Page 11 of Ravaged Wolf
“This is yours?” It’s still hard to believe. This unit must’ve been renovated more recently than my parents’ because it has marble countertops and recessed lighting. And the carpets don’t have that old doggy smell like the carpets do in units that haven’t been rehabbed yet.
“Ours,” he says again.
It does not compute. I stand in the entranceway, sweating, trying hopelessly to calm my breathing without letting on that I’m still struggling from the climb up the stairs. I spend a lot of time sitting at a desk these days.
“All of it?” I ask. It’s a dumb question, but since my heat really kicked in, I’m not in total control of what comes out of my mouth.
“Well, you can have that half,” Trevor says, bumping me with his elbow and nodding to the right. “I’ll take that half.”
He’s teasing, and my heart warms again, even soppier. “But then you get the kitchen.”
“Yeah, but you get both bedrooms.”
“Seems unfair.”
“Maybe we can do a deal.” He’s still smiling, watching me with those careful eyes, holding himself still and keeping a buffer between us, even though we’re both standing in the narrow entry hall.
“What kind of deal?”
“I’ll make you dinner every night, and you let me sleep in one of the bedrooms.”
“As long as I don’t have to give you a pack of pups.” I snap my mouth shut. Did I really just say that? I stare intently across the apartment at the thermostat with something that feels like the world’s biggest foot lodged in my throat.
From the corner of my eye, I see an intense, hungry look flash across his face, but as quickly as it appears, he blanks it out. “We can start with one and see how we like it.” He crosses his arms and leans against the wall. “See if he matches the aesthetic, you know. If he enhances the place, or if he messes with the feng shui.”
I look up, and he looks down. His expression is completely serious, but the blue in his eyes sparkles.
“I think you’re talking about a sofa, not a pup,” I say, letting my lips curve as I stroll into the living area.
He follows at my heels. “Nope. It’s pups I’m thinking of. Rectangular, have four feet, upholstered. Definitely pups.”
I giggle. He’s being dumb, but it’s about what my brain can handle right now. “Feng shui?”
I know about it because my mom is into human things, and she’s always redecorating, but I’m kind of surprised Trevor has heard of it.
“The traditional Chinese practice of harmonizing people and their environments,” he recites.
“I know what it is.” I wander to the kitchen and run my fingers along the cold marble countertops. I want to plant my hot cheek flat on it.
“You want to know how a male like me has heard about it.” He doesn’t say it with reproach, but I still feel a twinge of embarrassment. I didn’t mean it that way, but—I guess I did.
“I—” I chew my bottom lip and search for words.
“Books,” he says, putting me out of my misery as he goesto the thermostat and fiddles with it, frowning. “Let’s see how low you can go,” he mutters and taps at a button.
A blast of cold air comes out of the vent above me, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever felt in my life. I sigh so loud that I blush.
“Better?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I swing myself up to sit on the counter and turn my face up to the vent. It’s amazing. I’ve got my eyes closed so I sense rather than see Trevor come over and hop up next to me. He sits closer than he did on the stairs.
“In high school, the way shop was scheduled, I got stuck in study hall a lot. I read a lot of nonfiction, especially philosophy and paranormal phenomena.”
I open my eyes. He’s really close. I can smell the laundry detergent he uses under the gravy smell. The scents shouldn’t complement each other, but they literally make my mouth water. I swallow and clear my throat. “You’re into philosophy?”
He shakes his head and grins. “Nah. My assigned seat was by that shelf, and I was lazy.”
I can’t help but smile back at him. He’s so pretty. Even though they’re blue-gray, which is a more human color, his eyes still have a strong wolfish quality, but not in a predatory way. They’re knowing. Calm.Observant.
