Page 78 of Crave

West: Cupcakes, you say? I can come over there and wait with you—

Gravel crunched as someone pulled into the drive. I leaped off the couch, flying for the front door. The first thing I saw was the way Dallas’s shoulders flexed as he unfolded himself from the back of a sleek black Audi. Then the gun show, because of course he was wearing a white cotton tee like it was the middle of June instead of forty-five degrees out. He reached in to grab a plastic grocery bag of what looked to be clothes, and the afternoon sun cast his hair pale as late summer wheat, just like it had the first day we met.

“Hey, man. Thanks for the lift. Call me next time you’re in town. Ribs are on me.” Rapping the roof of the Audi, he shut the door a second before I launched myself at him.

Dallas made a little oof sound and staggered back, arms coming up to encircle me. The sack of clothes landed somewhere off in the grass. “Damn, sweetheart. You trying to kill me?”

I growled. “Not. Funny.”

Laughing, Dallas let me slide down his body. He waved to the werewolf pulling out of the drive. I frowned. Was that—?

Seeing me, Simon, from the North Austin pack, offered a hesitant wave. After a second, I lifted my hand.

Dallas kissed the tip of my nose. “He was the one who performed my surgery. Totally saved my ass. Says to tell you hello, by the way. I hung out with a couple other guys from their pack while I was in recovery. They were cool. It’s their Alpha and senior leadership who are the problem.”

I rolled my eyes. Because of course Dallas Caldwell would make friends with the jerks who’d kept him in lockdown for the past twenty-four hours. Knowing him, they’d probably gone out to Torchy’s for tacos, then played a round of frisbee golf. I pulled him to a stop as we neared the front porch, burying my face in his neck. Dallas bent down to fold me into a tight hug, rocking me slowly back and forth, our bodies pressed close together so that I could feel his heart thrumming strong and sure beneath my ear.

“I’ve never been so scared. You were bleeding out into the snow and I was sure I’d lost you. All I could think was how we’d wasted so much time, and how there were so many things I would never get the chance to say to you if you never opened your eyes.”

His hands came up to cup my face, thumbs smoothing across my cheekbones. “So say them now.”

I released a breathy laugh, suddenly nervous. “You can kick my ass making a chocolate soufflé, which kind of makes me want to either burn down your kitchen or jump you.”

“Damn. Strong start.” He bit his bottom lip, fighting not to smile. “I’m listening.”

“I never know when I show up to work whether I’ll flip on the lights and discover rubber centipedes spilling out of the air ducts. Which, by the way, is every girl’s fantasy.”

“To be fair, the last time, they were all bearing valentines addressed to you.”

“Not. Helping.”

That cocky grin again. “Remind me after dinner I need to delete an order.”

“Jackass.” But I was smiling, too, despite the tears in my eyes. “It was always going to be you. Since that first day in gym class when I took off around the track, hoping you’d catch me.”

Some love stories blossomed overnight. Others burned hot and fast, shooting stars plummeting to Earth, every stolen second precious. Ours was like that late summer Texas sunset, the sky a thousand shades of periwinkle blue, blush pink and wheat gold. Day transforming to night. One thing becoming another so softly that if you blinked, you might miss it. I’d thought I didn’t believe in happy endings. It turned out Dallas and I just had to find our own way there. And maybe that was the sweetest story of all.

Dallas leaned in to softly bite my neck. “You like being chased, sweetheart?”

—and lunged for me just as I bolted up the porch stairs.

An hour later, we were stretched out in bed, a half-empty box of cupcakes between us. The sun was setting, painting the walls of the room in soft shades of amber and rose.

“I’m sensing a theme.” He examined one of the pickle cupcakes warily, going so far as to sniff the cream cheese frosting and poke at the mini gherkin on top, but not daring to take a bite.

“Ghoulish pregnancy cravings?” I poked him in the side. “The maple bacon sold out in half an hour. You’re lucky I managed to save you one.”

“We should talk.”

“Is that man-speak for you telling me to get my razor out of your shower? Because I should inform you that I’m actually part werewolf. You won’t like the results if you deprive me of my grooming implements.”

“Deal, but I get to keep my flatscreen.”

“That thing can be seen from outer space.”

“And from the kitchen while you mix up cupcakes and I make you dinner.”

“Point taken.”