Page 69 of Warlander Beast Cat

“Want to,” he said so quietly, she almost didn’t hear him.

Touched to her very bones, she sank down into her chair and watched as he filled a plate for her.

The heart that pounded in her chest was thoroughly touched by his care, too. Maybe she had the same love language, she didn’t know. Or perhaps it was just feeling the effort of a man thinking about her.

He put a plate in front of her and waited, his eyes on her.

“Are you okay?” she asked, unsure of what to do.

He leaned over and nuzzled his cheek against hers, and ooooh, she knew what this was. She was a big cat shifter. This was affection. Cadence rolled her eyes closed and leaned into his nuzzling. This was a quiet declaration.

He pressed his lips against her cheek and then eased back. “Never been better,” he assured her. “I just need you to start eating first.”

An accidental smile crooked her lips. She pulled a hot wing to her lips, then dug in. With sauce on her face and a mouthful of food, she jokingly asked, “Are you still attracted to me?”

“I would eat hot wings off your body right now,” he uttered with his eyes glued to her lips.

Jenna laughed loudly across the table. “You two are so delightfully weird.”

“Delightfully weird?” Cadence enunciated. “I have no idea if that’s actually a compliment.”

“It is,” she said.

“Do you think Landon was trying to make me mad?” Lucia asked randomly.

“Oh my god, just bone him already,” Kru said.

“I don’t want to bone him!” Lucia said around a bite of wing. “Pass the French fries. I hate all of you.”

“You were the one who brought up Landon,” Gunner growled. “He’s a Fuller. You get that, right? He’s a son of Clinton? If that’s what gets your attention, there’s no help for you.”

“What about that guy you were making out with at speed-dating?” Jenna asked.

“Steve?” Lucia asked incredulously.

“Steve had your attention for a minute,” Cadence pointed out. “There was French kissing involved.”

“I was playing with Steve,” Lucia grumbled, and then took another bite. “Stop looking at me and talking to me. I don’t like any of you.”

Kru slid his hand over Cadence’s thigh under the table and said, “Everyone list your favorite color. Lucas doesn’t know anything about us. He needs to be trained.”

Lucas scoffed around a bite. “I know a lot. About all of you.”

“Okay,” Gunner ground out. “What is my middle name?”

Lucas stared blankly at Gunner. “Ellwood.”

“Ellwood?” Gunner asked over the laughter at the table. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Is it Steve?” Lucia asked, and Cadence could see her wicked little smile. She liked Lucia more and more.

“You aren’t limping very much anymore, Gunner Samson,” Lucas said suspiciously.

“I’m a fast healer, and that’s also not my middle name.”

“Who set your leg?”

Gunner ghosted a look at Kru. Kru just kept chewing, staring at Lucas.

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