Artificial Insemination

Chapter Nine

The frequent arguments between Dale and Evangeline started back up and continued until he stopped coming to sleep on the floor next to Layla at night.

The midnight visits helped to temper the sickly feeling that pushed Layla to mope around whenever Dale was preoccupied with Evangeline. When they stopped, the scent marking sessions became even more intense- the physical relief that she felt, at contact, making her unable to keep her mouth closed when he finally touched her.

It wasn't like she was moaning to the high heavens but she would sigh softly or murmur her gratitude when he chased the aches and pains away and that would encourage Dale to rumble louder, press his teeth against her shoulder and burn her with his stubble until the animal inside him was appeased.

Layla still didn't fully understand it all. 

Especially not the almost biting.

As soon as his teeth became involved in the equation, she knew she had about five more seconds of scenting before he'd pull himself away.

Dale, ever the gentleman, still always made sure that nothing below the waist was touched or fondled, holding Layla's arms down when the haze of the scenting got to her and she pressed the swell of her chest against him, nipples brushing against his chest.

He'd reprimand her with gentle whispers of, "behave," and then she'd remember herself and stop squirming around while he finished scenting.

He'd never give her any time to feel embarrassed about any of it though. 

It was like he understood. 

Understood the need she felt to writhe and press and spur him on with unintelligible words of approval.

They'd had plenty of time to know each other better by now. 

He told her about his job hauling building supplies. Though he'd managed to graduate with a degree in electrical engineering, finishing in three years instead of four, he'd not managed to find anywhere that was willing to hire him so he'd taken what he was able to.

She'd told him about her happy memories as a child. The places her parents used to take her and the late night trips back in the days when she was flexible enough to squeeze out of her partly jammed bedroom window. 

Since there weren't many years between them, he understood her jokes, her little references, the knowing looks she would shoot him with subtle inferences.

She had no problem saying they were friends.

Then he commented on the first time he'd smelt her.

"You scared the crap out of me for a minute." She laughed, reminiscing back. "I can't believe I fainted."

"No. Not then." He flopped back on the chair and look at her with a fond grin. "That was when I first smelt you pregnant. It was a bit different that time since everything went a bit hazy. Your scent was more potent to me because we'd been bonded, and truthfully, I lost control of myself for a minute and couldn't think of anything else but grabbing you and running."

"Wait." Layla processed his words. "So, you smelt me before I was pregnant?"

He nodded and looked up to the ceiling. "You were there when I went to give my sample. I wanted to get it over with so I went to the hospital at the earliest time possible. I was leaving just as you and your mum were walking through the front doors."

She frowned. "I didn't see you."

"You seemed pretty focused on speeding to the reception desk." He shrugged, shaking his head like it didn't really matter. "Anyway, the way you smelt gave me flashbacks to bonfire parties at Uni- roasting marshmallows over a wood fire mixed with that early morning breeze you'd smell at the coast. I've never known a human to smell like that."