Page 45 of Broken By Her Mate

“Oh, Laila…” Elena blew out a resigned breath. “Of course, I’ll help. I’ll keep my mouth shut for now.”

“Thank you. This might sound silly because my shifter senses couldn’t have been that off, but can you help me confirm the pregnancy?”

“It isn’t silly, and of course, I can. We also need to get you started on proper prenatal care. Things are a little different for shifters than humans. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

For the first time since she made the discovery about her pregnancy, a wave of relief washed over her. Thank the gods for Elena because Laila was absolutely clueless when it came to shifter pregnancies.

“Before we get started with all of that, can I offer a word of advice?” Elena asked.

“Sure.”

“I know you’re afraid because you’ve been hurt before, but don’t let the past stand in the way of the chance of something amazing in the present.”

Laila stared at her, considering her words. Many times since she and Tolliver united, she’d wanted to throw caution to the wind and jump into a full-blown romance with him. Still, she had every right to be careful.

“I’ll try,” was all she could say in response.

Chapter 17 - Tolliver

Tolliver took a steadying breath as he approached Laila. He was rarely nervous about anything, but for this, he couldn’t ignore his fluttering nerves. Maybe he was being ridiculous. When did asking a woman out on a date become a nerve-wracking mission? He stopped in the living room and waited for Laila to finish her phone conversation.

“And everything is okay at the bakery?” she asked.

He figured she was talking to Cora. She hadn’t looked up when he came in, so he took the opportunity to admire her. Her luxurious dark hair hung loosely around her shoulders, and her fresh face gave her an air of sweet innocence. It was that same sweet aura that had drawn him to her years ago before he even knew she was his mate.

“Thank you so much for stepping up, Cora. I smell a promotion to manager in someone’s near future.”

Tolliver heard Cora’s squeal on the other end and smiled. The kid had grown on him fast, and he wasn’t even one to warm up to people so quickly. Not wanting to eavesdrop on them too much, he turned down his acute hearing and tuned out their conversation so he didn’t hear what else Cora said. Whatever it was made Laila laugh uproariously.

The sound wound its way around Tolliver and seeped into his pores to warm him completely. He was so in love with his ex that the sound of her laughter made his world brighter. It was time to stop beating around her bush with her. He had been patient and given her space, but she refused to come around. It was time to put everything on the table… put his entire heart on the line. And he had to start by telling her the truth. Hopefully, she accepted his offer of a date. He would wine and dine her,soften things with a little romance, and then ease into the hard conversation.

When Laila said goodbye to Cora and hung up, she looked his way. “Hey,” she greeted softly, almost shyly.

“Hey. Do you have a minute?”

She put her cell down. “Sure.” Her eyes were glued to him as he walked and sat beside her. “Is everything okay? Did you find out something else about Jonas Mercer?”

He hated the worry clouding her eyes. “We’re still searching for him, but I’m not here about that.” After endless hours spent tracking leads and investigating, Mercer was the last thing he wanted to talk about. “I actually need a break from all of that.”

Amusement lit her eyes. “You need a break from work? This must be a dream because your words can’t be real. You’re a workaholic, Tolliver Sterling.”

He shrugged. “I guess I’m a different person now. The older I get, the more I learn that other things in life are more important than my career.” He held her captive with his gaze, hoping she’d take the hint. Yes, he was still black ops, but he was willing to change things if she gave him another chance.

Laila’s eyes skated away from his, and pink highlighted her cheeks. She got uneasy every time he tried to breach the subject of their relationship, and he hated it. Not wanting the awkwardness to overshadow his date proposal, he jumped right into it. “Things have been overwhelming for both of us. You need a break, too. What do you say about going out tonight?”

She raised an eyebrow, confusion and shock flickering in her eyes. “Do you mean like a date?”

For the first time in a long time, Tolliver felt self-conscious. If she shut him down, he’d be embarrassed. He cleared his throat lightly. “Yes.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean, we’re not…”

“We’re not what?”

Laila’s blush intensified. “Couples go on dates, and we’re not a couple.”

Much to his annoyance. “I know. It’s just dinner, Laila. I thought we could get out of the house.”

“But you’ve been such a stickler about my safety, and you want to go out?”