Geek-Speak (Bleacke Shifters Book 6)

by Lesli Richardson

  Mateo smiled, the boy he remembered that day that felt like a lifetime ago. “Love you, too, mate.”

  Chapter Ten

  New Year’s Day

  New year, new me.

  Ken laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling. Peyton had declared that, at least until late afternoon, there would be no pack business conducted, unless it was a literal emergency.

  Meaning he and Dewi could sleep late this morning. He already knew Beck was planning on keeping Nami in bed.

  And newlyweds Da’von and Brianna would likely enjoy a late morning, too.

  There would be a noon brunch at Peyton’s for anyone who wanted to partake of it.

  He didn’t want to think too much about pack business for fear of Dewi overhearing his thoughts and him then spilling the beans by default.

  This isn’t going to be easy.

  Then again, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t like it was Manhattan Project-level secrecy. No one was going to die if he failed.

  He’d just feel like a failure.

  Which, ironically, while it had been a constant state of being for him before Dewi entered his life, he was no longer resigned to failure as a default mode.

  He wanted to do this for Peyton.

  All things considered, despite Bebe’s status still being unresolved to the shifters’ satisfaction, yesterday had been a pretty good day. No surprises, good or bad.

  He was hoping today would be unremarkable, too. Tomorrow they’d head back to Florida, meaning an end to their vacation.

  While snow was nice and all, he wouldn’t deny getting back to warm days would be a relief.

  And, also much to Ken’s relief, the rest of their stay in Idaho passed uneventfully.

  Relatively speaking.

  No one died, no one attacked them, and no more unexpected matings.

  They all left the pack compound the morning of January 2nd. Before his departure, Gillian confirmed with Ken that they wanted to hold Dewi’s baby shower the weekend after Valentine’s Day. That gave Ken the perfect excuse to plan their mini vacation. Everyone else would coordinate with Badger and Beck so they could have everything ready upon Ken and Dewi’s return that Sunday afternoon.

  Once they were all safely home in Florida, Dewi did what she did best—went back to work protecting their pack, all while stewing about Faegan Lewis’ Houdini act. Meanwhile, Ken worked at his day job, helping Gillian and Trent, and beefing up the pack’s internal server system, what they used for communicating with other pack members, for record-keeping, all of that.

  Anything Ken needed, Peyton green-lit it, regardless of the expense.

  Frustratingly enough for everyone, Faegan Lewis’ trail had gone stone cold. It was suspected he’d remained shifted and was hiding somewhere in Northern Ireland. There were still Enforcers scouring the area, but hope of finding him was decreasing by the day. Ken helped Trevor Clarke sift through all the information they’d obtained from Faegan’s wife about their finances, contacts—everything.

  There was no sign of Faegan accessing any their hidden assets, and everyone loyal to him, whom he might turn to for assistance, was dead. Several options Ken told Trevor to leave available as a honey pot to try to draw Faegan out remained untouched.

  Meaning another dead end in their hunt. They didn’t discount the possibility Faegan might be dead, either.

  Yet they didn’t count on it. With the price on Faegan’s head, there weren’t just wolves hunting the bastard now, but other shifter races had thrown their tracking hats into the ring as well, hoping to score a massive payday and massive brownie points with Peyton, Trevor, and others.

  Tamsin, bless her heart, was living at her new home, for now, with Mateo, Carl, Brianna, and Da’von. They’d all adopted her as a sister, and Ken was glad to see she seemed to be settling in. While she still grieved the loss of her mate and brother-in-law, she had regained the will to live, for her baby’s sake.

  And to make good on her deeply burning desire for vengeance against her father. But she would stay with them until Faegan was captured.

  She was also enjoying being Bebe’s babysitter.

  That had turned out to be a double blessing. Tamsin and Bebe had really taken to each other, and having the toddler to watch every day had given Tamsin a needed purpose in life and helped her heal a little. Bebe certainly had fun playing with Auntie Tam every day.

  While Peyton wasn’t allowing the Enforcers to let their collective guards down, he also ordered Dewi not to live in siege mode unless they received definitive word there was an imminent threat.

  In addition to that, the resettlement efforts had begun. So far, five families had been moved, two of them to Florida, the other three near family members already living in the US in various states. It was expected it’d take six months to complete the process, and then the two Enforcers from down there would relocate to Florida, until Dewi decided where to deploy them.

  Meanwhile, as the weeks passed, Dewi’s baby bump became more noticeable, and Ken had a hard time keeping his hands off her. Even if just to wrap his arms around Dewi from behind and cup his hands over where their daughter was growing inside her.

  With everything going on, it shocked Ken when the Friday afternoon of their scheduled departure arrived for their weekend getaway, and he’d still managed to keep the baby shower a secret from Dewi. Everyone from out of state would start arriving in Florida tomorrow, and the preparations would be ready by the time Ken and Dewi returned home Sunday afternoon.

  Ken was anxious to get on the road. Not just because he wanted to keep the secret, but because he was genuinely looking forward to finally spending alone-alone time with Dewi.

  Walking the beach with her at sunset.

  Being able to pretend they were…normal.

