“I have no idea if he’s right, Nathan. I got the hearing and some damn good night vision, even a little strength when it counts. But as attracted as I am by scents, I can’t pick up fertile cycles and all that crap. Do I smell all fertile and ready to breed to you?”
She lifted up to look at him. Her eyes narrowed and he immediately schooled his features and spoke as if he wasn’t being scrutinized.
“Your hair smells great and so does the vanilla and honey body wash you used. But neither of them tells me anything. I don’t think I’m sniffing about the right end to check for what you’re asking.”
Lena sat up fully. “This is a Canid thing isn’t it? You’re looking for some excuse to do the whole bottom sniffing thing. I gotta tell you, Nate, that is just weird.”
“Hey, you’re the one who asked me if you’re going to be sitting on the neighbor’s fence yowling to the heavens waiting for some tomcat to come and help you through being in heat. I’m just trying to help a Felid-sistah out.”
Deep but feminine laughter rang out and Nathan knew he’d done his job. She’d forgotten about wallowing over the lost promotion and it was now about the two of them again.
With the clean, easy, grace of her breed, she straddled his thighs and placed her hands on his chest.
“Can you really tell if I’m fertile and going to go baby crazy in the next fifteen months? Have you ever been able to scent that on me?”
She was still smiling but he could tell it was a serious question. He covered her hands with his own.
“Have you been thinking about children a lot lately and not sharing?”
“Yes.”
Nathan blinked. He hadn’t expected such an abrupt and direct answer. Although he wasn’t sure why, abrupt and direct were Lena’s hobbies. “What kind of things have you been thinking?”
She shrugged and looked at their hands instead of his eyes. “I don’t know. Lots of things. Random things mostly.” Her gaze nailed him suddenly. “I’ve still got dibs on your spermy-guys right? You said it was still a valid contract from college. And Armand didn’t mind the last time we talked.”
Nathan didn’t even think to joke about it. Promise of healthy genetic material was not a joking matter among Therian Females, even if they were only half Therian. He’d learned that second-hand from the size of the bruise once left on his brother-in-law’s face by his older sister. Nathan planned to never be on the receiving end of a first-hand lesson.
“Yes, you still have dibs. And Armand didn’t just say it was okay, he offered his own as well.”
She laughed again and nodded. “He said I could happily have it as a direct deposit for however many times it took to be successful, I remember.”
Her laughter grew but it didn’t have the same uplifting effect on Nathan this time around. She laughed because she didn’t think Armand was serious but Nathan knew better. He just didn’t know how to explain that to Lena.
Copyright © 2008 XakaraAll rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication
