Swallowing His Pride Read online

  “Hey! I resemble that remark,” Liam shot back with a grin.

  This was what Dylan loved, seeing his mate and his brother—the last living member of his family—picking on each other as if they’d been doing it for years. Even Lynn got along with them all, though there seemed to be something more going on between her and Jag. Dylan couldn’t put his finger on it, but the way they watched each other spoke of something more.

  “Oh,” Samantha clapped her hands, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I found two names that I love.” Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled in her excitement, and he couldn’t wait to hear what she’d come up with. “How about Lindsey for a girl? I was thinking that Elijah, or Eli for short, for a boy, in honor of your and Liam’s father?”

  “Our father?” Naming his heir after the previous Prime would be an amazing tribute to his father. That Samantha was willing to name their child after a man she’d never met meant the world to him. “Sweetheart, I don’t know what to say.”

  Liam came over and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek, for which Dylan promptly shoved him away. “Darlin’, that’s a good, strong name, and I would be proud for my nephew to carry it.”

  “So, does that mean we have our boy name?” she asked, looking back to Dylan for confirmation.

  “It sounds like we have both names,” he answered. “Now, we just need to finish up the nursery and we’ll be all set.”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me. Just looking at the directions for putting the changing table together nearly put me to sleep.”

  “Well, you just have a seat, and we’ll get the food to the table. As for the furniture, don’t worry about it. Liam and I will get everything ready. All you need to do is relax and take care of the two of you,” Dylan ordered, gesturing toward her middle.

  “That’s easier said than done. I’m just so restless lately.”

  “We’ll see what we can do about wearing you out later then,” he teased.

  “Awe, man! We’re at the table here, guys,” Liam grouched. As if he’d never bragged about his weekend conquests over dinner.

  Lynn breezed in, dropping her purse and shoes by the door before lifting her nose in the air and inhaling deeply. “Sweet mother of chili peppers, that smells good.”

  “You’re just in time,” Samantha called. “If you would have come in late, I’m afraid the boys might have cleaned me out.”

  Dylan joined Liam and Jag as they all nodded in agreement. One thing they all agreed on was that Samantha could cook. She’d taken to ensuring all three men had a good, hearty dinner every night. Lynn had told him it made Sam feel better to be able to do something for them, since she wasn’t able to work during her pregnancy. As it turned out, she’d confided in Lynn that she felt guilty having Dylan pay her bills, but he’d quickly squashed that. Samantha was his mate, and he considered it an honor to provide for her needs.

  Once everyone had finished eating, the men sent Lynn and Sam into the living room and cleaned the dishes and table. They listened as the women discussed taking a walk down to the creek before dark. Seeing as there wasn’t anything going on around the property, Dylan didn’t see any reason to not take them.

  When Samantha slipped down the hall to change into something more comfortable for the cool, late-October evening, Dylan followed. He entered the bedroom on silent feet and stood just outside the closet door as she slipped her top over her head. Seeing her body, ripe with child, never ceased to amaze him. It was incredible to watch her stomach move as the baby rolled and stretched inside, and Dylan would often lay awake at night with his hand resting on her belly. It was his own private moment between him and his son or daughter and would be something he’d remember always.

  “Are you enjoying the view?” Samantha sassed as she flipped through her sweaters.

  “Always.” Dylan stepped inside with her and palmed her rear. “I’m hoping to see more of the natural beauty I enjoy so much later this evening.”

  Turning, Samantha wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Let’s go for a walk and then I’ll take you on a tour of the hills and valleys.” She glanced down and ran a hand over her swollen midsection before quirking a brow and amending her comment. “Well, more like a mountain than a hill now.”

  Shaking his head, Dylan grabbed a blue sweater that made her eyes stand out and pulled it over her head. “Let’s get your walk done before you end up in bed at an insanely early hour.”

  “I’m not even tired yet. Besides, I need the exercise because my legs have been aching from the swelling.”