  Dewi stared at the bags on the bed. “I keep thinking I’m forgetting something.”

  “Did you pack extra ammo?” Ken snarked.

  He was kidding, but Dewi snapped her fingers. “Thank you!” She hurried out of the bedroom, waddling a little and leaving Ken standing there watching her.

  He fell more in love with her every day.

  His mate.

  His.

  He’d be carrying a gun, too, despite not liking to do so. But he had his own concealed carry permit now, and like hell would he be unprotected, even with Dewi.

  Not now. Not when she was pregnant.

  Finally, once Dewi was happy they were adequately armed, she let him pack their bags in his SUV. After a final round of hugs with Badger and Duncan, they headed out, Ken driving.

  “I’m surprised you’re letting me drive,” he teased.

  She reached over and laid her hand on his thigh. “Hard for me to tease you if I’m driving.” He glanced over and caught her playful smirk.

  Yeah, that made him hard, and he fought the urge to squirm in his seat.

  Didn’t take much to make him hard right now. Hell, he felt hornier than he had when they first got together. Which was fair, because it seemed Dewi was horny all the time now, too.

  They made good time south to Sarasota County, arriving at the small condo resort on Manasota Key about an hour before sunset. Once they checked into their second-floor beach-front condo unit, Ken pulled Dewi into his arms.

  “What do you want to do first, sweetheart?”

  She sighed. “Eat dinner. I’m fricking starving.”

  He couldn’t help grin.

  A dark scowl shadowed her features. “I know, I know,” she muttered. “Look at the fat pregnant woman.”

  * * * *

  “Hey.” Dewi flinched a little at Ken’s sharp tone. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.”

  “Well, I am.” She wasn’t only feeling fat, she was feeling frustrated, and not even sexually, for a change.

  She was irritated that there was no progress in finding Faegan Lewis. Before they’d left the house, she’d checked her e-mail to find a reply to one she’d sent Peyton that morning, asking for a status repor
t about what was going on.

  He’d ordered her not to worry about it, that there weren’t any developments, and if he had to order Badger and Duncan to Prime her not to worry about it while she was away with Ken, he would.

  That she was to take the weekend off and…relax.

  Ugh.

  Not that she didn’t want to spend it with Ken—she absolutely did.

  It just felt…wrong.

  Like with so much going on, she shouldn’t be having fun.

  She also couldn’t escape the feeling there was something going on in the background that she wasn’t grokking. But when she asked Ken if he knew if there were any developments she needed to know about, he started waxing melodic in his usual geek-speak about their latest computer upgrades, and she’d…

  Well, zoned out.

  That was his domain, not hers.

  Hers was one of real-world, hands-on action.

  And here she was…waddling around like an eating machine. Seriously, Badger was starting to joke that they might have to start raising beef cows on-site for her.

  He wasn’t wrong. Every time she turned around, she was either ravenous or horny. Or asleep. And taking care of her being horny usually led her to feeling ravenous again.

  At her visit with their pack doctor last week, she’d joked that she wondered if she was going to give birth to a damn dire wolf or something. Like she was eating for a litter of pups instead of one.

  Who was apparently developing normally, much to everyone’s joy.

  Nami had asked her last week about when Dewi wanted to have her baby shower, but Dewi had put her off and told her she’d get back to her about that.

  I had a wedding, dammit.

  Being the center of attention like that just wasn’t…her. It was Dewi’s job to take care of others.

  That’s the way Dewi preferred it.

  In fact, if Ken wasn’t her mate, she wouldn’t let him do as much for her as he had been lately, but it made him happy.

  Thus, she let him.

  An ironic cycle she found herself stuck in.

  They walked a short distance to a restaurant across the street from the public beach and overlooking the Gulf. It had outside patio dining on its upper floor. While the waiter looked amused when Dewi ordered two large steaks for herself, she somehow managed not to growl at him.

  Once they were alone again, Ken smiled and took her hand in his. “I’m proud of you.”

  “For what?”

  “For not growling at him.”

  She felt her cheeks heat. “Guess I thought that kind of loudly, huh?”

  “Yeah.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re freaking adorable, babe.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m freaking…enormous.”

  “You’re not even halfway yet. The doctor said you’re fine.”

  “I still feel enormous.” So far, she’d been able to keep wearing her jeans and shorts, as long as she kept them low on her hips.

  Another couple of weeks, though, she knew she’d need to either force herself to go shopping for clothes or order some online.

  As the sun dipped closer to the horizon, she closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. It was pleasantly cool for a February evening in Florida, and a light breeze carried the scent of the water to her. She found the sound of the waves soothing and peaceful.

  When Ken next spoke, he sounded serious. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Fricking everything,” she muttered. “I can’t shut my brain off.”

  “That’s what this weekend is about. Have you ever even had a weekend off like this before?”

  She opened her eyes to find him staring into hers, concern radiating from him.

  “No,” she quietly admitted. “I don’t know how to relax.”

  “Fricking duh,” he joked, finally smiling. “Sky’s blue, grass is green, the Gulf is salty.”

  “So am I,” she snarked. “Salty, that is.”

  He laughed and brought her hand up to his lips, feathering them over her knuckles. “I can think of something else that’s salty,” he whispered.

