Mikhail laughed, and so did the others. Amy ran down the hallway from the bathroom her hands held in front of her. “They’re clean.”
Cherise pretended to inspect them. “They certainly are.”
“Did you wash your hands?” Amy asked her father.
“No.” He went to the kitchen sink and turned on the water.
“Have you?” the child asked him.
“No. Which way to the bathroom?” he asked.
Amy pointed down the hallway. “Down there, on the left.” She followed him, skipping by his side.
“Thank you.”
She beamed. “You’re welcome. Hurry. We’re having fried chicken for lunch.” Then she turned and skipped back to the kitchen. It was a constant source of amazement that a quiet giant of a man like Cole had sired such an outgoing little sprite.
He finished in the bathroom and rejoined the group. There were full-blooded werewolves, a half-breed, a wolf who couldn’t shift, and a human gathered around the same table. This pack was truly unique.
“Sit here.” Amy patted the empty seat of a chair next to her. Mikhail looked to Cole and there was humor in the big man’s eyes.
Platters of fried chicken and bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy were passed around. Cherise served Amy first, and then the men waited until the women had taken what they wanted before helping themselves to what was left.
“How is work going this morning?” Cherise asked.
“Good,” Cole told her. Well used to her mate’s short answers, she looked to Billy.
The teenager grinned and swallowed the bite of chicken he’d just taken. “The chair I’m working on is almost done.”
“And how is our table going,” Rina asked her mate. Sage was building a new dining table for their home. The one they were using was functional but not quite as large as Rina wanted.
“Another two days or so, and it’ll be ready.” Sage was a farmer, but with the snow on the ground, there was only the work in the greenhouses to keep him occupied. He added to the family finances by making furniture during the winter months.
Rina practically bounced up and down in her chair. “I can’t wait.” She turned to Cherise. “Thank you so much for loaning us the table we’re currently using. I don’t mean to seem ungrateful.”
Cherise patted Rina’s hand. “I understand completely. When Sage is done, you’ll have a piece in your home that he made. It’s special.”
“Has anyone seen Elise?” Corrine asked the table at large. “I haven’t spoken to her since the day before yesterday.”
Mikhail tensed at the mention of her name and forced himself to relax. He took a bite of the fried chicken and then another. It was delicious, and he was starving.
“I was talking to Sue earlier,” Rina told her. “She said that Miss Elise was sewing over at Sylvie’s this morning.”
Corrine nodded. “I’ll catch up with her later this afternoon.”
And there went Mikhail’s idea of maybe sneaking over earlier to see Elise. He had a feeling she was going to be very busy today, surrounded by pack members who were more than a little concerned about her.
His wolf pawed inside him and growled. Mikhail took another bite of chicken, hoping to soothe the beast. A tiny hand tapped his arm, and he peered down to see Amy staring up at him, a worried expression on her face.
“What is it, little girl?” He’d automatically called Amy by the same pet name he’d used for his sister when she was a child. He glanced at Rina to find her staring at him, her eyes soft and tender. He turned back to Amy.
“I’m not a little girl. I’m almost five.”
No, she was four going on fifty. There was something about Amy, the sense of a very old soul residing in her tiny body. “I stand corrected.”
She nodded. “That’s okay.” The child patted his arm again. “Don’t worry.”
Mikhail cocked his head to one side. “Why would you think I was worried about anything?”
Amy sighed. “Because you looked like this.” Then she made the most ferocious scowl. Or at least she tried to. Mikhail had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing.
“I’m not worried about anything,” he assured her.
“Promise? Because my papa can make it better.” Her absolute faith in her father’s ability touched Mikhail’s heart.
“He’s fine,” Cole assured his daughter. “That’s his natural expression.”
The group laughed, and Mikhail’s wolf settled down. It had taken months, but he was finally starting to feel like a part of the pack. He didn’t want to have to leave. He wanted to make his home here, to put down roots and stay.
It was a first for him. And it all hinged on one woman.
“Any word from Reece and Hannah?” Cherise asked.
Sage nodded. “They figure two days maximum and they’ll be ready to head home again.”
Mikhail scooped up a forkful of mashed potato. Maybe Reece had the right idea taking his mate away for a few days, even if it was on business. At least he’d be assured of some privacy with his woman. Of course, they had their own home, so that helped.
Mikhail briefly considered hustling Elise into his truck and taking her somewhere they could be alone. Only problem was, if he did, he’d have the entire pack hunting them down. Until Elise was ready to go public with their relationship, they were tied to meeting in secret at her place.
His wolf grumbled and growled, but he silenced the creature with the reminder that at least she wanted to see him, was willing to give their relationship a chance. That was a lot more than he’d had a few days ago.
It was a start. One he could build on.
Tonight couldn’t come fast enough for him.
