Accidental Surrogate for Alpha

#Chapter 429 – Names

Cora

Matthew? Roger tries, passing the name down the line to the baby and I grip his hand, and we both wait…

But nothing.

“The baby doesn’t like the name Matthew,” I whisper, laughing a little. “Well, it was just a starter,” Roger murmurs, grinning at me again. “You try one.”

“All right,” I say, leaning my head back and taking a deep breath. And then I pass a name down, trying… Oliver.

“Oliver!?” Roger bursts out in disgust and I gasp, glaring at him.

“You are biasing our son!” I accuse, sitting up to smack him. “I said nothing when you said stupid Matthew!”

“Matty is a cute name “he protests, laughing and blocking my blow. “Oliver is the name of a sickly Victorian child who wants more gruel -”

I growl and lay back, taking a deep breath and gathering myself. “Well, let’s see what the baby thinks,” I murmur, sending Roger another glare. And then I try again, whispering Oliver? down the bond. But nothing comes back.

“Good baby,” Roger murmurs, kissing my stomach again and making me laugh. “Don’t let her call you that. It’s terrible.”

“Okay okay,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try one more.”

“I’ll pick it?” Roger asks.

“Sure,” I reply, relaxing. “But this time, pick one you really, really like. One that you’d actually want him to be called – your favorite.”

“Okay,” he murmurs.

And then Roger passes another name down the bond, and I smile, because…

Because I love it.

And we wait…

both Roger and I gasp at the

Happy!

laughing and sitting up as Roger snatches me to him, pulling me fast into

did we just -” he stares at me, thrilled. Laughing, elated, I take his face in my hands and kiss him, and

we just

and I stayed on that beach almost until the sun came up, and then we gathered up all of our sandy clothes and the blanket and

tapping on the door, bringing us a basket of food so we could eat something, and Roger went to get it while I curled further up in bed, deciding that I was never,

I come and sit with him on the couch for the elaborate dinner he made. Well, elaborate for Roger, who never learned to cook. But the spread of sandwiches and warmed soup

more days like that, surviving on whatever the landlord brought us every day in baskets and otherwise laying in bed talking, making each other laugh, sending messages to the baby when he was awake to see what he’d do. And honestly, the baby never

the day as we napped, and went swim and laid out in the sun. The entire time

to get back – because as much as we like each other, we

do this again, yes?” Roger murmurs, pulling me close outside the little bungalow after

laugh and let him kiss me, let it sweep through me. “Maybe

before looking around. “I really like this place. Maybe

a hand on my stomach. “But, considering that this

Roger says, his eyebrows raising. “And considering what the goddess said that

break into a grin. “You’re

a bunch more,” he nods, eager. “And I’m going to enjoy the process very much,

” You just make the babies,

for the car. ” Nah, I’m going to be a very involved dad. You’ll see. You’ll

kiss his cheek as he opens my car door for me. “Or, we can just pass them all off on Ella,” I

into that?” Roger asks, loading our tiny luggage into the

rolling my eyes and sitting down in the car, closing my door behind me as Roger climbs into his seat. “Ella, loaded up with four of her own kids and as many nieces and

a deal,” he says, half serious and grinning at me as he buckles his belt and starts the

say, smiling down at him and stroking my belly fondly. “We’re lucky. We’ve got a good