Page 77 of Reclaiming Home

Lina’s eyes widened. “I keep forgetting you’re that old.”

“It’s my girlish figure, isn’t it?” Rian deadpanned, then straightened to start cleaning her up.

“Is it insensitive to ask if the blood is bothering you at all?” Carys peered over Lina’s shoulder at Rian.

He snorted. “Well I’m a doctor, for one, so I’m pretty used to it. It could be different if I was incredibly hungry, but even then it would be like….” He thought for a moment, then said, “You like chocolate, right? So even if you recognize someone drinking chocolate milk right next to you when you have a craving, it’s not like you’re going to tackle that guy to get his drink, right?” We all cracked up and he laughed. “Now imagine that the chocolate milk is on the inside.”

Lina guffawed hard enough that she moved her head, then winced when that caused Rian’s gentle prodding to become less so.

Brodie was hovering, clearly worried enough that I grabbed his wrist and tugged him away from the kitchen.

“You’re coming with me, Alpha,” I murmured.

The last thing I saw was the corner of Rian’s mouth curling up as he inspected Lina’s temple.

I walked across the downstairs, bringing Brodie with me into the family room. Then I pushed him to sit on the couch.

“But my clothes are dirty—”

“The couch will clean. Stay.” I climbed onto his lap to straddle him.

He looked at me, confused and on the edge.

“Hey, baby.” I cupped his face with my palms and pecked his lips.

Then again. And a third time. By the fourth, he let the tension bleed out of his body and opened his mouth to kiss me back. His arms wrapped around me, and his big hands squeezed my butt and pulled me closer.

“Keep it PG!” Rian called from the kitchen.

Brodie chuckled and I reluctantly pulled my lips from his.

“Hi,” he said, eyes filled with that happiness I loved to see.

“She’ll be fine,” I told him firmly. “It’s only a cut. Headwounds bleed a lot. We already know this.” I grinned and pointed at my own noggin. “Besides, now we have a doctor in the house.”

Brodie sighed and rolled his neck. “Yeah, I know you’re right, but she was—”

“Doing her job? While being supervised by her boss and mentor?” At his frown, I continued, “Could it have happened to you?”

He sighed. “Yes.”

“Aww, my big, strong Alpha admitting he could’ve gotten hurt in the same way as the fragile human. I’m proud of you, baby,” I cooed, patting his cheek.

Rian cackled in the kitchen, and I could hear the girls asking him what was going on.

Brodie wrapped his fingers around my throat and squeezed gently. “Is someone feeling bratty? Do you want to ask me to beat it out of you?”

His lower register voice and the literal hold he had over my life in that moment might’ve turned me on a bit faster than I wanted to admit.

“Maybe?” I exhaled the word, embracing the beginnings of that swimmy sensation of not getting enough oxygen.

“Well maybe we should—”

His phone rang, so he used his free hand to fish it out of his pocket.

“Alpha Ramirez, what can I do for you?” he asked, his fingers still holding onto me. “Uh-huh. Let’s try again in a couple of days? Yeah. I hope your baby feels better soon. Let Holden or me know. Right. Mhmm. Have a safe full moon tomorrow. Bye.”

“No meeting tonight?” I wheezed.

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