Page 66 of The Safest Place She Knows

He kissed hertemple and helped her to her feet. She left her dishes behind, andhe walked up the stairs with her. She passed the nest and exhaledbut then scowled when he took her to his room.

“What?”

“We are gettingmarried, so this is appropriate. Also, you will have to get used tonot sleeping alone.”

She sighed. “Ineed another shower. I think I brought a frog home in my hair. He’sa perv. Watch out.”

Brexel curvedhis lips in and nodded. “Right. One more shower. I will get yousomething to wear to bed.”

Relieved, shesighed, “Really?”

He nodded.“Yes. The last day was hard for you.”

“I am going tostall any quips.”

She went to hisbathroom and took another glorious shower, this time on her own.The frog hopped out when she played in warm water.

When she wasclean and dry and had stopped the sensation of having a slow drip,she wore the towel into the main bedroom, where she was alone. Sheselected a gown in a shimmering blue and black that had been givenby a regular at the club.

She slipped iton and hung her towel up in the bathroom again. When she returnedto the bedroom, Brexel was walking back in.

“The boys areout, and the frog is back in the lake. You look exhausted.”

He smiled andturned the bed down. “Lots of time in bed, very little sleep.”

“I am lookingforward to sleeping. Tomorrow is Sunday, right?”

“Correct.”

She exhaled.“Have the boys done their homework?”

He smiled.“Before they went on the overnight Friday.”

Iris climbedinto bed. “Is this as odd as it feels?”

“It feelsright. If you hadn’t taken the position with the boys, you wouldn’thave thought of our house when you were in danger, and you wouldn’tbe here. You would be off to the Stronghold, and we would neverhave known.”

She pulled thelight covers up over her shoulder. “That would suck. My chances ofgetting out of there would have been less than ideal. I mean, Istill would have tried it.”

He cuddled upto her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Not if they shackledyou to the floor by an ankle.”

“That wouldbe... less than great.” She shivered.

He kissed herear. “We’ve got you now. You are relatively safe.”

She laughed.“Thanks for the inexact safety.”

He hummed andheld her close. “My pleasure. Welcome to our pack, mate.”

“Thank you, myalpha.”

He tensed as ifelectrocuted. “I would recommend against saying that to theothers.”

“Thatparticular title is yours alone, but I won’t use it again if youdon’t like it.”

“Oh, I like it,but you have had a very long day. There is plenty of time to spendwith the boys tomorrow. We can have a picnic on the newly mowedlawn or something.”

She sighed andrelaxed, letting sleep rush over her. She still had to call hermom.

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