My sweet wolf.
“Briar works too much.” I cuddled against Maddox as he joined me in bed. “What’s he working on anyway?”
“Documents from the magic academy,” he answered.
In between his duties as the court physician, Briar often aided in research for the school, read over reports, attended classes as a guest lecturer, and periodically accepted students to temporarily train under him.
I sat up and lifted the blanket off me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Maddox asked.
“To see Briar. It’s late. He should be in bed with us. Work can wait until tomorrow.”
“No, you’ll stay here where it’s warm.” He guided me back down and tucked the cover around me. “As you said, the hour is late. Way past a muffin’s bedtime.”
“But—”
“No buts.” Maddox bopped my chin. “There’s that face again. The—”
“Sad toad! I know.” I wiggled deeper into the bed and brought the blanket up over my mouth.
Lake lightly huffed, and his tail flopped once against the bed.
Maddox and I exchanged a look. I pressed my lips together, and the muscle in his cheek jerked. We were being too loud and a certain wolf was sleepy.
Silence followed, leaving nothing but the logs crackling in the hearth and the low howl of the winter wind. My mind wandered. Thoughts of Rowan made me too uneasy, so I forced myself to think of something else. Anything else.
Brown eyes and the warmest dimpled smile came to mind. My scalp tingled, as if my hair had been ruffled by a phantom hand.
I missed the feel of that hand. Missed the flutter in my belly caused by his warm palm.
Steps came down the hall, nearing the room. A tired Briar then stepped through the doorway. Bless him. He really did work too much.
“Apologies for the late hour.” Briar lifted his glasses to rub at his eyes. “The upper level students submitted their research dissertations, and Professor Madeline asked me to read over several that caught her interest.”
“You mean your sugar momma?” I said with a grin.
Madeline was the headmaster of the magical academy and had the hots for Briar. I noticed it when first meeting her thenight of the autumn ball. Her flirty smiles and touches to his arm could be seen a mile away.
“Sugar momma?” Maddox’s brow scrunched. “Is that a type of dessert?”
I laughed so hard I cried. It felt good after being so anxious over Rowan. My string of giggles disturbed my sleepy wolf’s rest.
Lake cracked open one eye and smiled.
“Why do you laugh?” Maddox looked at me like I had three heads. “Isit a dessert?”
“No.” I wiped at my eyes. “I just meant that Professor Madeline is attracted to Briar and wants his, uh, magic love stick.”
“A magic love stick?” Lake asked. “Like a sorcerer’s wand? Why does she think Briar has one?”
That threw me over the edge. I had just calmed my giggles too, damn him.
“Well, I assure you, if Professor Madeline does hold such feelings for me, they will not be returned,” Briar said. “I have all I could ever want and need right here.”
“As do I.” Maddox turned his face into my hair.
Lake laid his head on my lap, and his fluffy tail slowly moved.
