that the male who’d occupied my every waking thought sat in my home, on my couch, because he wantedto ensure I remained safe. I wanted to say something witty, smart, charming—
“Is something wrong?”
I jumped. “Nope. I’ll be right back with your…stuff.” If I thought he wouldn’t have heard me, I would have beaten my head against the nearest wall. I returned to the kitchen and tried to relax.
“Do you live here on your own?”
“Um. No. My three sisters and I bought the house together.” I placed wheat rolls Emme had made on the tray along with pieces of butter I quickly cut into flower shapes.
“There’re four of you?”
I paused in the middle of filling the second mug with tea. The way Aric emphasized the word “four” I knew he meant something more. I returned to the family room with the tray and placed it on our large wooden coffee table. I sat on the love seat angled next to the sofa. “There’s only one of me.” I lifted my mug to my lips, trying to keep my tone light. “My sisters don’t share my powers.”
Aric watched me closely, waiting, I suspected, for me to elaborate. When I didn’t, he didn’t push me. I smiled. He was kind. But I owed it to my sisters not to disclose too much. He sniffed at the mug. “What is this?”
“Chai.” I chuckled when he blinked back at me. “It’s a tea made with spices, honey, and milk.”
He sipped it carefully. “Mmm. It’s good. Real good.” He took several long sips before his tongue swept over his top lip. “I like it.”
I stared at his mouth, wondering how soft his lips were and how good they would taste. A slow, sexy grin inched its way along his strong, stubbled jaw. His eyessparkled as they met mine. I couldn’t remember how to breathe. “I really like it,” he murmured once more.
Say something. Anything. Tell him you love him and want to have his puppies. “Haven’t you ever had tea before?”
Shit .
Aric gave me a hard stare. “Real werewolves don’t drink tea.”
I threw back my head and laughed, only to wince when pain rumbled into my shoulder.
Aric came to my side, taking my mug and placing it on the table. He straightened my arm. “Maybe I can help.” His fingers massaged me through the thick cotton of my robe, edging their way slowly up my arm to my shoulder. My breath caught. Aric’s touch electrified me. His voice lowered in pitch. “Tell me if I’m being too rough.”
My heart pounded in my ears as his fingers pressed and swept over my sore muscles. But then I became aware of an added heartbeat.
His.
I watched his hands move along my arm, a deep heat building between us. My chest ached from lack of breath.
“Shhh, it’s okay. Try to relax, Celia. I promise not to hurt you.”
Visions of hearing his words whispered in the dark spun in my mind. I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to breathe. Slowly, oh, so slowly, my body began to accept his touch. My head fell back; I was hypnotized by the tremendous comfort he brought me. A purr mixed with a soft moan escaped my lips. Aric froze.
And that’s when I realized the side of my robe had fallen open.
Aric bolted upright as I jumped and yanked it closed.“Sorry—sorry.” He backed away, his breath hard and fast. “I should…go.” He rushed out, pausing at the door, but failing to look back at me. “Don’t forget what I said. You and your family will be safer if you leave Tahoe tonight.”
I watched the door shut behind him, slumping onto the couch when he started his Escalade seconds later. I opened my robe and stared at the girls, mortified and convinced the universe hated me. If he had to see my breasts, why couldn’t it have been the perkier of the two?
I groaned as the phone rang, covering up when I saw who called.
“Hi, Misha,” I said before he spoke.
My sisters ambled in less than ten minutes later. I disconnected my call, surprised they were alone and lacking the smiles I would have expected after spending time with a sultry pack
“Is something wrong?”
I jumped. “Nope. I’ll be right back with your…stuff.” If I thought he wouldn’t have heard me, I would have beaten my head against the nearest wall. I returned to the kitchen and tried to relax.
“Do you live here on your own?”
“Um. No. My three sisters and I bought the house together.” I placed wheat rolls Emme had made on the tray along with pieces of butter I quickly cut into flower shapes.
“There’re four of you?”
I paused in the middle of filling the second mug with tea. The way Aric emphasized the word “four” I knew he meant something more. I returned to the family room with the tray and placed it on our large wooden coffee table. I sat on the love seat angled next to the sofa. “There’s only one of me.” I lifted my mug to my lips, trying to keep my tone light. “My sisters don’t share my powers.”
Aric watched me closely, waiting, I suspected, for me to elaborate. When I didn’t, he didn’t push me. I smiled. He was kind. But I owed it to my sisters not to disclose too much. He sniffed at the mug. “What is this?”
“Chai.” I chuckled when he blinked back at me. “It’s a tea made with spices, honey, and milk.”
He sipped it carefully. “Mmm. It’s good. Real good.” He took several long sips before his tongue swept over his top lip. “I like it.”
I stared at his mouth, wondering how soft his lips were and how good they would taste. A slow, sexy grin inched its way along his strong, stubbled jaw. His eyessparkled as they met mine. I couldn’t remember how to breathe. “I really like it,” he murmured once more.
Say something. Anything. Tell him you love him and want to have his puppies. “Haven’t you ever had tea before?”
Shit .
Aric gave me a hard stare. “Real werewolves don’t drink tea.”
I threw back my head and laughed, only to wince when pain rumbled into my shoulder.
Aric came to my side, taking my mug and placing it on the table. He straightened my arm. “Maybe I can help.” His fingers massaged me through the thick cotton of my robe, edging their way slowly up my arm to my shoulder. My breath caught. Aric’s touch electrified me. His voice lowered in pitch. “Tell me if I’m being too rough.”
My heart pounded in my ears as his fingers pressed and swept over my sore muscles. But then I became aware of an added heartbeat.
His.
I watched his hands move along my arm, a deep heat building between us. My chest ached from lack of breath.
“Shhh, it’s okay. Try to relax, Celia. I promise not to hurt you.”
Visions of hearing his words whispered in the dark spun in my mind. I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to breathe. Slowly, oh, so slowly, my body began to accept his touch. My head fell back; I was hypnotized by the tremendous comfort he brought me. A purr mixed with a soft moan escaped my lips. Aric froze.
And that’s when I realized the side of my robe had fallen open.
Aric bolted upright as I jumped and yanked it closed.“Sorry—sorry.” He backed away, his breath hard and fast. “I should…go.” He rushed out, pausing at the door, but failing to look back at me. “Don’t forget what I said. You and your family will be safer if you leave Tahoe tonight.”
I watched the door shut behind him, slumping onto the couch when he started his Escalade seconds later. I opened my robe and stared at the girls, mortified and convinced the universe hated me. If he had to see my breasts, why couldn’t it have been the perkier of the two?
I groaned as the phone rang, covering up when I saw who called.
“Hi, Misha,” I said before he spoke.
My sisters ambled in less than ten minutes later. I disconnected my call, surprised they were alone and lacking the smiles I would have expected after spending time with a sultry pack
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