Jabari’s setting plates at the table, his massive frame making the dining space seem smaller than it is. He’s cooked dinner while I was upstairs pampering myself, and the thoughtfulness of the gesture touches something deep inside me.
When he notices me, he freezes mid-motion, his jaw slackening as his eyes travel from my face down to my feet and back up again, lingering on the curves my dress accentuates.
“You like?” I ask playfully, giving him a slow twirl reminiscent of India’s showing off on the ship, but with my own confident flair.
When I finish my spin, I meet his heated gaze. “Do you like what you see?”
“Yes,” herasps.
He pulls out a chair for me, and I giggle at how hard he’s fighting not to grab me. His fingers flex at his sides, and his jaw tightens with the effort.
“I made you dinner,” he says, his voice deeper than usual.
“Thank you,” I reply, walking to the table and puckering my lips for a kiss.
He doesn’t hesitate. He leans down, pressing his lips to mine in what was meant to be a simple greeting but quickly transforms into something desperate and hungry. His mouth claims mine with a passion that makes my knees weak, and I have to steady myself against his chest.
When we finally break apart, I’m breathless as I take my seat. He pushes in my chair with a gentle care that seems at odds with the heat of his kiss.
The food looks incredible—steak bites seared to perfection, creamy baked macaroni and cheese, and bright green steamed broccoli arranged artfully on the plate. He grabs a bottle of wine from the counter, placing it before me with a wine glass that he fills halfway.
“You don’t really eat any of this stuff, right?” I ask, watching as he brings over a pitcher of water and what looks like nearly raw steak bites to his own place setting.
He sits across from me, his eyes meeting mine over the table. “With my brother and the rest of my clan all mated, all the mating pheromones were driving me nuts.”
I take a sip of the wine, wincing slightly at the strength. “I can imagine.”
“Leah would visit the clan to try and teach us human ways, but none of the men wanted to touch human food—except for me,” he continues. “I buried myself in recipes and looked forward to her visits. She noticed my torture, so she suggested that I come work on the tourist island.”
I grab my fork and stab it into one of the steak bites. “The job before you were working on the ship?”
He nods as I take a bite. The meat is tender and perfectly seasoned, practically melting in my mouth.
He picks up one of his rare steak bites with his fingers, examining it for a moment before popping it into his mouth. “As long as the meat isn’t well done, and there’s no seasoning, it’s easier to tolerate,” he explains. “It’s really my bear, though. We’ve gotten used to tolerating human food, but we prefer a fresh hunt.”
“And what about the water?” I ask, gesturing to his pitcher.
“That’s a shifter thing. Shifters only drink water,” he says. “Though, I’ve heard Leah and Kade whispering that the doctor at Wintermoon Medical has been testing things. Apparently, if youadd a bit of fruit flavoring, say lemon, taste can calm our animals down. It’s being tested with one of the orphaned lion shifters.”
My face falls. “Oh yes, those poor babies. Jewel filled me in on what happened to them from the human radicals. Just awful.”
He nods solemnly, agreeing.
“Can we visit the school one day?” I ask.
“Yes,” he says. “I want you to meet Ebony. Our future cub will attend the academy—at least, I’d like for him to.”
“Already planning our future?” I tease, but my smile fades when I see the seriousness in his eyes.
“You don’t understand how long I’ve been waiting for this moment,” he says.
I fall quiet, the weight of his words settling in. We eat in silence for a long moment, the only sounds the soft clink of my silverware against my plate.
“Dinner is good,” I finally say.
He smiles, his face lighting up at the simple compliment. It’s endearing how little it takes to please him.
“Are you going back to lumberjack work now that you have me?” I ask.
