The Legend of the Eight: The Hunted (Book 5)

15: How Chloe Got Her Groove Back

Behind her, Levi had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

"And all these breathing techniques and visualization practices won't help you when this child rips you from bow to stern and no amount of Kegel exercises will undo that damage." Chloe pushed her dark locks out of her face and then added, "So lighten up. Damn."

SHE HAD HER HANDS IN the back pockets of his jeans and hooked her leg around his, moving her lips with his as they kissed passionately in the backseat of his Ford Explorer. His hands moved up her sides, lifting that sweater until it was over her head and she was straddling him in her leggings and bra.

With each kiss, his lips told her everything he was too busy to say. He pulled on her lower lip. I want you. He found the soft spot under her jaw that left the hairs on the back of her neck standing. I need you. He kissed across her collarbones while grabbing at her butt. I love you.

"I can't believe you got us kicked out of class," he breathed between kisses, pushing her hair from her face so he could kiss her more. "You're trouble, Lawson."

She laughed and shook her head, pulling his face back to hers. "You were the one making jokes about blow jobs."

"But you're the one who called the woman's vagina a cruise ship."

The kissing stopped briefly and they laughed together. But soon enough, the urge in Chloe's core took over and she fumbled with the buckle of his belt beneath her swollen belly. He helped her and soon enough, they were naked in the back of his car, having sex like a couple of horny, soon-to-be-parents.

AFTERWARDS, LEVI DROVE THEM BACK to Damon's loft where they passed several of her brother's neighbors who gave them very telling looks—like they were perfectly aware of what happened in the parking lot at the birthing center. They hurried through the lobby and upstairs to the loft which was surprisingly empty.

"Why are you staying here tonight?" Levi asked her and in the living room, Chloe caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and realized she put her sweater on inside-out in the car. She immediately turned to fix it.

"I felt weird staying at the palace if Wil's not there," she replied since Wil was off with the rest of the Eight at some safehouse for the next few days while the Doctor performed a series of magical tests on the Realm. Luckily, the Queen used Chloe's secret pregnancy to excuse her from the tests (so long as Chloe stayed away from the Academy during them). "I don't think Queen Clarion likes me very much."

"Queen C doesn't like anyone very much," Levi chuckled, walking into the kitchen where he began picking up a pile of mail that had fallen off the counter. "It's part of her charm."

"Maybe," Chloe agreed with a halfhearted shrug.

"Hey Chlo...?" Levi started to say, standing up and holding the most recent copy of WoMWeekly. "Have you seen this?"

She made a face and joined him in the kitchen where she saw the cover picture—a blown up image of herself with Levi, kissing in the palace's circular driveway. The shot was blurry—like the camera was far away and zoomed in through the gates to get the picture—and in it, Chloe and Levi each had a hand on her baby bump. Had the quality not been so poor, she could've mistaken it for an official pregnancy announcement. The headline below read,

THE BEAST TAMER IS TAMED
LEVI HEART EXPECTING BABY WITH GIRLFRIEND