Surrogate For Alpha Dom

o the baby and I grip his hand, and we both wait… But nothing.

“The baby doesn’t like the name Matthew,” I whisper, laughing a little. “Well, it was just a starter,” Roger murmurs, grinning at me again. “You try one.” “All right,” I say, leaning my head back and taking a deep breath. And then I pass a name down, trying… Oliver.

“Oliver!?” Roger bursts out in disgust and I gasp, glaring at him.

“You are biasing our son!” I accuse, sitting up to smack him. “I said nothing when you said stupid Matthew!” “Matty is a cute name “he protests, laughing and blocking my blow. “Oliver is the name of a sickly Victorian child who wants more gruel -” I growl and lay back, taking a deep breath and gathering myself. “Well, let’s see what the baby thinks,” I murmur, sending Roger another glare. And then I try again, whispering Oliver? down the bond. But nothing comes back.

“Good baby,” Roger murmurs, kissing my stomach again and making me laugh.

“Don’t let her call you that. It’s terrible.” “Okay okay,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try one more.” “I’ll pick it?” Roger asks.

“Sure,” I reply, relaxing. “But this time, pick one you really, really like. One that you’d actually want him to be called – your favorite.” “Okay,” he murmurs.

And then Roger passes another name down the bond, and I smile, because… Because I love it.

And we wait… And then both Roger and I gasp at the same time as we feel the baby respond.

Happy!

Roger snatches me to him, pulling

take his face in my hands

think we just

and then we gathered up all of our sandy clothes and the blanket and trooped back to the house, where we closed the doors and

us a basket of food so we could eat something, and Roger went to get it while I

the couch for the elaborate dinner

surviving on whatever the landlord brought us every day in baskets and otherwise laying in bed talking, making each other laugh, sending messages to the baby when he

much, but it made us laugh to

a great deal of that as well. But honestly, it blurred in with everything else we did, a usual part of the day as we napped, and

we knew we had to get back – because as much as we like

outside the little bungalow after we’ve packed and locked up. “Next week?” I laugh and let him kiss me, let it sweep through me. “Maybe not next week. But soon.” He nods, giving me another little peck, before looking around. “I really like this place. Maybe the owner

shoving him away a little bit. ” You just make the babies, I’ll grow them, and carry them, and then raise them He laughs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we head for the car. ” Nah, I’m

loading our tiny luggage

be her dream,” I say, rolling my eyes and sitting down in the car, closing my door behind me as Roger climbs into his seat. “Ella, loaded up with four of her own kids and as many nieces and nephews as we can pass over to her to raise? She’d be in heaven.” “Sounds like a deal,” he says, half serious and grinning at me as he buckles his belt and starts

at him and stroking my belly fondly. “We’re