Dominic
The guys all mumbled their good-nights to Corey, afraid to say the wrong thing and set her off again. Dom smiled to himself. It was comical that his friends, the shifters, were afraid of his pregnant mate. “All right, guys, help me get this place cleaned up.”
They all started picking up cups and plates and throwing everything in the trash. It didn’t take long to get everything in order with all four of them working. Dom could hear the shower running, and he resisted the urge to go into the bathroom to make sure she wasn’t dancing in there. Instead he liberated the bottle of vodka from the fridge and made everyone a fresh drink.
When they were on the front porch and he knew they wouldn’t bother Corey, he cleared his throat. “Baze, maybe Corey’s right and you should back off of Riley. If you want to try to figure out his connection to the baby, go ahead. But until you know for sure, don’t say anything else to him. I know he and Corey are close, and it doesn’t bother me. I’m glad she has someone else who loves her and wants to keep her safe. It’s the best thing for her, and the baby. Okay?”
“Yeah, man, you’re right. We’re lucky she has extra protection. She needs it. Being pregnant makes her even ballsier than she usually is.” Baze took a sip of the drink Dom made, grimacing.
Dom knew that Baze would keep his word and leave Riley out of his theories. But he also knew that he wasn’t going to stop looking. “As far as Corey being so, uh, hormonal… I guess you should take everything she says for the next few months with a grain of salt. I don’t know what else to say other than that.” Dom had lowered his voice considerably, he was almost whispering. He was man enough to admit he was terrified Corey would overhear him apologizing for her.
“Nah, man, don’t even worry about it. Everything she said was the truth.” Keller looked out toward town, a wistful look on his face.
“Speak for yourself, dude. I don’t always snicker in the corner.” Linc took a long gulp of his drink, seemingly wounded.
“No, but you do drink a lot.” Baze shoved Linc, and they all laughed when he lost his balance and fell on his butt.
“No, I don’t. I can’t help it if I am younger, more attractive, and more fun than the rest of you guys.” Linc righted himself. “I’m the life of the party. Just ask any lady in a ten-mile radius.”
“Any lady except for Molly, the one girl immune to your powers.” Baze turned his attention to Keller. “Speaking of Molly. Man, what the hell is going on between you two? She’s beautiful, athletic, funny, and for some reason really into you. What gives?”
Truth be told, Dom was wondering the same thing. It wasn’t like Keller to pass on something like that. They had met Molly a few weeks back and they all loved reminding Linc that she didn’t even look twice in his direction before setting her sights on Keller. Saying Linc had a way with the ladies was the understatement of the century. Molly may well be the only girl in history to ever turn Linc down.
Keller cleared his throat. “I don’t know what you guys want me to say. She’s an amazing girl. I just don’t want to hurt her, that’s all. There is no point in us dating, and I refuse to sleep with her then never call her. Her and Coop are friends, I can’t do that.”
More than anyone, Dom understood not wanting to date if the relationship was headed toward a dead end. And he was sure as fuck pleased that Keller wasn’t willing to use Molly. With Corey’s pregnancy hormones she was liable to kill him for running off her only female friend here in Colorado. But Dom had seen the way Keller looked at Molly and he had heard the jealousy in his voice earlier this evening when Corey had brought her up.
Dom narrowed his eyes at his buddy; he wasn’t buying it. He had his own notion when it came to those two. “So there’s no point in dating? She isn’t the one for you? Are you sure that Molly wasn’t put on this earth to be yours? Only yours.” Dom finally said what he knew both he and Corey had been thinking.
“What? No, absolutely not. Like I said, Molly is breathtaking, she really is. But she isn’t mine.” Keller stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Trying for causal and relaxed when in all actually he was probably more like a ticking time bomb. “I’m going home. Linc, thanks for the vodka. Baze, Dom, good game tonight. As always, it’s been a pleasure.” With that, he headed off into the yard, turning to the direction of his house.
Dom watched his friend walk away, and as soon as Keller was out of earshot he started to laugh. “Oh man, he is so screwed. He’s lying. He’s lying to us, and he’s lying to himself.”
Linc finished his drink and tossed it into the trashcan sitting in the driveway. “You’re crazy. Why would he lie about that? He has no reason to. I think you just want someone else to become mated and join you in your misery. You know, sad people love company and all that.”
“First of all, jackass, I am neither sad nor miserable, and you better watch what you say or I’m going to tell Corey.” His smile grew when Linc’s fell. “Second of all, he said she was breathtaking. Breathtaking? Does that sound like a typical Keller thing to say? Nope. That’s a mate thing to say. I kid you not, the first time I saw Corey? She stole the air from my lungs. God’s honest truth, I don’t know why he lied. Maybe he doesn’t realize it. Maybe he is scared to admit it? Whatever it is, the longer he denies it, the worse it’s going to be for all of us.” Dom took a deep breath and got to his feet. “Now if you will excuse me, I have a beautiful naked girl waiting for me in my bed.”
Reason number six hundred and seven why being mated was the best thing that had ever happened to him.