by Leann Ryans
“About needing the father’s—”
“Yes.”
Annalise cut her off before she could finish, not sure what the other woman was going to say. She could already feel the heat in her cheeks and didn’t need anything adding to it.
Penny chuckled, sitting back in her seat as she looked down at the bundle cradled against her. It was clear to see how much she loved the baby, and Annalise’s heart gave a painful thump.
“I hadn’t known a whole lot when I became pregnant either. An omega’s special needs isn’t something that’s talked about much unless you find a good doctor. The one we have here is great, but I guess she wouldn’t know as much as someone who’s gone through it.”
Penny paused before looking up at Annalise again. Her lips tipped up on one side, but Annalise had the feeling she was laughing at herself more than making light of the situation.
“I thought the lust was just part of being bonded, but there were times when it felt like I was in heat all over again. I needed him. Having him first thing in the morning was the only thing that could stop the morning sickness.”
“You mean you… every day?”
Annalise knew her face showed her dismay. Penny chuckled even as color rose in her cheeks.
“Well, more like multiple times a day, but we were newly bonded after all. I’m not sure how much was the baby, but the times when it felt like my heat was probably only once or twice a week in the beginning, then almost none in the second trimester, though it came back toward the end.”
Annalise sucked in a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She could handle twice a week for a couple months until the need eased.
“Did you not want him to claim you?”
The question brought Annalise up short, but since Penny had shared fairly personal information, Annalise felt like she couldn’t refuse to answer.
“No. I don’t know him. I only wanted a baby.”
She was surprised not to see judgment in Penny’s gaze, only curiosity. She found herself sharing more than she’d meant to.
“I don’t need a mate. I can do this on my own. Pregnancy is no reason to tie yourself to someone, even when there’s a chance to reverse it later. And bonding is permanent.”
The flair in Penny’s eyes let her know she’d given away too much. No matter how hard she tried to escape the shadow of her parents, they still influenced her. She was the reason they’d tied themselves together, though pride was what prevented them from admitting it was a mistake.
Sofia waking with a cry saved her when Penny opened her mouth to respond. Annalise took the opportunity to rise while Penny was distracted cooing to the baby.
“Thank you for sharing with me. I appreciate your openness,” she said when the other woman looked up at her.
Penny gave her a smile.
“It’s no problem. I don’t mind. I’m sure Sandra would share too if you want another perspective.”
Annalise nodded.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Enjoy your evening.”
Making her escape from the coffee shop, she hesitated on the sidewalk. It was the usual time for her walk, but despite the coffee she was feeling drained. Deciding to skip it for the day, she turned and headed to her apartment, trying to think of a way to broach the subject of a schedule with Liam.
22. Liam
“You want to schedule when we have sex?”
He could hear the incredulity in his voice, his eyebrows raised so high he was sure they were approaching his hairline. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh at the absurdity or growl at her audacity.
“My sources say that twice a week should be enough, and Tuesdays and Fridays work with my schedule the best. Since I need to ingest it as well as… receive it, I can block out an hour on each of those days. If you could prepare yourself beforehand it would be appreciated.”
He had been in his room when she’d knocked on his door, sketching the view from his window. He was still seated in the chair he’d claimed from the patio, sketchpad forgotten on his knee as she stood by the door.
She was stiff, hands folded together over her belly, chin high as she stared at a spot above his head. The detached tone she used was grating on him the more he heard it, and while he’d failed to make progress since their last encounter, he hadn’t thought it would come to this.
Her eyes snapped to his face when he stood, widening as he stalked toward her. She took a step back but was stopped by the edge of the door, her breathing coming in quick pants as he invaded her space.
Stopping when he was close enough to feel the air she exhaled against his cheek, he let his displeasure rumble through him. The growl was so low it was more felt than heard, but her expanding pupils proved its efficacy.
“Your body doesn’t run on a schedule, Annalise. What if the baby needs more?”
Leaning closer, he stopped with his lips a hair away from brushing her neck, just under her ear where her scent was strongest. She couldn’t hide the smell permeating the air.
“What if you want more? Am I still supposed to stick to the schedule?”
He could feel the heat rising from her as he watched goosebumps ripple over her skin. He knew her nipples were tight pebbles, her thighs wet with slick that smelled divine. The temptation to take her by the throat and throw her on the bed was hard to resist.
“T—twice a week should be plenty. I’ll come to you after dinner.”
He pulled his head back to look down at her face, but she took the opportunity to slip through the doorway. She walked down the hall with measured steps, not bothering to look back as she made her way to the kitchen. He was tempted to follow her, but wasn’t sure he could keep himself from going too far.
Forcing himself not to slam the door in frustration, he turned back to his window, staring down at the shrunken people on the sidewalk. His instincts were battling with what his brain knew he couldn’t do, and it was a struggle to convince himself that throwing her down and rutting her until she forgot this whole idea wasn’t something he could get away with.
