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Flint grinned and kissed my forehead. “And let Gage and Heath fight over the other?”
“Exactly.” I returned his grin.
Or they could always share… I smirked at the mental images that thought provoked. They were both large, strong alphas with might-makes-right attitudes. I would definitely watch that, whether it was fucking or fighting for their fair share of space on the bed.
Flint looked out the window at the slope leading up to the peaks above. “No doubt Gage will have us taking turns standing watch. You might end up sharing that bed with them while I’m the one on watch.”
Liquid heat pooled between my thighs at the thought of Gage taking Flint’s spot beside me in the middle of the night.
Flint’s expression heated, his nostrils flaring. “Clearly it’s no hardship.”
Before I could reply, we turned at the telltale sounds of boots clomping up the short flight of stairs to the front door. Flint instantly put me behind him, his knees slightly bent, hismoccasin-covered feet directly under his shoulders, his hands free at his sides.
“Help me bring all this shit in, would you?” Gage grumbled as the door fell open. Boxes and bags loaded down his arms, and he rolled his eyes at Flint. “It’s me.”
“You could’ve announced yourself through the bond.” Flint lunged forward to catch the topmost bag falling out of Gage’s grip.
I took it from him as Flint helped unload Gage’s arms. He’d bought a few groceries — mostly sausages, frozen hamburger patties, and pork chops. I explored the kitchen while putting everything away. Sparse cooking implements littered the near-empty cabinets, but it would have to do. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, after all.
“You had money for all this stuff?” I blurted, before thinking better of it.
Gage’s narrowed eyes met mine, and I wondered if I’d upset the pack alpha by implying he couldn’t provide for the pack.
“I called in a favor.”
Before either of us could say more, we all heard another set of footsteps coming up to the front door, but this time Flint opened it with a flourish. Heath wasn’t as loaded down with bags, but close.
“Clothing delivery!” Heath announced with a wide smile. “I’ll want a shower before I put on any of the new stuff, though.”
“There’s only one bathroom and the hot water tank looks tiny,” Flint warned. “We’ll have to set up a shower rotation.”
“Fine. I’ll keep my old clothes for now.” Heath dropped a couple of bags on the only chair in the kitchen. “Boring jeans and Henley shirts for the men of the house.” Then his caramel gaze turned molten as his eyes swept over me. “And something sexy for the lady.”
He pulled out a long-sleeved dress. It seemed long enough on the leg not to be too revealing… or so I thought until Heath raised an eyebrow and flipped it around to show the back opened all the way down to the waist, if not farther. Yet the thought of wearing it in front of the three of them filled me with… excitement. I wanted to feel their gazes devouring me.
“Expecting to take her out somewhere fancy?” Gage snorted.
“If the mood strikes. We can always take it with us for later,” Heath shrugged, unperturbed by his pack alpha’s disapproval. “But now that I know you can’t shift, I also got you something much more practical.”
He yanked out the dark-colored contents of another bag, and from the sound of it, I could already tell it was winter gear.
He held up the long-waisted coat. “For all the snow we’re bound to see this winter.”
I searched his gaze, trying to figure him out. What had happened to the dangerous Heath who had fucked me senseless, then left me without a word? The angry, broody man who’d barely spoken to me since then?
He’d been replaced by playful, flirtatious, friendly Heath, the one who had once told me I didn’t have to hide my scars. The one who carried me to the bath and noticed when I wanted privacy without my saying a word. The one who showed me how to shoot a rifle and contribute to their job.
The man I’d enjoyed spending time with was back, but could I trust him to stay?
“Thank you, Heath.” My words came out breathy, and his eyes brightened.
His inner wolf probably felt proud to elicit such a response in me. My own wolf felt immense satisfaction at the offerings her potential mate had provided.
No way,I chided her.
I might crave Heath’s body, and I might hope he would see me through the heat along with his packmates. But a potential mate? Not likely. Not after he’d warned me off already, claiming he and Gage were ‘too dangerous’ for me, and definitely not after the impersonal fuck-and-flee session he’d treated me to. I didn’t want to feel like that ever again if I could help it.
“Good, now someone go take a shower while I show Freya how to protect herself while we’re gone,” Gage made a shooing motion.
