Page 40 of Pleasure and Mane
"You should write more," he said after a moment. "You're talented. People should read your work."
She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I don't know. Writing has always just been something I do for myself."
"Maybe it doesn't have to be." His tone was light, but there was a hint of challenge in it, as if daring her to dream bigger. "You could publish something someday. Share your words with the world."
Quinn leaned her head against the window, watching the trees blur past as they wound deeper into the mountains. The idea was both thrilling and terrifying. Writingdidmake her feel alive in a way her midwifery practice never had, but the thought of exposing her innermost thoughts to strangers was daunting. Still, Caius’s faith in her ignited something inside her—something bold and hopeful.
"Maybe," she said finally. "But only if you promise to be my first reader."
He grinned, and it was the kind of smile that could light up the darkest night. "Always."
They drove in comfortable silence for a while, the cabin appearing ahead as they rounded a bend in the road. Nestled in a clearing surrounded by towering pines, it was everything Quinn had imagined and more. The wooden structure was rustic yet charming, with a stone chimney and a wraparound porch.
"This is..." Quinn trailed off, her breath catching as Caius parked the truck. "It's perfect."
"Wait till you see the inside," he said, his voice laced with promise.
He opened her door before she could, his hand warm on her back as he guided her toward the cabin. Inside, the air was warm and smelled of cedar and firewood. A large stone fireplace dominated the living area. Thick quilts were draped over a plush couch, and fur rugs softened the wooden floor. To the side, a clawfoot tub gleamed in the soft light, and Quinn could already imagine soaking in it with Caius, their bodies tangled together.
"What do you think?" Caius asked, his voice low as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I think..." Quinn turned in his arms, looping her hands around his neck. "You're spoiling me."
"Good," he murmured, his lips grazing hers. "You deserve the world."
His kiss was slow and deliberate, his hands sliding down her back to pull her closer. Quinn melted into him, her notebook forgotten on the couch as she lost herself in the heat of his touch. The cabin was warm and intimate, and Quinn knew, without a doubt, that the next twenty-four hours would be unforgettable.
Caius broke the kiss first, his breath ragged as he rested his forehead against hers. "Let me show you the rest of the cabin."
She nodded, her heart racing as he took her hand and led her deeper into the cozy space. Every detail, from the soft blankets to the flickering lanterns, felt like it had been designed just for them.
And as Caius pulled her into the bedroom, Quinn couldn't help but think that this—this man, this place, and this feeling—was exactly where she was always meant to be.
SIXTEEN
CAIUS
Caius stood in the bedroom of his family cabin with every muscle in his body taut with barely restrained desire as he watched Quinn settle onto the four-poster bed. Her sleeveless white blouse had ridden up slightly, revealing a tantalizing strip of skin above her jeans, and her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders like silk. The beast inside him roared with the need to claim her. To strip away every barrier between them and lose himself in her warmth.
His hands clenched at his sides, fighting the primal urge to cross the room and press her back against the soft quilt. Eight days of having her in his bed had only intensified his hunger for her, not satisfied it. But tonight needed to be perfect—romantic, memorable, something worthy of the extraordinary woman who'd turned his world upside down.
"I'm going to make us dinner," he said, his voice roughened. The words came out like a command, but Quinn's lips curved in that smile that never failed to make his chest tighten.
"Can't I watch you cook?" she asked, tilting her head with playful curiosity. "I'd love to see the great Alpha in a kitchen habitat."
Caius stepped closer, unable to resist touching her. His fingers brushed along her jawline, and he felt her pulse flutter beneath his thumb. "I want you to relax. Just unwind and write in that notebook of yours. Let me take care of you tonight."
Her green eyes softened, and she leaned into his touch. "You take care of me every day."
Not enough.The thought hit him with surprising force. He'd spent his entire adult life protecting everyone else—his pride and his sister—but with Quinn, the need to protect and provide felt different. Deeper. Like breathing or the pull of gravity.
"I'll come get you when it's ready," he murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead before forcing himself to step away.
In the living room, Caius methodically built a fire in the large stone fireplace, his movements precise despite the restless energy thrumming beneath his skin. The flames caught quickly, casting dancing shadows across the rustic walls and filling the space with warmth. The familiar ritual helped center him, reminding him of countless evenings here as a boy when his parents were still alive.
They'd brought him and Lavinia to this cabin every summer, teaching them to fish in the nearby stream and telling stories by this very fireplace. His father had proposed to his mother here, and Caius had always imagined that someday he'd bring his own mate to this sacred place.
Now Quinn was here, and everything felt right in a way that defied logic.