Glancing down to where his sketchpad had fallen, he snorted at the image on the page it had flipped to. Annalise stared back at him, bare breasts thrust forward, one of his hands pinching a pert nipple as the other gripped her throat. He’d drawn it from memory and was dissatisfied with the way it looked. Nothing could capture the passion and intensity in Annalise’s eyes as she’d ridden him during her heat.
Shoving that image from his mind, he glared at the door separating him from the infuriating omega. She wanted to treat everything like a business deal. Like she didn’t need human interactions or relationships. As far as he knew, her sister was the only person she spoke to besides him, and that was no way for someone to live.
That was no life to bring a child into.
Gritting his teeth, he snarled. He couldn’t see a way to get her to change her mind outside of giving her exactly what she asked for. Cold, dispassionate service.
A cruel smile stretched his lips as a thought occurred to him. There was nothing that said she needed to orgasm, or that he even needed to knot her. She just needed his cum.
His muscles loosened as a chuckle rolled through him. Annalise wanted to keep everything all business, then that’s the way he would treat it. He’d make her see what she was missing when he denied what her body really craved. She may have been told she only needed his seed, but he had a feeling it was more than that.
23. Annalise
She remained tense all the way to the kitchen, waiting to hear Liam’s footsteps behind her. When she turned the corner and still couldn’t pick up any sounds behind her, she let out a shaky breath.
Leaning on the counter, Annalise ran a hand over her face before pulling on the neck of her blouse. The way he’d looked at her when he strode across the room made her lungs freeze, fear mingling with arousal to the point where she didn’t know how she felt. She didn’t want to acknowledge how drenched her panties were, or how badly she’d wanted him to ignore h
er words and bend her over the bed.
She sucked in air free of his intoxicating pheromones, ignoring the way her core throbbed. There was no room in her life for the complications Liam represented if she followed her instincts. She had everything planned out, she only needed to get through the next few months until her baby was in her arms.
Pulling herself together, she began to make dinner. Annalise enjoyed cooking. It was one of the few things she’d chose to pursue on her own, not something her mother had required her to learn. Her mother turned up her nose at Annalise when she caught her helping the cook, but never ordered her to stop. The kitchen was her escape.
She let herself get carried away, shoving aside the feelings she didn’t want to acknowledge as she prepped and cooked. Her sister never understood why she cooked for herself most days, saying it was pointless when it was easier to order out, but Adalynn had never enjoyed domestic duties. Annalise always found it amusing how her sister ended up the domestic one despite not being the omega. To say their mother had been disappointed was putting it mildly.
Turning to the hallway to let Liam know dinner was ready, she was surprised to find him leaning against the wall, watching her. She stammered for a moment before she calmed her heart enough to make a complete sentence.
“It’s ready if you want to take a seat.”
Her voice came out breathy, betraying how even the sight of him set her on edge. She’d obviously waited too long, and her hormones were in overdrive, her body urging her to fling herself at the Alpha.
Clearing her throat, she nodded at the table before turning to the plates she’d prepared. When she turned back her eyes followed Liam to the table, his t-shirt doing nothing to hide the ripple of muscle as he pulled the chair out and took his seat. Bracing herself, she carried the dishes to the table and sat his in front of him.
The difference in the amount of food on their plates was almost comical. Whereas she had the proper fist-sized portion of steak with a moderate amount of vegetables, his plate overflowed with food. The color of the ceramic was almost lost beneath mounds of mashed potatoes, corn, and zucchini.
Taking her own seat, she looked up to see Liam watching her. His expression was curiously blank, though his eyes held a hint of something that sent a shiver down her spine.
“This looks good. Thank you.”
She gave a small nod, lifting her fork but waiting for him to take the first bite. A strange nervousness filled her as she waited to see what he thought of the dish, her stomach fluttering as she watched him place a forkful in his mouth.
His hum of approval reached her, sending warmth rushing through her limbs. Her core clenched as she remembered the same sound coming from between her legs, the memory fanning flames already burning too high.
Pulling her eyes away from him, she ducked her head over her plate, forcing herself to concentrate on her meal. Despite how much more he had, they finished at the same time, Liam standing and reaching for her plate.
“That was wonderful. You’re a good cook.”
Her cheeks flushed, the warmth spreading to the tips of her ears as she looked up at him. Standing so close while she was seated, his body appeared more massive than usual, dwarfing her and bringing to light the difference in their size. He may be short for an Alpha at just over six foot, but that was still a foot taller than her, and he was twice as broad.
“Thank you.”
Taking the dishes, he went to the sink and began cleaning up. Annalise was left with nothing to occupy herself besides watching the male perform household chores. It was a novelty she’d never expected to see. Like his drawings, he had more depth than she’d expected.
It wasn’t until he finished drying the last plate and put it away that she realized what came next. Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat at the heat in his gaze when he turned to look at her, she clutched her hands in front of her stomach.
“I’m ready if you are, Annalise.”
The words came out deeper than his praise had, the rough timber sending waves of awareness across her flesh. She licked her lips but couldn’t speak, finally dropping her gaze and giving a short nod.
