The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,120

in charge when they return, but we can be the do ng aun e and uncle figures who drag her off to the city for plays and shopping on occasion and give them a break."

Drina nodded solemnly. "You're going to be a good father."

"I sincerely hope so," Harper murmured, bending to kiss the p of her nose. He then straightened, and asked, "I presume that means you do want children?"

"Yes," she admitted. "Do you?"

"Definitely," he assured her. Le ng his hands slide to her waist, Harper li ed her up. When Drina ins nc vely wrapped her legs around his waist, he began to carry her through the living room toward the hall Stephanie had disappeared down. "And where would you like to raise those children?"

"With you," she said simply.

He smiled and paused at the start of the hall to kiss her, but then con nued on, asking, "And where would that be? Where do you want to live, Drina? Your home and family are in Spain."

"And your home and family are here in Canada," she pointed out.

"Actually, my birth family are in Germany," he said wryly, "but you're right, Elvi and Victor and the others have become my family, and they're here. As is Stephanie."

"You consider me family?"

Harper paused, and Drina glanced around to see that they were halfway up the hall and in front of an open bedroom door. Stephanie stood in the middle of the room, her wide eyes on them.

"We'd like to consider you family if that's all right with you?" Drina said solemnly.

"Oh, yeah!" She grinned. "Everyone needs family, and you two are pre y cool. Kind of annoying with your new-life-mate horndoginess, but still cool."

The words startled a laugh from Drina, and she said, "So you wouldn't mind if we se led in Port Henry or somewhere nearby and stayed a part of your life?"

"I'd like that," she assured them quietly.

"So would I," Harper said, and glanced to Drina. "You're sure? Your family is in Spain."

"You're my life mate, Harper. And I love you. You are my family," she said solemnly. "And so is Stephanie. My home is here now."

His eyes widened, and he seemed to hold his breath for a moment as if savoring what she'd said. That breath came out as if he'd been punched when Stephanie said, "Well? Aren't you going to tell her you love her too, Harper? I know that you do."

He smiled wryly, and then turned to the girl to say, "I'll tell her. Now go get some sleep. We're going to nap too."

"Oh yeah." Stephanie rolled her eyes as she moved to the door. "I bet you'll get so much sleep."

Drina wrinkled her nose. "Maybe we should cut your hair. That might help disguise you."

"No way!" Stephanie said at once. "Actually, I'm thinking a goth look might be a cool change. Black hair, black lips ck, maybe some purple or pink streaks like Mirabeau. Oh, and some chains and nose rings. I could really rock the goth look," she assured them with a wicked grin as she closed the door. Drina groaned as Harper started moving again. "She's going to be trouble, that one."

"No doubt," he said with amusement. "But you can handle her."

"I can, can I?" she asked wryly, as he carried her into his room and kicked the door closed.

"Dree, darling, you've handled pirates and pros tutes. You can handle one li le teenager. And together we can handle Stephanie and ten more," he assured her, moving to the bed and kneeling on the edge to lower her to it.

"We . . . I like that," she murmured, as her back hit the bed, and he came down on top of her. And then her eyes widened, and she squawked, "Ten?"

"One at a me," Harper assured her, pulling her upright with him so that he could remove her T-shirt.

"Every hundred years or so as law insists."

He had removed her T-shirt and bra as he spoke and now pushed her back on the bed and shi ed down between her ankles to tug her joggers and panties off.

"So you're going to have me barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen every hundred years, are you?" Drina asked with amusement, as he tossed the last of her clothes aside and turned back to survey what he'd revealed.

"Oh no," Harper assured her. "Barefoot and pregnant in every room but the kitchen. I am the cook in this household."

"Hmmm." She raised one foot and caught the hem of his T-shirt