  A frustrating wave of desire washed through her. “If I wasn’t so goddamned hungry right now,” she muttered, “I’d drag you back to our room and fuck your brains out.”

  * * * *

  Ah, success.

  Ken had suspected if he could redirect Dewi’s thoughts onto him that it would take her mind off work for a little while. It all boiled down to his intimate knowledge of Dewi’s two speeds—go, and sleep.

  Ken was under no illusions that if he wasn’t her mate, he wouldn’t have any sway with her at all. Saying she was strong-willed and independent was a massive understatement.

  He hoped he could keep her distracted all weekend.

  And that she wouldn’t be too irritated at him on Sunday, when they returned home.

  Fortunately, the waiter quickly brought their beverages, a basket of bread, and their salads before Dewi grew too hangry.

  Ken watched, amused, as Dewi tore into her food like a starving…

  Well, like a starving wolf.

  By the time they finished dinner, including dessert, Ken was stuffed and Dewi had finally declared she was full after eating her own meal and what Ken couldn’t finish of his, including half his pecan pie. After paying the check, they crossed the road to the beach and walked north along it toward the resort where they were staying. Around them, the light was turning that purply shade it took on just before full dark settled for the night.

  She carried her shoes in one hand and held Ken’s hand with the other as they walked in the firm sand just above the surf line.

  “Hey.” She stopped, released his hand, and bent over, coming up with a shark’s tooth.

  He smiled and held out his hand, and she dropped the tooth into his palm. Right now, he could tell her mind was squarely here, with him, and focused in the moment. “That’s so neat.”

  She rose up onto her toes and brushed a kiss across his lips. “Kind of neat how there are so many around here, huh? On the beaches in this area.”

  “Yeah.”

  She held his gaze, a mischievous smile quirking her lips. “Thank you for talking me into this. A weekend off.”

  “You work your ass off, Dewi. You’ve earned the right to take time for you, for us. Especially since we’ll be parents in a few months.”

  She rested her hands on her tummy. “I can’t wait to bring her here and show her how to find them.”

  He placed his hands over hers. “Me, too.”

  “Or…them.” She looked up into his eyes, sending his pulse racing. “Her brother or sister. Or…more.”

  Ken’s heart raced as he thought about three or four children of various ages playing all around them in the surf.

  Their children. “You might want to kill me after she’s born,” he joked, but he sensed how momentous this was for her.

  She shook her head. “No,” she said. “You’re my dream come true.”

  * * * *

  Ken was absolutely right—she spent so much time working that maybe it was time she focused on herself a little.

  Learn how to take time for their family now, before their daughter arrived.

  Peyton and Trent and Badger had told her about their parents. How their dad had been intense and focused on little besides pack business, until her brothers were born.

  Then, despite how intense he was, how dedicated, he always made time to be a dad, too. They recounted camping and fishing trips, vacations, all four of them.

  Last week, when she’d been lamenting to Badger about taking time off from work, he’d sat her down and told her about how their dad had also felt guilty, at first, about taking time off.

  “But then I told him what I’m tellin’ ye,” he said. “Ye only get one childhood. Yer pups will only get one childhood. Ye can always work later. Ye can’t pause their childhood.”

  They made their way down the beach in the waning dusk, Dewi still able to pick out shark’s teeth with her k
een vision. By the time they reached the condo, she’d handed Ken nearly two dozen teeth. They rinsed the sand off their feet at an outdoor spigot and headed upstairs, where Dewi unlocked the door. Before she could step inside, though, he scooped her into his arms.

  “Let’s do this right,” he said, carrying her inside while she giggled.

  “Love you, Dr. Ethelbert.”

  He kicked the door shut behind them. “Love you, too, Mrs. Ethelbert.”

  A delicious shiver washed through her. She’d added his last name, but being who she was, people still knew her as Dewi Bleacke.

  He carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. “Let me go lock the door.”

  He started to leave, but she caught his hand. “Hey.” He turned. “I know this has been a lot for you,” she said. “A lot of change in a really short time. Some of it uncomfortable.”

  Ken leaned in and kissed her. “Considering you’re the one who’s pregnant, I think I got the better end of the deal.” He smiled.

  “Go lock that door, and you can get lucky,” she teased.

  He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Excellent. I’ll be right back.”

  And he was, just seconds later.

  She sat up on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around him, looking into his eyes. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  Love you, too, Dewi. So damned much.”

  “I guess we need to figure out what her name’s going to be, don’t we?” He’d said he wanted the final choice to be hers, but she couldn’t decide.

  “Eventually, we should, yeah. But we still have plenty of time.”

  She smiled and started unfastening his shorts.

  “Wait,” he said. “Guns.” He removed his from the holster in his back waistband and set it on the bedside table while Dewi did the same.

  Thus disarmed, she focused on him once more. She loved how he buried his fingers in her hair as she freed his cock from his briefs and went down on him.

  His deep, needy groan felt like it rolled through her, calling to primal forces within her soul and building her hunger for him. She took her time, teasing him and savoring him, laving her tongue over the head of his cock and enjoying the way his hips rocked in time with her movements.