Page 65 of Can't Be Love

I stood and stretched. I knew I was standing at full attention, and I watched her lick her lips as she openly admired me.

“Perhaps I should repay the favor. You look like you could use some help with that.”

I knew then and there this woman was going to be the death of me in the best ways possible.

“As amazing as that sounds, I need to get this fire restarted, and see about breakfast.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “You tend the fire, I’ll get the breakfast.”

By the time I had the fire roaring again, the cottage smelled of mouthwatering goodness. Lily had fried up eggs, bacon, and potatoes, and she made toast. It was all delicious, though not quite as delicious as my beautiful mate.

When the meal was finished, and the dishes done, I grabbed the comforter off the bed and wrapped us up before opening the front door. There was nearly two feet of snow with the door imprint clearly marked on it, and it was still falling fast and thick.

“Guess we’re going to be here a while,” Lily said, not sounding disappointed at all.

To pass the day along, we spent time continuing to get to know each other. It was a rare opportunity where neither of us had anything better to do. She had insisted on repaying me the favor of her wake-up call, and then requested a do-over when she thought she could do a better job. Who the hell was I to argue with that?

Clothes had been a non-issue as we made love and talked, with some occasional food thrown in. Day one was hands down the best day of my life.

Day two, I awoke Lily in the same manner, deciding I could get addicted to her quickly, and the smile on her face instead of the snarl, cursing, and anger I had previously experienced from a Lily Westin morning, was much improved.

Lily was a little sore from where we’d overzealously gone at it the day before. We found some cards and board games in the cabinet under the TV to help pass the time. I learned quickly that she cheated at both and had an obsessive need to win.

After lunch, I drew her a hot bath in the enormous tub, and though it took more willpower than I knew I possessed, I left her alone to relax with a book she had found.

I took the time away from her to call Dad.

“Hello?” my father answered. “Son? Is that you?”

“Hey, Dad.”

“It’s Thomas,” I heard him say, likely to my mother.

She confirmed my suspicions quickly by joining in the call. “Thomas, sweetie, are you okay? Lily’s with you right? Tulok called and explained what happened. I’ve been worried sick about you both. Where are you? He said you insisted on driving and wouldn’t wait out the storm.”

“We’re fine, Mom. Lily’s with me and we’re holed up in some bed and breakfast waiting for the storm to break. I promise, we’re both safe.”

“It’s a fifty-hour drive, Thomas. What were you thinking?” she continued. as if I were a small child.

“I was thinking that even with Lily found, my wolf wasn’t going to settle down as long as I was in Tulok’s territory. I was thinking I really needed to get the hell away from there before I did something I’d regret.”

“Leave him alone, Cora,” my father said. “He’s a grown man and he knows his wolf better than men five times his age. If he was that agitated—and with Lily’s disappearance, I imagine he was—then he did the right thing.”

“I know, I know. I just hate knowing they are stranded out there like that.”

My father snorted. “Something tells me he’s not minding that one bit.”

I laughed.

“Do you think they finally bonded?” my mother said excitedly.

“I’m right here and can hear you, you know,” I chimed in.

“Well?” my mother asked, waiting for a response.

“Yes, we bonded. I was calling so Dad could officially start the stupid mating challenge clock.”

I heard their excitement through the phone as Mom relayed the information for the others.

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