Page 28 of Charisma
“That’s how it works as far as I’m concerned,” Paxton huffs out, causing all of us to laugh once again.
“Where did you come up with a word like tally-whacker?” Mari wheezes out.
“It’s another name for his dick,” Pax replies, looking at Mari as if she was in need of some further education.
“Maybe in another century,” Mari returns, winking at me.
“Whatever. Will it hurt him?” Paxton growls out between clenched teeth, dismissing our teasing.
“You better not be taking that tone with my mate,” Beast rumbles, having entered the cabin.
“Beast, your mate wants to spell my woman. All I wanna know is if it’s gonna hurt his dick!” Paxton bellows, aggravated at the constant laughter that still rings through the room.
“My beloved witch won’t do anything to harm the babies,” Beast asserts, walking over and kissing said mate. She beams up at him then whispers something while manipulating her hands over both women and soon, I see blissed-out looks on both of their sweating faces. “And if his dick isn’t present, if it fell off along the way, it’s because he’s a she.”
“Okay, ladies. Let’s see how much longer you both have to go,” Esme states.
* * *
As the hours drag on,Landry is the first to introduce her twin cubs, identical girls, Sami, and Lani to the group who have been waiting on pins and needles. Paxton is absolutely smitten with the two little ones; having forgotten his earlier assertion he was having boys. “It’s a good thing Daddy is a panther, I’ll protect you from those nasty boys,” he coos to the two babies in his arms.
“Are you going to let me hold our daughters?” Landry asks, a peeved look on her face. “I mean, I know I carried them for what seems like forever, but I’d like the chance to bond with them too.”
“Give me a minute, mate,” Paxton replies. “I’m laying down the law of the land right now.”
“To two little girls who have no cognitive abilities yet? Are you for real?”
“If I repeat it daily, they’ll grow up to understand these things,” he says.
“You’re being ridiculous right now, my love,” she retorts. “Now, hand me our daughters and no one will get hurt.”
“Fine, fine.” To the babies, he whispers, “Mommy’s cranky because she just had you. I promise she’s not always like this.”
“Paxton,” Landry growls out.
He rolls his eyes but carefully places each bundle into her waiting arms then hovers over the three of them in a protective stance, which is our cue to return to the living room so the new family can bond in peace and quiet.
“Push, Connelly!” We hear Maverick holler out, alarm and terror heard in every syllable spilling from his lips.
“Should we be worried?” I ask the room at large.
“Nah, Esmerelda’s with them. She’d never let anything happen to that baby,” Beast declares as he holds his daughter tucked tightly into his chest. Delightment radiates from him as he admires the bundle. I bet he’s recalling the day of her birth.
“Rowina and Leigh are in there too,” Kash, Maverick and Leigh’s dad reminds me.
“I know. I just feel like I should be doing something else other than sitting here and admiring the babies,” I confess, wishing I was in there encouraging Connelly as she pushes her baby into the world.
As I open my mouth to say something else, an ear-splitting cry echoes down the hallway from the back birthing room. We’re at Esmerelda’s home where for the last few weeks she’s been creating the perfect birthing atmosphere at the back of her home. Two rooms sit back there, but the beds aren’t like what you’d picture they’d be. She’s got a birthing pool, in addition to well-appointed beds that change into delivery tables complete with stirrups at the end. During the active laboring, us women were taking turns helping each of the two prospective moms, but once active pushing started, everyone except Esmerelda, Rowina, and Leigh, as well as the respective mates, left and we’ve been patiently waiting in her living room ever since.
As we all pace the room, waiting for word on Maverick and Connelly’s baby, we bump into each other then continue along our path. It feels like time stalls as we sit impatiently. It’s been a long period of time since we heard the first cry break free. Quiet footsteps walk down the hallway, whomever is heading in our direction is trying to be as silent to keep from disturbing the new life in the residence.
When Maverick breaches the archway, he keeps the baby’s gender a secret, the baby is tucked within a blanket as tight as a human burrito. “Well?” I ask, bouncing on the balls of my feet.
“It’s a boy,” he wistfully answers. Mav’s eyes are misty, full of unshed tears.
“What’s his name?” Baldwin asks, leaning over my shoulder as we wait for Mav’s son to be presented to us.
“I’d like everyone to meet Elias. He weighed in at six pounds and twelve ounces. He was twenty point two inches long. He’s perfect in every way.” Finally, after what feels like a lifetime, he pulls the blanket from the baby boy’s face and a head full of bleach blond hair catches our attention before the baby opens his eyes and we’re met with the brightest, sky blue colored eyes I’ve ever seen.