Page 53 of The Healer

Dane snorted. “I know that. Your stench was all over her boot.”

“She intrigued me then.” Rhys gave him a pointed look. “More so now that I know she’s another Devereaux woman.”

“Have a fetish for their lineage?”

“No, well, maybe. I can’t explain it. If you came down from your mountain every once and a while, you’d know more, see more.” Fetish? Did he? Trust Dane to sum up his obsession in one line.

“Why? To see you breaking with tradition and forming alliances with our enemies?” As Dane leaned forward, his pale hair fell across his forehead, and his ice-blue eyes sparkled with humor. “Since I know you, trust your judgment, I assume it was unavoidable.” He slapped his thighs and chuckled. “Thanks for helping us saving the scientists?”

“We found them, but Ilona did the saving.” Rhys wasn’t taking credit for having a good sense of smell.

“Regardless, the Winterclaw pack thanks you. Official business done, want breakfast? I smell bacon on the fry.”

Rhys grinned. The aroma of bacon tantalized his nostrils, as well. “Give me ten. I need a shower.”

“Damn right you do, but hurry if you want to eat.” Dane closed the door as he left.

Rhys hopped into the shower, taking Dane’s warning to heart. The bastard had done it before, eaten everything in the dorm room. While they had both studied conservation, Rhys wished he’d changed his major to commerce.

He clambered down the stairs, his jacket in hand and his laces undone. As he burst into the dining room, Harriet laid out a steaming pile of bacon. She flashed him a sweet smile in greeting and gestured to the sideboard groaning under the weight of eggs, sausages, toast, fresh-baked bread rolls, fried onions, sautéed mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.

“Ma’am, mind moving to Inner City?” Rhys didn’t get this treatment in his lodge. He flashed his most charming smile, and despite the blush staining her parchment cheeks, she shook her head.

“Harriet’s trying to get Ilona and me together. Wasted breath, but she doesn’t want to listen to reason,” Dane said around a mouthful of sausage. “I did ask Ilona, but she shot me down.”

“She did?” Her rejection jolted pleasure and hope through Rhys.

“Yup, said she wouldn’t date a man who broke women’s hearts as carelessly and as often as he rutted with them. Damn near swallowed my tongue.”

“You took it as a compliment.” Rhys smiled at Harriet, who poured him a coffee.

“I did, so when I asked her again, I didn’t expect the kick to the nads. Made myself scarce after that.”

“And if she’d said yes, would you have mated her?” Harriet hovered with a sugar bowl in hand.

“I would’ve considered it.” He scratched his trim beard.

“That’s a no, ma’am.” Rhys rose to pile a few more eggs onto his plate.

“Would you?” She waited, with something intense in her gaze as she stared at him.

“Mate Ilona?” he asked even though he understood her question. He weighed whether he could reveal this to her or Dane. It wouldn’t hurt to have allies fighting for his cause. “In a heartbeat.” His bear grumbled his approval. Rhys rubbed his chest, with his knife clasped between his pinkie and ring finger.

Happiness warmed Harriet’s gray eyes, and fresh pink flushed her cherub face. “Perhaps I’ll take you up on the offer to visit your city, Rhys.”

“I would be honored by your presence.”

“Nonsense. You ain’t stealing two of our treasures.” Dane waved his fork at him. “As I see it, you ain’t said anything to Ilona or else you wouldn’t be walking today.”

“I have a coffee date with her at ten.” Rhys couldn’t resist tweaking his friend. The scowl furrowing Dane’s brow meant he struck gold.

“Oh, that’s wonderful. How did you get her to agree?” Harriet clapped her hands, then snatched the last bacon to place on Rhys’s plate.

He received another scowl from Dane for this betrayal. “I didn’t give her a choice. Threatened to hunt her down if she didn’t show.”

“You know where she lives?” Harriet asked.

“I have no doubts I’ll find her.” Rhys tapped his nose then shoveled in the last mouthful of egg.

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