Page 127 of Puck & Her Blades

I can’t wait to dance with him.

Finally, Zev twirls and catches me watching him. He stumbles a step, and his cheeks redden.

But then, he beams.

Being greeted like this, makes my smile widen in response.

I can feel Zev’s burst of happiness and love through the bond, and he must be able to feel mine as well.

It’s a revelation.

I know now that I truly am loved.

I have a home.

This is real.

Zev leaps onto the bed, and I huff out a laugh.

He kisses me. “You’re awake, love.”

“Looks like it. Who brought me here?”

“I did.” Zev leans closer, trailing his fingers down my cheek like he’s checking that I’m okay. I love his tenderness. “You make a pretty damsel in my arms. Sorry, are you flushing? You look even prettier now. Ash laughed his damn head off at me. I’m not meant to be into romantic shit. It was Ash who washed you, well, all of us.”

“Are you flushing? You look even prettier now,” I tease him.

He sits back, crossing his arms. “I crashed after the rut. Fucking and knotting you four times wrecked me. I feel like my knot may fall off.”

My eyes widen. “It better not. I have plans for it.”

He smirks. “Tell me more.” I palm over the bulge in his tight trousers, and he hisses. “Actually, hold that thought. I truly do have knot soreness. Is that a real affliction? But still, you have a Christmas gift to unwrap.”

I scoot back on the bed to sit up, before I take hold of both ends of the tinsel, undoing it.

Then I yank it like a leash, pulling my Alpha closer to me.

Zev’s plush lips press to mine, before he sucks on my lower lip.

I take a deep breath of his delicious vodka scent, feeling safe.

I sigh, tightening the tinsel, and he kisses me harder like he’s stealing the breath that I’m keeping from him.

When he sits back, I slip the tinsel over his head and then drop it over my own shoulders.

“Now, you’re my gift.” He lowers his lips to his bond bite on my neck with a look of such awe that my stomach feels fluttery. Then he licks over it. He looks up at me through his long eyelashes. “You’re all I want for Christmas.”

“Then lucky you got me.”

Zev pushes himself off the bed with a slink of his hips that should be illegal. “You need tea after the rigors of a heat. Cygnus made me promise to make you his favorite black tea, honey, and lemon juice.”

Zev swaggers to the tiny kitchen.

He switches on the kettle, before banging through the cupboards, clearly knowing where things are better than me. He pulls out a small pot of honey and places it on the counter.

Then he grabs a lemon and a knife and slices the fruit in half on a wooden board.

I snuggle down in the blankets and enjoy watching this hockey star in a domestic setting.

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