Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
D es looked at the main room of their country house, wrinkling his nose.
The whole place looked like a pink llama explosion.
Yes, llamas. That was what Starry had chosen for his theme.
Pink, purple, blue, green… llamas marched across the nursery, and now they were in his front room for Starry’s shower.
He looked at his household manager, Kumar. “Is everything ready, Kumar?”
“Yes, sir. The food is in, and we have our own servers as opposed to the caterers’. The rooms are aired and cleaned for the overnight guests. The gift table is set up, and the cake is ready.”
“Good man. Hamish?”
“We brought in extra guys to work security. I trust them all.”
“That’s perfect.” The house would be crawling with dragons. He had to know his mate was safe. That was the only way this whole damn baby shower was going to work.
Not that he was sure it was going to work anyway. It might just kill him. Normally, as the alpha, he wouldn’t have to attend, but this was more of a house party.
“Wish me luck,” he told Hamish.
“Better you that me. They’re planning a baby food tasting game.”
He gagged. “Oh, goddess help me.”
“Yep.” Hamish clapped him on the back. “Have fun, Boss.”
He strode into the front room proper, noting that Reed fluttered around fixing this bouquet of flowers and that tablecloth.
“How’s it going, Reed?”
“Well.” Reed smiled at him, looking so much more… present than he had when he’d first arrived. More confident. Definitely happier. “Do you think there’s enough llamas?”
“Oh, I think the theme is clear,” Des said, looking at the llama pinatas and the wild Christmas tree that had llamas all over it, along with rainbow ribbon threaded through the branches.
“Thanks. Kumar and I really worked at it.”
“I can tell.”
Reed beamed, then he frowned at the sound of the camera chime. “Looks like folks are arriving.”
“I’ll go get Starry.” He had insisted that he carry Starry down this morning for the shower.
He was so out of balance on the stairs, and Des was taking no chances.
In fact, he was thinking of putting a little elevator in the back of the house where it wouldn’t hurt the old-world aesthetic, just so when Starry was pregnant, which he hoped was often, he would have an alternative.
He climbed the stairs, smiling when he found Starry sound asleep. Poor love was so tired of late. The midwife said it was normal, but?—
Des worried.
“Love. Your guests are arriving. I would say that Lila is here, judging from the noise down there.”
“Oh.” Starry sat up, smiling. “How does it look down there?”
“Like a llama herd exploded in glitter.”
“Nice.” Starry stretched, adorably sleepy and rumpled. “Am I presentable?”
“Let me run a brush over your hair.”
“Okay.” He yawned. “I was just so sleepy.”
“That is to be expected. And if you get overtired today, you will tell me so I can shoo all the guests off.”
“You just want me to so you don’t have to do this party.” Starry let Des brush his hair into a semblance of order.
“You know I detest this, but for you, my love…”
“Grumpy old mate.” Starry held up his arms, and Des picked him up easily, loving the feel of Starry in his arms, and the way he could feel the baby move, pressed to his ribs as everything was.
“I am. I have much to do and would rather spend my time off with just you.” He carried Starry down the stairs, then set him on his feet.
Starry glanced up at him, green eyes flashing with merriment. He offered up his lips for a kiss, so Des took it, lingering over it. Starry had been… enthusiastic the last few months, and Des would never not take what Starry gave him.
“Okay. Off I go.” Starry lifted his chin before sailing off toward the front room.
Gods help him. He was going to do this, even if he got eaten by a zombie llama.
Starry laughed at the sheer number of socks he got with his shower gifts.
Teeny tiny socks. Dozens of them, as well as blankets and onesies.
His friend Lila, who he did charity work with, laughed too at his bemusement. “You’ll need them. I promise. I have to say, I love the bib and washcloth llama that Reed made you.”
“Oh, me too.” That might be his favorite. “I’m just waiting for cake.”
“It looks stunning,” Lila said.
The cake had nothing to do with llamas, and it really was beautiful. It was three tiers, frosted in ombre yellow and green, with a sign sticking out of the top that said, “Oh, baby!”
It made him giggle every time he looked at it.
Des was the best part, though. As it turned out, his mate was extremely competitive with party games. He had won every one, from the collecting spoons that everyone held whenever someone crossed their legs to the baby food tasting.
Hilarious.
Alistair loved him even more after today.
He yawned, and Lila winked. “I’ll go get the cake cutting started.”
“Thanks, sweetie.”
Sure enough, a minute later, Des had wielded the cake cutter like a ninja, and Alistair had a slice of cake on a llama shaped plate, fork stuck in it.
“Yummy.”
“It’s pretty good. I like the white chocolate and lemon together.” Des sat down next to him, a giant piece of cake on his regularly shaped plate.
“It was a good call. I need to go lie down after this.”
“Sure, baby.” Des looked him over with a critical eye. “You okay?”
“Mmm. Just tired, and my back is sore.” He was kind of generally uncomfortable, but that had been going on for a couple of weeks as he got really big. And close.
“I’ll haul you up after cake. Let me tell Reed to get everyone to come over a few at a time and say their goodbyes. They can hang out and party for a while. We’ll go snuggle.” Des waggled his eyebrows.
“Oh, even better than cake.”
His ass was dragging by the time everyone cooed and kissed on him, but finally Des lifted him into his arms, and they headed for the stairs.
A loud scream rent the air just as they reached the base of the stairs, and the roar of a huge dragon echoed through the vaulted ceiling of the entry hall.
Starry grunted when Des put him down and moved to stand in front of him, growling deep in his throat.
What the hell was going on now? Who dared to interrupt his party?