Читать книгу Wolf Tales IX - Kate Douglas - Страница 9

Tia looked between her knees at the absolutely beautiful man who was staring much too intently at her pussy—for all the wrong reasons, as far as her worthless libido was concerned.

A not-so-pleasant thought came to mind. “Logan, do you realize I’ve been as big as a whale ever since I’ve known you?”

Doctor Logan Pierce raised his head and smiled at her, and damn it all if she didn’t feel a spike of arousal that was totally out of place, considering the position she was in—both feet in the stirrups, her big butt hanging off the edge of an examining table and her boobs so huge they flopped into her armpits.

There was absolutely nothing glamorous—or sexy—about a woman almost nine months pregnant.

Logan shook his head. Obviously she’d been broadcasting. “You’re still beautiful, Tia. Breathtakingly beautiful. You’re also about two centimeters dilated, so active labor could start at any time.” He straightened and held out a hand to help her sit up. “But without a doubt, I find you so beautiful that it’s extremely difficult for me to remain entirely professional. Trust me on this…there is absolutely nothing sexier or more appealing than a pregnant woman. I can’t wait until Jazzy feels ready for babies.”

Tia grunted as she sat up. She looked down at her heavy breasts resting on top of her huge belly. “Babies, plural, being the operative word here.”

Logan handed Tia’s clothes to her. “Luc knows, of course, but you haven’t told anyone else?”

She shook her head. “I just couldn’t. It’s so embarrassing, to think I popped out two eggs when I only planned on one.”

He laughed, but at least it was sympathetic laughter. She hoped. “Don’t be so sure it’s all your fault. The sonogram wasn’t as clear as I’d hoped, but it appears there’s just one placenta and two amniotic sacks, which means a single egg was fertilized and then divided. No matter…you’re carrying two perfect little girls who can’t wait to be born. I can sense them. Their mental signatures are strong and healthy.”

He went to the sink to wash his hands, but he turned to look over his shoulder and winked at Tia. “I’ve heard about your mother’s promise to your dad, that you’d have two little girls like her.” He raised one eyebrow, and there was a noticeable twinkle in his amber eyes. “Did you ever consider the fact that, just maybe, you had absolutely nothing to do with the number of eggs—or babies? That your mom might have had her hand in this?”

Slowly Tia shook her head. She’d never considered…but no. That was just too weird. Her mother had been dead since Tia was six years old. But Anton had brought Camille back for that one night. She couldn’t possibly have…no. Could she? “You don’t really think…?”

Logan shrugged. “You never know. Stranger things have happened, but you certainly shouldn’t feel stupid for creating a life. Not with babies as beautiful as you and Luc are sure to have. Celebrate, Tia. You’re young, you’re healthy, you’ve got a man who loves you more than anything. What more could you want?”

Tia laughed and fastened her serviceable cotton bra, the only one she’d found that could support the massive breasts she’d somehow developed to go along with her expanding belly. “If you want the truth, Doc, I want my body back, and I want to get laid. Not necessarily in that order.”

Logan burst out laughing as he turned away from the sink to dry his hands on a paper towel. “It’ll all happen. Not necessarily in that order. You’re smart to abstain for now. You want those two little girls to have all the time they need before they make their appearance.”

He wadded up the damp towel and made a perfect shot into the trash, but there was a rueful expression on his face. “Definitely smart to abstain. If you’ll recall,” he said drily, “I spent last night with your husband. He topped, and I can honestly say from my own sexually satisfying, yet rather painful experience, the way that man’s hung, I doubt your girls have left any room for him right now.”

They were both laughing when they walked out of the perfectly appointed clinic. Luc met them outside the door. Tia glanced at Logan, once again he raised an eyebrow and that set them both off again. Luc’s head swiveled from Tia to Logan, back to Tia, and he shrugged.

Tia grabbed both his hands, stretched up on her toes and kissed him. Her gravid belly rubbed against his hard, flat one, and she felt their babies move. Luc obviously felt them as well, and he smiled against her lips. “I love you,” he whispered, nibbling at her full lower lip. “You are so beautiful this way, your body ripe with my babies…Tia, you take my breath away.”

A powerful sense of peace settled over her.

