Surrogate For Alpha Dom

The trip improves by leaps and bounds the moment we stop at the campground for the night.

“Finally,” I sigh, taking a deep breath of the fresh air as I climb down the steps of the RV, my baby curled in my arm and looking around him with bright and interested eyes. “It’s good to be on steady ground again.”

“Remind me never to take you on a boat,” Sinclair murmurs, coming down the stairs behind me. “If you didn’t like this…you won’t respond well to that.”

“Yes sir,” I say passively, smiling down at the baby, who frees one of his arms and reaches out into the cool evening air, clasping his fingers at a firefly who passes close by. I don’t mention that I liked the sea voyage to the desert much more than I liked this, even though the accommodations weren’t as nice.

“What about this?” Sinclair murmurs as he steps down the final step and comes to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I smile as I lean

back against his chest. “Is the forest an improvement?”

I look around our isolated campsite, lit with grey and blue tones in the dying light

of the day. I smile at what I see, appreciating the cool air and the blinking light of

the fireflies that float lazily through the space.

“Yes,” I say with a decisive nod. “This will do quite well.”

“Good,” Sinclair replies, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before releasing

me and moving to a luggage compartment low on the RV, I watch as he opens it

and begins pulling out camping gear chairs, a cooler, some bags with extra

snacks and bug spray.

“Oh!” I say, surprised by it all as my mate begins to set it all up around a burnedout ring where a fire goes. “Oh, we’re very prepared.”

“Of course we are,” Roger says, climbing out of the RV with Cora behind him.

When he reaches the ground, Roger flicks the switch that prepares Henry’s little

elevator. “We’re always ready to go glamping in this family.”

I laugh at the term, settling into a chair that Sinclair waves me towards, smiling

down at the baby. “What do you think, Rafe?” I whisper to him. “Do you like

glamping?” He gives a happy little coo in response and I laugh, grinning up at

his father. “I think that’s a yes.”

“Kid has taste,” Sinclair says, winking at me as he continues his work. We’re all

settled around a fire much faster than I thought was possible and I smile as I

watch Sinclair and Roger set a little grill across it, apparently preparing to make

us our dinner as well.

“They only cook,” Henry whispers, leaning over to Cora and I and giving us a

smile, “when it’s outdoors. Otherwise, they’re not interested.”

“Not true!” Sinclair protests, his eyes still on the fire.

“Absolutely true!” Roger chimes in, making us laugh. “If I’m making food, it’s

grilled. Otherwise I’m getting takeout.”

“Guess your baby is gonna eat a lot of hotdogs,” I murmur to Cora.

sighing. Then she looks over at me

know I

we can make them hire

idea, and we

like this long into the night the family gathered happily

everything,

future but not touching

conversation. We all know that they’re there, after all

decide to leave them untouched for the

laughter, and fun, and

I bite into a smore

way I like it. “Oh my god,” I

so good, I can

you’re going to

baby – ”

head and refusing to open

bite. “He

comes and lifts

s’more anyway. Cora, Roger, and Henry

from me, apologizing in a loud murmur for

and inconsiderate his mother is. I wave a hand at him, dismissing

knowing that he’s kidding

s’more and look around at

Henry watches Sinclair and his grandchild while

talking but clearly connected in this peaceful

wrapping her arms around herself

at our dark camp. “I didn’t think I’d like sitting outside in

as much as this.”

primal about it, isn’t there?” Roger murmurs,

hair as he smiles at

looking up at the stars and then turning her head to look

Roger, beaming at him.

help my own smile from crossing my

other, I decide that that’s my

can, I stand up from my little camping chair and send a

up at me, curious and

the RV and then towards Roger and Cora, who begin talking quietly.

and then nods his understanding. He

a hand on his back, leaning down to speak

as we

has to be lifted into the RV with a noisy platform

our way back into the little mobile

Roger alone by the fire to have a moment

talking about,” I say to Sinclair as he

behind him, the baby still curled in his

the little kitchen nook, peering out the window at

through the tinted window.

that their business, little spy?” he says, coming

to give us our own moment, rolls his

some excuse about wanting to watch some

know

looking up at my mate

“But you

laughs. “Do you know,” he murmurs, slipping his arms

against him, resting his chin

Cora and Roger, “I never cared as much

love life until you came