Page 37 of Pleasure and Mane
"That's what I want to give you," Caius said, the words emerging with startling intensity. "That kind of love, that devotion, that connection. I want to treat you like the most precious thing on Earth because that's exactly what you are to me."
The admission hung between them, raw and honest. Quinn's breath caught, and when she looked at him, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
"You're already doing all that," she whispered. "By bringing me here, sharing this place with me—I can see how much it means to you. I can see how vulnerable you're being with me, and how much you want me to be a part of your world."
She understands.The relief was staggering. Here was someone who saw past the Alpha facade to the man beneath, someone who appreciated the significance of his vulnerability.
"I've spent fifteen years protecting this town, putting everyone before me," he continued, emboldened by her response. "But with you, I want to be selfish. I want to give youthe moon and stars, and every adventure you've ever dreamed of."
Quinn leaned closer, her hand finding his cheek. "Then show me everything, Caius. I want to experience it all with you."
The promise in her voice sent heat racing through his veins, but beneath the desire was something deeper—a bone-deep certainty that this woman was his future, his everything.
Six months,the worried voice in his head whispered.What happens when her job with Lavinia ends?
But as Quinn's lips met his in a kiss that tasted of wine and possibility, Caius pushed those fears aside. Right now, in this sacred place with his mate in his arms, the future could wait a little longer.
FIFTEEN
QUINN
Seven days passed in a blur of activity and stolen romantic moments. Today, the late afternoon sun cast golden shadows across Main Street as Quinn walked beside Caius with her hand nestled securely in his larger one. Ten days. Had it really only been ten days since she'd arrived in Leon? The thought seemed impossible when every fiber of her being felt like she'd been waiting her entire life for this—for him, for this place, for the sense of belonging that wrapped around her like a warm embrace.
This is what home feels like,she realized, watching Caius greet Mrs. Henders outside the bakery with genuine warmth. The older woman's eyes lit up when she spotted Quinn, and she immediately launched into an enthusiastic update about her daughter's upcoming wedding.
"Quinn, dear, I've been meaning to ask—would you consider helping with the flower arrangements? Stephanie's having such trouble finding someone who understands roses quite like you do. Eleanor had mentioned the great advice you shared with her and the knowledge you have about roses."
Quinn felt her cheeks warm at the obvious praise and acceptance. "I'd be honored to help however I can."
Caius's hand tightened around hers, a subtle but unmistakable gesture of pride and possession. When Mrs. Henders bustled away with promises to call later, he leaned down to murmur against Quinn's ear.
"She's never asked an outsider to participate in a mating ceremony before."
"Maybe I'm not such an outsider anymore," Quinn replied, surprised by her own boldness.
The heat that flared in Caius's blue eyes sent shivers through Quinn's body. "No," he said, his voice dropping to that low tone that made her blood hot. "You're not."
They continued down the street, stopping at the hardware store where Caius needed to check on supplies for the park renovation. She found herself genuinely charmed by the easy banter between him and the store owner, and by the way everyone they encountered seemed genuinely happy to see their Alpha.
Their Alpha.The thought should have felt foreign, but instead it filled her with a fierce sense of pride. This incredible man—strong, devoted, and achingly handsome—was hers. Their mate bond had taken root so strongly that she couldn't remember what life felt like before Caius filled every corner of it.
"You're staring," he observed as they left the hardware store, his lips quirking in that devastating smile that always seemed to make her heart stutter.
"Can you blame me?" She gestured at his broad frame, currently showcased in a fitted black henley that clung to every sculpted muscle. "Have you seen yourself lately?"
Caius stopped walking abruptly, turning to face her with a powerful intensity that made her breath hitch. Before she could ask what was wrong, he had her backed against the brick wall of the post office, his body caging her in with delicious dominance.
"Keep looking at me like that," he growled, his thumb tracing along her jawline, "and I'll forget we're in public."
Quinn's heart hammered wildly in her chest. Despite her inexperience with relationships, being with Caius felt as natural as breathing. Every instinct told her to arch into his touch, and to let him know exactly how much his proximity affected her.
"Maybe I want you to forget," she whispered.
His eyes darkened to storm blue, and for a moment she thought he might actually kiss her right there on Main Street. Instead, he stepped back with visible restraint, his jaw clenched with the effort.
"Quinn, you're seriously going to be the death of me."
The roughness in his voice sent a thrill through her that she felt all the way to her toes.This is what I was missing in my life,she thought wonderingly.This fire, this connection, this feeling of being cherished and desired.
