surprised, but I am.” She was looking at the spitting image of her husband, except for the brilliant green eyes—her eyes. He was a little leaner than Dorian and seemed a bit more fashion conscious, judging from the jeans and sweater he wore. She felt the energy pouring off of him.
Eryk moved toward Morgan. Other than Jasmine, before him stood the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Heavy auburn tresses curled about her shoulders. Just slightly shorter than Jasmine, she glowed with happiness. He’d heard the term, peaches and cream complexion, but had never seen it. And, with those brilliant green eyes, his eyes, she was breathtaking. He stared at her, blinked, and held her hand while viewing her aura. He’d never done it with a pregnant woman before and he found himself staring at the two separate auras emanating from the roundness of her body.
“All well?” she asked.
He realized he was still holding her hand and let it drop as heat crept up his neck. He quickly blinked and, in that instant, saw her do the same. He smiled into matching eyes. “All’s perfect.”
“Same here,” she returned. “ Come on, sit down.”
Dorian set mugs on the table, a lar ge pot of tea, and some scones. “Help yourselves,” he said and left the room. He returned carrying a large folder, set it down on the table, and settled in the chair next to his wife.
“Bask?” Jasmine asked.
“Of course,” Dorian opened the folder.
Eryk sat quietly, watching the three others around the table. He seemed compelled by Morgan’s eyes to look deep into them. They were the same eyes he saw in the mirror every morning. Is this what other people felt looking into his?
She was talking with Jasmine, who was pouring tea into mugs and handing them out. They fell into a camaraderie he’s never felt with anyone and he found himself actually hoping there might be a place for him with these people. Dorian’s ice-blue eyes watched Morgan as if trying to anticipate what she might want before she spoke. Their silent communication was evident when their eyes would meet and a nod, a smile, or a touch would follow.
Dorian pulled some papers out of the folder. “Here are the results of the DNA tests.” He handed Eryk the results.
Eryk frowned. “How?” He looked around the table.
Jasmine cheeks turned pink and she looked down when he frowned at her. She took a breath and confronted him. “The day we met and knocked Jenn on her ass—” She stopped at Morgan’s laugh.
“Jenn told me about that.” Morgan patted Jasmine’s hand. “Apparently, you guys deliver ed quite a jolt.”
Jasmine’s face only became more inflamed.
“It’s okay, Jas,” Dorian said and laid his hand on hers, “it takes time to learn to control it.”
As Eryk watched the intimate gesture he found himself feeling something new to him—jealousy.
Jasmine smiled at Dorian before pulling her hand back and turning to Eryk. “I scratched you when we pulled apart.”
He held up his hand, showing a faint red line down the side. “I know. I’ll probably have a scar,” he teased.
“Don’t worry, she ’s not rabid,” Dorian offered.
“Are you sure?” Eryk quipped back, pulled the papers out and leafed through them. Lab reports. A glance showed numerous matches between he and Dorian. Yet, they’d done this without his permission. “I don’t remember signing any releases,” he said without looking up.
Silence fell around the table until Dorian spoke his voice tight. “So , sue us.”
Eryk snorted and looked at the three people watching him. He slowly shook his head, trying to tamp down the hurt he felt by his “parents’” betrayal. “Ironically, it’s not you all I want to go after.”
Dorian leaned forward. “Believe it or not, I know how you feel. ” He waited until he had Eryk’s full attention before he continued. “There is so much you don’t understand. About Ruthorford. Us. Yourself. But know this—we’ve got your back.”
“
Eryk moved toward Morgan. Other than Jasmine, before him stood the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Heavy auburn tresses curled about her shoulders. Just slightly shorter than Jasmine, she glowed with happiness. He’d heard the term, peaches and cream complexion, but had never seen it. And, with those brilliant green eyes, his eyes, she was breathtaking. He stared at her, blinked, and held her hand while viewing her aura. He’d never done it with a pregnant woman before and he found himself staring at the two separate auras emanating from the roundness of her body.
“All well?” she asked.
He realized he was still holding her hand and let it drop as heat crept up his neck. He quickly blinked and, in that instant, saw her do the same. He smiled into matching eyes. “All’s perfect.”
“Same here,” she returned. “ Come on, sit down.”
Dorian set mugs on the table, a lar ge pot of tea, and some scones. “Help yourselves,” he said and left the room. He returned carrying a large folder, set it down on the table, and settled in the chair next to his wife.
“Bask?” Jasmine asked.
“Of course,” Dorian opened the folder.
Eryk sat quietly, watching the three others around the table. He seemed compelled by Morgan’s eyes to look deep into them. They were the same eyes he saw in the mirror every morning. Is this what other people felt looking into his?
She was talking with Jasmine, who was pouring tea into mugs and handing them out. They fell into a camaraderie he’s never felt with anyone and he found himself actually hoping there might be a place for him with these people. Dorian’s ice-blue eyes watched Morgan as if trying to anticipate what she might want before she spoke. Their silent communication was evident when their eyes would meet and a nod, a smile, or a touch would follow.
Dorian pulled some papers out of the folder. “Here are the results of the DNA tests.” He handed Eryk the results.
Eryk frowned. “How?” He looked around the table.
Jasmine cheeks turned pink and she looked down when he frowned at her. She took a breath and confronted him. “The day we met and knocked Jenn on her ass—” She stopped at Morgan’s laugh.
“Jenn told me about that.” Morgan patted Jasmine’s hand. “Apparently, you guys deliver ed quite a jolt.”
Jasmine’s face only became more inflamed.
“It’s okay, Jas,” Dorian said and laid his hand on hers, “it takes time to learn to control it.”
As Eryk watched the intimate gesture he found himself feeling something new to him—jealousy.
Jasmine smiled at Dorian before pulling her hand back and turning to Eryk. “I scratched you when we pulled apart.”
He held up his hand, showing a faint red line down the side. “I know. I’ll probably have a scar,” he teased.
“Don’t worry, she ’s not rabid,” Dorian offered.
“Are you sure?” Eryk quipped back, pulled the papers out and leafed through them. Lab reports. A glance showed numerous matches between he and Dorian. Yet, they’d done this without his permission. “I don’t remember signing any releases,” he said without looking up.
Silence fell around the table until Dorian spoke his voice tight. “So , sue us.”
Eryk snorted and looked at the three people watching him. He slowly shook his head, trying to tamp down the hurt he felt by his “parents’” betrayal. “Ironically, it’s not you all I want to go after.”
Dorian leaned forward. “Believe it or not, I know how you feel. ” He waited until he had Eryk’s full attention before he continued. “There is so much you don’t understand. About Ruthorford. Us. Yourself. But know this—we’ve got your back.”
“
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