Page 63 of Lost Girl

“Well yeah, it’s your name.”

“Technically it’s not. Lobo is an acronym for Lost Boy, remember?”

I hadn’t, no, but now that he’s mentioned it, the memory resurfaces. “So then what’s your surname?”

“I don’t have one.” He shrugs a shoulder.

“So you’re just Tavi?”

Nodding, he drops a few strawberries in a napkin and finds his way back between my legs. “Sounds like you need to go back into your history books, little wolf. My ancestors may have hundreds of years worth of history in this realm, but I have family that spans back to cultural assimilation days in your world. Them choosing not to conform is what led us to Rosewood. Here.” He offers a sizable, bright red strawberry up to my lips. “Try one.”

My suddenly dry lips.

Tongue lashing out to wet them, I snap my gaze between him and the ripe piece of fruit. “Do you need me to remind you that I’m not an invalid?” That wasn’t even a voluntary question. It came out before I could so much as—

“Do you need me to remind you that I never said that?” he tosses back, pressing the very tip of the berry against the slight dip in my lower lip. “Just take a bite.”

Him, the berry, him, the damned berry again. I bounce back and forth between the two until finally I just go for it.

So he’s feeding me a piece of fruit. What’s the big deal?

Could’ve been no deal at all, a casual—well, almost casual—thing, but then the sweetness he promised blasts over my taste buds and I shut my eyes, moaning in appreciation. “Wow, thatisreally good.It’s so juicy.”

“I told you,” he rasps, his voice thick, rousing. “The best.”

“I do hope I’m not interrupting,” Soren’s amused voice rings out behind us, shooting me at least three inches off the countertop and my eyes out of their sockets.

“Jesus,” Tavi and I parrot.

“I guess I am,” Soren chuckles, shutting the front door and slipping off his work boots. Tavi and I must look like deers caught in headlights because he visibly tamps down a laugh and holds his hands up in surrender. “Don’t worry, I’m hopping straight into the shower again. Do continue.”

“You don’t have to! He was just letting me taste those strawberries!” I blurt, only to realize that definitely didn’t help the situation.

Soren’s bright smile widens as my cheeks heat the same color of said strawberries. “Oh, I’m sure he was. Tavi likes them juicy. We knocked out another half wall after you left, by the way. She’s starting to come together quick.”

“We’ll be done soon,” Tavi agrees, prompting Soren to nod.

“I’m going to shower now.” He’s gone after that, stalking down the short hallway to the bathroom. Before the door shuts, we hear, “Save me some of those strawberries!”

Slam!

Seconds later, Tavi’s turning back to me, plucking a berry from the napkin. Chocolatey irises on me, he brings it up to his lips and takes a full bite.

“You heard him, save him some,” I chide, rapt on the way his throat bobs through a swallow.

“I do what I want, little wolf.”

“Figured as much.”

Tossing the leafy end into the sink, he reaches for another and repeats the same action, dragging it along my lips a second time. “Take another bite.” He pins me with that intense stare.

“Tavi.” My eyes cut to the hallway. “He’s…”

In my face.

The man is in my face, adamant as ever. “Take. Another bite.”

It’s clear I’m not getting out of this. Whether Soren is here or not, he doesn’t give a fuck, and maybe I shouldn’t either. It’s all harmless fun anyway.

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