Page 37 of Arranged Wolf's Nanny
“They are indeed,” Rosalia said, “why don’t you go join in?”
Eva didn’t have to be asked twice. She sprinted across the lawn, greeting pack members and other kids as she went, her face practically split open with the wideness of her grin.
Rosalia watched her go, chest overflowing with happiness at the little girl’s delight.
But then the wood of the veranda creaked, and the others turned to look behind her.
Her breath caught in her throat.
She spun around slowly, her heart pounding in her chest, to see Rick standing there looking out over the garden. He was painfully handsome, dressed in a soft blue sweater, dark hair tousled and curling around his ears.
She thought she might faint with nerves.
But then, the harsh planes of his face relaxed, a true grin carving across his mouth, “This isbrilliant.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Really?” she squeaked.
His gaze dropped to her, his brown eyes warmer than she’d ever seen, ‘Really. I knew you had arranged for a more traditional celebration, but this is far better than I’d imagined. Where on earth did you find a chef who knows how toactuallymake lamb Eintopf?”
“I put out an advert in Portland,” she said, breath hitching as she clasped her hands in front of her chest, “she was trained in France. She made the cake too! And I organized green-flame bonfires, they’ll be lit at dusk!”
Rick’s gaze sparkled. “Green-flame bonfires? I haven’t seen one of those since visiting my cousins in Berlin.”
Lola leaned towards Felix, her voice low, “Isn’t that because the traditional chemicals needed to produce the green flames are illegal in America?”
Rosalia turned towards her, sheepishly tucking a hair behind her ear, “Yes, well, customs officers can be convinced to turn a blind eye if given the right…motivation.”
Dane let out a great belly laugh, slapping Felix on the back. “See, didn’t I tell you! This one’s got a couple tricks up her sleeve.”
“You don’t say,” Cassie grinned, elbowing Felix from the other side. “Very sneaky, Rosalia.”
Felix looked at her with a sort of puzzled satisfaction, as if he had been trying to work her out and the final piece had just slotted into place, “Right motivation, you say?”
Rosalia’s cheeks flushed. “Well, let’s just say they recently got in a new policy about not infringing on shifter cultural rights.Sadly for them, they didn’t get very good lawyers to draft the policy. It was full of loopholes.”
Felix looked almost too impressed to be angry, and the others just laughed in delight.
And Rick…Rick was looking at her with an expression she’d never seen before. Raw. Amazed. Too shocked to say a single word.
She couldn’t help her victorious smile. She doubted many had ever rendered the great Frederick Reinhardt mute.
At her smile, his face changed. Grew darker. Hungrier.
Something completely unfamiliar tightened low in her belly, and she swallowed, her eyes not breaking contact with his.
Dane coughed, snatching Rick’s attention away as he pointedly jerked his head towards the refreshments table. “Well, I happen to spy sometraditionalkegs of ale over there. Fancy a cup?”
“Yes, please do go get drinks,” Rosalia said in a rush, smoothing her hair down and blinking away the strange, electric feeling of Rick’s eyes on her. “There are snacks too! Dinner won’t be for another few hours yet. I should…go to the kitchen. Check in on everything!”
“But Rosalia,” said Daisy, reaching for her, “you’ve already done so much! Why don’t you come with us to get a drink—”
“I won’t be long,” said Rosalia, already halfway down the stairs, suddenly desperate for a breath, a moment alone, “you go on without me! I’ll be back in a minute!”
She didn’t wait for Daisy’s response before rushing into the house, not daring to turn back and see if Rick was looking at her.
She was hot, too hot, she needed some water.
The kitchen was, blessedly, empty when she staggered in, heels clicking against the marble. She filled a glass with cool water and guzzled it down, pressing a hand against her forehead.