She’d been so afraid when she insisted they come to Montana. Had she made the right decision? Was this really where she wanted to have her babies, in a tiny little clinic stuck back in the woods on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains?

Yes. Most definitely yes. Her father and Millie were on their way. Shannon, Jake, Manda, and Bay should be rolling in some time tomorrow. Mik, AJ, Tala, Tinker, and Eve were here, along with the entire Montana pack. Everyone she loved would be with her to offer support.

She had a doctor who understood the ways of Chanku, who could actually communicate with her babies. She had Adam Wolf, a man who fixed things, in case anything, Goddess forbid, went wrong.

She had the most important man in her life—she had Luc.

What better than her husband and a real doctor here at Anton Cheval’s perfect little clinic? Add to that, an entire pack of people who loved her.

Tia’s fears drained away. The sense of peace grew even more profound. It was all good.

The four from Maine had arrived a couple of hours earlier and were taking a well-needed rest when Millie and Ulrich slowly pulled into the driveway between the main house and Oliver and Mei’s cottage. Anton waited alone on the deck to greet them. Though he’d known they were drawing close long before their vehicle actually turned off the main road onto the long private drive to the house, he’d not said anything to the others.

The evening was cool and everyone had either taken off on a run or gone inside to get out of the chill air. He loved it when his house was filled to the brim with those he considered family. After so many years alone or with only Oliver as company, he’d had more than his fill of solitude.

There were times though, like this moment, when he took the opportunity to stand alone in the darkness, to give thanks for the good things that had come to him. To thank the Goddess for such an amazing life.

In the background, he heard adult voices and the squeals of both Lily and Alex, their childish jabbering and bright laughter a joy he’d never expected at this stage in his life. Both babies had just started walking in the past few days and suddenly everything in his home had been rearranged to accommodate the mobile monsters, as Stefan had dubbed the two.

He and Stefan still occasionally got together for a morning glass of cognac, a chance to laugh and lament that their lives would never be the same.

As if either of them truly wanted those lives back again. He still ached when he remembered how alone he’d felt, how bleak his future had looked before Xandi and Stefan, and then his greatest blessing, Keisha, had come into his life.

Children were their future, not merely for the Chanku, but for each of them. They offered the promise of forever.

A promise Ulrich Mason was about to receive. Only a dozen years older than himself, Ric was going to be a grandfather. Anton chuckled softly. And to think he was still hoping for more babies, Goddess—and Keisha—willing.

Age was such a nebulous thing for Chanku. So far, none of them appeared to have aged since their first shift, which made Anton question their potential longevity. Did Chanku grow old? He didn’t know, but now that he had his clinic and the lab, and his very own, highly trained doctor in Logan Pierce, Anton was determined to find out.

He raised his hand in greeting as Millie and Ric climbed stiffly out of the car. “Hey, Grandpa. How was the trip?”

Ric’s head shot up. “She hasn’t had the baby yet, has she?”

Anton was already trotting down the stairs. “No. Not yet, though she’s having those weird contractions…Braxton-Hicks? Whatever they’re called, her belly gets hard as a rock. A very large rock. Make that a boulder.” He laughed. “She’s reached the point where she looks misrable, but she’s not complaining. To any of us, anyway. Luc may have a different take on the matter. I tell you, though, the females are definitely the tougher sex.”

Millie threw her arms around him and hugged. “I heard that. It’s good when a man actually admits the truth.”

“Millie, it’s great to see you.” He gave her a quick kiss, and grabbed the filled tote bag she held. Millie turned around and showed him a great looking rear end as she dug in the backseat for more of the colorful cloth bags.

“Here.” She looped the handles from a half dozen totes over his wrist. “You can take some of these, too.” She rolled her eyes in Ric’s direction. “Grampa went shopping.”

“Dad! You’re here!” Tia waddled down the steps with Luc at her side.

Ric’s eyes went wide. He looked at Millie and grinned. “What did I say?” Then he held out his arms and drew Tia into a tight hug. “Ah, baby…looks like your mama got her way. Again. I knew you were carrying twins.”

“Dad! No one knows!” She shot a furtive glance at Anton. When he burst into laughter, she frowned. “What?”

It took him a minute to get things under control. “Dear, dear Tianna, this is not meant as an insult because you are absolutely gorgeous, but you are huge. It’s quite obvious there’s more than one baby in there. Don’t you think everyone’s guessed by now?”