  “Oh, I have no intention of letting you sleep right away, but I do intend to massage each and every inch of your body, so keep that in mind.” One thing he loved about her pregnancy hormones was the way he only had to mention putting his hands on her to see the spark light her eyes. In her final weeks, she’d become a mass of raging hormones, and Dylan had been reaping the benefits.

  I lead such a hard life, he thought sarcastically.

  Worried about how her ankles were swollen more than normal today, Dylan managed to talk her into taking the cart to the edge of the trees and then they would continue of foot from there. It was a testament to how much her legs must have been bothering her when she didn’t put up even a token protest.

  “Are you sure you want to go for a walk tonight, Sam?” Lynn asked. “We can always wait and do this tomorrow. It’s the weekend, and I’m not on call. I’ll be glad to hang out on the bank with you for a while.”

  With the end of the pregnancy growing near, and with nobody really knowing what to expect since Samantha was human, Lynn was determined to stick close by as much as possible. She’d taken all of her vacation time and was set to start it the following week—something that helped give Dylan some peace of mind with the construction of the shifter resort reaching a point where his opinion and approval were needed more and more, taking him away from Samantha during the majority of the day.

  The only good thing about his time at the resort was that he was able to work on what would be his and Samantha’s suite. Their quarters would take up half of the top floor, with Liam’s quarters being the remaining portion of the floor. So far Dylan had managed to have the walls painted and the bamboo floors put in, but he still needed to get the furnishings added, and he wanted to have the nursery finished before he brought her to see it.

  The Pride was aware that Dylan had taken a mate, though only the counsel was aware of her human status. He had no doubt the news had leaked out, as a few of the Pride members had begun to question him about when he would finally present the new Prima, however, Dylan had no intention of doing so while she was carrying his child.

  They went out back, ready to head out, and knowing the ride across the field would be rough, Dylan sat Samantha on his lap, hoping to cushion her some from the bumps along the way.

  Jag had shifted and gone ahead to ensure the area was still safe. Liam and Lynn rode in the front while Dylan and Sam sat in the rear, their seats facing backwards as they watched the house shrink into the distance.

  Samantha took a deep breath and let her head rest on his shoulder. “I love it when the air is like this,” she murmured. “All fresh. You can tell there’s rain coming.”

  “It’s the electricity in the atmosphere, almost like a static buildup. There’s going to be one hell of a storm later on.”

  She hummed a low, contented sound, and Dylan held on tighter as a bump jolted them both. “I love laying in bed at night, watching the lightning flash outside then counting the seconds until the thunder booms.”

  Yet another thing they had in common. “I did the same as a child and still do on stormy nights when I can’t sleep.”

  The cart rolled to a stop, and Liam announced, “We’re on foot from here folks.”

  Everyone exited the cart just as Jag stepped out onto an overhead limb. Samantha waved, walking beneath the tree to the well-worn trail, while Lynn took a more cautious approach.

  “He won’t bite unless you want him to.”
Liam just couldn’t seem to control his mouth at times, and Dylan realized his brother was pretty much baiting them both, but for what he wasn’t sure.

  Dylan and Sam had managed to get ahead a good bit when she peeked over her shoulder and whispered, “I think Jag likes Lynn. He watches her a lot.”

  He didn’t have the heart to tell her it was likely Jag’s aversion to humans that had him watching Lynn closely. As for Samantha, Jag considered her a member of the Pride, but after everything he’d been through, it would take a miracle for him to trust a human again.

  It wasn’t long before the creek came into view, and it was obvious the water had already risen with the rain north of them. “With the way the water level has come up and how strong the current is, it looks like any wading you girls might do in the daytime will be out for a while. We don’t want you to fall or get swept off.” In truth, just the thought of Samantha near the swollen, rushing creek had his cat pacing.

  “As big as I am now, I don’t feel especially buoyant so I think I’ll stay right where I am,” Samantha replied, cuddling into Dylan’s side. “I just love the way the fireflies light up over the water.”

