Page 19 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
“I thought you were taking me home.” Anger heated Calypso’s beautiful voice, adding a sexy rasp.
“Your building is a crime scene and the intruders opened a portal.” We’d need to test the site for magical residue, but my gut told me that was what had happened. A portal.In the middle of her fucking living room.My anger woke Beast who’d been content since I’d held Calypso in the hospital.Threat?He asked. No, no threat.I forced the anger down.Go back to sleep. “This is safer.”
“You said I was safe with Sam.” Was there a wobble in her voice?You dolt. You’ve made her cry.I pulled into my car spot, killed the engine and turned towards her. The overhead light showed me the tears that filled her eyes, blurring the green. Her lower lip quivered.
“Ssh, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Before she could react, I reached across her body, unbuckled her seat belt, and lifted her from her own seat and onto my lap. I tipped my chair backwards to accommodate us both.
“What the —?”
I put my arms around her. Shielding her, protecting her. “It’s okay to cry, sweetheart. Let it out.” She burrowed into my lap, seeking comfort, her forehead resting against my chest. My arms tightened around her. She let out a strangled sob. I smoothed her hair. Silky and soft, it whispered through my fingers. I breathed in the smell of her, trying to fix all the details of her in my mind. This was a moment that I wanted to remember for the rest of my life. My mate in my arms. Safe.
Calypso’s tears burned out quickly, but I was in no hurry to let her go. Having my mate in my arms felt right, like I’d discovered a part of my soul I hadn’t known I was missing. At some point she wriggled around, and I loosened my arms in case she wanted to sit up, but she just made herself more comfortable and snuggled back against me. An unfamiliar feeling filled my chest. Sort of sweet. Sort of sharp. It pierced my chest. Right around my heart.
I didn’t know how I was going to make this work. But I would sort it out. I would stay in control. I had to. Now that I had her in my arms there was no way I was going to let her go. She was my mate. She wasmine.
Calypso’s breathing slowed and evened out. She was almost asleep. I needed to get her to a comfortable bed, something better than being cramped on my lap in a car. She barely stirred as I opened the car door and carefully stepped out with her still in my arms. I kicked the door shut before I walked to the elevator.
Chapter 22
Calypso
“Hot,” I mumbled, still mostly asleep. The bed was comfortable, just too warm, and I didn’t want to be awake. I reached up one hand to undo the buttons of my pyjama shirt and my fingers brushed against the hard warm arm that was draped across my torso. The hard warm arm that was attached to an even harder warmer body pressing against my back, my ass, behind my legs. Sleep fled and my body stiffened as I frantically tried to remember where I was. Oh gods. Whose bed was I in?
“Sshh, it’s okay.” A deep voice rumbled in my ear. Perhaps my breath changed, or he’d noticed the tension in my body. I knew that voice. I could picture its owner; tall, dark and sinfully handsome.
“Luc?” Why was I in Luc’s bed? Well, all right, I could picture a couple of very good reasons why I’d like to be in Luc’s bed, but I was wearing my flannel pyjamas, and I had no memory of getting here. That wasn’t normal. The arm around me tightened, then relaxed. “It’s okay,” he repeated. The arm moved off my body, and a moment later he began to stroke my hair. His touch was gentle, like I was a skittish wild animal. It was delicious, and I wanted to lean in against his palm, rub my head against his skin like a cat being petted.
“There was a break-in at your house. You were injured. Do you remember? The doctor at ER thought you might have a concussion.” Now that he mentioned it, I could remember the ER. Luc had said he would take me home. He just hadn’t specified that it would behishome. I was in his space. His bed. I knew I should feel alarmed about being in his bed. As hot as he was, I barely knew him. But the hand on my hair was so gentle. My earlier tension had drained away with his touch, and my body was languid and calm. I felt… safe. Treasured.
Almost as if he could read my mind he whispered in my ear, “You are safe with me. I swear. On my honour.” On my honour? That was a bit old-fashioned. I liked it though. It sounded as if he meant it.
“I’m thirsty,” I said. “Too hot.” The man was like a portable furnace and his body had been cuddled against me in the bed.
“Wait here. I’ll get you some water.”
He kept his voice soft and gentle. It was so nice. And unexpected. This guy kept throwing me for a loop. It wasn’t fair. He was hot. A Shifter. And I was in his bed and he was being nice. He had stripped away all my defences. Everything in me wanted him. But he wasn’t for me. I had to get away from him before it was too late. “No, I’m fine. I’ll do it.” I tried to sit up but fell back onto the pillows when my head throbbed viciously.
“Do you have a headache? I’ll get you some pills.”
Luc left the bed in one swift, graceful move. The room was dark, but I heard the dull thud of his steps on the carpet as he walked quickly across the room. I heard a door open, the rush of running water, then his returning footsteps. All without putting on a light. As if the room were as bright as day. I didn’t know what animal he took in Shifter form, but it clearly gave him good night vision. I heard him put the glass down on a table beside the bed, then a large warm hand snaked under mybody, until it cupped the nape of my neck, lifting my head ever so carefully. My head still hurt but the room didn’t spin around me. The doctor had warned that I could expect a thumping headache, dizzy spells and nausea. My stomach didn’t rebel. Huh. Looks like I had avoided the worst effects of a concussion. Luc held the glass to my lips. I took greedy swallows of the cool water.
“Now the pills,” he said. “Open up.” Obediently, I parted my lips. Pills landed on my tongue and Luc held the glass up once more until I swallowed the medicine down. How long had it been since anyone had taken care of me like this? Just taking charge. Letting me rest. I couldn’t remember.
“More?” he asked when the glass was empty. In the darkness I shook my head, knowing he would be able to see it. “Are you still too hot?” He returned my head to the pillow. I heard him move a few steps away then the rasp of a drawer sliding open.
“Yes.” I felt like a boiled tomato, ready to burst out of my skin. My hair was sticky against the back of my neck and sweat covered my torso. Gross. If Luc was comfortable with me borrowing some of his clothes, I’d take them and be grateful. My eyes had started to adjust, drawing in what little light filtered in around the edge of the curtains, and I could just see Luc as a vague dark shape. I heard him shut the drawer.
“Here,” he said. He stepped toward me and placed my hands around a fabric bundle. “They’ll be too big but should do the job.” The vague shadow knelt in front of me. “Do you need any help with your buttons?”
My face flamed. His voice held no hint of suggestiveness, no hint of desire. He kept his tone calm and soothing. Yet the idea of him undoing my pyjama buttons as I sat on his bed was suddenly intensely erotic. I almost swayed towards him. No!
“I can do it,” I croaked out, through a throat suddenly tight. Moving slowly and carefully, I sat up, twisting my legs to the side of the bed. “Turn around.”
“The room’s dark. What are you afraid I’ll see?” I heard footsteps as he turned away. His tone was almost… amused. Was he… flirting with me?
“You can see in the dark,” I accused. “I’m not giving you an eyeful.”
He laughed. And just like earlier, the sound wrapped around me, promising all sorts of things I couldn’t have. Dammit. “You sound better,” he said, when he’d caught his breath. “Tell me when it’s safe to turn around.”
