She wrapped her arms around her torso. “I love this house, but it’s too big for one person and expensive to maintain and heat.”
“Is that why it’s an icebox in here?” he asked. “Because you can’t afford to heat it?”
“Well, I do keep the heat low to save costs, but it’s not usually this cold. The furnace isn’t working well, and it’s too old to be fixed. I’m currently saving for a new one, but the water heater went, and I had to replace it and… anyway, if it’s too cold for you, I’m sure I’ll be perfectly safe in my own house, so you can go back to your place, and I can call you when I need to go out or whatever.”
“It isn’t too cold for me, and” he dropped his travel bag on the floor with a heavy thud, “you’re stuck with me for the foreseeable future. Inside your house and out.”
“Right,” she said. Her gaze flickered down his body and then bounced away.
“Anyway, I plan to sell, but I need to do some repairs first. Contractors aren’t in my budget either, but I’ve been watching YouTube videos on DIY home repairs, so I can,” she gestured toward the hole in the wall, “learn how to patch that and other stuff.”
“If you don’t freeze to death first,” he said. “Or fall through the rotting front porch, or die when someone breaks in through the front door because you can’t get it to close properly. Or maybe they’ll smash a hole in these windows and open the ridiculous excuse for locks on them.”
Irritation flickered across her face. “I’m sorry that my house doesn’t live up to your safety standards, but this is what I’m working with. If you’re too scared to stay here, I can text Willow and ask her to reassign Garth instead.”
His growl escaped before he could stop it, and she gave him a look. “It’s rude to growl at someone.”
“I’m pointing these things out for your safety,” he said. “The witches trying to harm you won’t even need magic to break into this place.”
“Isn’t that why you’re here?” she asked. “To stop them from doing that kind of shit.”
“I didn’t expect to have to protect you in a house that’s a strong wind from falling apart around us.”
Her face turned red again, and her hands clenched into fists. “As I said, if you’re unable to do the job, then I’ll text Willow and ask for Garth.”
“No,” he snapped. “He can’t keep you safe.”
“According to you, you can’t keep me safe either.”
He growled again, and she arched an eyebrow at him. “Do you always have this much trouble controlling your shifter side?”
Christ, he wanted to spank her for her insolence.
Is that what you really want? His inner voice asked.
No, what he wanted was to spread her out on that damn sectional and feast on her pussy like a starving man. Had wanted that for weeks now. Wanted to know how she would taste, how she would sound. Wanted that small taste of her magic.
Because she is our mate.
He ignored his polar bear. The damn thing didn’t understand that they were under a spell, one that he needed Cece to remove immediately, since his plan of avoiding her until it wore off was no longer feasible.
You could let the bull shifter keep an eye on her.
His polar bear’s roar of anger made Briggs wince.
We’ll stay with her. Keep your cool, buddy, he soothed the beast.
He’d made a stupid mistake earlier in front of his bosses by losing his shit with Garth, but after his security shift at the mall, he’d stopped in at the office, and Fenton had told him what happened to Cece last night. Finding out Cece nearly died had freaked out his polar bear, and for one of the few times in his life, Briggs hadn’t been able to stop his bear from taking control. He’d driven straight to Kat and Ronin’s, and he considered it lucky that he hadn’t completely shifted and torn out Garth’s throat.
He took a deep breath. He just needed to get the little witch to end the spell, and his bear would realize she wasn’t his mate.
Before he could demand she release him from the spell, Cece walked past him, making sure to give him a wide berth.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m covered in dried blood,” she said. “I need a hot shower.”
He grabbed his bag and followed her out into the hallway and up the stairs. She gave him a look. “If you think you’re going to stand in my bathroom while I shower, you’re sorely mistaken.”
