Wanted Man (Loki Fanfiction - Book #1)

Chapter Thirty-Four

The room was dark and quiet. Selig was asleep in his cradle and McKenna lay on her side, tucked beneath Loki's possessive arm, which held her cradled against his chest. His deep, even breaths lifted her hair from her nape. And while the men in her life slept peacefully, she was wide awake. But not uncomfortably so. If anything, she was perfectly content to lie there, feeling Loki's chest rise and fall against her, to feel his arm draped over her waist, his relaxed fingertips brushing her belly. She was snug and cozy, beneath sheets of the finest black cotton, as the gentle night breeze wafted through their chambers. Occasionally, Selig would let out a coo or a grunt, and his sheets would rustle as he wriggled into a more comfortable position.

These were her favorite moments, when everything in the world-er, worlds-was as right as it could be.

She smiled into the darkness. Almost six months had passed since that steamy summer night when she emerged from her bathroom to find a man dressed in black and green leather lying semi-conscious on the floor just inside her apartment. Six months ago, she never dreamed any of that would happen, never mind that she would be where she was now, lying beside the man she considered her soul mate.

"What are you thinking about?" Loki's voice was no more than a whisper, but she started just the same, her heart lurching at the unexpected question.

She flipped onto her back to find him gazing down at her, his eyes heavy-lidded but glittering in the faint light. "I thought you were asleep."

"Dozing on and off," he murmured, his hand pressing flat into her stomach and tracing small circles just above her belly button. "Why are you still awake?"

"Just thinking, I guess."

"About what?"

"How funny fate can be." She covered his hand with hers to still it. "Six months ago, you were a name on the news. A monster in nightmares. I came out of my bathroom to find you half-dead on my floor."

"I remember it well. My back still aches from time to time thanks to the beast."

"But you aren't a monster at all. Now, you're the father of my child. The love of my life. Do you believe in soul mates?"

"Soul mates?" His brows lowered. "What is that?"

"Guess that answers that." She smiled up at him, reaching up to tuck a lock of black hair back behind his left ear. Since he'd cut it, it tended to refuse to lay flat in the back, but instead the curl took over to render it permanently tousled-looking. "The idea is that there is one perfect mate for everyone. On Earth, but I suppose we can expand it to include the other eight realms as well."

Loki's thumb stroked hers. "I've never given it much thought, obviously. Do you? You're a bit of a dreamer, so I'm going to guess your answer is yes."

She smiled. "I never did believe in them, because my track record with men wasn't the greatest. Commitment issues, mostly. Or I stayed for the wrong reasons, like with Joe, because I would've rather been with someone for the wrong reason than alone for the right one."

"No wonder you were willing to help me. You were vulnerable."

"I was. I think I still am."

"No, you aren't." He rose onto his elbow, propping his head on his fist. His hand slid from beneath hers, his fingers curling about her hand to lift it up to his lips. "You are far stronger than you realize, McKenna. Think of all I've put you through these last six months and tell me how vulnerable you are."

"True. I'm pretty kickass, aren't I?"

He kissed the backs of her fingers again. "You are the most kickass woman I know."