Page 173 of Moonlit Nights & Northern Lights
I tilted my head. “We’ve eaten together loads of times.”
“No, I mean—” He ran an exasperated hand through his coils. “A date, Rory. I’m asking you on a date.”
“Oh.” I blinked innocently. “Like a work thing?”
His eyes narrowed. “You’re taking the piss.”
“Am I? I mean, we do work together, technically. Very professional dinner conversation about case files—”
“Rory.”
“—and evidence logs, maybe discuss some witness statements over pudding—”
“You absolute menace.” But he was smiling now. Smiling withteeth. “I’m trying to ask if you’d like to go somewhere nice where I can wine and dine you properly without the threat of supernatural kidnapping or your zombie ferret stealing my chips. Or maybe even street food from Borough Market, and a walk along the river?”
Igrinned. “Hmm, well I suppose I’ll have to check my diary—”
“For goodness sake, Rory,” he snapped, exasperated. “Do you want to date me or not?”
I burst into laughter, doubling over. The poor man looked like he was about to combust. Then, pressing my hand to his cheek, I went onto tiptoes to kiss the end of his nose. “Of course I want to date you. Did you forget about the whole mate bond thing? You know, literally tethered to you for all of eternity? I kind of thought dates would be a given. I’m sort of offended we’re even having this conversation.”
“Well, you said youaccidentallybonded us. So I wasn’t sure—”
I cut him off with another kiss, to his mouth this time. “Trust me, the accidental bit was just the timing. I mean, my wolf basically took one look at you and went ‘that one, definitely that one, yes please with a cherry on top.’ But like I said, if this is too much for you—ifI’mtoo much for you—we can try and—”
Now it was Maxwell’s turn to stop me, smashing his lips into mine. Then he kissed me, soft and sweet under the Highland sky. Our bond sang between us, a perfect harmony that made my wolf purr. I pressed closer, practically trying to climb inside his jacket, while Maxwell’s grip tightened as if he could absorb me into himself, keep me safe in the circle of his arms. Like he never wanted to let me go, like he wanted to keep me safe and close forever. He still smelled like me—my scent clinging to his skin beneath the crisp Highland air and his own familiar warmth.Mine.
We finally broke apart, breathless and grinning like idiots.
“You’re not too much. You’re exactly enough. And anyone who has ever suggested otherwise never knew what they had.”
Well, shit. This is it then. I’m properly gone for him, aren’t I? Like, completely and utterly fucked. Head over heels. This is either the best or worst thing that’s ever happened to me.
Maxwell blinked rapidly, his warm brown eyes widening. He smiled impossibly wider, then said, soft as starlight: “I think I’m falling in love with you too.”
A grey blur streaked through the air towards me. I had approximately half a second to register Freddy’s glowing yellow eyes and bared fangs before he collided with my face.
“Ow! Freddy, get off—” I stumbled backwards, trying to peel him off where he’d latched onto my cheek. His tiny claws dug into my skin as he chittered excitedly, tail thrashing against my neck.
Maxwell stepped back, hands raised in surrender. “Don’t look at me. I’m not touching that thing.”
“He missed me,” I said through gritted teeth, finally managing to extract Freddy’s teeth from my earlobe. I held him at arm’s length, where he continued to wriggle and snap at the air. “Didn’t you, you pesky little—”
Freddy made a sound somewhere between a purr and a growl, then promptly bit my thumb.
“Charming,” Maxwell observed dryly. “Absolutely delightful.”
I cradled Freddy against my chest, where he immediately settled with a satisfied sigh. “You know we’re a package deal, right? Me and this mangy ball of undead fury. You’ll have to learn to love him.”
Maxwell’s expression shifted to one of pure horror. “That’s impossible.”
I grinned, scratching behind Freddy’s tattered ears. “What did we say about impossible things?”
Maxwell stared at us both—me with my post-kiss hair and dopey smile, Freddy with his patchy fur and glowing eyes—and let out a long, defeated sigh.
“I’m doomed, aren’t I?”
“Completely and utterly,” I confirmed cheerfully.
