“Holy freaking cow on a stick!”

Decebel lunged across the room, standing beside her in an instant.

“Jennifer, are you okay?” He was trying to check her over and she kept slapping his hands away and pointing across from her. Sally sat with a shy smile as everyone turned to look at her.

Jacque’s eyes widened as she saw Sally’s hand.

“You bit—,”

“Jacque, language,” Jen snapped and then turned back to Sally. “You bitch!”

Jacque looked over at Jen. “Why do you get to cuss?”

“Because, I’m pregnant and, like old people, pregnant people get to do a whole bunch of crazy crap and blame it on their bodies.”

“Huh,” Jacque shrugged. “I guess that makes sense.” They both turned their attention back to Sally and she squirmed under their glares.

“Would someone please fill me in as to why we are giving Sally the death stare?” Crina asked.

“Look at her hand,” Jen growled out.

There was a collective gasp as all eyes landed on the diamond.

“Please tell me that all he did was ask,” Jen warned. “Please tell me that you two did not secretly get married because tomorrow we might all die and you didn’t want to go to your grave with the big V hanging over you.”

Sally’s mouth dropped open.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Costin called across the room.

“Do not give her more ammunition,” Sally snarled at him.

Costin winked at her from his casual stance against the wall that gave him a perfect view of her.

“We didn’t get married Jen,” Sally huffed. “He just asked me, but I haven’t exactly had a chance to tell you all.”

Decebel finally picked up on the fact that his mate was in no imminent danger, or having any pregnancy complications, and backed out of the estrogen filled circle.

“You’ve had plenty of chances,” Jacque told her. “All you had to do was hold up your bloody hand while you were walking into the gathering hall. I would have been like ‘hey Jen look, Sally is engaged.’”

“And, I would have been like, ‘hey Jacque, she better not have gotten married just so she could jump in the sack with sexy dimple wolf.’” Jen finished.

“What is with you and your fascination of my virginity?” Sally stood up, tired of having her friends loom over her.

“I’m not fascinated by it,” Jen argued.

“Then why are you assuming that I would marry Costin behind your back just so I could have sex with him!” Sally’s hands were on her hips as she bore down on her friends.

Jen paused for a second as she considered Sally’s question.

“Because, it’s what I would do,” she finally answered. The room erupted into laughter. Jen looked around at the flailing bodies, then over to her mate who was shaking his head at her. “What?” She asked, feigning confusion as to what was funny.

“No worries, Jen,” Costin called out again. “I’m totally with you on this one.”

Decebel growled at him and Costin laughed.

“Nobody asked you, Costin,” Sally told, him through gritted teeth.

Costin blew her a kiss and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning like an idiot. And, he knew it too.

“Are you thinking about what I’m thinking about?” He taunted.

“If you’re thinking about me kicking you out of my room, then yes.”

She heard Costin’s chuckle in her mind and felt his breath on her neck.

“Be honest with your mate, Sally. I think you’re thinking about a certain bargain, a certain kiss, a certain…”

“STOP IT.” Sally could feel her face blushing and knew the minute everyone realized she hadn’t heard a word they had said. She hadn’t even realized they'd been fawning over her ring.

Jen looked from Costin to Sally and grinned. “Are you two getting your kicks through your mate bond, right here in front of all of us?” Jen tapped Sally on the nose affectionately. “I didn’t realize that he would turn you into a freak so quickly. Nice work Costin.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” he quipped back.

“Oh, I’m sure it is,” Jacque laughed.

If Sally hadn’t wanted to seep into the ground before, she was definitely seeking out a crevice now.

“As much as I love hearing all the sex jokes from the girls I raised,” Lilly finally interrupted. “I would really like to see Sally’s ring, then I’d like someone to tell me how Jen is pregnant, and I didn’t know.”

“The how is really not in question mom,” Jacque laughed.

“I’m willing to explain exactly how it happened in incredible detail if Ms. P really needs to know,” said Jen.

“NO!” The entire room erupted.

“Man you guys are a buzz kill.” Jen rolled her eyes as she took her seat back on the floor.

“So, Sally,” Lilly smiled, “how did he propose?”

Sally narrowed her eyes over at Costin.

“Your move brown eyes.” He told her as he blew her a kiss.

“You’re right my love, it most definitely is my move,” Sally grinned wickedly, and nearly stood up and danced when she saw his eyes widen with what looked suspiciously like worry.

“Well,” Sally began, “We were laying on my bed, just talking, and then things sort of got heated, you know?”

“No, we most definitely do not know,” Jen interrupted. “We need painstakingly clear details, Sally, details.”

“Jennifer, behave,” Decebel’s voice, rumbled.

“Bah,” she waved him off, “you can punish me later.”

Lilly coughed on the hot chocolate that she had been trying to swallow. Jen patted her on the back as she stared at Sally waiting for her to continue.

“So, as I was saying, things were getting pretty hot and heavy…”

“Third base heavy or did he go for a grand slam?” Jacque broke in.

“Good questions, Jac,” Jen nodded in approval, “definitely good questions.”

“Oh, he tried for the grand slam,” Sally tried not to blush as she said the words, “but he struck out.”

“Ouch,” they heard Decebel mutter. Then a crashing sound that they all ignored. Sally glanced over the girls to see if Costin was all right. One of the chairs next to him had obviously been shoved or kicked over, he was glaring at her, and it warmed her to the bones.