“Last night,” Angus said. “Both of us at the same time.”
“Okay. Considering the fact that I don’t have anything to go by for a pregnancy like this, I’m going to say no more penetration at all until the baby’s born.But Ben is going to be very aroused, so I want you to milk him three times a day to keep him comfortable.”
Angus and I shared confused looks.
“Er, does that mean…” Angus began.
“Exactly what it sounds like. He’ll need the release.” Laura looked at her watch. “I guess I’ll take everyone home now. Oh—how are Bertram and Trey?”
“They’re doing well,” I told her. They’d been in their room when Laura arrived, and we hadn’t wanted to disturb them.
“Wonderful. Call me if you need me.”
With that, she left Angus and I staring at each other.
“Well, damn,” Angus said.
***
I’d finished checking on the weaned calves and was walking toward the barn when Ben called to me.
Turning, I smiled. The sight of him standing there wearing one of Angus’ old sweaters, the sleeves too long for him and the front stretched over the mound of our baby, and my burgundy scarf and hat, made me want to kiss him senseless. Pregnancy suited him. In the last month, his face had filled out, and he looked healthy and happy, which was all I wanted.
He also looked winded, so I hurried toward him.
Noting the bucket in his hand, I asked, “Been feeding the goats?”
Ben nodded.
“Everything good?”
“Yeah, my back aches, though. Did Laura call?”
We had been awaiting word on the arrival of the man from the SOS.
“Yes. She said she picked up the president and his spouse-matefrom the airport this morning. They’ll be here after dinner. Come on.” I took his arm and started for the porch. “I can take a break and massage your back.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay. I’m fine. Really. I didn’t mean to bother you,” Ben protested as I helped him up the steps.
Seated on the swing, I told him to lean forward. I pressed the center of his back. “Here?”
“Lower,” he directed, then groaned when I moved the pressure to his lower back.
“Yeah. Right there.” He pulled in a breath through his teeth. “Oh, that’s good.”
As I massaged the soreness out of his lower back, Ben talked.
“I’ve been thinking. You remember the dream I had about people breaking down someone named John Waters’ door? Why did they want to hurt his mate and baby?”
“I don’t know. It could have been any reason. People in colonial times were reallysuperstitious.”
“What if John Waters was the alpha mated to the omega? What if the omega had just had his fourteenth child…an omega?”
“But they died during childbirth,” I reminded him.
“That’s what was recorded,” Ben said. Grunting, he sat back up. “That’s much better, thanks.” He leaned back in the swing and rested his head on my shoulder. I began to gently rock us back and forth.
“But maybe they died a different way. Or not at all.”