Tia glared at him. “I have no pride left. None. Luc? Take me inside, please.” Then she got the giggles and totally blew the imperious façade.

Millie slipped an arm around Tia’s waist. “Sweetie, I had twins and you have my sympathy. You will get your figure back. I promise.”

Everyone glanced at Millie’s slim figure. She struck a pose, stuck out her tongue and grabbed Tia’s hand. “The serfs can bring the luggage. We’ve got catching up to do.”

Anton watched the two women walk slowly up the stairs. He turned to Ric and caught his friend smiling at his mate and his only child with tears coursing down his cheeks. Anton thought of all the years Ric had been alone since the death of his first wife, the years when he’d been afraid to tell Tia of her birthright, the tough cases he’d had with Pack Dynamics when there’d been no one to come home to, no one to share his life with—not the good times or the bad times.

Now Ric had Millie. He had Tia and Luc and two little girls on the way…girls with Camille’s sass and brass if her spirit had anything at all to do with this. Anton hugged Ric around the neck and pulled him close. Ric sniffed and took a deep breath.

Luc patted his father-in-law on the back, and grinned.

Ric shook his head and punched Luc in the shoulder. “Luc, you bastard…I can’t believe what you did to my little girl.”

Luc grinned, shrugged and picked up Ric’s bag without saying a word. Laughing quietly, Ric and Anton grabbed the rest of the luggage and the totes filled with baby gifts, and followed the women up the stairs.

Keisha, Eve, and Lisa spent most of the following day preparing a welcome feast, now that everyone had arrived and all were moderately adjusted to the same time zone. When Tia first saw the two huge rib roasts and all the side dishes waiting on the buffet, she’d thought they’d have leftovers for a month. Now, as the twenty-three adults and two children cleaned their plates, she realized how badly she’d underestimated the appetites of a houseful of Chanku.

She’d also underestimated the depth of her own emotions, how it would actually feel to sit in a room filled with family and friends, packmates all, who had come from all across the country just to be with her when she gave birth to her babies.

She flashed a grin at Luc. The look he gave her in return took her breath. Goddess how she loved him!

Tia pushed her plate away, stood up and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Is it time?”

Tinker’s big laugh had everyone going. He’d been asking that same question for at least a month now.

Tia glared at him. “No, Tinker. For the gazillionth time…not yet.” Grinning broadly, she glanced at everyone along the long table, but when she finally paused, she focused on her father and her heart pounded in her chest. “Dad, Millie…I am so glad you’re here. All of you. I’m not exactly sure when this big event is going to happen, but I want to thank everyone for coming, and Anton, Keisha, Stefan, and Xandi for once again graciously opening their home to all of us.”

She glanced at Anton. He sat with his fingers steepled in front and his chin resting at their peak, but he quietly nodded his response. Still looking at him, she added, “Anton always says we’re strongest when we’re together. Having all of you here when I’m delivering just…” Her voice cracked and she took a minute to regain control. “Well, you have given me a wonderful gift, and I wanted to thank every one of you.”

She touched Luc’s shoulder. His big hand covered hers. “And,” she said, feeling a little foolish, “I imagine a lot of you have already guessed it since I look like a beached whale, but yesterday Logan confirmed what Luc and I have suspected all along—Mom got her way on this one. I was almost sure I popped out one egg, but it looks like we’re having twin girls.”

She laughed at all the raised eyebrows and the applause. “Okay, so I guess not everyone figured it out. I’m surprised, as humongous as I am. I feel as if I’m carrying an entire soccer team, but thanks to Anton’s brand-new, state-of-the-art clinic, I got to see both our little girls yesterday when Logan did a sonogram. And yes, there are only two in there.” She cupped her hands over her huge belly. “Thank goodness!”

Luc rolled his eyes. “I’m actually relieved. I was thinking litter…I figured she had at least four in the oven.”

Tia thumped him on the head with her fingers before she sat down. Her dad smiled at her and she caught his thoughts.

Your mom must be so proud of you, sweetie. I just know she had a hand in this.

Thanks, Dad. I think she did. I was afraid it was me, but there’s no way I’d do this to myself!

