Page 79 of Alpha Wolf's Nanny
Felix snorted. “Trust me, he’s had far worse in his time. He’s at home, and Dane and some of the others are with him. As far as I’m concerned, anyone who whines as much as he currently is must be fine.”
Cassie chewed her lip. “Still, I feel awful!”
“Don’t,” Felix said gently, transferring the latest pancake to a nearby plate and turning off the stove so that he couldfully draw her into the safety of his arms. “I know Rick can be…superior…but he’s one of the most loyal, protective shifters I’ve ever met. He won’t stand by and watch innocents suffer. Even if he was drugged, he knew what he was doing, protecting you.”
Cassie groaned against his chest. “Should I bake him some muffins or something to say thank you? I have no idea how any of this works.”
Felix laughed, low and rumbling in his chest, the sound infectious enough that it drew a few giggles from Cassie. “He would absolutely hate that. I think you should do it.”
“Okay then,” Cassie smiled, “some terrible chocolate muffins coming right up.”
They stood there for a while, Cassie safe in Felix’s arms, until eventually the groaning of her stomach forced her to peer up at him. “I think those pancakes are calling my name.”
He pressed a kiss to her lips, smiling against them. “I made plenty. I’ll make more when the boys get here.”
“That sounds nice,” she said, finally pulling away from him to sit down at the kitchen table, wincing slightly as she curled her legs up. Felix caught the movement and frowned.
“Are you okay? Do you need any painkillers? From your scent last night, I didn’t think you needed to go to the emergency room, but we can go now if you’re feeling—”
“Felix,” she interrupted, her cheeks warming, “I’m fine. Really, I am. I’ve had plenty of scrapes from misadventures hiking. And not all the pain is…bad.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
She blushed fully then, dipping her head to hide from him. God, how long would it take for her to stop being bashfularound him? “You know what I mean,” she said, unable to stop the smile tugging at her lips, “you are rather…”
“Rather what?” he asked, sitting opposite her, the movement punctuated with several flexes of his impressive muscles.
She rolled her eyes, “I’m not gonna boost your ego.”
“Too late,” he stretched his arms out, biceps bunching, “you already have.”
She giggled, swatting at him, before loading some pancakes onto her plate. Her movement was halted, however, when Felix placed a hand over hers, his gaze suddenly serious. “I hope it was okay that we slept together last night. I genuinely don’t want you to be sore.”
“It’s fine,” she said, “more than fine. Amazing. It was…well…amazing,” she cringed slightly at her awkward wording, but the gentle devotion in Felix’s answering smile thawed her.
“So what now?” she asked, glancing at him, raising a forkful of pancake dripping in maple syrup to her lips.
He cocked his head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” she gestured between them with her fork, “this. Us. If I ask to see you again, are you gonna give me the same nonsense about shifters and humans as you did last time we slept together?”
“You know what,” he said, catching her chin, “I don’t think I’m ever going to live that one down, am I?”
“Nope,” she sang, popping the ‘p’ at the end.
Felix didn’t falter. He pulled her into his lap, ignoring her shriek as the motion sent the maple syrup flying, and kissed hersoundly. He tasted like pancakes and sweetness and coffee andhome.
“In that case,” he said, his voice husky, “I guess I’m gonna have to spend a very,verylong time making it up to you.”
***
It was an emotional reunion when the boys came thundering into the house about an hour later, Nicolas shepherding them in with their bags slung over his shoulder. Cassie had fallen to her knees to greet them, their warm, solid bodies knocking the wind out of her as they leapt into her arms, tears forming in her eyes.
“Boys, oh, my boys!”
They buried their faces in her chest, their words coming a thousand miles a minute. Greetings, questions, grand proclamations of how much they had missed her, how scared they had been, how glad they were to see her. It damn near broke her heart.
Dimly, she was aware of Nicolas exchanging words with Felix before the crunch of gravel indicated he had left again, no doubt to give them some time together.
