The Rogue Hunter's Mate [Paranormal Protection Unit 10] (Siren Publishing Classic) (30 page)

“Or yours,” Bethany put in there and touched her finger to the tip of his nose. “Now then, how about you climb into bed and talk to the wee one while I sleep a bit longer? Maybe talk your little Wolf cub into staying off my lungs and bladder?”

“I can try but you know as well as I do, that stubbornness comes from you, darling.” Smiling at her warning look, Zaidu pressed a kiss to her lips gently and then slid under the blankets with her. Wiggling down he moved her shirt up so he could touch her skin. “Quit kicking your mother’s lungs and bladder, darling. It makes her very cranky,” he told her belly softly.

Bethany laughed and shook her head. “I love you, too, Zaidu.” Reaching down, she put her fingers in his hair and stroked his head, neck, and cheek. “You are my entire world. You know that, don’t you? Nothing and no one else in this world matters other than you and our little stubborn Wolf.”

“I know, love,” he said, looking up at her as he gave her a hug. “You and our little Wolf are all that is important to me, sweetheart.” Brushing his lips to her belly, he closed his eyes and began to tell their child a story so that the little pup would settle in for a nap.

Bethany got lost in the cadence of Zaidu’s voice and smiled. Closing her eyes she allowed his steady and even voice to calm her, soothe her as it was their babe and allowed it to pull her under and into that nap she had been desperate for earlier. With him with her she knew that life would be very, very good indeed.

Falling silent when he ran out of story, Z moved up the bed and smiled down at his mate. She was out cold and finally resting as she should. Adjusting her a little he slipped his arms around her and, resting his palms to her belly, let her and their child sleep. “I love you, Bethany,” he breathed out against her temple.

Settling their daughter on his hip, Zaidu walked through the house looking for his little darling’s mother. Spotting Bethany he eased Shelly to her feet. “Go to mama,” he encouraged her as he gave her a finger in each hand to help her balance. Seeing her mother, she let go of one hand and reached out for her mother as she squealed in glee.

Bethany dropped to her knees and laughed. Holding her arms out, she took Shelly’s little hand in hers and laughed. “Oh, honey bear.” She pulled the laughing child into her arms and shot a look at her mate. “So how long has Daddy been helping you learn how to walk, darling mine?” She eased the little girl back and kissed her plump cheeks, smiling as she looked down into the eyes that perfectly matched Zaidu’s and sighed. “You little sweetling.”

“We’ve been working on it for the last three weeks,” he said softly. Leaning in closer he pressed a kiss to Bethany’s lips. “It’s been hard to keep her from showing off but she was getting a kick out of keeping it a secret from Mommy. She so wanted to surprise you, thus why we even have her all dressed up today.” He turned his daughter around slowly to show off the fancy duds.

Grinning, Bethany nodded. “You look very sharp, my little darling.” She then pulled her little girl close, giving her a big hug as she did so. “Gosh I love you so very much, my little Wolf pup,” she whispered against the long dark curls that were so soft and silky and tied, even if it was a little lopsided, with beautiful little bows. “Daddy did such a good job getting you dressed, my little darling.”

“It was not easy,” Z said, dropping to a crouch. “I’d swear she’s part octopus given how hard it is just to get a diaper on her cute little tush. But trying to get her into any sort of top, my Gods it’s a battle royal, I tell ya.”

“And yet you did it beautifully.” Bethany picked her little girl up and rose to her feet. Laughing, she spun the child around in her arms and looked down at her with joy in her face. “You, my little princess, deserve a cookie, don’t you think?” She looked to Zaidu and with her smile in place said, “Now that she’s started to walk you do know that it’s going to be even harder to keep up with her, right?” It had been bad when Shelly had begun to scoot on her tush or crawl, but now it would be ten times as bad.

“Why do you think I’ve been childproofing for the last month and a half?” he asked with a grin. “And you thought I was completely off my rocker.” He chuckled. Moving to them he scooped Shelly up, and pressing a kiss to her cheek, he nuzzled her skin as she giggled. “Come on, ladies, time for a cookie and some milk.”

Shaking her head, Bethany followed along after her bond-mate and child. “Just means that I will have to be more vigilant in watching what you do in the event we ever have another child,” she teased him and went to the fridge to pull out Shelly’s sippy cup of milk and grabbed the package of cookies. “Do you want milk and cookies as well, Z?”

