Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Home with Baby Ella

I hear Sinclair sigh heavily next to me, murmuring “Ella…”

But I ignore him, my eyes fasted on Hank, who blushes a deep red at the door and looks down at his shoes. I don’t say a word, though, or make this any easier on him. Instead, I wait patiently for an answer.

“Cora is,” he murmurs, awkward, “very special to me…

“I would imagine so,” I reply, my voice harder than I think I expected it to be. “She’s a very special person.”

Hank sighs and raises his eyes seriously to mine. I hold his gaze steadily.

“I’m very serious about Cora,” he says evenly. “I want to build a life with her. But we are moving…slowly. We both want to make sure that this is right.”

My heart warms when I hear him say that he wants to build a life with her, but still – what does that mean? I hold my baby closer to me and shift in my seat.

“And do you want to have childre-”

“Ella!” Sinclair bursts in, his voice angry, a hand on my arm.

“What!” I cry, turning to him with a frown. “It’s a legitimate question!”

“It’s none of your business!” He hisses back to me, his eyes wide and appalled.

–

my sister’s business is

My frown deepens as I open my mouth to object to my mate business, after all – but Hank clears his throat, bringing my attention back to him.

eyes flicking between Sinclair and I now, clearly

is at an end. I sigh, nodding, as Sinclair

with finality, letting Sinclair know he’s free from my interrogation. “We’ll

room,

says slowly, admonishing. I look into his

Roger because she thinks he wants children they can’t have.

surprise as he processes this information. “And what’s Cora’s page about kids?” he asks. “Does

that he didn’t let me get information that I very much wanted.

space and considering it. “Actually, I don’t know…” He brings his eyes back to me, though. “Either way, that’s a conversation between Cora and Roger. Or

onto the pillows. “If they’re all too stupid enough to not talk to each other about it, then I am going to talk about it.”

trouble does,” Sinclair sighs, leaning back on the chair. “I

little head. “Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to him. “I’ll teach you my troublesome ways.

laugh in his chair, but doesn’t bother to counter me. He knows it would be a waste of breath.

has fallen by the time we finally get home, all three of us exhausted by the activities of the day. But Cora finally gave us the go–ahead when

I gasp a little when I see the variety of gift baskets and flowers waiting for us. “Oh,” I say, fascinated, moving forward to look at them all. Then I look up at my mate.

he checks some tags on a few of them. “ They look to be presents from friends and well–wishers. See?” He points to one

them…” I bite my lip against the sudden rush of feelings, overwhelmed by all the love in the room when I’ve been so distracted – I haven’t even kept up with

shoulders and moving the baby and I towards the stairs. “We’re way too tired for this – if you get into all these cards now, you’ll cry yourself to

at it as Sinclair guides me up the stairs, a steady hand on my

will be there in the morning,” Sinclair says, steady, yawning. “Now?

sigh, nodding to his wisdom and allowing myself to be shepherded upstairs. When we reach the door to our bedroom, though,

taking my chin between his fingers, exhausted but wanting to be there for me. “What is it this time? What’s wrong?”

trembling a little, looking between him and the baby. “Just…we’re bringing him home for the first time, Dominic. Putting him to sleep in his own little bed. It’s just…” I shrug,

I rest my body against him – against the warm, steady bulk of him, grateful – again – to have a mate who understands me so completely. Who doesn’t think I’m crazy

that this is all a dream to me. And that every moment of it