“Hey.”
There was a pause. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Beneath Aric’s growl I heard his concern, and because of it, I continued to speak reasonably. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. I just woke up.”
Another pause. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d borrowed that idiot’s power?”
“I didn’t borrow it. He gave it to us following the fight at his house.”
“So you’d have the energy to risk your life to help him battle his enemies.”
Aric’s tone told me he thought Misha had manipulated and used me again. And that I’d lain down like a sap and let him. “He was only trying to help, Aric. See, getting the tar kicked out of us by your pack left us a little drained.”
Silence. Followed by a low growl. I paced around the island in our kitchen. “I didn’t call to fight with you, Aric.” I called to hear your voice…because I miss you, damn it.
His growls stopped. “I don’t want to fight with you either, Celia. And I’m not mad at you.”
I leaned against the counter. “You could have fooled me.”
Aric sighed. “I just don’t want anyone taking advantage of you, sweetness.”
Sweetness…? My heart flew out of my chest on the wings of a dove, soaring around the kitchen until it crash-landed against my sternum. “Thank you. Ah, thank you.” I repeated my words in haste, trying to find something worthwhile to say. When nothing came to mind I reached into my inner tigress for courage. “Would you like to come over for dinner again tonight? You and the wolves, I mean.” I supposed I could have asked him over by himself, but even my tigress remained a little shy.
There was a brief pause that felt more like a lifetime. Rejection pounded my heart with every passing second. “I’d like that very much. But this time let us bring the meal. We don’t cook, but we can barbecue. Do you have a grill? If not we can bring one.”
I smiled into the phone. “We have one built into our back deck, but we’ve never used it.”
“If it doesn’t work, we’ll build a fire out back.”
“Oh, you’re manly men, I see.”
He laughed. “Yes. For werewolves, that is. Does six work for you?”
No. I want you here now. “Sure. I’ll see you then. Bye, wolf.”
“Good-bye, sweetness.”
I stared at my phone as my thumb grazed over the screen. Bren was right. I was in trouble.
The doorbell rang at exactly six. I hurried downstairs. Koda and Liam sauntered in carrying several bags of food. It struck me as odd to see Emme with someone like Liam. He personified the typical bad boy, in his faded jeans, tight T-shirt, and spiky hair. But looks were apparently deceiving. Liam killed malicious creatures on a weekly basis, yet treated Emme with all the kindness she deserved. He bent to kiss her lips gently, only to laugh when she blushed. “You’re such a doll,” he told her.
Koda lowered his head when Shayna skipped toward him. “Hi, baby,” he whispered when she hugged him and kissed his cheek.
Gem came in next, awkwardly carrying a bouquet of purple roses. He smiled shyly and handed them to Taran. “I wanted to bring blue ones to match your eyes. I’m sorry I couldn’t find any.”
Taran approached like the shy virgin she so wasn’t. “They’re beautiful. Thank you for thinking of me.”
Aric stepped in last, carrying a large box and greeting me with a warm smile. “Hi, Celia.”
My natural impulse was to welcome him with an embrace and a kiss—a ridiculous thought, considering we’d only recently met. And yet his warmth drew me hypnotically to him. Liam stepped in my path to whisper in my ear, “Aric’s been thinking of you, too, Celia. He brought you a special treat.”
My bashful smile vanished when Liam hurried out of the way. Every part of me was stunned stupid by the smell of fur, moist forest soil, and whiskers—lots of whiskers—wafting from the box Aric held. His grin faded the moment he caught a gander at my face.
Emme glanced over her shoulder at me while my mind raced with what to say. “Um, Celia. Don’t you want to see what Aric brought you?”
I shook my head slowly and backed away, my mind stuttering with fear of what might happen and terror that I’d scare Aric away. Emme widened her eyes as I stood there like a jackass. She stepped forward. “Um, here, I’ll get it for you, Celia.”
My hand reached out to stop her. “Emme, don’t—”
She screamed upon lifting the flap. Eight wild rabbits scampered around inside. Koda picked up one by the ears like a prize bass. “We thought we’d skin them and roast them over a fire.”