She heard him walk past her into the hall, the wind of his passage stirring her hair. Trying to calm her racing heart, she counted to ten before following him to his room.
The door stood open, the sight that met her when she lifted her gaze causing her to freeze. Liam had already removed his shirt, the shadows from the setting sun leaving his abs in stark relief. Hands on his zipper, he dropped his pants and kicked them away, fisting the erection that stood from his hips.
Annalise’s mouth went dry as her lower lips were drenched in a gush of slick. Liam was the vision of a young, virile male, no shame or self-consciousness in his stance.
Beckoning her to enter, he gestured to the floor in front of him. His hand shuttled up and down his length, and Annalise unable to pull her eyes away as she licked her lips.
“I’m prepared. Kneel.”
Her eyes flashed up to his, the darkness there causing her to flinch away even as her body moved to obey. She may technically be the one in charge in their relationship, but she couldn’t ignore biology. He would always be the dominate one, he only let her hold the reins due to the constraints of society.
Moving closer, she got down on her knees, the scent of him increasing her desire. She couldn’t deny it wasn’t only the hormones and instincts urging her to take what he offered. The memory of the way he stretched her haunted her dreams each night.
Liam took hold of her hair with one hand as he moved closer and continued to stroke himself. Having the tip so near her lips, precum glistening on the hand moving over his length, made it hard to resist the desire to take him in her mouth.
She’d asked him to be prepared, to make the transaction as impersonal as possible, but she hadn’t quite expected this. She yearned to taste him, but his grip in her hair stopped her.
Struggling, her hands moved to curl around his solid thighs, trying to pull him closer. He resisted for a moment before stepping near enough for her to get her lips around his swollen head.
Moving his hand to cup the back of her skull, Liam hauled her closer as the first pulse of his release hit her tongue. Unprepared, she gagged before sealing her lips around him and swallowing every drop he gave.
She whimpered when he pulled away, though her belly was full. His cock was still hard, and she wanted more of it, but he tugged her to her feet.
“Turn around. Hands on the bed.”
His commands sent a thrill through her, her clit thudding in time with her racing heart. Breathless, she complied, turning her back to the Alpha as his arms circled her and worked the button of her slacks.
24. Liam
It was so hard to resist the temptation in front of him, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself to give her exactly what she’d asked for. The plan had been to empty himself without using her, but the way she’d fought to take him between her plush lips broke that resolve. It was easy to bring himself to release with her kneeling in front of him, appeasing his baser side that wanted her submission, but he hadn’t been able to deny himself the warmth of her mouth.
Having her bent over in front of him, the scent of her slick drenching every breath he took, was even harder to ignore. He wanted to ram himself deep inside her and trap her on his knot, but that wouldn’t help her see the foolishness of her demands.
Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself for what he was about to do. His shaft was still throbbing despite feeding her his cum, no need to wait for him to be ready again since he hadn’t knotted.
Pushing her pants and underwear to her knees, he gripped himself again as he placed one hand on the center of her back to keep her bent forward. Working his length as he stared at her dripping slit, he could already feel his balls drawing tight.
Annalise whimpered and cast a glance over her shoulder. He could see the confusion in her eyes since he hadn’t sank himself into her immediately, b
ut lust held her in place.
Feeling the tingle at the base of his shaft that signaled his impending knot, he gave in and thrust into her slick cunt. The wet grip of her channel combined with the lewd moan she let out did him in. Pulling back so he could grip his swelling knot, he made shallow thrusts as he spilled himself.
Looking down at where he’d entered her, Liam almost missed the expression on Annalise’s face when she glanced over her shoulder again. Brows drawn together and mouth hanging open, he could tell she was both shocked and upset.
He did his best to hide the smirk that tipped up the corner of his lips. He was no more satisfied than her despite the two releases, and his cock still hung hard and heavy when he pulled away. Annalise’s hands were fisted in his blankets, her heavy breathing betraying her fight with her emotions.
Turning his back to her, he leaned down to grab his clothing from the floor.
“I guess you only need to schedule fifteen minutes instead of an hour. I’m going to go get cleaned up.”
It was hard to resist the urge to look over his shoulder, but he managed to walk into the bathroom and shut the door without giving in. Turning on the water so he wouldn’t hear her moving around his room, he leaned his hands against the counter and sighed as he looked into the mirror.
His dick was still hard, the knot swollen and irritated by the unsatisfying orgasms. His hand wasn’t a good enough substitute for her clenching channel, and he knew it was going to be sore for a while, but he’d given her what she claimed to want. His cum, with minimal interaction.
But how long could he last like this? Hopefully longer than her.
Shaking his head at his reflection, he stepped into the shower and gave himself a quick scrub. There was nothing more he could do but wait and see how things worked out.
When he came out of the bathroom Annalise was gone, though the scent of her still lingered. He stifled a groan as his persistent erection twitched. If they were going to continue to have their encounters in his room, he was going to need to get some odor neutralizer.
