Page 157 of Her Wolf

Someone to warm her bed

Seven Weeks Later

Cora set down the last gift box, smoothing one of the silver ribbons binding it. When she looked up, the Christmas tree blurred for a moment before she could blink away potential tears.

Footsteps sounded behind her, near silent on the carpet. She saw Lady’s ears prick up, the dog watching whoever it was coming up behind her. By the time they’d reached Cora, the dog’s tail was swishing wildly from side to side.

A hand caressed the top of her head. “You coming to bed?”

“In a bit,” she murmured.

“I think there’re enough presents, Cora.” Finn’s voice was a quiet rumble in the sleepy hush that filled Swan Manor.

“Never,” she said, but under her breath. She rose, giving Finn a warm smile over her shoulder. “Want a last glass of eggnog?”

“You’re addicted,” he said, slipping his arm around her waist. “I’m going to have to cut you off.”

“Come on, Finn, just one—”

“You know,” came a voice from the landing, “if I had three gorgeous hunks waiting in my bed, I wouldn’t be fucking around with Christmas presents.”

Cora leaned past Finn, shooting Lars a glare. “I said I’ll be up—”

“Yeah, and we’re already down again, you’ve taken so long.” Lars waved at her, heading back to the master bedroom. “Tell you what, we’ll get started without you. If there’s no more lovin’ left for you by the time you’ve finished your eggnog, you’ll only have yourself to blame.”

The master bedroom’s door closed with a resounding crash.

Cora peered up at Finn, and he brushed her cheek with his thumb as he gave her a fond smile.

His wounds had all healed, but an expanse of skin all the way from his lower jaw to his hip bore testament to the fire that had engulfed them all.

She’d gotten away with nothing more than a bad haircut, some minor burns, and a bullet wound; Zachary had unwittingly shielded her and Lady from the worst of the blast.

Lars had a few burn marks of his own, but he flouted them like badges of honor.

Finn wore polo neck sweaters and owned no short-sleeved shirts anymore. Although he’d regained his muscle mass a few weeks after he’d been back on solid food, the fire had permanently disfigured one pectoral muscle.

She’d stopped telling him it didn’t matter, because it obviously mattered to him. She thought it was because those scars were a constant reminder of how he’d failed her.

It made her livid, him thinking that, but she’d have a much easier time trying to change Earth’s orbit than convince him otherwise.

“So, about that egg—” she began, but Finn scooped her off her feet before she could complete her sentence, and threw her over his shoulder. She struggled, shrieking at him to let her go before giggles overwhelmed her.

Lady’s nose pressed against her ankle, the dog sensing a game in the air and eager to play. Lady was lucky to be alive, never mind walking—the veterinarian Lars had taken her to had said she had a twenty percent chance of surviving her injuries.

Luckily, a few thousand dollars bought a lot of luck.

When Lady had pulled through just fine, Cora couldn’t stand the thought of the dog having to find a new owner, so she’d insisted on adopting it.

Finn had rejected the idea—it turned out, he wasn’t a dog lover—but Lady had grown on him like she’d grown on everyone else.

Now she was as much a part of the family as Finn, or Lars, or Bailey.

Finn took the steps two at a time, and had her through the bedroom door a few seconds later.

But, by then, he was already kissing the breath out of her. She clung to him, losing herself to his powerful lips and tongue as they ravaged her mouth and made her insides squirm in hedonistic anticipation.

Hands grabbed her legs, her arms, peeling her off Finn and laying her down on the bed. They’d dimmed the lights so everyone was just a silhouette—another thing that changed since the fire.

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