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“He’s right, you know,” Aspen told her.
“Yeah, he is,” Bailey admitted. “I wasn’t heartbroken.”
The bearcat narrowed her eyes. “That wasn’t what I was referring to.”
Bailey blinked. “Oh. Well yeah, I did steal his watch,” she confessed.
“I wasn’t referring to that either.”
“Maybe try being more specific.”
“Maybe try being less of a dork,” Aspen snippily shot back.
“Why?” Seemed unnecessary, really.
“I can do it myself,” a new voice growled.
They all turned to see two of their pride mates turning the corner of the aisle.
Alex scowled at his pregnant mate. “It’s heavy.”
“It’s a cart,” snapped Bree. “I’m pushing it, not carrying it.”
“Hey, you two,” Havana greeted. “Everything okay?”
Bree looked at her, the image of exasperation. “It will be when he stops treating me like I’m made of porcelain.”
“You shouldn’t be overexerting yourself,” Alex insisted.
The rubber sole of Bree’s shoe squeaked as she swerved to face him. “How, pray tell, does shopping count as overexerting myself?”
“I don’t know, but it does.”
Eyeing the male wolverine, Bailey didn’t bother fighting a smile. “I never thought I’d see you ruffled by anything.” Like the rest of his kind, he was known for being both fearless and implacable.
He only grunted, not what anyone would call talkative or social. He didn’t bother with many people and only seemed to enjoy the company of Bree, who was also the pride’s primary omega. The pallas cat wasn’t his true mate, but they were as tight as any predestined couple.
“His overprotectiveness was funny at first,” said Bree, turning back to Bailey and her girls. “Now it’s plain maddening. And I can’t stop eating. I’m always hungry. Always.”
“You don’t look like you’re overeating,” Aspen told her.
Alex sighed. “The baby is basically devouring most of the goodness she takes in. That’s how I know it’s a wolverine. They’re greedy even in the womb.”
Bree swallowed, her expression pained. “I’m worried it might eat my womb, at this point.”
Havana gave her a smile that was as compassionate as it was reassuring. “Soon you’ll have your baby in your arms, and then it’ll all be worth it.”
“My arms?” Bree snorted. “If I’m lucky, sure. But something tells me that Valentina will take over,” she mumbled, referring to Alex’s mom—a badass woman who Bailey adored. “Or his Russian uncles. They’re insisting on naming the baby, which will not be happening.”
Bailey guessed that the three male wolverines were simply intent on ensuring that the kid had a Russian name as well. They weren’t at all pleased with Alex’s sister, Mila, for not giving her twins Russian names.
Alex put a hand on Bree’s back. “Come on, let’s finish shopping and then get you home.”
The omega sniffed. “Fine. But I’m pushing the cart—I don’t care what you say or do.”
Bickering over the matter, the couple continued down the aisle.
Havana grinned at Aspen. “Camden will be like that when you eventually get pregnant.”
“Tate won’t be any less of a hoverer,” the bearcat pointed out. “You’ll try to kill him at least twice.”
Havana sighed. “Probably.”
As Bailey and her girls continued venturing down aisles, she and Havana tossed this or that into their cart as they went along. Bailey didn’t grab much. Just some microwave meals, snack foods, and dairy products.
Eventually, they all reached the cash register, where they paid for and then bagged their shopping while the attendant—a pride member—bubbly jabbered on.
Bags in hand, Bailey led the way as the three of them headed outside. A little shiver skated over the back of her neck as the cool air hit her. Ugh.
They began a slow walk to Havana’s cul-de-sac, chatting about everyday stuff, but the Alpha female watched Bailey closely. It didn’t take a genius to sense that she wasn’t gonna back down from pushing Bailey to confess all. She was merely giving her a break.
Once Havana was safely inside her home, Bailey and Aspen went their separate ways—the bearcat began making her way to the steakhouse to meet Camden while Bailey made a beeline for her apartment building.
Reaching the lot, Bailey walked toward the complex, her heels ticking on the black pavement as she passed vehicle after vehicle. She had to dodge the occasional puddle. The rain had thankfully stopped, but the scent of ozone and wet grass lingered.
Cold, she transferred her shopping bags to one hand so she could stuff the other in her pocket. The fairly large lot was bordered by bushes, streetlights, and narrow strips of grass. Right then empty of people, it was also quiet. Only the sounds of her footfalls and the nearby traffic noise could be heard.
Her plans for the evening were simple. Take a hot bath, dress in warm clothes, nuke and scoff down a microwave meal, and then meet Deke at his apartment. Where she’d hopefully got boinked until she couldn’t think straight.
He was good at that. While he was deep inside her—touching her with desperation and urgency and so much need—it was easy to forget everything else. What wasn’t easy was maintaining a “strictly sex” mental stance. Because curt and gruff though he might be, she was growing to like him.
