AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Makes sense.” I’d have to look up some ideas. Hugging was fine when it was the children, but hugs from adults weirded me out. Cuddling, as a concept, made me shudder. Wanting someone to hang out in your personal space for an extended period of time? Touching you? Holding you there? Yuck. I felt claustrophobic just thinking about it. Although…having Tarryn on top of me was hot. She didn’t make me feel trapped during sex, anyway.
“Now I need to claim Tarryn, and then maybe we can have what you have.”
“Having what we have didn’t happen overnight. Rodrigo and I knew each other for years and had a friendship to build on. You haven’t known them that long, by comparison. Don’t get frustrated if it takes extra time for the three of you to get to know each other. Things won’t always go smoothly. Just don’t give up.” My brother looked me in the eye, which was about as much affection as he showed to any adult. “Just remember that by doing this, you’re putting yourself in a position where they can hurt you worse than anyone you’ve ever met. Worse even than Martine.”
“I can see how that would be true. I never loved Martine—not really.”
“You were her possession. It’s not the same as real love.” He gave me a sympathetic smile. “Real love is knowing the other person can destroy you, and trusting them not to do it.”
Minnow followed her belly into the room. The usual envy rose, but at least now I knew it was because this is what I wanted in life, and not that I actually wanted my brother’s wife for myself.
She grinned when she saw me, which warmed my heart. She was always so kind and patient, but when she smiled like that, it was easy to see that she did it out of affection and not obligation.
I rose and went to greet her, holding her elbow and guiding her to a chair.
“You’re almost as bad as your brother,” she teased.
“You’re precious, and you’re carrying precious cargo. You can’t blame your family for being protective.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want everyone thinking I’m fragile. I can still do most things. Maybe not the dishes soon, but that’s only because my arms are getting too short to reach the sink past these two.” She laid her hand on her stomach and gave me a wry smile.
Severin had gotten up when I had and hovered nearby until I was out of the way. As soon as I moved, he lifted her out of her chair, then installed her in his lap.
“Mister Leduc! I’m too big for this now,” she complained.
“Nonsense.”
He put his arms around her, and she looked inordinately pleased. It was probably his way of driving home his point from earlier, but the affection softening his normally brooding face told me he didn’t only hold her becauseshewanted it. Obviously, he got something from it, too.
“They’re kicking,” Minnow told me. “Do you want to feel?”
I nodded eagerly. The last time she’d offered had been months ago, and I would never risk making her uncomfortable by asking. Although she’dmade it clear that our history was water under the bridge, I tried to be careful.
“Over here.” She took my hand and guided it to one side of her belly. A moment later, one of her babies bumped my hand. Not a flutter like the last time, but the slide of a knee or foot that felt like it was just on the other side of her skin.
“Amazing.” I waited and was rewarded with another hard bump before I pulled away my hand. I didn’t know how long to stand there with my hand on her belly before things became awkward. “How’s their bedroom coming along?”
“Almost done. The dressers came in, and the mural is almost finished.”
I’d helped her trace out the huge, sleepy dragon, but she’d done most of the painting herself. It had been coming along beautifully the last time I’d seen it.
“After that, I only have to take the newborn clothes out of storage and wash them.”
“I’ll wash them,” my brother said immediately. “I’ll even let you correct my folding technique.”
She laughed. “You’re good at folding now.”
“You know,” he drawled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “I watched a YouTube video the other day that said rolling things in a ball keeps them from getting wrinkled.”
“Not the way you used to do it.”
They slanted sly smiles at each other the way they always did when they were teasing. It was delightful torture to watch. It made me miss Tarryn with a horrible ache. My interactions with Valor were a bit more…barbed.
“Did I miss anything interesting while I was reading to Prospero and Concordia?” Minnow asked.
“Loïc marked Valor as his.”
She glanced from Sev to me, brows raised. “Really?”
