Hunting Ember (Pride of Alphas #1) - Milly Taiden Page 0,28

he couldn’t fuck it up.

Dessert had been trickier to figure out, but he was sure his plan would go over well.

“This is so nice,” Ember said after taking a sip of her wine. “It’s so quiet out here.”

“It is, yeah. I’m not a fan of open bodies of water. I fully believe that you have to respect the ocean and stay the hell away from it. But this? It’s far enough away from the bustle of the city to feel like another world without going out to sea.”

Ember giggled and pointed her finger at him. “You asked me if I was scared of the water, but it’s you who is.”

He was a lion. A big cat. Of course, he was wary of large bodies of water. He felt a blush creep up his cheeks, and he was thankful that the night was just dark enough, the lights just dull enough to mask it.

“Yes, so we won’t be going out with the boat. I wouldn’t know how to drive it or sail it. I just find it beautiful out here.”

“Well, you did good, Kai. I’m very impressed.” A smile curled the lips he wanted to kiss.

Anything to make his mate feel loved and special.

“I should help you with dinner,” she said, coming to stand next to him.

“Nope. That’s my task tonight.” He wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her closer to him. He kissed the top of her head, taking a whiff of her scent. She smelled like sunshine and sex. Like love and happiness. The scent was like catnip to his lion, who was all but rolling around in his mind, presenting his soft underbelly as if Ember could reach inside of his brain and give him a belly rub.

“Is grilling part of your family leader duties?”

“It sure is,” he answered. “I grill, and Mom prepares the sides. Usually, my sister-in-law, Carmen, helps with that, but she’s very pregnant at the moment. She’s due in a few days, but the doctors have already warned her that the baby might be late. The little bundle of joy doesn’t seem too eager to come out.”

“This is Lee’s wife?”

Kai felt his chest puff up in pride. He had only mentioned his family member’s names a couple of times, but Ember had made an effort to remember.

“That’s right. Carmen is Lee’s wife.”

“And Silvester is their little boy, Sophie is the baby.”

“Right, though, I guess we won’t be able to call her that for much longer with the third one. Sophie is almost two.”

Ember’s eyes went wide. “Two? And there is going to be a newborn? There is basically no time between pregnancies.”

“Yeah, it was a surprise to them.”

Not really, though. Kai didn’t think it was the time to explain to his mate that shifters had pretty potent sperm. When those swimmers got to where they were going, they wouldn’t stop until another shifter was baking.

“They are really good parents, though. They can handle it. Besides, my parents love being grandparents. Sometimes, Carmen has to put her foot down and explain to my parents that the kids can’t always do sleepovers.”

Ember’s face lit up. “I have a feeling that my parents would be the same if any of us girls had kids.”

Kai nodded. “Do you want kids?”

It wasn’t the kind of conversation to have on a first date, but this wasn’t an ordinary first date. She was his mate, and he was already imagining having a bunch of kids with her. It would be good for him to know if it was even in her plans.”

“Oh, I would love to have kids. It’s just never happened, you know? I don’t keep the easiest hours when I’m working at the bakery.”

“I imagine not. But if you want a family, I’m sure it will happen for you.”

The act of producing said family made him shiver.

It would mean he would have her bare, without any latex between them. He could empty himself inside of her. He could watch her delicious curves swell as their child grew in her womb.

He had a very clear image of Ember hold a tiny little girl in her arms, cooing lovingly.

Yes, his lion purred, now tell her she’s our mate so we can make that happen right now.

Kai pushed the thought away, choosing instead to turn his focus toward dinner. “Dinner is ready,” he announced. He loaded a tray with their food and brought it over to the table where they tucked in.

Ember cut a piece of her salmon. He tracked