Page 45 of Winter's Edge
"More," I whispered. It sounded like I was begging, but I didn't care.
His hips ground against mine as he moved his hand up under my flannel. I whimpered at the feel of his flesh rubbing over my aching nipple. I tore away from his kiss, lost in the sensation of wanting him. Of him wanting me.
The door opened, and we flew away from each other while I yanked my shirt back down and panted embarrassingly loud.
"Did I interrupt something?" Grady asked.
"Yes," Archer growled.
"No," I said at the same time, but it was pretty obvious he had.
"Well, you might be interested that I did talk to the guy about Hellbreath. He's willing to take her off our hands later today."
"Thank you, Grady." The words came out breathy and insincere when really I felt grateful. Damn hormones.
He grunted as he lowered himself to the couch. "Now since I’m not interrupting anything, have a seat here and describe everything you can about Old Man’s Den so I can draw up a map. Archer will just have to carry on without you by himself."
I could hear the giant grin in his voice.
"I need a lock with a key you don't have, you fucking shit for brains," Archer snapped and then stomped into the kitchen.
"They're called bedrooms, man. Or just fuck in front of me. I don't care." Grady patted the cushion next to him loudly. "Get it out of your systems before we go get Ronin so you can focus."
Sighing, I tried to describe Old Man’s Den, but Archer had gotten me so riled up, I could hardly think straight. I knew I had to get this right so they'd know where they were going. Besides, we only had one shot at this. If there were any mistakes, it could mean our lives. Eventually, though, he had a drawn map of the town.
"Let me go get Sasha so you can check it." He palmed my thigh before he got up to go down the hall.
I frowned after him. Why had he done that? He'd never touched me before except while sleeping here on the couch…where I'd cuddled up to him in an opium tea haze thinking he was Archer. Did he even know I'd done that? I placed my hand where his had been. Even though I'd thought he was Archer that morning, I remembered how he felt tucked against me. Achingly soft with hard muscle forming perfectly to my body.
And the way he'd protected me after I'd crashed off the sleigh. The way he'd saved me from the Crimson Forest…
Hell, what was wrong with me? Wolf shifter females had more than one mate, but I was not a wolf shifter.Being around them didn't change that. I was attracted to Archer, and that was it.
But when Grady handed me a wriggling Sasha, our fingers brushed. My heartbeat stalled at the rush of energy between our flesh, at the idea of him. The wolf shifters and I had a connection that was hard to deny, and not just physical either. They'd accepted me for who I am, saved me countless times, and trusted me enough to help carry out this plan.
"Are you just going to make Sasha stare at me, or are you going to look at the map?" Grady asked.
She and I were both staring. His chiseled jawline, his sharp cheekbones, his bulging shoulder pressed against my good one…his deep, unwavering gaze with eyes the color of gunmetal.
"Focus, Aika," he said.
I turned Sasha toward the paper he held out and kissed the top of her head so she'd go limp in my arms. There were words written on the page, but the basic drawing of Old Man’s Den’s one street was accurate.
"I don't know what you've written there," I said, pointing vaguely while still holding Sasha.
"I was in a hurry."
"That's not what I meant."
"You can't read?"
I shook my head. Might as well make that common knowledge. "Archer said he'd learn to read by feel—braille, I think it’s called—and teach it to me."
"Did he now? That's awfully big of him, but when is he going to find time to do that? We agreed we'd go south, not move in with you. Unless I fell asleep at the important bits?"
"No one said anything about moving in with me,” I snapped.
Archer strode down the hallway toward us. "In less than two days' time, winter will be here. Wherever we happen to be where there's shelter, that's where we'll have to stay."
