“Everything okay?” Reno asked from behind.
“Yeah. Wheeler can come out now, and tell Naya her cat’s on the front porch. She might want to have the Relic take a look at him.”
Reno’s lips twitched as he moved out the door. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He lifted the cat into his arms and actually kissed him on the head. “He looks like he just needs some food in his belly. I’ve got a big can of tuna with your name all over it.”
Austin shut the door and watched in amazement as Reno took the cat to the kitchen, cooing and rubbing his head. Clearly he’d missed out on something.
Wheeler emerged from the hallway, cradling the baby, who was suckling on his finger. “I think he likes me.”
“Get your finger out of his mouth. You don’t know where that damn thing’s been.”
Wheeler narrowed his eyes. “I know exactly where my finger’s been. He must taste the beef jerky.”
“He thinks your finger’s a tit. Now, unless you plan on shooting milk from your fingers, I suggest you hand him over.”
Wheeler popped his finger out and looked down at the baby. “Well, that was awkward. Remind me not to tell you this story when you get older.” He handed him over to Austin and smirked darkly. “I think I might want one of those someday.”
The back door slammed and both men turned, listening to Naya’s squeals of delight. “Oh, my little baby boy! Where have you been? Mama missed you so much.”
Wheeler nodded at the baby. “At least you can put one of those in a cradle. Guess who’ll be shedding on our faces tonight.”
He swaggered toward the kitchen, but Austin didn’t miss the glint of happiness in his eyes. Wheeler lived in a state of denial, but everyone noticed the affection he had for that cat.
Austin smiled at his son. “So, what do you think of your Uncle Wheeler?”
He let out a fart.
“That’s my boy.”
“Austin! Austin!” His mother barreled down the stairs and stopped midway, out of breath, eyes wide. “It’s Lexi.”
His heart clenched, and he held his son just a little bit tighter. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s… she’s waking up.”
***
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Katharine folding laundry. Not my laundry, but little outfits.
Baby outfits.
The silence in the room sent chills down my body.
Disoriented, I blinked away the sunlight that was streaming through the side window. The last I remembered, it was night. I touched my shoulder and didn’t feel an open wound, only puckered flesh.
Even more disconcerting was that I was lying naked on the bed, without covers. God. How many people had walked in on me like this? It seemed such a silly thing to dwell on, but I closed my eyes and tried to recall my last memory. I remembered pain, and then a feeling of love came over me. After that, I only remembered darkness and occasional voices, but it seemed more dreamlike than a memory.
Katharine’s footsteps neared the door. “Relic, she shifted back and…”
I pried my eyes open and looked up at her.
“Lexi?” She gripped the knob with the door halfway open, disbelief in her voice. “Lexi?” she repeated. “I must be seeing things.”
I turned my head and looked over my right shoulder.
“Austin!” She flew out the door, leaving it ajar…
With my legs curled up and ass facing the hall. Great. I reached behind me for anything and gripped the sheet, pulling it over me. I managed to cover my right breast and hip, but I still couldn’t be sure how much of my derriere was poking out.
Footfalls trampled through the house and shook the floorboards until Austin appeared in the doorway, looking devastatingly handsome.
He crawled up the bed and pulled me into his arms.
“You came back to me,” he whispered in my hair.
I drew in a deep breath and smelled the soap on his skin, shampoo in his hair, detergent on his shirt, and a musky scent that told me he’d been outside in the sun recently.
His kisses moved from my temple to my mouth, his strong arm still supporting my lower back. “How are you feeling?”
“Dirty,” I croaked.
He chuckled. “Yeah. You’re going to be just fine.”
Edward moved in and shone a light in my eyes before listening to my heart. “Any pain?”
I thought about it and leaned back. “Not that I can tell. Just sore and stiff. It feels like a pulled muscle in my shoulder. Do I need to shift again?”
“Too late now.”
I looked between him and Austin. “What do you mean by too late?”
Austin penetrated me with his stare. “Do you know how long you’ve been asleep?”
My shoulders sagged when I realized I must have been unconscious for a long time. I hoped it wasn’t years, but if that was the case, then I would have to yell at Austin for not buying a new wardrobe. “How many days?”
He swept a lock of hair away from my eyes, still holding one of my arms as if I might fall. “Two. Well, technically this is the third day.”