  After helping Samantha sit on the grassy bank, Dylan took his place behind her, his legs surrounding hers, and urged her to rest back against him. “We might just have to catch some to put in a jar by the baby’s crib.”

  “I don’t want to do that. I’d rather he or she gets to experience them out in the open. It’s just so cool to be surrounded by them out in the field. A few in a jar couldn’t compare to that.” Suddenly, Samantha sat up and pointed into the trees on the far side of the creek. “Look!”

  Sure enough, against the backdrop of a faintly lit sky, the first of the little insects winked in and out, followed by another, then another.

  Lynn was lying in the grass next to them, her green eyes darting all around watching as the number of fireflies grew until it seemed as if they were amongst the stars.

  “It’s like hundreds of tiny fairies darting around,” Lynn whispered. “I’m almost afraid to move. I don’t want to scare them away.”

  “You can’t get this in the city,” Sam pointed out. It wasn’t the first time she’d done so either.

  “Are you trying to convert me to country living?” Lynn asked.

  “Maybe. Is it working?”

  “Hmm, let’s see. There are lots of mosquitoes—”

  “Those are in the city, too,” Sam argued.

  “—no neighbors close by if you’re in some kind of trouble,” Lynn continued as she ticked off her points on her fingers.

  “Like there are many in an apartment building who would help?”

  “It’s almost too quiet.”

  “So play a radio,” Sam huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Liam chuckled. “You know you love it here. Hell, I can practically watch the stress leave your body after you’ve been at the house five minutes.”

  “Yeah, yeah. So what, are you looking for a live-in nanny or something?” she joked.

  Dylan gave his mate a quick squeeze, and in return, she nodded. Taking that as a signal for him to do the honors, he answered, “Well, we just thought it would be nice if the baby’s godmother lived close by. You know, something like, keep your friends close and your babysitters closer.”

  “Seriously?”

  It was Dylan’s turn to be unsure. Lynn could be difficult to read at times, and right now, he wasn’t sure if she was referring to his sad attempt at a joke or that he’d just announced that she would be the child’s godmother.

  “What do you mean ‘seriously’?” Okay, apparently Sam had no problem clearing things up.

  “You guys want me to be a godmother? I can’t even keep a houseplant alive!” Lynn shrieked, as the scent of her panic reached his nose.

  That little outburst had Liam rolling with laughter, and Dylan suspected the thump he’d heard was Jag falling from his perch. Sure enough, his big, black head popped up above the shrubs and his icy-blue eyes were huge.

  “Oh, please. A child is much more vocal than a plant. Besides, you would only be raising the baby if something happened to both of us,” Sam replied, gesturing between her and Dylan.

  Lynn sighed, before pointing at both Liam and Jag. “I expect you two to keep those two alive for a very long time.”

  Liam winked and a low rumble sounded from Jag’s direction. “You’re so adorable when you panic,” Liam sassed, batting his eyes for effect.

  The poor bastard never saw the rock Lynn winged at him. “How cute am I now, playboy?”

  “Like a little rabid kitten,” he grumbled, rubbing his forehead.

  Lynn stuck out her tongue, and Jag made a chuffing sound off to the side. Had the guy really just laughed? In all the time Dylan had known him, Jag had always been a somber, serious person. His primal instincts were a bit more pronounced at times, but that came from being stuck in animal form for so long.

  What the hell, Dylan thought. If the banter between Lynn and Liam can make him laugh, I’ll let it go. He didn’t see any real harm in their teasing anyway, except when Jag growled or glared at Liam.

  A flare of light in the distance drew Dylan’s attention, and he realized the stars had disappeared behind thick clouds. The low roll of thunder way off meant it was time to head back. It was too cool to be caught out in the rain.

  Chapter Eight

  After everyone arrived back at the house, they’d all gathered in the kitchen to enjoy some of Sam’s angel food cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. By the time they’d finished, the rain was coming down in sheets as the wind howled around the house.