Tia helped Mei and Jazzy clear the table and then wandered out to the great room where everyone had gathered. There were a couple of chess games going, and Anton and Stefan were chasing the babies around on the floor, much to Lily and Alex’s delight.

Oliver was trying to do a magic trick Stefan had taught him, and the laughter from his corner of the room told Tia he wasn’t having much success. Millie, Manda, and Adam had gathered in another corner to talk. The three of them held hands, as if they needed even more of a connection than most. Watching Millie and the two children she’d not known until they were adults, had Tia fighting tears.

To have babies taken away…she covered her belly in a protective gesture. The pain for Millie must have been indescribable. Now that she carried her own babies under her heart, Tia felt as if she understood her stepmother better than ever. Thank goodness Ulrich and Millie had found each other.

Tinker glanced up from his chess game with Logan, caught her eye and grinned. “Is it time yet?”

Before Tia could answer, half a dozen voices shouted, “No!” and Jake threw a pillow that Tinker deftly caught.

Then he ducked his head and went back to the game. Laughter ebbed and flowed around her. There was a subtle, subliminal buzz that let Tia know a few in the room were mindtalking to carry on private conversations. Oliver gave a triumphant shout and Mei clapped her hands. Luc turned from his spot on the couch beside Baylor and Shannon and smiled at her.

I love you, he said. His thoughts drifted over her mind with the strength of a caress.

I love you, too. Then she felt it, a painful tightening that radiated from her back and across the lower part of her belly. The sense of pressure more than pain took her breath. It lasted close to half a minute, and when it was over, everyone in the room was staring at her.

“Is it time?” Tinker’s question didn’t make anyone laugh this time.

“I don’t know. But that was definitely different. Not quite like a Braxton-Hicks contraction.” She shook her head. They were still almost a week early. “Logan? How do I know when I’m really in labor?”

Logan stood up. “Let’s go take a look. I can tell if your cervix is beginning to thin out. You were dilated at two centimeters last time I checked.” He crooked his arm, held out an elbow. Tia slipped her hand around his arm and exited the room like a queen with her escort.

Luc was right there with them.

Jazzy Blue glanced up as her mate walked back into the great room with Tia and Luc. They’d all been anxiously waiting for news. Logan smiled at her and shook his head.

“It’s going to be a long night, folks. Tia’s only had one very light contraction, so her labor’s hardly even started.”

Shannon stood up and hugged Tia. “Poor baby. Aren’t there drugs you can take to get things going?”

Logan sat next to Jazzy and draped his arm around her shoulders. “There are, but it’s always better to let things happen naturally. Luc and Tia are going to do a few slow laps around the house, see if that gets things going, but she definitely appears to be in the early stages of labor. This is the easy part.”

Tia stuck out her tongue at Logan. “Easy for you to say, Doc.”

Luc helped Tia on with her coat and grabbed a jacket for himself. “We’ll be outside walking in circles if anyone needs us.”

Jake leaned around Shannon and gave Tia a kiss on the cheek. Then he grinned at Luc and said, “Maybe you should just get her a hot walker…you know, those machines they use to exercise horses? Put a bridle on her and turn it on…”

“Not funny.” Tia glared at him.

Luc laughed. “As usual, your timing sucks, Jake. I knew I should have left you on that mountain.” With that cryptic comment, Luc gently led Tia from the room.

Jake stared after them with a pensive look on his face.

Jazzy watched Jake and sensed something more than just a light quip. The guy could be such a contradiction—quiet one minute, then acting like a smart-ass and tossing in a crazy insult the next. She’d seen him get the entire room to laughing, but now he just looked sad. “What’d he mean by that, Jake?,” she asked. “Leave you on what mountain?”

Jake turned around and shrugged. “It’s a long story.”

Adam walked in from the kitchen and handed a cold beer to Jake. “It’s gonna be a long night.”

Jake gazed around the room as if judging everyone’s mood, or maybe he was just trying to build up the nerve to tell his tale. Jazzy wasn’t sure which, but she settled back against Logan and waited.

After a brief hesitation, Jake sat down on a footstool in front of Shannon. She rested her hand on his shoulder and he glanced back at her for a long, quiet moment. Then he looked around the silent room again, at everyone who watched him so intently, and sighed.

“Well, if you really want to know…”