Page 36 of Follow Your Instincts

“Yeah, you are,” he said, smiling at me, and reached out with his palm up. I interlaced our fingers, and he squeezed my hand.

“What the fuck?” I said, bewildered, as we pulled up to the pack’s house. “I knew Lucas was rich but… what the fuck? Are you all loaded?”

The long, narrow townhome was three stories tall and made of gorgeous dark red brick. A set of stone steps led to a grand front door flanked by large windows. The top two stories all had three windows, and the roof was made of copper. The whole house looked like something out of a storybook in which an orphan is whisked away to live with a rich uncle they never knew existed.

“Lachlan and Lucas are the loaded ones. You know what my salary is. We’ll go in around the back, I just wanted you to see the front,” Soren said, chuckling and squeezing my hand. “Don’t freak out.”

We made the block. Soren pressed a button to raise a garage door, and we drove down a small ramp into an underground garage with two spots, one of which had a Range Rover parked in it.

“I am so underdressed,” I said. I was wearing my normal black athletic leggings and a dark green shirt that Kira said brought out the color of my eyes. Thank god I hadn’t worn a band t-shirt like I’d been planning.

“You look great,” Soren said sincerely. He got out and grabbed the box of bagels we’d picked up at BB’s before coming to open my side of the car.

I just stared at him. “You guys have got the wrong girl.”

Soren smiled at me patiently, then put the bagels down so he could reach in for my hand. He pulled me out and laughed at my reluctance.

“Maggie, you are absolutely the right girl,” he said, skimming the back of his hand down my arm. I shivered at the touch, and he stepped closer to tuck my hair behind my ear. His blue eyes darkened and dropped to my lips as he drew his fingers down the side of my neck and traced the outline of my collarbone. He leaned in and I caught my breath, anticipatinghis lips on mine, but he pressed a kiss to my temple instead, his breath ruffling my hair and his beard tickling my skin. Tingles spread across my scalp and spine. “Now let’s get inside before Ben has a heart attack. And you still need to put Lucas in his place about his ‘garbage bagels.’”

I followed Soren up a flight of stairs on suddenly weak knees, and he pushed open a door. I immediately heard Ben say, “Jesus, it’s about time.”

We emerged into a large, open kitchen with navy blue cabinets, white marble countertops, and a large island where Ben, Lucas, and Lachlan were sitting, having coffee. As soon as I walked in, Ben lunged forward and pulled me into a huge hug, inhaling my scent as I did his. A small piece of my anxiety on seeing their house calmed as I breathed him in, even as my heart beat faster at his proximity.

“I missed you,” he whispered into my ear, then pulled back to smile at me. “Lucas, make her one of those fancy coffees.”

“God, he’s so rude,” I said, and looked over at Lucas. “I would like a fancy coffee, please. If it’s not too much trouble.” I had skipped out on coffee that morning in favor of blow-drying my hair, and I really needed it.

“Of course,” he said, smiling and strolling over to a huge, gleaming espresso machine. “What would you like?”

“I normally just do drip, so whatever’s easiest,” I said, feeling out of place again. Soren noticed my discomfort and pulled me deeper into the kitchen to take Ben’s stool at the island, next to Lachlan.

“Good morning,” I said to him. He looked a bit more casual in a t-shirt rather than the button-down he’d been wearing when we met, but his eyes were just as intense. His dark, smoky scent washed over me, and I squeezed my thighs together at the sudden throb between my legs.

“Good morning,” he said politely, but his voice was a bit strangled.

“You may rethink that fancy coffee once you hear what Maggie had to say about your bagel choices,” Soren said toLucas.

“You don’t like Sam’s?” he asked me, his brows narrowed in genuine confusion.

“I mean… I think BB’s is better. We stopped there instead so you guys could try them,” I said diplomatically.

“She called Sam’s 'garbage bagels,’ actually,” Soren said, winking at me as I shot him a death glare. He was across the island, unloading the BB’s box onto a cutting board.

Lucas laughed, a rich, deep sound. “As a native Fairviewer, I’m sure youthinkyou’re right. But Sam’s is owned by Sam Dieman, who also owns a two-Michelin-star restaurant uptown. He’s one of the most celebrated chefs in the city, and his bagels are supposed to be incredible,” he said, and started doing something complicated with steam and a metal carafe.

I shook my head. “Sam Dieman could be the best chef in the world, but his bagelsaregarbage, and I will prove it to you.”

I hopped out of my chair and joined Soren, selecting the perfect everything bagel from the pile. “Where’s the toaster?”

After toasting it to perfection in their very fancy toaster, I slathered it in onion and chive spread and slid it on the counter to Lucas just as he handed me a steaming, white ceramic mug that smelled incredible.

“I made you a mocha,” he said in his deep baritone. He towered over me; I had to look up to meet his eyes. I wasn’t used to men being this much taller than me, but it made me feel strangely safe rather than intimidated. His molasses and spice scent curled around us, and I smiled as a rush of calm went through me.

“Everything bagel with onion and chive cream cheese from BB’s. It’ll change your life,” I said, gesturing for him to take a bite.

He gave me a dubious smile, but as soon as he took a bite, he groaned. “Yeah, okay, that’s pretty good,” he said and took another big bite.

“Told ya so.” I grinned and took a sip of my coffee and hummed in appreciation. It was rich and chocolatey, but notoverly sweet. “This is good too, thank you.”

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