*****
Afterwards, Kane had carefully dried her off and carried her to bed. He was exhausted from being up all night and had said he wanted to rest for a little while. Within moments of his head hitting the pillow, he was asleep.
Presently, he was spooned to her back. His breath was warm on her neck, and his arm was wrapped around her waist effectively trapping her in place. She’d dozed a bit herself, feeling pleasantly relaxed from their earlier activity. Now half awake, she idly stroked Kane’s arm, thinking that she could become addicted to experiences like that.
Sounds from outside drifted in the partially open window. Somewhere a car door slammed, reminding Elise of her encounter with the red sports car and the puddle. She was curious to find out who owned the vehicle. When she did, she’d give them a piece of her mind for the idiotic stunt they’d pulled. The memory reminded her that she had a pile of muddy clothes on the floor that needed attention as well. With a sigh she realized that they weren’t going to be washed if she continued to stay in bed.
Carefully, she eased out from under Kane’s arm, trying not to wake him. He muttered slightly and rolled over before settling back down, his breathing deep and even. For a moment she stared at him. His face was relaxed and the controlled edge that always seemed to be a part of him was temporarily erased.
He was certainly good looking; strong and dominant, much more so than Bryan had ever been. Elise scowled at herself. It was instinct for a wolf to be drawn to a dominant mate, but she felt guilty for comparing the two men. Of course, Kane would seem appealing. He was older, an Alpha. But, she retorted, who knew what Bryan might become in the next few years? Not that it mattered anymore, the voice of reason ruefully acknowledged. She was mated to Kane and nothing could change the fact. It was best to put her old friend out of her mind and look to the future.
With a determined nod, she quickly dressed, grabbed the laundry and headed downstairs, leaving her mate to catch up on his rest.
*****
Elise had just finished the laundry when she heard a sound behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Kane leaning in the doorway, his shirt hanging open and his hair mussed from sleep. He looked incredibly sexy and her heart beat faster at the sight of him. Sliding her eyes over his body, she noted his toned stomach and long denim-encased legs. The jeans rode low on his hips and she forced herself not to blush as she recalled those same hips moving against her. A wave of desire unexpectedly rolled through her and she found it unsettling. Was she turning into some sort of sex-maniac? How could simply looking at the man have that effect on her? She’d admired good-looking males before, but this attraction for Kane was somehow different, more uncontrolled, more intense.
Did he find her attractive too, she mused. He’d said she was a lovely female, but was that just mating talk or did he really mean it? She wasn’t quite sure why it mattered to her, except that it would make for a level playing field if they both had an equal physical attraction to the other. Until she knew how he really saw her, she certainly wasn’t going to tip her hand!
Trying to sound unaffected by his presence, she casually addressed him. “I see you’re up. You must have been tired after being out so late last night.” She busied herself with folding her towels, keeping her eyes firmly averted and her body angled away from him.
“Yeah. We didn’t find Thomas until almost two-thirty, and by the time we got him to the infirmary it must have been after three. I stayed with Julia, his mate, until he woke up. He was pretty groggy, so I need to head back there in a bit and, if he’s awake, question him about what exactly happened.”
“Did he need a doctor?”
“No. He was lucky. The bullet went straight through, missing any vital organs, so it only needed cleaning and a few stitches. Blood loss was the biggest problem, but thanks to his Lycan genetics, he’ll be fine. Nadia, our nurse-practitioner, was waiting for us when we got back. She gave him a transfusion, cleaned the wound, and stitched him up.”
“Is she one of us?”
“Uh-huh. We’re fortunate to have her, and if something really serious is wrong there’s one local doctor who knows about us and can be trusted.”
“We have a similar set-up at home.” Elise nodded in understanding as she tidied up the laundry area, still avoiding looking at him. Her heart rate had returned to normal and she wanted to keep it that way. Grabbing the box of soap and the fabric softener, she put them on the shelf and started to clean the lint trap in the dryer. “I’m glad your man is going to be okay and that he’s receiving good care.”