Page 44 of A Touch of Flame
He chose to walk. The stairs weren’t broad by any means and he kept his head low as he descended.
For a moment, his mind became fixed on Gammet. He’d made a mistake getting his heavily armed shifters into position. If he’d had them fire right away, both he and Maeve might be dead right now.
The warlock had also been on them within minutes of their leaving Maeve’s protected facility. Which meant Veyda really wanted him dead. But why? Was it his search for his wife’s killers? Was he getting too close to the truth about Veyda’s crimes?
Or was it something else.
As he stepped into Maeve’s living room, he saw she had an arm propped on her fireplace mantle and stared down into the hearth. Except it was glowing this time. “You lit a fire?” Had to be gas. She might be deep in the earth, but she had every convenience.
She lifted her head and turned toward him, her brow furrowed. “Sure. Let’s do it here.” She swept an arm to encompass the area in front of the hearth.
He glanced at the stone floor. It took him a second to understand what she meant, then he laughed. “But what if I’m not in the mood?”
She just rolled her eyes and moved to the far end of the couch. With a fair amount of ease, she hefted the heavy eight-foot piece of furniture and moved it back several feet. She then went to the other end and evened it up.
He probably should have helped, but he wanted to watch her. She was a woman of business and purpose and always seemed one step ahead of everything. He knew she was mulling something over as she bent down, lifted up the closer end of the coffee table and shoved it along the stones until it was out of the way as well. She went to the far end and did the same.
She then headed to a doorway some distance to the left of the fireplace and called over her shoulder. “I’ll be right back.” She lifted in levitation and disappeared swiftly through the opening.
He saw no reason to stop her. He liked the direction she was taking things and didn’t mind at all she was treating it like something on her to-do list. He was a man. He’d bed her any way he could right now. But he’d also make it worth her while.
She returned with her arms laden with what looked like several furs.
He crossed to her quickly and relieved her of the bundle, though she held back a couple of blankets.
“What are those for?” With a fire going and things about to heat up between them, he didn’t think either of them would need blankets to keep warm.
She walked toward the fireplace as she said, “Well, the way I see it, you’re this alpha wolf and you’ll want me on my knees or on my back. Either way is fine with me, but this is stone.” She gestured with a flip of her hand toward the floor. “I intend to be comfortable.”
Once again, he chuckled at her practical turn. “Good thinking.”
She took about ten seconds to flip both blankets on the floor in front of the hearth.
“We could always use the bed.” He thought he should offer. But he was already liking the way the firelight played on her red curls. It looked like flames.
She turned toward him and her lips curved. “No. Here. I’ve had more than one fantasy about you over the past few months and that’s why I lit the fire.” She nodded several times.
Her complexion remained milky. Not a single blush in sight.
“You’re not embarrassed at all, are you?”
Her reddish-brown brows rose. She seemed surprised. “Why should I be?” She took the furs out of his arms and laid them out on top of the blankets.
“Are you sure you’re not part wolf?”
She returned to him and grabbed his shirt, pulling it from his jeans then up and over his head. “Here’s what I know. I hate that I’m analterwitch, but I love that you showed up, wolf or not. I don’t care if this lasts only tonight. You’ve taken a lot of the sting out of Five Bridges for me. Right now, I intend to show you my gratitude. Everywhere.”
Braden knew only one thing. He could get used to this.
