Callie shivered when his warm breath tickled her nape. She’d experienced more orgasms last night than she’d ever believed possible. Despite her bone weariness and the sated feel of her body, she wanted more.
“Good morning,” she said, and her stomach rumbled loudly.
Lucien chuckled as he kissed her neck and inhaled her scent. Not only did he detect her inherent, sweet aroma, but his smell was also all over her, and he planned for it to stay that way for the rest of their lives.
Outside, a car door slammed, and he tensed. He’d left instructions for them not to be disturbed, no matter what, but if the Savages had found them, they wouldn’t care about those instructions. It was daytime, but that didn’t mean they were safe.
He listened to boots thudding down the sidewalk until they entered a room a few doors down. It was time for him to start putting off the inevitable and face his friends.
“I need a phone,” he said.
“I need a shower. I stink,” she muttered.
Lucien chuckled as he kissed her shoulder. “I think you smell wonderful.”
Callie basked in his words as she cuddled closer to him. Yes, reality was returning, but cocooned in his arms, she could almost pretend things weren’t as complicated as they were.
Lucien reluctantly released her and rose from the bed. He retrieved his jeans and tugged them on as she shifted on the mattress until she sat with her back against the headboard. The TV remained on, but he didn’t pay it any attention as he retrieved his shirt.
“Lucien, I have to go home.”
He stopped looking for his socks and turned to face her. “That’s not possible.”
“Maybe I can’t return to live—”
“You can’t,” he interrupted brusquely; he hadn’t expected her to be looking to leave him. He couldn’t lose her.
“But I have to get some of my things,” Callie continued as if he hadn’t spoken. He may have given her the best sex of her life, but he didn’t control her life.
“They’re just things, Callie. Let them go.”
“Not to me.”
She glared at him when he gave her a look that made her feel like he considered her a silly little human. Her teeth ground together. Carter had tried to control her life too; she’d refused to let it happen, and she paid for it. Despite the events of her past, she wouldnotlet it happen now. The only thing she had left to lose was her life, and she would risk it to retrieve some of her belongings.
“There are things there from my father that I willnotlet go,” she said.
The fire in her eyes and her glower told Lucien he’d messed up. He wasn’t used to having conversations after sex. Usually, he dressed and left, and sometimes he wasn’t the first one out the door.
However, he didn’t ever intend to leave Callie, and if they were going to spend an eternity together, they couldn’t start it off fighting all the time. It wouldn’t be the best path toward a happy life.
“There are probably Savages there,” he said.
“I’m not saying I have to go back right now, but Idohave to return at some time and preferably before my rent is past due.”
“Fine, I will take you back there one day.” He said the words, but he expected her to forget about it once he got her somewhere safe, and after he managed to get her to agree to become his mate.
Callie suspected he was trying to appease her and thought she’d forget, but he was sadly mistaken. Come hell or high water, she would get back to her apartment. There were things there she couldneverreplace.
“I’m going to find a phone. Afterward, we can go to the diner down the street and get you some breakfast,” he said.
Her mouth watered at the prospect of diner pancakes. Was there anything better in life?
As her gaze ran over Lucien, she decided there were better things in life, but right now, pancakes smothered in syrup and butter sounded like heaven.
“That would be great,” she said.
Lucien’s head canted to the side as he studied her. “Do you want to eat first?”