  Dylan and Liam had come over in their lion forms since they now kept clothes just inside Sam’s back door. It was more convenient than carrying them in their mouths, that was for sure. Now, however, it looked as if Liam would have to run through the storm to get back, but Samantha squashed the idea flat.

  “There’s no reason for anyone to be out in this weather. You heard the radio. There are high winds, a lot of lightning and even a chance of hail. No, everyone can just camp out here tonight.”

  They just looked at each other as she disappeared down the hall. Dylan had planned to stay, as he did every night, and he wasn’t surprised Lynn would be staying close, but he wasn’t sure how Liam and Jag would handle bunking down together in the living room.

  A door closed in the hall, and a moment later, Samantha came waddling along with her arms full of blankets and pillows. Dylan rushed over to relieve her of the load before tossing it at Liam. As far as he was concerned, those two could duke it out for the couch. On the other hand, he planned to make good on his promise to Sam and take her to bed for a relaxing massage.

  And maybe even a happy ending.

  “We’re turning in. You two don’t drive Lynn crazy,” he ordered, leading Sam back to the hall.

  Lynn grabbed her bag from beside the door. “I think I’ll hit the hay myself.”

  Jag stood, moving her way, and Lynn visibly tensed. Dylan paused. There had been an odd sort of tension building between the two for weeks now, and it kept everyone on edge, but when Jag only said, “I’m going to run the perimeter again,” Dylan relaxed.

  “Right,” Lynn replied. “Sorry, let me get out of your way.”

  She was passing close to Jag when he reached out, placing his hand on her arm. “You know I wouldn’t hurt you, right?”

  Head down, Lynn shocked them all when she answered. “I’m not used to being around a man I have no way of defending myself against.”

  What the fuck? Dylan thought, his eyes swinging back to Samantha only to find a sad expression come over her face.

  “I’ll defend you,” Jag growled.

  Lynn gave her purse a pat. “I appreciate that, but I keep my Plan B on hand, too. While I’m not sure if a bullet will stop a shifter, I’m fairly sure it would slow one down.”

  No doubt about it, Lynn was a fierce little female, but the key word was little. C
ompared to one of his kind, both Samantha and Lynn were downright tiny. It had been a major part in his decision not to introduce Samantha to the Pride yet.

  With a nod, Jag stepped out onto the porch, and a few seconds later, his jaguar darted past the window and out into the storm.

  “He’ll be fine,” Liam said, obviously noting Lynn’s concerned expression. “He’s used to being out in the weather. After all, he lives in the wild.”

  Shaking her head, Lynn just walked down the hall, closing the guestroom door behind her.

  “Is she okay?” Liam asked Samantha.

  “Yeah. She’s just not comfortable with situations she doesn’t have a chance of controlling, and Jag definitely falls into that category.”

  “As long as she knows she’s safe with him. My brother, on the other hand, seems to have a death wish where Jag is concerned,” Dylan accused, frowning at Liam.

  Liam looked up from where he was making his bed on the couch and quirked a brow. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

  “Right. Just don’t come crawling to me if you get your ass handed to you.” Rolling his eyes at Liam’s obvious disregard for Jag’s unstable temperament, he simply turned and led Sam to her room. “Let’s get you comfy. How about a nice warm bath?”

  “Sounds wonderful.”

  Stepping into the bathroom, Dylan quickly turned on the taps, adjusting the temperature until he had it just right. As he came back into the room, he paused to admire the sheer perfection that was his mate.

  She stood by the end of the bed, toeing off her shoes as she lifted her sweater over her head, revealing her lush breasts and swollen middle. Could she get any more damned beautiful?

  The miracle that is a woman, in all her mysteries and eccentricities, awed him. This was because, inside every woman rested the legendary cradle of life, where every being on the planet had sparked to life and been nurtured until birth. Now, Dylan had the pleasure of watching that miraculous process take place with the woman he loved.