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We stood facing the window for a bit longer. The silence stretched until I stepped out of his hold and turned. My hand came to rest on his arm, maintaining contact, and I smiled up at him.
“Show me the books.”
“Happily.” His smile was so bright, it made my heart stutter.
Toby led me over to the shelves, explaining how they had everything organized. He showed me their huge collection of sci-fi and fantasy books, including very cool first editions of some classics. His excitement was contagious, but I was also genuinely interested. This would be my favorite room, too.
Multiple sets of footsteps on the stairs alerted us before Will, Jonah, and Luke appeared.
“Has he moved at all past this room?” Will asked on a laugh.
“You know he hasn’t,” Luke said. He seemed amused, but when he met my eyes, I saw uncertainty. Caution.
Good for me to remember to be cautious as well.
Jonah, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to throw me over his shoulder and take me to bed.
Better get the tour moving.
“Do you all want to show me the rest?”
Will took the lead, pointing through open doors to each of their bedrooms, as well as a guest room. One door was closed, and I knew without asking that it was Edward’s room. We passed two large bathrooms on either side of the hallway before arriving at the master bedroom, where we all ended up standing in a cluster.
I had to consciously keep my mouth from hanging open as I broke away and walked around the space.
It was massive. The bed, with a slatted wood headboard, could easily accommodate five, if not six, comfortably. There was a giant walk-in closet and an enormous attached bathroom, complete with whirlpool tub and a glass-enclosed shower that would fit the entire pack.
Not every pack slept together every night. What this room told me was that they expected to. Maybe not all the time, but with enough frequency to require a big enough bedroom. I let my hand slide along the green satin duvet covering the bed. When I looked up, all eyes were on me, waiting.
“This is an amazing room. You have a beautiful home.”
Will’s mouth quirked up. “There’s one more room to show you.” He walked over to the side of the bed and opened another door. “The nest is through here.”
Oh shit, the nest. Of course they’d have a nest. Why hadn’t I prepared myself for that? I took a deep breath, not sure what to expect, then followed him. The other guys came along behind me.
When Will flipped on the lights, my breath left in a rush. It was like a forest paradise, soft and safe. Warm golden fairy lights illuminated a circular room covered in thick cushions and pillows, all in different shades of green. The few windows were curtained, keeping the space dark and cozy.
Pretty blankets were stacked along the wall. I was drawn there first, taking off my shoes before walking across the cushioned floor. My feet sank in with each step as if it were a thick carpet of plush grass. The blankets were loosely knitted with feathery yarn, and I didn’t even think before picking one up to rub against my face. I might have moaned.
“I think she likes it,” Toby said. My eyes were closed, but I could hear the smile in his voice.
“She does,” I sighed. I looked back over at all of them, standing and watching me. My gaze landed on Luke. His expression was so intense in that moment, nothing hidden. Surprise, hope…fear. It wasn’t that different from how I felt.
Then his gaze shuttered, and a mask came down. “The show’s about to start, and the pizza is here. We should probably go back downstairs.”
“Sounds good.” I patted my stomach where I felt a painful ache, then followed them out of the room.
Huh. Must be really hungry.
9
LUKE
I stood alone in the kitchen, looking at all the pizza boxes spread out on the large island that doubled as our everyday dining table. In one hand, I held a beer, and in the other, a plate of food. I couldn’t put it off any longer. Time to get this over with.
When I rounded the couch, I held back a growl. They’d left a space open next to Sylvie and made sure every other place to sit was occupied, either by their sprawled bodies or piles of pillows. I debated shoving a stack of decorative cushions onto the floor and sitting at the far end of the couch, but even I wasn’t that big an asshole.
She was watching me for my reaction. It was pretty obvious I was being forced to sit close to her, and I didn’t think she liked it any more than I did. We had that in common, at least.
