Page 19 of Delivered to My Wolves

“I’ve got this.” He stacked the trays with a move that reminded me he’d waited tables in college. “Just a matter of loading the dishwasher and wiping the counters. You two just relax, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

He disappeared into the kitchen and after a few minutes, the rattling of plates ended and his footsteps on the stairs grew farther away. When his door clicked closed, I turned to face Haven. “Want to watch another movie?”

“Would it be all right to just talk?” She sounded so tentative, I wanted to hug her and tell her it was fine. I’d love to talk with her.

So I did just that. I reached out and drew her into an easy embrace. “I’d love to talk with you.”

“Do you think Collyn was giving us time alone?”

“He will be crushed that you saw through his ruse.” I gave her a squeeze. “But since he went to so much trouble, we’d be rude not to go along with it.”

She giggled and rubbed her cheek on my shirt. “Can’t be rude. Do you want to ask me any questions? Anything not on the questionnaire?”

“Well, it was very thorough.” I brushed her hair back from her face. “But did you say you have a list of movies? An actual list?”

“No.” She shook her head, and the lock of hair fell down again. “It’s informal, just in my head. But books…that’s a real list. Want to see?”

“I do.”

She sat up and reached for her phone from the table behind the couch where she seemed to set it most often. “The list is on here.” As we sat there, she showed it to me. “I have all these books downloaded but no time to read any of them.”

“Oh, Haven.” My heart ached for her, so successful but no time to enjoy it. “You deserve some downtime. Everyone does.”

“But when?”

“You work too hard, Haven. You have earned this success, and you do so much good with it. It’s not just a job, but also you help others find happiness. You’ve already made us happy just meeting you and spending time with you.”

“You’re too kind. I’ve even been working all the time. My phone is my partner, or so I feel a lot of the time. I am worried that you will regret coming here because all you’ll see is me working and you’ll be disappointed in me.”

“We could never be disappointed in you. Are you kidding me?” I reached over and scrolled her book list. “Some of these look very good. Maybe we can read them together.”

“Would you like to do that? Truly?”

“Of course. I’ve been asking myself, if this works out, how could we be good mates to you? You are smart, independent, strong, and competent. What in the world could we give you?”

She didn’t say anything, just watching me quietly. Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted, and everything about her sensual and beautiful, but this close, I could see the shadows of exhaustion under her eyes.

“Maybe we can give you time.”

Chapter Sixteen

Haven

“I know I’m lonely,” I whispered, not believing how easily I admitted the fact. I had buried myself in loneliness, trying to convince myself that the feeling was temporary or that one day I would simply get over it.

That day hadn’t come.

“I know that feeling well, Haven.” Fitz took my hand in his calloused one. “You know, being a mate is more than mating and intimacy for us. We want to be your friends. Your confidantes. Your rocks. All of those things, if you want us to be.”

“I have Tilly, but it’s not the same. I mean, she’s the best friend a girl could ask for, but there are fears and secrets that you can only share with a mate. I get home to this big house. Even the echoes remind me of how alone I am.”

“Come here,” Fitz implored, reaching out for me. I hadn’t realized how touch-starved I was until they hugged me the night before. Now that I’d had a taste, my hunger had come alive, and it took everything in me not to climb into his lap and bury my face in his neck. “Don’t be shy. I just want to hold you a bit. Unless you don’t want me to.” He put his palms up, surrendering to my wishes.

These men couldn’t hurt a female. Would never.

I scooted over and, when he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, tugging me close to his side, I let out a sigh. “Gosh, that was…something else.” I giggled.

“You’re overthinking it, Haven. We’re not humans who can live alone and accept the coldness of being lonely. We are pack animals. We thrive on touch and affection. I know this is new, but if you need touch, don’t ever be shy about asking for it. We are more than willing to oblige.”

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