The Mating(55)

“I’ve always thought so!” Smiling smugly, Elise rested her head on his chest again, gently tracing patterns on his upper arm with her fingertips. This was nice, being together like this, just talking. There was a level of comfort developing between them and it made her feel good inside.

Kane’s breathing was slowing and his arms around her waist were loosening their hold. Lifting her head, she saw that his eyes had shut and he was sound asleep. Carefully, she climbed off him and he murmured in protest but didn’t wake up. Elise changed into her nightgown, removed Kane’s belt and pulled off his pants so he’d be more comfortable. Settling a blanket over him, she crawled into bed beside him. “Good night, Kane,” she whispered as she turned out the lights, falling into a deep sleep with her head against the shoulder of her mate.





Chapter 16





Kane was gone when Elise woke up the next morning. She stretched luxuriously and smiled. Last night had been nice. They hadn’t had sex; they’d just talked and then slept beside each other, yet she felt so much closer to him. Knowing that he really wanted to build a future with her made her feel more confident. Let the Marlas of the world do what they will!

Rolling out of bed, she showered and wandered downstairs. Kane didn’t show up for breakfast but he’d left a her a note stating that he had a meeting with the pack’s lawyers concerning the Northern Oil issue and would be back for lunch. Elise smiled, pleased that he’d informed her himself rather than having someone else pass the word along. She felt it showed he was really trying to build a relationship with her.

After breakfast, Elise went downstairs to the recreation room where they’d had the meeting and party the previous night, and began the task of taking the bonding presents up to their suite. There were picture frames and vases, gift certificates and even an intricate carving of a wolf guarding his mate. She wasn’t sure where to put everything, but thought maybe she and Kane could decide that together. Her morning was busy running up and down the stairs and by noon she was ready to sit and rest for a while.

Kane was back for lunch just as he’d promised, and afterwards they went to visit with Julia and Thomas, Kane holding her hand as they strolled along. Thomas was chafing at having been confined inside for so long and Julia rolled her eyes as he expressed his frustration. Grabbing Elise’s hand, she pulled her out the door, calling over her shoulder to Kane. “You listen to him complain for a while. I’m going for a walk with Elise while I still have my sanity!”

Once they were outside, Julia stopped and rubbed her temples. “I know being stuck inside for an extended period is hard on any wolf, but to listen to Thomas tell it, he’s the only man to have ever been subjected to such inhumane treatment. I’ll tell you, Elise, I love him dearly, but if he complains one more time today I won’t be responsible for my actions!”

“It can’t be that bad, can it?” Elise looked doubtfully at her friend.

“Just you wait. One of these days, Kane will get a head cold or something and he’ll turn into the biggest baby you’ve ever seen. I swear, the tougher they are when they’re healthy, the worse they are when they get sick!”

“Gee, I can hardly wait.” The two women looked at each other and laughed, before heading into the woods for a run. By the time they returned, Thomas was napping and Kane had left to inspect the site of the oil spill.

With the remainder of the afternoon looming ahead of her, Elise wandered upstairs to their sitting room. She searched through the stack of books that Julia had lent her, and finding one that looked suitably interesting, settled back to become lost in a romantic suspense set a number of centuries earlier.

Kane found her sleeping there several hours later and after a rather satisfactory interlude, they went down for dinner. As usual, it was a good meal with friendly conversation but Carrie and John got up immediately afterwards explaining that they were meeting Franz and Gisele at the local theatre. Helen also headed off to her room, insisting there was a marathon of old TV shows on that she didn’t want to miss. As the room suddenly emptied, Elise and Kane looked at each other.

“Alone at last?” Kane raised his eye-brows.

“So it would appear.”

“Hmm—I wonder if they purposely cleared out so we’d have some alone time.”

Elise felt herself blushing at the idea, but wouldn’t put it past Carrie and Helen. She had a sinking feeling that those two were unrepentant matchmakers who wouldn’t let up until she and Kane blood-bonded.





*****





That day established a pattern for the rest of the week. Elise would get up, poke about the house, have lunch with Kane, visit Julia, read, and eat dinner. The others seemed to find various reasons to leave them alone each evening and Elise found that becoming her favourite time of the day. She would read while Kane finished up any urgent business or they’d watch TV together until bedtime. Then the rest of the night would be spent cuddling or having sex. Elise readily admitted to herself that her mate was a skilled lover and she was becoming addicted to his touch.