“No, I mean it’s one of mine. I painted it.” She smiled at him shyly.
A look of pride came over his face. Wow, he had one talented mate. “I’m impressed, perhaps I could persuade you to paint my picture. I’ve always had a mind to hang my picture over the mantle.”
She snorted. “Conceited much?”
Adam put his hand on her shoulder and she shivered under his touch. “In my wolf form.”
“Well, that is your best side.”
He looked at her in earnest, his natural Alpha nature pushing through, his dark grey eyes pierced her. “So would you? Paint me?”
“Yes...” He could have asked her for a kidney at that moment and she would have said yes.
“Good.” He considered offering to buy the Mexico painting to prove how much he liked it, but he might come off as an ass kisser.
Noticing the amenable mood his mate was in he quickly asked her, “will you have dinner with me tonight? At a restaurant?”
“Ummm, okay...”
Deciding to change the subject before she had time to consider why she had so easily said yes he asked, “so you’re definitely selling the house and land?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Would you consider an offer from me?”
She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “You want my land?”
Adam coughed a little embarrassed. “It umm backs onto pack land, we were kind of hoping to expand the pack territory a little.”
Ah. Now it made sense. The continued attention, staying at her house last night, insisting on helping her clean even though it’s obvious he hates it. It’s about the land.
She had hoped it was about her, that he was so interested in her that he was going out of his way to impress her. But really he was just trying to butter her up to get her to sell to him for a good price.
She was disappointed but not surprised. She gently shook her shoulder out of his touch, reluctantly he dropped his hand.
Her voice was a little detached. “I’ll give you the details of my grandmother’s lawyer. Feel free to make an offer to them.”
Adam sensed her displeasure and wanted to reassure her. “I’m not here right now because I want your land, I’m here to make sure you’re safe. The land is second to your safety.”
“Ummm hmmmm.”
His wolf whined at the sudden change in mood from their mate.
“Rose I need to tell you...”
“Maybe we should get on. The spare bedrooms need a lot of work.”
Rosalee climbed the stairs not waiting to see if he followed.
He sighed, surely she wouldn’t stay mad for long? Oh, fuck.
Chapter Seven
Adam’s plans for a cosy dinner to get to know his mate were sunk. Adam had tried to reason with her but Rosalee in light of his confession about wanting to buy her house and land said she had changed her mind and instead insisted on going to Bar Luna. She said she wanted to see more of the little town, which naturally included the local watering hole.
He suspected that Rosalee was planning on flirting up a storm to make him jealous. Part of him was a little pleased that she wanted to make him jealous. As childish as it was it meant that she wanted him to care.
He planned to dispel any feelings of annoyance she had by lavishing her with so much attention that she completely forgot that there was anyone else even at the bar. An easy task, he doubted he would even be able to take his eyes off her.
She was wearing a short emerald green sheath dress with a pair of gold strappy sandals. Her long silky brown hair flowed loose, the ends teased into curls. God she looked gorgeous. He was in a constant state of arousal because of her anyway but the dress she was wearing almost sent him wild.
Rosalee sashayed into the bar with Adam trailing behind. Hell she knew how to make an entrance. A multitude of men immediately looked up and admired her. On seeing the Alpha’s scowl they immediately looked away. His beast snarled at the other men but was content at their submission.
Adam greeted Andy the bear bartender and introduced him to Rosalee before ordering drinks. They settled at a high table set against the back wall of the bar.
Rosalee scanned the bar, there were some good looking guys here although sadly they did nothing for her. She already had god’s gift to women standing only inches from her, the heat from his body almost giving her sunburn. Every other man seemed inadequate.
She did note that Hans the wolf, and unhappy Pizza Moon chef, was sat in one corner of the bar. He was with the two Deputies, Gabe and Jake, she met the day before and a hunky man who looked to be a couple of years older than her. He raised a beer in Adam’s direction and grinned, Hans meanwhile stared daggers at the occupants of a table at the other end of the bar.