“No I’m good,” he said to her as he settled at the counter with Shelly in his lap. “Besides, she’ll feed me some as we go along.” Half-chewed and slobbered on, but it was all good. Grabbing a dishtowel, Zaidu tucked it around his daughter before her mother gave her a cookie. He knew just how messy his baby girl could get.

Bethany gave Shelly a kiss on the cheek before passing her a cookie. Grinning, she leaned back against the counter and said, “You are such a great daddy. I think that our Shelly girl needs some brothers and or sisters to play with. What do you think, Z?”

“I’ve been saying that since she came into the world.” He grinned at her. “If you will recall, you punched me for mentioning it right after you’d given birth. Pretty sure I still have a mark.” Zaidu looked at his arm in search of the mysterious mark.

Bethany couldn’t help but laugh, and snickered when Shelly began to laugh, too, the cookies and milk dribbling down her little chin and plopping onto Zaidu’s arm. “Well, now I’m thinking it would be a wonderful idea. I really do think that you, my handsome and amazing Wolf, need to have a whole passel of babies running around. Just with many months between them.” And now that Shelly was eleven months old Bethany was more than ready for another child. She hoped.

Reaching out, he took her hand and tugged her closer to him, pressing a kiss to her chin. “We don’t have to rush, darling,” he pointed out, quietly bobbing Shelly on his knee with a grin at her. Turning to look up at Bethany again, Zaidu tipped his head. “But you know I’m always willing to get some baby-making practice in.”

“Oh me, too.” Bethany smiled and stroked a hand over her daughter’s curls and then looked at Zaidu again before she spoke. “She’s stunning isn’t she?” Off topic. “You are going to have one heck of a time when that fateful day comes in the very distant future and our little one here starts to date.” She loved to tease him about that. “What do you think?”

“I think the boys will either respect her or their bodies will never be found in this lifetime or the next.” Zaidu shrugged. “They only have two options, play by my rules or run before I can find them, and I will find them, especially if anyone dares to hurt my baby girl.”

“I know, honey, and that’s just another reason why I hope and pray whoever is destined for our daughter understands the treasure that they get by getting her.” She stood and took the now cookie-covered sippy cup from Shelly and smiled. “Let me get a cloth. We will get Ms. Britches there cleaned up and then we will all sit before the fire and play for a bit before naptime.” Bethany waggled her brows and added, “And Mommy and Daddy time.”

Looking down at the curious gaze his daughter shot him, Zaidu shrugged. “Your mother propositions me often but she usually waits until you are asleep.” Pressing a kiss to the dark hair, Z shot Bethany a grin over their daughter’s head. “But at least she is being considerate and choosing her words with care for very young ears.”

Bethany laughed. “Oh honey, believe me, our daughter will understand far too soon just how very close we are,” she teased him. “Now go. Get her all nice and cleaned up so that we can have some family time in front of the fire, read Shelly-bear her book, and then put her down for a nap.” After changing her diaper of course.

Lifting his daughter Z wandered to the guest bathroom and sat her on the vanity. “We really need to teach you to get all the food in your mouth, darling,” he smiled at her as he wet a cloth and began to clean her arms, hands, face, and his arms too. Standing her on the counter he unwrapped the towel that had protected her dress. “All better,” he told her and set her down on the floor, “Go and find Mommy, baby.”

Shelly dropped to her hands and knees and at a lightning-fast pace crawled for her mother.

Scooping Shelly up from the floor Bethany laughed and while holding her close, spun them around. “There’s my beautiful little darling.” Kissing Shelly all over her face Bethany was rewarded with the precious laughter of a well-loved child. Heart spilling over in happiness, Bethany sighed. “I love that sound.” There was just something about a child’s laugh that never failed to make Bethany smile.

After cleaning up the bathroom Zaidu wandered out to the living room and smiled at what he saw. His two favorite people in the entire world laughing and making faces at each other. Grinning, he stuck his hands in his pockets and just stood back as he watched them dance around.

Her gaze caught his and Bethany winked. “Well come on, Daddy. You can start the fire for us so that Shelly and I can sit here and play, change clothes for naptime.” She held up the onesie and diaper for Zaidu to see. “And then we can read our book and give our Shelly some love before we put her down for her nap.”

