Page 35 of Her Purr-fect Christmas Mate

“Well,” Peony said at last. “That was certainly food.” Her eyelid twitched. “Okay, point taken. My cat would like to point out that it was onlypotentiallyfood.”

“I understand.”

“It would like to lay an official complaint.”

“Also very understandable.”

“Frankly, Mr. Leith, I—”

“Call me Mordecai.”

Their eyes met. Warmth kindled inside her. Oh, who was she kidding? She was already warm. The heat inside her barely needed a word from him to burn out of control. If he touched her…

… but he wouldn’t do that, would he?

She frowned. Had Mordecai ever touched her first? She’d kissed him, then she’d gone down on him, then pushed him onto the bed—and obviously there’d been touching involved, but had he ever reached out to her?

No.

No, he hadn’t.

Mordecai’s phone dinged. He made a frustrated noise—one of his delightful arsenal of grumbles and huffs—and checked it. It was only as he dropped it into his pocket again that she realized that before he’d picked up his phone, he’d been staring at her.

He couldn’t read her mind like this—she was almost certain of that. But what had he seen on her face?

He returned a minute later, arms laden with shopping bags. “Your clothes,” he said.

Peony started. “There has to be some mistake. I didn’t order that many things.”

“I told Alessio to use his discretion.”

Is ‘discretion’ code for ‘go hog wild and buy up the whole store’?Peony stared. There were clothes from brands she hadn’t even heard from. “I don’t even know where to start. I told Alessio one pair of warm pants and a top from a place that I know the sizing works for me.” And a bra and panties. For some reason, she could jump on Mordecai’s cock like there was no tomorrow but not mention the word ‘panties’ in front of him.

Mordecai made an uncomfortable hmmph, then made himself scarce.

Okay,she thought.What about this situation is making HIM uncomfortable, again? I’m the one who has to pick through a pile of clothes someone else bought for me when all I wanted was some fleecy leggings and a big sweater.

Maybe that was it. Given how totally un-cosy his robe was, perhaps Mordecai was allergic to comfortable clothing.

She began to sort through the bags. Alessio had done a decent job, she had to admit. Therewerefleecy leggings and sweaters—expensive ones. And warm winter dresses and jackets—multiplejackets, as though quality winter coats just grew on trees—and boots. Boots in different colors. So that she could match them to the coats.

The whole sending-out-your-personal-peasant-to-buy-clothes was still weird, but… this was kind of cool, actually.

Then she found the lingerie bags.

Maybe this is why Mordecai left,she thought.Hiding from my enormous, practical upholstery bras.

Except her mate’s on-call shopper had gone above and beyond in this department, too.

“Holy holly…” She held up a confection of lace and satin. “How does this even go on?”

Ask him to help you figure it out!

Peony bit her tongue. Although… maybe her cat had a point. She did need to work off that horrible breakfast somehow, and Mordecai…

She sighed and closed her eyes.Mordecai.

Even thinking his name sent a lick of excitement through her. She had never wanted anyone as much as she wanted him. The sex last night had been the best of her life. If spending the rest of her life with him meant more of that, then sign her up. Even if it meant the Hypatia—

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