Page 103 of Fae Devoted
Jacob didn’t look up or move to leave the SUV, her confident male was acting oddly uncertain. Was he worried she wouldn’t like the house?
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” she said, squeezing his hand and hoping her sincerity reached him through their incomplete bond. “Show it to me?”
Jacob’s answering nod was slow to come, but he finally released her and came around to the passenger side of the SUV. Johnnie managed to get her seatbelt undone before the door opened, and he offered his hand to help her down. She didn’t protest the unnecessary aid, needing the reassurance of physical contact as much as Jacob did after the events of the past two weeks.
His shoulders remained stiff as he led them to the front porch and punched in the security code. He reached down to turn the knob, and Johnnie bounced on her toes. The knowledge she was about to see their future home for the first time rendered her incapable of hiding her excitement.
The door swung open, but he didn’t attempt to enter.
Johnnie tried to see around Jacob’s broad back, but the setting sun was shining in her eyes and the interior lights were off. She couldn’t see a damn thing.
“Jacob,” she said, poking him in the side. Her already finite patience was at an end.
His fingers flexed, the grip on her hand tightening with the movement. He remained silent as he pulled her into the foyer, his spine impossibly rigid.
The lights flipped on, and Johnnie blinked, her breath catching as the room came into focus.
The main living area was decorated in a blend of bright patterns and muted colors. A huge sofa and an overstuffed chair were upholstered in soft grays but accented with a mishmash of coral, blue, and vibrant turquoise throw pillows. The white-washed coffee table held a gradient trio of ceramic vases dyed in ombre shades of dark aqua, navy, and rusty orange; the silver and blue rug beneath it was thickly woven.
“It’s beautiful, Jacob.”
And damn near feminine.
And exactly Johnnie’s taste.
She spun slowly, forcing Jacob to drop her hand.
Heart racing, Johnnie approached the dream kitchen with her fingers covering her throat and headed straight for the enormous butcher-block island in its center. The base was painted a gorgeous deep teal, its long length accommodating five wicker stools. White shaker-style cupboards lined three walls of the redone space, the lowers’ topped with a sleek marble countertop and an abundance of small appliances. A wide-mouth food processor and stacks of colorful mixing bowls were tucked into a corner near the farmhouse sink.
Built seamlessly into the cabinetry were a top of the line commercial-grade refrigerator and six-burner stove outfitted with rubberized handles to protect iron-sensitive skin. But itwas the double convection ovens made for baking that made her gasp.
Her gaze shot to Jacob. His hands were stuffed inside his pockets, his expression guarded.
“But you don’t cook.”
He took a deep breath and said, “But you do.”
She glanced at the first floor again. At the vibrant splashes of color she favored, and his bachelor suite at the Harbor Complex hadn’t included. At the chef’s kitchen he didn’t need. At the unmated male who bought and renovated a four bedroom home after being content with a single room apartment.
Had Jacob designed this house with a family in mind? Withherin mind?
Johnnie’s heart jackhammered inside her chest as she turned back to the kitchen, reverently running her palm over the smooth maple surface perfect for rolling dough.
Why hadn’t she questioned the move before now?
“You bought the house for me?”
“For us,” he said quietly, suddenly at her back.
“How long?” was all Johnnie could push through a tight throat, teetering on the verge of tears, knowing he’d understand what she was really asking him.
Jacob removed the elastic band from her ponytail, gathered the length in one hand and pulled it aside. A tender kiss brushed the nape of her neck, his arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her against his chest. “Always.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You were still a year away from your Majority.” His chin lowered to the crown of her head. “I couldn’t risk starting the Dance when your wolf might not be ready to accept the final Mark. Nothing would have stopped me from claiming you too soon if I knew you felt the same way as I did.”
Johnnie snorted at the absurdity of the wordif.
