Unexpected Sting by Viola Grace (good romance books to read TXT) 📗

changedwhen... you know.” She mumbled.

“It gratifies me that no oneelse has told you.”

“I would have noticed thescreaming.” Stinger shrugged. “I certainly would have noticed themrunning.”

“I didn’t run.”

She gave him a considering look.“No, you didn’t. You even kissed me when I looked like a characterfrom a horror movie. You either have a strong stomach or reallywanted to get laid.”

“I wanted to help.”

She stroked his cheek. “And youdid, but I was impressed you were willing to offer assistance. Ihave grown up with half the guys at the party, and none of themoffered to do more than watch me cut a car in quarters.”

“You know they werewatching?”

“Sure. Ryos uses some of themoney he makes and donates it to the shelter that was in danger.”She shrugged and slowly moved to ease off him. He gripped herhip.

“Where are you going?”

“Restroom. I am slightly stickyright now, and I want to take steps to ensure that I don’t getextremely sticky.”

He grimaced. “I can’t argue withthat.”

She laughed, eased them apart,and then rolled. “I know.” Her negligee was clinging to her elbows,and the robe was lost in the sheets.

She eased everything back inplace before she headed to the bathroom. The slow trail moving downher inner thigh proved that she had been right to get moving. Sheused the toilet, cleaned up, brushed her hair, wiped her neck andbreasts. She looked longingly at the soaker tub that was callingher. She was going to be a knot of aches and pains in the morning,but no regrets. From the time that the oracle spoke to her, hermind was made up. She might not be able to keep Arthur, but shecould carry their baby and tie them together that way. She wasfairly sure that when his family found out who her father was, whoshe was, they were going to flip out. The scorpion had finallycaught Orion because he was having sex with the arachnid inquestion.

She splashed water on her faceagain and patted her face dry. She sighed. The chemise was a lostcause, so she removed it and return to the bedroom naked. To hersurprise, he was gone.

Chapter Eight

Nervous, Stinger called out,“Arthur?”

From the lower level, she heard,“I am just answering a few urgent emails. I will be back up in aminute.”

Stinger said, “Okay.”

A bit of housekeeping magic, andthe bed looked less of a disaster zone. She gathered her toys anddumped them into her duffle in the closet. Her robe and chemisewere refreshed and hung up, and she crawled into bed and turned onthe television, turning her back to the screen while she curledinto a small ball.

She woke up when she heardrustling, and then, long arms wrapped around her, pulling heragainst cool skin. “Stinger?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you all wadded up?”

“Oh, I was alone. That’s how Isleep if I fall asleep alone.” She muttered it and stayed in hercomfy position.

“How is that comfortable?”

She chuckled. “Practice. If itreally bothers you...” She stretched and stuck her limbs out.

He wrapped both his arms aroundher ribs and hips and pulled her against him. He chuckled. “That’sbetter.”

“All good with work?”

“Yeah, I have a virtual callscheduled tomorrow, but that is it.” He rubbed his chin against herhead. “How about you?”

“I set all local stuff in motionwhen I was waiting for you. It’s all good.”

“I have never been so eager toget to bed at eight in all my life.” He leaned over and licked theedge of her ear.

She turned her head, and theirkiss was sweet. Stinger felt her heart melt at the sweet care inthe kiss. She shifted her shoulders toward him and ended up withher hands against his chest, and she worked her arms around himuntil they were just hugging with a slow, soft kiss.

She sighed softly when theypressed their foreheads together. “I wonder when the magiccompulsion will kick in.”

“Probably if the spell thinks wehave gone too far between coupling.” He rubbed his nose againsthers. “Perhaps not at all if there is a positive result.”

“It isn’t instant, even if thetiming was right.” She bit her lip.

“Nervous about it?”

“Damn straight. There can becomplications, illnesses, my mom was a wreck for the first fourmonths.”

He paused. “According towho?”

“Nana Baker. She said my mom wasgreen and useless until I started to make myself known, and then,my mom rallied. So, where were your parents and you during thattime?”

“Travelling. We got away fromthe insanity that my grandfather peddled about seeking out thescorpion and destroying it.” He stroked her back. “When I was born,my dad swore to correct the behaviours of our ancestor, and hebecame a naturalist when I was six, and we travelled the world,learning how the world interacted with the humans and other speciesin it.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “He is the one calledwhen nature and the magical world collide.”

“Oh. Well, that is fun as longas your mother likes travelling.”

“When he goes somewhere she hasno interest in, she goes to visit family.”

“Are you close with herfamily?”

“Well, there are issues thatarise. The fact that I almost exclusively take after my dad’sfeatures with an ogre body type is a little annoying to them.”

“This is an ogre body?”

He snorted. “This is my body. Myogre form doesn’t come out to play much. It tends to send villagersrunning for priests. I don’t have a fast change either, so youcan’t just see it and dismiss it if you don’t like it.”

“How much time in betweenshifts?”

“It depends how much the ogrelikes where he is. If that is the case, he will stay until he fallsasleep.”

She cocked her head. “How sleepyare you feeling?”

He pressed against her, and shefelt him against her belly. “Not very. He is going to have to waituntil later. It’s my turn now.”

He moved down her body, kissing,licking, and stroking her as he edged downward. When he reached hernavel, he asked, “How sleepy are you feeling?” He chuckled againsther skin and nipped her gently.

She exhaled sharply. “Not very.Wide awake.”

He slid two fingers into her andnipped her belly again. “So I can feel.”

He eased her to her stomach andparted her legs; he grabbed for a pillow and slid it under herhips. The first thrust against her made him