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Nora looks offended. “I followed the instructions.”

“You ignored the studs.”

Her eyes narrow. “I don’t know what that means.”

I step inside before common sense can intervene. The effect is immediate—her scent hits me harder in here. Coffee, vanilla, and laundry soap. The faint floral note from whatever she uses in her hair.

And Nora.

Everywhere.

On the blanket thrown over the back of the couch I can see through the kitchen doorway. In the cardigan hanging from a kitchen chair. On the mug beside the sink. In the air itself, warm and lived-in and far too intimate.

The wolf slams forward so hard that my hands curl. The wolf wants. He always wants now.

Mine.

I go still and force myself to breathe.

Nora has already turned toward the kitchen window. “Toolbox is there.” She moves closer to the window and points to the damaged plaster. “Can this be saved?”

I pull the loose bracket from the wall and inspect the hole. “Yes.”

Nora stands beside me, close enough that her shoulder brushes my upper arm when she leans in to see what I’m doing.

Every muscle in my body locks.

She straightens immediately. “Sorry.”

“Don’t.” The word comes out sharper than I meant it to. I grip the bracket. “You need to move.”

Nora’s eyes lift to mine, but she doesn’t step away. Her eyebrows draw together. “Why?”

Because I can hear your pulse and my cock is already hard again.

Because the wolf has stopped prowling and started raging.

Because if you stay this close much longer, I’m going to put my hands on you.

I clear my throat. “Need room.”

Nora looks at the three feet of space behind me, then back at my face. She knows I’m lying, but she steps aside and sits at the kitchen table while I find the stud, patch the first hole enough to keep the plaster from crumbling, and reposition the bracket.

I concentrate on the screws. Mostly.

Nora’s bare foot swings idly a few inches from my thigh. “You’re doing it again.”

I pause but don’t look at her. “Hanging curtains?”

“Turning up whenever I need something, then acting annoyed about it.”

“I was annoyed before I got here.”

She laughs softly. “Good to know I’m not responsible.”

Her laughter slides down my spine, and I drive the screw in harder than necessary.

“Hewit, you’re going to put that through the other side of the wall.”