Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I was surprised when right before closing on a cold, snowy night in late January, Cole came sauntering in.
“Uh, no,” I told him. “Sir, we’re closing in two minutes.”
He took a seat at the counter. “I want one of those big Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.”
“Sir––”
“And hot chocolate.”
“Sir, strawberries are out of season.”
“No, listen,” he said as I locked the doors and flipped off the exterior lights. “There’s a guy who works here, he’s got it kinda bad for me, and he keeps strawberries in the walk-in freezer in case I come in. You just need to go in there and find them and nuke them for me.”
“Absolutely not.” I pointed at the door.
“I can’t get out that way, the door’s locked.”
“Then I’ll open it for you.”
“No, come on,” he whined. “I had a crappy day, only to come home and find out my new hellhound ate two pairs of my shoes.”
“Sir, my understanding was that your new puppy was a husky, not a hellhound.”
“He was standing over the remains of a pair of dress shoes, and my running shoes—which cost more than the wingtips, I might add—and howling.”
“I’ll bet he was very cute.”
“Satan is not cute.”
“I thought his name was Scout?”
“No, no, I’m sure it’s Satan.”
“I’m certain you can procure new shoes, sir, and perhaps this is a sign that they belong in a closet and not on the floor.”
“What? You’re saying this is my fault?”
I shrugged.
“No. This is his fault. He’s a demon, I tell you, who needs to be brushed a lot.”
“I can assure you that the person he sleeps with every night, does brush him. But there does need to be daily vacuuming, which there is a chore chart for.”
“Some people in the house don’t do chores, other than drying dishes.”
“Well, you knew that when you moved in, as I understand it.”
He groaned, loudly.
“It’s time for you to leave now, sir.”
“Come on,” he pleaded. “All I want is a waffle.”
“With strawberries.”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you go home and have your brother make it for you?”
“My brother isn’t home. He and his au pair––”
“What?”
“Listen, technically, Ondine is in fact from another country, and looks like she’d be the appropriate age for an au pair.”
“He’s too old to have an au pair.”
“It’s being tried out because bodyguard wasn’t working.”
“What’s wrong with friend?”
“They’re both weird about labels,” he told me. “I don’t know what you want me to do.”
“And where are they?”
“At a monster truck rally.”
I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right.
“You heard me right.” It had been like he could read my mind from the start, and not only was I used to it, but counted on it as well.
“You’re making that up.”
“Why would I need to do that?”
I grunted. “At least he’ll have diverse interests.”
He smiled at me. “I think the more important silver lining here is that they won’t be home for hours, which means we will be alone in the house.”
I planted my elbow on the counter and rested my cheek on my fist. “So you’re saying you don’t actually want dessert?”
“No,” he rumbled, leaning in close to me. “I just came to pick up my gorgeous mate who I love so I can take him home and screw his brains out.”
I stared at him.
“No?”
“It’s always yes, you know that.”
“Then why’re you looking at me like—oh,” he said and grinned. “I said mate who I love.”
I took a breath. “Yes, you did.”
“Yeah, so…I don’t need you to say it back, but it’s been there, in my chest, for a while now, really, since the start, and every day the feeling just gets bigger, so…yeah. There it is. I love you and––”
“I love you back,” I whispered. “And it’s lodged in my chest as well.”
“Is that right?”
I nodded.
His smile made his eyes heat as he stared at me. “Okay, then. How ’bout you come home with me? I got a warm car with a really pretty ring in it.”
“With a what?”
“You heard me.”
“That’s fast.”
“Nah. Not for the alpha who found his most precious mate who belongs only to him.”
“Only to him?”
“Yep. All mine.”
“You’re very possessive.”
“I know, but you love that about me.”
And I truly did, no doubt about that.