He caressed my cheek with the back of his fingers. “It’s a wolf thing, but we can talk about it later. You need to sleep.”
Tears of emotion leaked from the corner of my eyes as he spooned me. Damn it. I was falling madly in love with this man.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Daphne
Travis nuzzled my neck as we walked across the breezeway to the main part of the house where his family was gathering for a late brunch. We were supposed to be down there fifteen minutes ago, but we got a little sidetracked.
“Are you sure your sister won’t be mad at me? You know, the contest rules and everything.”
He slipped a hand around my waist. “First of all, it’s me she would be mad at, but she’s not. And as for you, she’s had your back from the beginning. Annoyingly so. Besides, I already told her I was picking you at the end.”
Heart stuttering in my chest, his words stopped me in my tracks. “You told her before you told me?”
“Ihadto. She’s been hassling me for not spending much time with the other contestants, and I told her it was because...” He studied my face like he was searching for what to say, and something dark passed behind his eyes. “...I was falling for you.”
The physical chemistry was definitely there, but to hear thathe was feeling something deeper too, made my knees a little weak.
He ran a hand through his hair, still damp from the shower. “I tried hard not to pursue you. Heaven’s Moon, I tried. You were thrown into a contest in a world you only just learned about, and it was so unfair to you. I kept telling myself to send you home, but I couldn’t go through with it. Every. Damn. Time. You’re just so—” He sighed heavily and made a grumbly sound of frustration. “I like every fucking thing about you, okay?”
I laughed. “And I like every fucking thing about you too. Plus, some of the non-fucking things.”
With a low groan that sounded suspiciously like a growl, he hoisted me up so that my legs bracketed his waist. “Onlysomeof them?”
“Okay, most of them.” I cupped his jaw with both hands and pressed my lips to his. But before things got even more heated, little footsteps sounded on the breezeway, and Travis quickly set me down.
“Look what I have, Uncle!”
I turned to see Ginnea and gasped. She was holding George in her arms like a rag doll. If he scratched or bit her...
“Wow, honey,” I said as gently as I could, bending down to her level. I didn’t want to make any sudden moves or say something to scare or startle George. That could be disastrous. “Where did you find him?” I looked up at Travis. He seemed to be as confused as I was. Our bedroom door had been locked all night. Was there another way into his suite? Had we left a window open and George escaped?
The little girl laughed. “I didn’t. I woke up this morning and he was on my bed purring. He loves me.”
George was on her bed? I shot Travis another glance and he shrugged.
“Guess I left the door open when I went to the kitchen forthat water.” Both of us had been parched. My little cup of tea didn’t quite cut it after all the…activity. “I’m not used to having a cat around. He must’ve run out then.”
“His name is George,” I told her. “I think maybe he wants to walk now. Do you think you can put him down?”
She plopped him on his feet and turned back toward the main house. “Come on, George. Let’s go play in my room.”
And wouldn’t you know it? George padded dutifully after her, tail stuck in the air, without a backwards glance at me.
Travis’s family was sitting around a huge table in the sun-drenched kitchen when we walked in, silverware and glasses clinking, and he introduced me to each of them. There was Matthew, his sweet brother-in-law, who asked if I’d like a vanilla latte with a sprinkle of nutmeg, to which I replied that I’d love one. Travis had obviously remembered my preferred coffee drink and had told him at some point. There were his two other nieces—Anna was the oldest at seven years and then Helena who was five, his twin brothers Rhylan and Reece, who were in college here on the island, and of course, Jada.
She gave me a broad smile, held out a chair for me, and pushed a plate of pancakes in my direction. Guess Travis was right—she wasn’t upset about us.
“Travis told us about the break-in,” she said. “That’s terrible!”
Matthew leaned over and chimed in. “That must’ve been so scary for you.”
My hand paused, pancake speared on my fork. Travis was looking at me from across the table, concern knitting his forehead.You okay, he mouthed. I gave him a quick nod.
“Thankfully, your brother was with me,” I told her, realizing that my hand was shaking. “I’m not sure what I’d have done if he wasn’t.”
Jada reached over and gave my back a little pat. “I’m so glad he brought you here, Daphne.”
