Page 331 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Noah rounded the bar to stand behind my chair. He wrapped his arms tight around my middle, resting his chin on my shoulder. “That seems reasonable, right Mia?” His tone left no question about his intention to embrace the overprotective uncle role.

I drew back to see his face. “Hey, don’t bring me into this.”

“I have a feeling you girls will put the Cole brothers in their place more than once.”

“Damn straight,” Ivy replied.

I couldn’t speak. Having Noah so close, his heat radiating through my back, his cologne consuming my senses.

He angled his head to whisper at my ear. “I have a surprise for you.”

I swallowed. “A surprise?”

What could possibly top seeing him shift into a wolf?

“Yep. I was gonna give it to you at dinner, but since you’re here…” He kissed my cheek. “Get excited.”

Lowering his arms, he returned behind the bar. From under the counter, he grabbed a small cardboard box and held it just out of my reach.

“What is it?” I leaned forward trying to peek.

He snapped it away and grinned. “You have to wait and see.”

He turned his back to Ivy and me, and gathered various liquor bottles and items from the fridge. The anticipation killed me. But rather than stare at him, trying to figure it out and ruin the surprise, I swiveled my chair to face Ivy. “How far along are you?”

She smiled, rounding her hand over her belly. “Almost five months, so I still have ages to go.”

Something about the way she smiled when she spoke of her pregnancy told me she’d make a great mom. People like her should have babies. People like my mother, not so much. Though, I was thankful she at least had me.

“It’ll be fun to have cousins running around crazy at the Cole ranch.”

“Does Ashton have kids?”

“No, he hasn’t mated yet. I meant when you and Noah have kids.”

I swallowed. The fantasy between Noah and I burst in one second. Holy hell, I’d only just met the guy and Ivy thought we’d pop out a few kids. Noah and I hadn’t agreed to run away and get married or anything.

Besides, kids were never in my future. I didn’t exactly have the best role model. What happened if I turned out like my mother?

Thankfully, before I answered, Noah slid a glass in front of me. A tall fancy tumbler filled with pale golden liquid and a floating lime wedge.

His smile was contagious.

“Is this a cocktail?”

He leaned in close, his voice low and silky. “If you tell the locals I made you one, you’ll ruin my badass reputation.”

I laughed so hard I almost fell off my stool.

He nodded to the drink. “Give it a try.”

I took a sip through the straw. Fizzy, not overly sweet, and a decent amount of rum. “This is really good. What is it?”

“Dark and Stormy.”

How appropriate.

“I thought it was the perfect mix of Woodland Falls meets fancy inner-city cocktail bar.” He lifted one shoulder. “Plus, I already had all the ingredients. I only needed to order the glasses.”

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