Page 88 of Witch Unexpected
The safe house was on a quiet residential street lined with terraced townhouses.
“We own the buildings either side also.” Leif unlocked the cobalt blue door and stepped back to allow me through. “They’re empty right now but can be used by alphas if need be.”
I had to brush past him to get inside and got a good whiff of his personal scent. The forest smells were muted now, and another aroma hit my nose. The kind of fragrance that reminded me of hot, sweaty nights entwined with a lover.
Whoa.
I stepped past him quickly, putting distance between us. I could not be attracted to him. This had to remain in friend zone.
“Cora, are you okay?”
I smiled brightly. “I’m fine.”
He looked skeptical but didn’t push, thank goodness. I turned my attention to the narrow hallway, taking in the threadbare carpet and crappy wallpaper in a floral design. I guessed the wolves weren’t big on interior decoration, and wait… Was thatbloodspattered across the radiator?
I didn’t even want to know.
“I’ll fetch your bag,” Leif said.
“I don’t have a bag.” Hadn’t even occurred to me until now. I didn’t have the organizational gene my best friend possessed.
He grinned over his shoulder. “Sloane dropped one off this morning.”
Sloane? Of course she did. Now that woman was organized. I bet she didn’t miss a damn thing.
Leif stepped out, and I dove further into the house. There was a lounge through a door to the left, staircase to the right, washroom under the stairs, a study beyond that, and then the kitchen straight on. For me, the kitchen was the heart of the home. It was where Fee and I spent most of our time, eating, chatting, cooking, and hanging with her guys. I’d tried to replicate that in my house, but this room was cold, clinical, and dead.
“I’ve set your bags at the bottom of the stairs,” Leif said. “I’ll take them up later.”
I grimaced. “This kitchen’s awful.”
He looked surprised. “It is?”
I nodded. “I mean, it’s all stainless steel and…functional.”
He studied the room. “You don’t like functional?”
“I like character. This room has none.”
“It’s a safe house, Cora. Stainless steel is easy to keep clean.”
Ah, blood and guts. “Okay. I get it. But we’re not hanging out in here.”
He grinned. “You want character? Follow me.”
He led me back down the hallway and into the lounge I’d passed a moment before.
I hadn’t gotten a good look before because the lights were off and the drapes were drawn, but Leif flicked on the lamps, and the room was illuminated. Mismatched sofas in red and orange with deep seats and puffy scatter cushions sat on deep-piled, patterned rugs. There was a window seat, bookcases heaving with books, and a huge hearth waiting to be lit.
At the other side of the room was a pool table, a minibar, and a games table.
The room was colorful, cozy, and quirky.
“This is what happens when you let several alphas share a living space,” Leif said with a fond smile. “I love this room.”
So did I, but something was missing. “There’s no TV.”
He sucked in his bottom lip and shrugged. “Who needs TV when you have books, games, and the company of good friends.”
