Page 119 of Roguefinder

I grinned.

“Still hate Stefanos?” Jesse asked.

“You were ready to hate him, too.”

“Yes, but you made it an art form.”

“He’s growing on me,” I said. “It doesn’t hurt that he basically just told us to take a vacation.”

“You latched onto that, huh?”

“Of course I did.” His hair had fallen over his forehead, and I brushed it back. “We’ve never really had one. I’d like to try it.”

“Me too.”

“Watch movies. Order takeout. Use your credit card to buy myself a new phone. Let you kick my ass at Madden. Eat your ass again.”

Jesse laughed and batted my hand away. “Brat.”

“Nerd.”

He sobered. “Are you worried about this Fae stuff?”

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell him I’d already processed the whole “you’re part Fae now” thing and moved on with my life. But that would’ve been a lie, and Jesse could hear my heartbeat.

He was my heartbeat. I wouldn’t lie to him.

“Yeah,” I admitted. “I mean, I’ve spent the last few months getting used to being a werewolf. Now I’m also…what? Part fairy? Do I sparkle now?”

Jesse’s mouth twitched. He leaned and rested his forehead against mine. “You’re thinking Tinkerbell.”

I raised my eyebrows against his. “Could be hot.”

“You’re not serious.”

“You have a puppy tail in your luggage. Don’t pretend to be scandalized by the thought of me in a pair of wings.”

“Caleb.”

“I’m just saying we could have fun with it. You’re already rocking one hand, Captain Hook.”

He snorted. Then we both laughed, foreheads pressed together, mouths flirting with the idea of a kiss.

He held up his bandaged arm. “I don’t know how much fun I’ll be in bed until this heals.”

I gave him my most wicked smile. “I’m sure I can rise to the challenge.”

Chapter

Twenty-Five

CALEB

Aweek later, Jesse’s hand had fully regenerated. He wasn’t at full strength—he dropped a coffee mug on Tuesday and swore in Dutch that might have set my hair on fire if I’d understood it—but he was getting there.

Five fingers, working knuckles, the same hands I’d been obsessed with since he pulled a brownie from his cabinet in Hale Valley.

I came in from the garden and kicked my shoes off at the door. I hadn’t really known what to expect when Stefanos said “safe house,” but I’d pictured a concrete bunker and MREs.