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

kept the line for thephotographer moving along, watching Nessa and her guys pose for thedrooling photographer. He was getting tons of images to paint overand use on covers. Each of the groups signed a waiver if theirphotos turned out.

Stovos went through with anelegantly attired Orvis. She looked amazing, and Stovos looked sohappy to have her on his arm.

There was a lull, and the imageswere being displayed throughout the venue. The photographer asked,“Don’t you have a guy lurking in the wings?”

“No. I am not here with him. Heis attending for business, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for me tobe with him.”

“Well, then, let me take a fewof you.”

She paused.

“Come on. I don’t have anythingin the solo range yet, well, nothing with a woman.”

“A dude came through?”

“Yeah, a little lady pushed himin and tried to pose with him, but he wouldn’t hear of it, so Ihave him, and she stomped off to grab someone else.”

“Can I see his picture?”

“Sure.”

She saw the image of Arthurglaring at the camera. “Yeah, that’s him.”

The photographer blinked.“What?”

“My guy. Okay, two pictures. Howdo you want them?”

She took the two images, andthey looked so sad.

She nodded to the photographeras his lineup started again and was walking around the edge of theparty when she ran into a familiar brick wall. “Arthur, I amworking.”

He sighed. “I know. Have yougotten the push from the contract?”

“No. I would have hauled youinto a dark corner for that.”

He nodded and slowly smiled. “Ihave not felt one either.”

She squeaked as he picked her upand hugged her.

A young woman wobbled up tothem. “Hey, let him go. I called dibs.”

Stiila looked at her. “Youcalled dibs? On my man?”

“Uh, yeah. He doesn’t have aring. You don’t have a ring. He’s available.”

She looked to Arthur. “Did yousay you were available?”

“Of course not.”

She looked at the woman. “Didyou ask if he was free?”

“No. It doesn’t matter.”

Stinger patted Arthur’s chest.“Love, set me down.”

His hands tightened for amoment, and then, he set her carefully back on her feet. She lookedat the woman and smiled. “It would be best if you walked awaynow.”

“I am not afraid of you.”

Stinger grabbed the front of herbeaded gown and lifted her skyward. “How about now?”

The woman squeaked, and two gelslices crept out of her bodice. Stinger set her back on her feetand helped her right herself. “He’s mine. I am working, and he justfound out that he’s the father of my child. We really wanted thatmoment, and you came into the middle of it trying to claimhim.”

The woman blinked. “You two arereally...”

They answered, “Yes.”

The woman scuttled away,muttering, “Sorry.”

Stinger sighed and turned backto Arthur. “Now, where were we?”

He smiled. “I would like apicture with you.”

She sighed, and they walked backup to the photographer. He looked at them. “You weren’tkidding.”

“I wasn’t. How would you likeus?”

“Arms crossed and glaring ateach other over your shoulders.”

Arthur murmured, “This issilly.”

“I am lacking in silly. This ishelping.”

When they were turned towardeach other, they held hands and smiled. She smiled. “Arthur, Ithink we’re pregnant.”

He smiled, and she heard theshutter going crazy as he reached for her and kissed her. Shewrapped her arms around his neck, and her left foot went upslightly. She laughed when he raised his head. “Getting a crick inyour neck?”

“I honestly don’t care.”

She laughed, and they left thewhining photographer as she kissed Arthur and released him to hisco-workers. His foolish grin was bound to get noticed, butthankfully, Orvis and Stovos had left already. No one else waslooking.

Three more hours, and she couldhead off with Arthur.

She put out a few smallfires—one literal—and stepped out of the venue after seeing all theserving staff to their cars. The gallery owner locked up and wavedher off. Shrugging, she headed down the walkway toward the streetwhen she heard the rush of heels behind her. She stepped aside, andthe woman fell down the steps. Stinger looked at the break andslowly walked down the steps toward the woman crying and sobbingabout it not being fair.

Stinger grabbed the woman’sphone with her armoured fingertips and called emergency services.She whispered in the woman’s ear. “Tell them where you are.”

She looked at the woman with hereyes black and turned to where her mate was waiting in adoorway.

He held his hand out to her.“Are you all right?”

“Yes. She followed me since themoment I drove her off. She will be fine. It must be a slow night.The police are coming.” She took his hand, and he pulled herthrough the doorway.

She looked up at him and then atthe walkway under her feet and the expectant faces looking at her.A scowling blond man in casual Japanese traditional dress asked,“You are the scorpion?”

He was speaking in English, sothat is what she responded in. “Yes, I am. My father was, and Iam.”

“You are mated to my son.”

She tilted her head. “I am. Ifnothing happens to change the situation, we are also expecting.”She looked at the woman with long black hair. “Hopefully, the childwill have dark hair.”

The woman smiled. “Brunettes aremuch more intelligent than blonds, at least in this family. Comewith me, scorpion.”

“Stiila.”

“Stiila. I am Yua. Those clotheslook terribly uncomfortable.”

“Oh, they are as comfortable asthey can be. The shoes are a nightmare.”

They walked and chatted as theypassed family members who had come to see the wild stalker who hadtormented Arthur’s father’s family for centuries.

“We will get you scrubbed up andinto a bath, and you can tell me about how you met my son.”

“Very well.”

So, she told Yua everythingabout their meeting, from the gym to the wedding and then meetingat Nana Baker’s.

“So, you really do go to NanaBaker’s and do errands?”

“I do. She makes stuff up for meto do, and I go and do it when I am in town.”

Yua walked her into a bathingroom and gestured for her to remove her clothing. “You will be intown much more often.”

“I will, but I am still gettingover the curse that she put on the condoms we were using.”

“She did what?” Yua’s skin gotred, and she got taller.

“She sent out a curse andpierced our condoms. It is why we went for the breeding contract,and after we didn’t strangle each other, we went for