Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

His smile is warm and soft. In a perfectly-cut black Brioni
suit, his white dress shirt open at the collar exposing the strong
column of his throat, he’s never looked so handsome or virile.
When my ovaries twinge, I look away, swallowing.
His tone sharpens. “What is it?”
I close my eyes and exhale. Life is going to be tough,
living with a mind reader. “I was thinking.”
“Uh-oh.”
“I can’t look at you when I say this, so please don’t ask me
to.”
His arm tightens around me and his gaze burns my profile,
but he remains silent, waiting.
Losing my nerve, I shake my head. “Never mind. This is a
bad time.”
Kage’s laugh is short. “Nice try. Talk to me.”
I’m so nervous to bring this up, but I know I need to tell
him the truth or I’ll never hear the end of it. I pause for a
moment, gathering my courage, then spit it out.
“Here’s the thing. I…I never really thought about being a
mom. I mean, I just sort of assumed I’d have kids one day, but
I never planned to. It wasn’t a goal or anything. But now that I
know I won’t be having any…”
After a moment, he says gruffly, “What?”
I shift my weight to my other foot and wet my lips,
wishing my heart wouldn’t beat so hard. It makes it difficult to
keep my voice even. “I’m thinking I’d like the choice.”
He turns me to face him, pulling me close and grasping my
jaw so I can’t look away. In a low, intense voice, he says, “Are
you telling me you want to have my children?”
I whisper, “I know you said you didn’t want to bring kids
into this life—”
“Are you telling me you want to have my children?”
“—and you already had the vasectomy—”