Lukyan clenched and released his hands as he watched the woman turn her back to him to talk on the phone.
“Cut him some slack,” Dimitris chided.
Cate leaned across the table and whispered, “Lukyan, I don’t want to be rude, but you smell terrible. Maybe you should go back to the room and take a quick shower before you meet your mate. I think she would appreciate it.”
All three of his cousins chuckled at Cate’s statement. “Darling, he can’t help it, it’s the mating musk. It serves as a warning to other males to stay away from his female. It won’t go away until he mates her.”
Cate gave Dimitris a stunned stare. “You didn’t smell like a bottle of one dollar cologne before we were mated.”
Alek laughed outright at that. “Oh yes, he did. He stunk a thousand times worse than old Lukey-boy. I gagged every time he walked in the room. You just couldn’t smell it because you had your human nose then.”
“Can we stop worrying about my musk and start worrying about my mate?” Lukyen glared at each person at the table. “Tell me what she’s saying, Cate.”
Cate looked uncertain. “Luk, you know I don’t like to listen in on people’s conversations.”
“Please, Cate. The Goddess gave you the gift of excellent hearing. I don’t know why she did it. Maybe it was a big cosmic joke, or perhaps it has some meaning. Maybe she gave you the ability to hear so that you could tell me exactly what my mate is saying right at this moment, and who she is saying it to.”
Cate crinkled her nose as if mulling the consequences of spying on his mate. She must have decided that the benefits outweighed the drawbacks because she sat back and turned her head so that her left ear was angled toward the bar. “Alright, be quiet so I can tune into her conversation.”
“Can’t you just tune everyone out? Why do we have to be quiet, too?”
Lukyan growl. “Alek, I swear, I cannot take any more of you tonight.”
Alek chuckled. “So serious, Luk. What are you going to do if I prattle on? Make one of your terrifying lists?”
“Yes. The reasons you should be quiet are as follows: One, I will kill you if you don’t.”
“And, what’s the next reason?”
“That’s it. There is exactly one reason on the list.”
Mylo put his hand on Alek’s shoulder. “I know you like to mess with him, but I think right now you should give it a break. He’s a bit on edge.”
“Seriously guys, if you will be quiet, I can almost hear what the person on the phone is saying.” Cate leaned a bit out of the seat toward the bar. “It’s a woman, her friend.”
“What are they talking about?” Lukyan leaned toward the bar, too, as if mimicking Cate’s posture would suddenly give him the ability to hear the conversation.
“Her friend says she needs to fuck the hottie.”
Alek clapped him on the shoulder. “See, it’s going to work out in your favor, Luk.”
Cate continued, “She should fuck all the hotties. A different hottie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Lukyan growled. “What does my mate say?”
“Well, for starters she doesn’t like the f-word.” Cate made air quotes with her fingers.
Mylo grunted. “That’s not gonna be fun in the bedroom, Luk.” Alek chuckled causing Cate to wave her hand at him. He mimicked zipping his lips. Lukyan rolled his eyes and turned back toward his mate.
“Okay, now she’s saying that she’s not the wild type of girl. She doesn’t want a man. She wants a baby. And a terrier. Eww, a terrier, those are annoying dogs.”
“Please, Cate, just the conversation.”
“Right.” Cate sat up straighter and ticked her head to the side. “Norah. Her name is Norah. And she’s twenty-seven. And,” Cate paused to listen, “She’s dated a string of losers and seems to think that life should be some fantasy. And now the friend is back to the idea of scrambling eggs and living a messy life.”
“Oh, lord, Luk. The first thing you're going to have to do is introduce me to the crazy friend. I like a woman who’s a little off in the head, if you know what I mean.” Lukyan ignored Alek’s comment.
Cate cut back into the conversation. “Your mate is lonely and she just wants a baby.” Lukyan looked at his mate. He would love to give her a baby. He couldn’t imagine anything more perfect than seeing her round and swollen with his child.
