Page 71 of Sear
All of which was the pure truth.
“Gage, is there a problem?” Bill called from the other table.
“No, sir!” Tringstad scowled, and whispered, “Lucas Winter, you watch your step. You set one foot wrong, you hurt Malia in any way, and I’ll make you sorry.”
“Me, too!” Kymberlie piped up from the other side of the room.Damned shifter hearing. “You treat her right, Lucas!”
That was when the applause started, slow at first, then picking up volume. Malia’s face went bright red, and Lucas fought the urge to snarl and punch Tringstad’s lights out.
“So noted,” he said tightly. He turned to Malia. “Honey, let me know when you’re ready to head home.”
“Oh, I think we’re done here,” she said. “Mom, Dad, Rob, sorry for all the trouble.”
Mary and Tyler both scowled at Tringstad, who was sliding into an empty chair next to Kymberlie.
“Sweetie,you’renot the one causing problems,” growled her dad, giving Tringstad a dirty look. “Lucas, you take good care of her, you hear?”
“I’ll do my best,” Lucas promised as he and Malia rose to leave.
They left the ranch house in silence.
As they began walking down the driveway, Malia spoke. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. There wasn’t any reason for Gage and Kymberlie to be such jerks to you!” She sighed heavily. “You must hate my pack right now.”
“No, I don’t,” Lucas said. “Look, tonight wasn’t the most comfortable event I’ve ever been to, but I like that they care about you so much.” He shrugged. “I mean, I get it. I’m a stranger, and I’m from out of town. Not to mention, I’m a lot older than you are, and we got mated, what, a whole three days after meeting?”
“Four days,” she corrected him, but at least she wasn’t looking quite as stricken anymore.
“Ofcoursethey’re all worried about you,” Lucas continued. “I really liked your parents and your brother, though. And I hope they liked me.”
“I know they did,” Malia assured him.
Their cabins came into sight. He halted, drew Malia into his arms and hugged her hard before kissing her.
“I don’t ever want you to feel like you have to choose between me and your pack. If they give me a chance, I’ll do my best to try and fit in,” he promised.
“Thank you, Lucas.” She paused, studying his face in the moonlight. Then she smiled shyly. “I know we haven’t known each other very long…but I think I might be falling in love with you.”
“Good,” he said, his voice suddenly rough with emotion. “Because I fell in love with you when we first met.”
This time, their kiss was longer, and hotter.
When they parted, Lucas was hard. “What do you say we get naked as soon as we make it inside?”
Malia giggled.
Then his phone chimed with his five-minute warning for story time. Shit! With all the pack drama, it had slipped his mind.
“…and after I’ve read my girls their bedtime story,” he amended hastily.
“I like your plan,” Malia said. “How about this? You go do what you need to do, and I’ll be waiting in bed for you. Naked.”
“Deal. You’re the best mate ever. And the most beautiful.” He couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her one more time before heading to his cabin, where he kept his tablet.
He’d just stepped inside when his phone rang.
Emily’s Caller ID flashed on his screen.
“Hey, Emily,” he greeted her, suppressing a twinge of worry. They were generally on good terms, but she never phoned him to shoot the breeze. “How was your long weekend in Victoria?”
