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I gently pinched him. “Don’t look so shocked. There are a few things I can cook.”
He chuckled and wriggled away from me, although he did stop to kiss me all over my face until I was laughing yet again. “All right, then. Cook me whatever you like, baby. I’m sure it’s going to be delicious.”
“You bet your ass it will be,” I retorted before getting out of bed.
Both of us got dressed while laughing and playing around, so it took longer than it normally would for me to get downstairs, the sun having fully risen in the sky. It could have just been my imagination, but I swore that the days were so much brighter in Blath.
But when I finally made it down to Tove’s stores, I realized we’d eaten through a lot of his supplies.
“Hey, Kai. I’m gonna pop over to the market I spotted before. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Hmm? Do we not have what you need?” Kai called from upstairs. It seemed he was writing a letter for some diplomatic issue or another.
“Nope. But it’s all right. It’ll be good to stretch my legs, and I’ll be right back.” I hurried out as he made an affirmative sound and happily made my way toward the market.
It was an experience I’d always wanted but never paid direct attention to, yet I found myself more than giddy as I travelled, with a cloth bag hanging by my side.
It didn’t take me long to get to the market because it didn’t take long to get anywhere on Blath, and I was pleased to see that they had the potatoes and rabbit I wanted, along with some rosemary and parsley.
It was strange not to have to pay for anything, but the person running the stand told me that Aodin had instructed every shopkeeper on the island to just bill his estate for any expenses our party incurred. While I thanked the person casually, I marveled at just how generous Aodin had been ever since we arrived. When I first met him, I never would have guessed he’d end up being such an intrinsic part of our survival, but we wouldn’t be alive without him.
Someday, when everything had calmed down, I would like to repay him back in kind. I wasn’t sure how, but I really, really wanted to.
Humming to myself as I headed back home, I didn’t quite make it to the edge of town when I suddenly had to pull up short. The reason I had to suddenly stop was because two kids rushed across the foot path in front of me, laughing and screaming with glee, and then a few beats later, another youngling was racing after them.
Were they playing tag? Stepping to the side so I was out of the way, I watched as they raced around, cheeks bright, eyes alive with the joy and wonder of childhood, and for a moment, I was captivated.
I should have expected the direction my mind went in, wondering what Kai would be like with young kids. I remembered, too, how wonderful he’d been with the young girl we’d met on our hunt for the relic, in what felt like an entirely different century. He’d been so sweet, so fun, like he understood how kids were individual beings with their own personalities and desires.
Could I see a future having children with him? I’d never really even thought about the possibility of children. I’d always assumed it was something completely off limits to me, but if we succeeded at what we were doing, then Kai was most definitely going to need an heir.
Fuck, Kai would need an heir.
I suppose I’d always known that, but I’d never really thought about it. Not truly. But even though the idea was both intimidating and slightly nauseating, I wasn’t intrinsically opposed to it. Not at all.
Oh, shit, did I want to have a family with Kai?
I needed to go home, and I needed to go home right now.
Turning my head away from the kids, I speed-walked back to the cottage. My heart was absolutely in my throat, and I felt like I might lose my lunch, but also a low-simmering arousal was quickly beginning to ramp up inside of me.
I wanted Kai. I wanted to be his mate, fully and completely. I wanted to marry him. I wanted to help him ascend the throne, and I wanted to have his babies.
Oh, fuck, I really did want a little family with Kai.
I shoved open the front door a little harder than was necessary, honing my hearing to see if Kai was still upstairs, but I could pick up on his heartbeat in the kitchen, and I rushed back there to come across my mate as he was downing a glass of water.
“Everything okay?” he asked uncertainly as I stood there in the doorway. I knew my scent had to be sending all sorts of mixed messages, but it was what it was.
“We should talk,” I said bluntly before internally wincing at my choice of words. Not the best way to start off but whatever.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“What? No! I just… there’s something we should discuss.”
Bless his soul, Kai did sit down with an open expression on his face. “What’s going on, my dear?”
“I know I haven’t always been the easiest mate. I know I did wrong with how I chose to handle our situation when I first met you, and I also know that I’ve tried to push you away multiple times.”
