Page 276 of One Winter Knight
“Great. You’ll have so many options. My agent’s been fielding all of the requests, saying that we were taking a couple weeks break. You could do as much or as little recording as you want, you neverhave to perform live if you don’t want. Nobody really knows your name. We can come up with a stage persona.”
“I like the idea of recording. Though I’m not sure about being onstage, other than maybe Feral Ratville. But even just making music seemed a bit vain. That’s what I’ve always been told. If my sister wanted to put on a show, she was a delightful free-spirit. If I wanted to sing or show something I’d learned on my bodhrán, I was attention-seeking,” I admitted softly.
“That is bullshit and I’m starting to work on the song. I’m absolutely going to eviscerate them. I think I want to debut it at Feral Ratville. What do you think?” he asked.
“As long as I get to hear it beforehand, and there are no mentions ofsassy assassinora-sassy-in,” I replied. “Should you perform it before or after we marry onstage?”
“You don’t have to marry me onstage,” he replied.
“What if I want to, I mean, we should probably marry before the baby comes?” I’d been thinking about it a lot. Rescuing Hale made me realize that I wanted this baby.
His face brightened and happiness invaded the bond. “Really?”
“I’d like to have this baby. Fiona knows. She thinks that we should all go to Ireland for Christmas, so I can taunt my sister and ex with my pack and baby,” I replied. My cousins, brother, and grandfathers would be all for that.
“Do they have kids?” he asked.
“Two, and the odd times I actually do go home, they make comments about me being bitter, mateless, and childless.” I rolled my eyes.
“We absolutely should do that. I will support that pettiness.”
“Fiona thinks I need to unleash you, Hale, and Carlos, and your shenanigans on my village,” I added.
He sucked in a breath. “Oh, I could come up with so many shenanigans.”
“I’m sure you could.” Yes, I liked the idea of taking them backto Ireland to meet everyone that mattered and spite everyone who didn’t.
No, I wasn’t a petty bitch at all.
“Are you certain you want to keep the baby? I just want to make sure you’re doing this for you and not for anyone else. Not for me, not for Fiona, not for the puppy who really needs a friend, and not to piss off any of your family. Though I feel like that is a valid reason to have a baby,” he said.
I smacked him. “That is not a valid reason to have a baby. That’s up there with wanting to have a child because you’d make a cute one.”
“You know we’re gonna have like twelve of those right?” He laughed.
“We’ll need to sell a lot of music.” I nodded. “I want to keep this baby. But I’m not going to leave being an assassin behind. Though I’d like to take a little time to see what life is like just living, perhaps discover who I am when I’m not Saoirse the trigger woman,” I admitted. “I’ve never had much opportunity. I used to be scared of her, but in the time I’ve spent with you, I realize I’d really like to know who she is.”
My position within the Company gave me the freedom to do that. My reputation gave me the freedom to leave without making myself a target. Though I had no desire to leave the Company at this time. I just wouldn’t push to get back on the active duty rosters.
Dusty leaned in and kissed me. “Oh, I know who she is, and she’s amazing.” His eyes danced. “Should I show her how incredible she is?” Desire filled his scent.
“I think I’d like that.”
He picked me up a little awkwardly, but I allowed it. We left the studio, crossed his sitting room, and went into his bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he placed me gently on the bed.
“I don’t know if tossing you on the bed is okay with the baby,”he said.
“I think the baby is just fine,” I replied. His worry was a bit delightful.
He pulled up my shirt. His lips brushed my belly button. “Hey, Baby Lovely. I’m your daddy and I’m so excited to meet you. Your mommy is so amazing and fierce and smart, and tough. And you have another mom, two more dads, and a puppy. I love Ispín. He’s so cute.”
“Our puppy needs obedience training, but yes.” I suppose I could take some of that in hand given I was taking time off from work.
“We have a house, no yard but a house, and we got a dog. Now there’s a baby on the way. All we need is a boat. Not that I need a boat. But I’d ride off into the sunset with you.” Dusty kissed me.
What? Then I remembered what I’d said to him our first day in Switzerland about people like us not getting all of that.
Dusty pulled off my shirt. He came behind me and ran kisses down my neck and back. I felt his teeth brush my spine as my bra came unclasped.
