed shower, Max was waiting at their bedroom door.
“Have you two stopped fucking yet?” Max asked, smirking at Dex and Cali, where Dex had been giving Cali a goodbye kiss on the way out.
Cali pushed Dex out the rest of the way and dragged her friend inside instead. “Yes. We’ve finished. Not like you and the Captain weren’t trying to break some land-speed records yourself this morning,” Cali muttered.
Max laughed, not bothering to deny it, and eyed the bed dubiously, “I’ll sit over here, I think.”
Cali laughed as Max made her way over to the rocking chair in the corner. With only a couple of months left before Hitch made his appearance, they had begun to buy things and set up the nursery. Poor Axel had once again been forced to move rooms, as Cali and Dex claimed Darius’s old suite on the top floor. The room was large with an attached study that was perfect for the baby. It would also afford them all some privacy so when the baby cried half the night, the rest of the house wouldn’t be disturbed.
Hitch chose that moment to make himself known, “Easy there, my little man,” Cali crooned, running a soothing hand over the thumping fists and knees inside her. Max bounced up and placed her hands on Cali’s tummy, smiling with love and adoration as she felt the precious bumps. The kicks and jabs eventually tapered off and Cali smiled, thinking her baby was the best behaved baby in the whole world; he already listened to his mum. She knew it was total crap of course. If the little tyke turned out anything like her, they were all going to be screwed.
Max was pouting because Hitch had stopped moving and Cali knew her – and the rest of the softies in the house – loved feeling him move. Shifting gears so she wouldn’t become victim to Max poking her in the tummy to get Hitch moving again, Cali asked, “What brings you here?”
Max sighed, “Cali, I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course, Max,” Cali promptly answered her liege.
“Tomorrow, when we bundle ourselves off to war? I need you to stay here.”
“Yeah, right,” she snorted. Cali knew she and Dex had literally just had the same discussion but hearing Max telling her she couldn’t go, had Cali’s soldier instincts kicking in.
“I’m serious, Cali. You’re not coming with us.” Max’s voice suddenly belonged to the liege and not the friend.
“I won’t fight, I promise.” Cali asserted, running a hand lovingly over her sizable baby bump. She had less than ten weeks to go and she wasn’t exactly light on her feet anymore. But there was nothing wrong with her vitality production. And Max and her Order were going to need all the vitality they could get. She had already promised them all she would stay back and stay safe – no fighting whatsoever. But she fully intended to go and provide energy from the sidelines.
“You won’t fight because you’re not going.” Max’s voice was implacable.
Cali frowned, knowing Dex would be happy. But still, “Max –”
“Cali, listen to me.” Max grabbed her hand, her grip so tight she felt the blood cut off almost instantly. “You have to stay here. Do you understand? You have to.”
Cali felt her hand tremble now as she laid it once again over her growing son, “What do you know? Max, what have you seen?”
Max shook her head, lips pressed tightly together for a moment, before she spoke. “Nothing … everything. Too little and too much. Your son – he’ll be safe. I swear to you, he’ll be born healthy and perfect – brave like his father, passionate like his mother, and cheeky like both of you.” She smiled warmly to Cali’s left, as if she could already see the small boy still growing insider her, before facing her once again, her face sobering. “But you need to stay here. Do you understand me? You must stay here.”
“And he’ll be okay?” Cali trembled.
Max nodded her head, her eyes bright. “I promise.”
Cali nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay. I’ll stay here. I swear.”
Max blew out a relieved breath, shoulders slumping, “Good. That’s settled. It also means you can be here to help Jazz settle in,” Max gave Cali a pat on the shoulder as she headed for the door.
Cali chased after her, “Wait. What? Help Jazz settle in?”
“Oh, did I forget to mention that?” Max snapped her fingers before smiling, “Jazz is moving in.”
“Your human friend, Jazz? The one who stored all your stuff for you?” Cali asked, trying to follow the conversation. Max was clearly having one of her random moments.
“Yep. Jasminka. She’s great. You’ll love her.” Max assured Cali.
“Oo-kaay. And why exactly would your very human, non-warden, non-paladin friend be coming to live with us?”
Max shrugged, negligently, “Because we’re going to need her. She’s a doctor.”
“A doctor?” Cali questioned, feeling more confused by the second.
Max blinked and nodded her head slowly, “Yeah, you know, those people with medical degrees who help heal the sick and injured.”
Cali rolled her eyes, “I know what a doctor is Max. What I don’t know is why we would need a human doctor here. We’re not human. Besides, we have you. If anyone is injured, you can just mojo all the scratches away.”
“True,” Max’s voice was as perky as ever but Cali could have sworn she saw strain in her eyes. “But it never hurts to have extra help. And what if I’m all mojo’d out? Jazz is a surgeon – a truly excellent one. She’ll be a real asset, especially when it comes time to deliver the baby.”
Cali stilled, “What? Deliver the baby? You’re going to have some stranger come in here and deliver my baby?” She knew her voice sounded shrill, but she couldn’t help it.
“No,” Max held Cali’s gaze, “Not some stranger. I’m going to have a trusted friend, someone who has been kind and loyal to me in my past life, who also happens to be highly skilled and decorated in her profession, to come in here and ensure the safety of my best friend and nephew.”
Cali pursed her lips and held her tongue. She didn’t want to piss the other woman off. “Have you told the others about this?”
Max shook her head, “Not yet. Why?”
“It’s just ... Max, humans aren’t allowed to be told our little secret,” Cali explained, patiently.
“Pfft!” Max slashed a hand through the air. “Jazz already knows all about me.”
Cali gulped, “She does?”
“Sure. Well, I mean, not the whole daughter of Mother Nature thing specifically. But she knows I have super powers,” Max assured her – quite merrily.
“Super powers?” Cali parroted, wondering what fucked-up lottery she’d won that meant she was the poor soul forced to have this conversation with her liege.
Max seemed oblivious to Cali’s tension as she nodded her head, “Uh huh. That’s what we used to call my abilities way back when. Don’t worry, Jazz is loyal. I saved her life once. In fact, she saved mine once too. She’s good people.”
Cali sighed, suddenly craving a nap, “I don’t doubt that, honey. You have good taste in people. It’s just –”
But Max cut her off; “Trust me. It’s going to be fine,” Max fist-bumped her before leaving the room.
Cali really hoped they weren’t famous last words.