Juliet places a gentle kiss where her finger just was, then takes a step back. The soft gesture wrecks me more than a bite would have, and I have to swallow more than once as I straighten and try to find my voice.
“Any more rules?”
Juliet studies me for a stressful moment, and then she reaches forward, slips her hand into mine, and turns back toward The Rabbit Hole, leading me after her. Once more, I follow without hesitation.
“No more special rules. Just the normal ones, like monogamy.” Juliet pauses at the door, glancing over her shoulder at me. “If you’re my boyfriend, Roderick, then you’remine.”
“Yours,” I agree, holding off the urge to scoop her up and kiss her senseless. That would break rule two.
She smiles. “Good.”
As the soft clasp of her fingers burns against my palm, I silently add …
And you’re mine.
30
JULIET
“I’m just saying,if I knew agreeing to date you meant I’d get fresh pie prepared for me in my own home, I might have cracked sooner.”
Roderick pretends to glare at me over his shoulder, but I’m getting better at telling when he’s actually grumpy versus when he’s playing.
That’s right. Alpha of the Pine Falls pack can be playful. In his own stoic way.
I smirk back before refocusing on the paper crafts I have spread across the table. We may only be in November, but I’m already working on Christmas cards. Mine take longer, seeing as how I handcraft each one to fit the receiver, and I keep finding myself with more friends in this town.
“Which one is mine?” Roderick appears at my shoulder, eyeing the growing pile of finished cards.
“I haven’t made it yet.” Carefully, I glue a stretch of lace to the edge of a crimson card.
“Why not? I’m your boyfriend. I’m more important than”—he picks up the top card and flips it open—“Warner? My brother gets a card before me?”
“Oh my gosh.” I laugh. “Are you jealous? You’re so grumbly!” I pat his stomach, tempted to stroke the solid slab.
Roderick mumbles indistinct words, proving my point.
I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to fight off more chuckles, giddy from this innocent exchange.
Ever since I got out of Bear Valley, I’ve been playing it safe.
Kissing Roderick on my kitchen floor was the first real risk I had taken since coming to Pine Falls.
And it was also the first night I started to feel true control over my life. Not because of him, but because of the freedom I allowed myself to have with him.
That’s a craving that I can’t push away, and I don’t think I want to anymore. If I let my fear of Cory and his pack dictate all my future decisions, I might as well pack up everything and drive back to Utah.
Roderick stalks back to the oven, crouching down to check on his dessert through the glass window.
His body tempts me. The way his jeans hug his thighs and ass. The way his thermal stretches over his shoulders. But also, the way he moves, with utter confidence, but not an ounce of cockiness. Roderick doesn’t swagger. I’m not sure he could if he wanted to.
He doesn’t need to though. The no-nonsense way he navigates the world is so much sexier.
I wish I could bottle that self-assurance so I could drink it like a tonic whenever I feel a bout of panic coming on. So that next time Roderick’s eyes darken to black, I can face him without wavering. So I can enjoy him wanting me rather than fear him.
As the warm scent of apples fills the kitchen, I breathe in deep and sigh out my contentment. Roderick busies himselfcleaning up his baking area, sleeves rolled up and showing off his corded forearms.
Gods, he’s good-looking.
