Therian Promise(54)
“Has anyone checked in with Jake?” Carissa asked as the men divvied up the final pieces of pizza.
“I talked briefly with Enya,” Ian said. “Jake’s still out in the field.”
“Any new information? Has he picked up a trail?” Erin’s eyes were the same forest green as Kyle’s, Ava noticed as they filled with compassion. “Those poor girls.”
“They don’t know anything yet, but Jake will keep at it until they’re found. Stubbornness is a common Therian trait.”
Stubbornness, protectiveness, compassion and ferocity, Ava added to the list. Most modern women would consider their attitudes chauvinistic and out-of-date. Ava found them charming. She’d spent so much of her life trying to be strong and self-sufficient. Knowing someone was there to protect and care for her was incredibly appealing.
Kyle pushed back from the table and held out his hand. “Mind if we desert you with the dishes?” he asked his mother. “We’re still recovering from our adventures in the wild.”
She chuckled then winked at him. “Go on. I’m sure Carissa and I can handle it. We wouldn’t want you to strain yourself.”
Ava’s face flamed as the others laughed, everyone except Ian. His gaze followed her with obvious interest. Kyle slipped his arm around her shoulders and ushered her from the room. “Ignore him.”
“Ignore who?”
He stopped walking and turned her to face him, his hands resting on her shoulders. “Answers like that will make me think his attention isn’t unwanted. Are you attracted to Ian?”
“No. I’ve just never had one man this interested in me, much less two.”
“Better get used to it,” he advised in a whisper. “Until you choose your mate, you’re going to draw a lot of attention.”
Kyle led her to the bedroom he’d selected for them and motioned toward the suitcase on the chair near the connecting bathroom. “Carissa brought some of your clothes and stuff.”
“Yeah, she told me Quinn drove her to our house while we were lost on the mountain. I guess she was pretty upset and he was trying to keep her distracted.”
“I can think of more interesting ways to keep a woman distracted.” He grinned at her, but she was too busy rummaging through the suitcase to notice.
“It will be so nice to wear my own clothes.” She looked at him and flashed a beaming smile. “She remembered my toothbrush!”
“It’s amazing how much we take for granted. All the simple pleasures of life.”
With her toothbrush in one hand and a sleep shirt in the other, she looked at the bed then nibbled on her bottom lip. “Do you mind if I take a bath before we go to bed? I really need to relax.”
“Anything you want. Tonight’s for you.”
She glanced away while her cheeks turned pink. He loved it when she blushed. It made her seem so innocent, so untainted by the harsh realities of life. “Why is that? It’s not my birthday or anything.”
“You promised not to run no matter what happened.”
“I kept that promise.” Her brows scrunched together over her nose, creating adorable furrows in her brow. He wanted to smooth away the faint lines with his lips then kiss his way down to her mouth.
“I know you did. Now it’s my turn to prove that I’m a man of my word. Last night was not what I intended for our first time together. I promised to make it up to you and I intend to keep that promise tonight.” Before she could reply, he swept her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. The large sunken tub was the reason he’d chosen this bedroom. “I was going to fill the bath and bring you chilled champagne, but you ruined the surprise.”
“Sorry.” She slid down his body as he released her legs. “Are you going to join me?”
“That’s up to you. I’ll remain your obedient servant if you’d rather just soak or I’ll wash your hair and rub your shoulders if you’d rather have company.”
Mischief glistened in her blue eyes and she placed her hand on his chest. “What if I’d rather have my obedient servant in the tub with me?”
He laughed. “It’s your night. What would you like me to do?” He wasn’t sure how long his Therian nature would allow him to indulge her, but he’d give it a try. She’d already experienced forceful and demanding. This might be fun.
“Undress for me. I was too worried about you dying on me last night to enjoy your visual appeal.”
“As milady commands.” He swept his arm in front of him as he bent into a courtly bow. Then he turned on the water so the bathtub could fill while he obeyed her first directive. He tugged off his boots and socks then pulled his t-shirt off over his head. Her gaze boldly followed his movements, frequently lingering in strategic areas. Therians were blessed with a higher metabolic rate than most humans, so obesity wasn’t a problem. In fact the vast majority of human diseases didn’t affect Therians.