Mhal's thoughts answer me before I can even ask—of course my friends can come in. Rachel is accompanied by her mate, Jurik, and that means Mhal will be on alert at all times. I give my mate a squeeze and call out. "Come on in!"
A moment later, the door we have slanted over the entrance opens, and Rachel steps inside, her eyes wide as she searches the room for me.
"Rachel," I call out happily, moving away from Mhal. I hold my arms out to hug my friend. I know Rachel isn't much of a hugger, but she beams in my direction and steps forward, hugging me back. I squeeze my friend tight and I'm surprised to feel a big, rounded belly pressing against me as we embrace.
I look down as we step back and Rachel is pregnant. Heavily pregnant. I blink in shock as I stare at her rounded belly that was hidden by the loose clothing she wears.
"I know," Rachel says, and rubs a hand over her stomach. "It looks like a basketball's stuffed under my shirt, doesn't it?"
I gape at her. "Are you really…pregnant?"
She grins. Her face is filled out, no longer as lean and hungry as it was before. She's got a mess of scars covering one side of her face and bisecting her lower lip, but I love Rachel's expression because it's so open and friendly and familiar. "Well, I'm not pretending to get attention, if that's what you mean."
Oh. "I didn't mean—"
"I know." She rubs her belly again. "I'm just teasing. I absolutely get the shock of it. Turns out that drakoni gestation time is way, way shorter than human. Who knew?" She tilts her head and waves a hand at the big, golden man standing behind her. "Yeah, yeah, you knew. Thanks, hon."
I glance over at Jurik, who's watching Rachel with an intense, possessive look that seems very familiar to me. I've seen that same intense look on Mhal's face when he watches me. Jurik looks unchanged, of course—he's still as awkwardly naked as ever, his hair loose and flowing around his shoulders. I silently compare him to Mhal, and my dragon has a more regal expression in addition to his scars.
And you like this better? Mhal interrupts my thoughts. You prefer me?
Of course I do. I turn to glance back at my drakoni, and I notice he's still wearing the cape I put on him. I discreetly tie the front of it shut and then smile up at him. Keep wearing this.
Because you do not want other females gazing on what belongs to you?
Exactly. I send a possessive thought back to him, and Mhal's pleasure rolls through my mind. Who says the men are the only ones that get to be greedy with attention? I love being the center of Mhal's universe and him being mine. And I love that he basks in my attention. My possessiveness smooths down a lot of the “rough” spots in his mind, where the madness threatens. Are you going to be okay? I ask him quietly. Should we go outside into the wind so you don't have to smell them as much?
Their scents are not as bothersome as I thought, he admits. They are heavily mated and the stench of the hive is only slight. I want you in here, because this is your favorite spot. This is where you are most comfortable. He rubs his mouth against my hair. I will tell you if it gets to be too much for me.
You'd better. I lean into him for a moment, and then pull away, looking over at our “guests.” I'm being a bad hostess, my attention fixated on my drakoni mate instead of my friends.
But Rachel just watches me with amusement, waving a hand at my apologetic expression. "Don't worry about it," she says, as if she's read my mind. "I'm lost in a private conversation all the time myself. I get it." She puts a hand on her belly and takes a few steps inside, gazing at her surroundings. "Wow." She admires the flags we have draped over the walls, the posters, the clutter of goods from the amusement park lining our cozy little love shack. "You've got a whole set-up here."
"I guess there's not a big demand for plastic mugs with roller coasters emblazoned on them," I say cheerfully and pick one of the mugs up. "You want one?"
"I'd love one," Rachel says, laughing. She takes the offered mug and a bright smile creases her scarred face. "Oh dang, this brings back memories. I haven't been here in forever. My parents took me for my birthday once, you know."
"Mine, too." I smile wistfully at the thought. "It was my favorite place as a kid."
"I think I liked the ice skating rink better," Rachel admits, but she hugs the mug to her chest. "So what made you set up here?"