When he didn't immediately answer her, she looked up at him. A wide smile had slowly spread across his handsome face. Moonlight caught the brilliant white of his normally even teeth that were gradually changing as the slight crest of fang threatened his incisors.
"Go to sleep, boo.Hot damn , Itold you it was a boy!"
CHAPTER FIVE
She punched her pillows, tossed and turned, and finally conceded to grudgingly stare up at the skylight. How in the world could the man just nod off like that and sleep with everything going on? How did the male mind just go click, and turn off, and then once refreshed, merrily resume the problem solving anew in the morning? For her, things had to be settled, first. A clear path, a solution developed, then rest came from the release of worry.
Not to mention, hundreds of thoughts were attacking her brain. Curious questions like, why did the unexpected burst of energy make her so damned horny all of a sudden?Nobody had prepared her for all of that. Feeling like that clearly made no sense, given the fate of the world and what they were probably facing. Maybe Carlos was right . . . damn . . . maybe it was a boy, because she sure had something akin to a testosterone rush hitting her system real hard right about now.
Then, again, maybe she should just chill. For once in Carlos's life he was making perfect sense. They were supposed to keep the secret, according to the Neteru Councils. She had indeed been ill for weeks. Plus, what if something did happen . . . they'd both be devastated, and the last thing he needed was something else on his conscience to feel guilty about. Yeah . . . he was right this time. She needed to chill.Had to go to sleep. But, damn, he hadn't even looked at her sideways, let alone with any type of longing . . . not even before they found out about this new world crisis. That was definitely not Carlos.
But what if her carrying really did change the way he saw her? What if now that she was about to be a mother, he no longer found her sexy . . . like that would matter if the end of the world was at hand. She tried to make herself laugh, instead tears filled her eyes. Okay, she was tripping. It didn't matter. Besides, there was some prophecy out there that she hadn't asked Val about when she'd had the chance to and to do so now would tip her hand. She could ask Aset again, but the ancient Queens were being very cagey on the subject. Maybe it was bad news, that's why they didn't wanna say? Who knew?
Damali turned over on her side and spooned Carlos, bathing in the comforting warmth of his body heat. He stirred slightly and pulled her hand into his. It was an unconscious reaction, one developed over their years of sleeping together in the same bed.
She kissed his shoulder."You asleep?"
"Uhmmm-hmmm," he mumbled absently.
She curled in closer to him and kissed his shoulder again."You sure?"
"Uhmmm-hmmm," he murmured, but his breathing had changed. He was waking.
"Are you sure you're still attracted to me now?" she asked softly against his shoulder blade and then held her breath.
"Uhmmm-hmmm," he said in a low rumble. "Stop worrying and get some rest."
"What if after I have the baby, I don't snap back and my stomach and thighs get real heavy and my behindgets all . . . I don't know. Then, my br**sts get all-"
"D . . . c'mon,go to sleep. I don't wanna talk about it right now."
"You can't even think about it, can you?" She swallowed hard, surprised to be tasting tears.
"No . . . I honestly can't," he said in a strained voice. "I can't allow myself to even go there, okay?"
"All right," she said in a dejected tone. "You were just being honest . . . straight no chaser . . . I just thought that you'd still find something about me that would be attractive if I got heavier."
"Help me, Father," he said quietly. "D-I cannot think about your behind, your thighs, or your br**sts getting bigger right now because that'll give me the shakes. Can we just go to sleep and not discussanything remotely sexual for the next nine months? In fact, that word is banned from our vocabulary." He sat up and wiped his palms down his face. "Like, okay-let's talk about the end of the world. That's a real erection killer. Let's talk about potential demon portals . . . anything, baby, that is off the subject, all right?"
She peered at the tent his body made beneath the sheet and swallowed a smile. "I'm sorry . . . I just thought you weren't interested in me because we always, you know, have a crazy, go-for-broke moment before we go into a big battle . . . just in case one of us doesn't come back-or if one of us gets injured so badly we can't do that anymore. I just missed you. I'm not used to this new lifestyle."
"I miss you, too," he said, briefly touching her face but then pulling his hand away as though she'd burned him. "Don't ever think I don't, all right." Before she could answer, he turned away from her and slid down, pulling the sheet up over his shoulder. "Get some rest. The hormone concentrations in your blood are spiking and that's what's sending you all over the map . . . they'll level off."
"You can smell that?" She leaned over and kissed his earlobe. "Do you know how long it's been since you actually-"
He held up one finger and she bit her lip. He didn't turn around and his voice came out on a hard rasp."Stop."
"I'm sorry . . ."
"That's the other reason I don't need to be bothering you . . . you smell incredible. I don't wanna discuss it."
"All right.Good night," she whispered against his shoulder. "But I thought couples were never supposed to go to sleep angry . . . especially us . . . in dangerous professions."
"I'm not angry, just tired."
"Then why do you sound so pissy? Like, no good night kiss?My bad. Sorry I woke you."
He turned slowly, looking over his shoulder, eyes blazing silver in the darkness and presenting full fangs. "If you don't cut it outI will mess around and accidentally bite you. If you keep on baiting me, I'm out. I'll switch shifts with somebody; will do whatever I have to do to keep myself occupied. But I need you to meet me halfway."