Doing as she asked, Z sat down with Bethany between his legs and Shelly on her lap. Holding the book he read the story giving it the inflections their daughter preferred. Only when Shelly’s head lolled to the side, her mouth open on a soft little snore and eyes tightly shut did he stop and set it aside.

Holding her daughter close Bethany breathed in the sweet scent of innocence and smiled. “She’s perfect, Z,” she whispered. “I know I tell you this often but she really is amazing. I’m so very happy that she’s ours.”

“Keep telling you, sugar, she gets that super-sweet nature from you,” he said. Brushing a kiss to Bethany’s cheek he rubbed a hand to her side. “Let’s get her down for her nap and then I think you should talk to me some more about another one of these cute little beings.”

“Would it help if you knew that I’ve been off the pill for about four weeks now?” She got to her feet with Shelly close to her body and smiled at him. “Just sayin’.” She winked and walked toward their daughter’s room so that they could put her down for a nap. When she felt Zaidu at her back she laid Shelly down in the crib and brushed a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, my little angel,” she told her baby girl with a smile.

Moving to the crib Zaidu leaned over to brush a kiss to the chubby cheek and growled softly, smiling at the sleepy little giggle. Pulling back from their everyday ritual he turned on the nightlight and then shut the door most of the way. Tugging on Bethany’s hand he led her to their room and shut the door, pushing her back up against the panel. “So you’re very determined to have another baby then?” he asked her softly.

“I’m ever hopeful.” Bethany’s hands moved over his shoulders and down his chest. “I think we should shoot for a little boy for you to run around chasing, too.” She couldn’t help but smile as she added, “Like you do with Shelly. I think that would be a great deal of fun, don’t you?”

“Or another little girl,” he said with a lazy shrug as he watched her. “I honestly don’t care, Bethany, as long as you and our child are happy and healthy. That’s the only thing that matters to me,” he stated quietly.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Her fingers moved up and under his shirt. Smiling she began to work it off of him. “I just want our child to be happy, healthy, and that’s really and truly all that matters. So are you really ready to be a daddy a second time, Zaidu my love?”

“Are you going to yell at me and threaten to cut my cock off when you have to push out the second one, too?” he asked, bending so she could pull the shirt off over his head. “Because I recall that threat very clearly and the homicidal look in your eyes when you said it.”

“More than likely yes.” Bethany wouldn’t lie to him. “Because it fucking hurts to give birth but it’s so very worth it.” She winked at him. “I happen to really and truly love the making of the baby and then I love seeing our child when it’s born. Do I enjoy it? Hell no, the birth part, but will I do it again? Damn straight.”

“As long as you’re sure, darling, ’cause I remember you making other threats if I ever touched you again let alone what would occur if I ever had you back in that position. And if you think I’m lying, ask the doctors and nurses. They all heard you very clearly and offered sympathy after the fact.”

“Oh I’m very sure that I said all of that and even more.” Pulling back she asked, “Honey, are you going to get naked and get me naked, my love, or am I going to just die with the want for you, babe?”

“I’m just covering my ass, my balls, and all the bases here, darling,” Zaidu told her, grabbing the bottom of her thin sweater. Tugging it up, he threw it aside and moved to pull her bra off. “One plus is the extra oomph you get around your breasts and just how wonderfully sensitive they are.”

That had her laughing. “You are only saying that, darling, because you love how big they get,” she teased. “But that’s okay because I really, really love the way that you can’t help but playing with them, touching them, and, lord, I love when you put your mouth on them, too.”

“You were just as surprised as I was when you came just from my teasing you,” he said, moving his hands to her waist to undo her jeans and pushing them and her panties down her legs. Crouching, he helped her balance as she stepped free. Standing, Z undid his own jeans and pushed them down, kicking them away. “So as long as you’re all good with everything then I say we give Shelly a little brother or sister.”

“I think we should,” Bethany said with a grin. “Because I really am great with everything, darling. I look forward to every single moment that we will have together in life.”

“Then let’s see if we can’t give you another few moments to add to the history books.” He smiled down at her. Lifting her in his arms Zaidu walked her to the bed and gently settled her down. Watching as she wiggled back, farther up on the bedding, he licked his lips and then shot her a big grin. “This Wolf is hungry, darling, very hungry.” That was the only warning she got before he jumped her bones.