Page 7 of Rumble of the Crumble

“In other words, I’m being ridiculous.”

I turned to see his pinched expression and hooded eyes. I stepped into his space, ignoring the knife in his hand, and cupped Leonidis’s jaw, watching his hair fluff out. “I like the fact you’re jealous.”

“How…” He scowled. “You do?” He didn’t sound convinced.

“I do.” Great Rhu, I wanted a kiss, but turned back to my vegetables, not wanting to crowd him. I hid my grin at his disappointed gasp, and the way he had almost leaned into me.

When the veggies were grilled to perfection, I plated them and turned my attention to the steak. Two minutes later, I handed Leonidis his plate, piled high with meat.

“Is this how you like your meat?”

He stared at the barely seared steak. “Perfect. How did you—”

“I have wolf shifter friends, remember? They’re even fussier than lions.”

I snorted at his grunt. Lion and wolf shifters. They were all the same. They despised each other. I couldn’t wait to introduce the wolves to my mate… if he let me.

We filled our plates with salad and sat down on my Adirondack chairs to watch the sunset.

“We do this at the pride house,” Leonidis said, sighing as he settled into the chair.

“Do what?”

“Watch the sunrises and sunsets. It’s the first time we’ve spent anywhere long enough to relax. After the last town ran us out, I thought Maxi was mad choosing that old house in yet another small town, but he was right.”

Anger boiled inside me at the thought of my mate and his pride struggling to find anywhere that would accept them.

Leonidis patted my thigh. I guess it was meant to be a comforting gesture, but it sent fire straight to my cock. I wonder if he realized just how often he gave me gentle, reassuring touches since we’d left his home.

It was nice.

“Calm, my sheriff.”

Mysheriff? I sucked in a breath. Did he hear what he’d just said?

Leonidis carried on, as if he hadn’t noticed my reaction. “No one wants a mixed pride like ours. The predators saw half our pride as prey, and towns filled with prey animals saw us lions as predators. We never fit in anywhere. I didn’t consider finding a home in a town full of rhubarb.”

I became filled with pride at the thought of my town. Valentine Growville was a special place in the world. I never wanted to live anywhere else. I hoped my mate felt the same way.

We ate in silence for a while as the sun slowly dipped beyond the trees. I didn’t feel the need to move.

Leonidis finished the last mouthful of steak with a satisfied groan. “That was amazing.”

“Don’t groan like that,” I said before I could hold back the words, my body reacting.

He blinked at me. “Huh?”

In for a penny. “Only your mate should make you groan like that.”

“You did make me groan,” Leonidis pointed out. “You cooked the steaks.”

He had a point.

I turned to regard him, feeling the tension in his body as if it were rolling toward me in waves. “Leonidis.”

“Yes?”

My mate sounded nervous, and I hated making him feel worried.

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