Chapter Twelve
Elise sat at the kitchen table with her laptop open. She was checking out the websites that Anny had suggested earlier. She hadn’t been able to do it before now because there’d been a veritable parade of people in and out of her home all afternoon and evening.
She’d stopped by to visit her nephew, Armand, and his charming mate after lunch and had stayed for over an hour. Anny was a fount of knowledge when it came to finding things online. Maybe it was because she was a former librarian. She was good at digging out information and had given Elise some great websites for accessories and design ideas.
Seymour, Anny’s black cat, had spent the time sitting in Elise’s lap purring. Tigger, the other cat, had taken up residence in Anny’s lap. Both animals were getting older and spent almost all their time resting or napping.
Elise didn’t mind. She quite enjoyed the cats. She wondered what Mikhail would think of her getting one. She frowned and wondered why she cared what he thought. This was her life, her home. She could get a cat or a dozen cats if that’s what she wanted.
She felt Mikhail’s presence behind her. She’d left the door unlocked for him but had been so intent on what she was doing, she hadn’t heard him enter. Elise slid out of her chair and turned to face him before he could touch her.
His hand hovered in the air just inches from where she’d been sitting. He frowned, but he looked more concerned than angry. “Elise?”
“I might get a cat,” she announced.
“Okay.” He slowly lowered his hand back down to his side. “What kind?”
That wasn’t the reaction she’d been expecting. It hit her that she’d done it again. She’d expected Mikhail to respond the same way Pierre had. She’d even put distance between them just in case he got violent.
Elise briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. This is your home. If you don’t want me here, I’ll leave.”
She shook her head. “No, I do have to apologize. I was thinking about Anny’s cats. I spent time with her and them this afternoon.”
He tapped the side of his nose. “I know.”
Of course he knew. He could smell the cat on her. “I’ve always enjoyed her cats and wondered if I should
get one. Then I wondered what you’d think about me getting a cat. And then I wondered why I cared.” She knew she was rambling and talking too fast but couldn’t seem to stop.
“Ah.” That was all he said, but there was a depth of understanding in that one word that deflated all her anxiety and fear. Mikhail opened his arms to her, and she walked into them.
She hated that Pierre still had an influence over her reactions after all these years. She’d never hated her ex more than she did in this moment.
“It’s okay. Have patience with yourself.”
“It’s not okay. It’s been years.” She’d thought she’d put her past behind her. It was so frustrating to realize she hadn’t.
“You’re dealing with new things and new emotions. It’s bound to dredge up old memories.”
“I’m going to redecorate, too.” She figured she might as well tell him everything.
He ran his big hand up and down her spine. The gesture was both soothing and arousing. His chest was hard and muscular and his erection jutted against her stomach.
“What room?”
She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “The bedroom.”
He toyed with the tail of her hair. “It’s very feminine. Very you.” She could tell he was choosing his words carefully.
She shook her head. “It’s who I needed to be back then. It was a rebellion against my former life. It no longer fits.” It was heartening to come to grips with that fact. She had changed and grown. Yes, she was suffering some minor setbacks and flashbacks, but that was because she was pushing forward in her life.
“Thank God.” Mikhail’s heartfelt sentiment had her leaning back so she could see his face. “Can I say that I really hate that pink bench at the end of your bed?”
Elise couldn’t help herself. She burst out laughing. “I hate it, too,” she confessed. “I have since the moment it arrived, but since I picked it out and my sons paid for it, I felt compelled to keep it.”
Mikhail grinned. “I think I know someone who might like to have it.”
An unexpected surge of jealous rocketed through Elise. “Who?”
His grin disappeared. “Amy.”
Okay, now Elise felt foolish. She’d gotten herself worked up over nothing. She rubbed her eyes and tried to compose herself. “You’re right. Amy would love it. She sits on it every time she comes to visit.”
“Who did you think I was going to say?” he asked.
She shook her head, refusing to answer. She hated feeling stupid.
“Elise?” He cupped her face in his strong hands. He didn’t exert any pressure, just simply held her.
“Another woman.”
“What other woman?” His confusion only served to make her angrier. Even though she knew it wasn’t rational, it didn’t change a thing.
“I don’t know what woman. A woman. Someone from your past. I know you didn’t get all your fancy moves being a monk your entire life.” She shut her mouth before she said anything even more ridiculous than she already had. “Can we just forget it?”
“I’ve had women in the past.”
“Don’t want to hear it,” she reminded him.
“But that was for mutual pleasure. It was nothing like what I feel for you. I’m over sixty years old. And you’re right, I haven’t been a monk. But I haven’t been with a woman since I left my former pack in Alaska.”
“Really?” God, that sounded needy. “Forget I asked.”
“No. You need to hear this, and I need to tell you.” He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. “I haven’t wanted a woman since I left to find Rina. And since coming here, the only woman I can see is you. There is no other woman.”
Stark terror filled her, even as her entire body seemed to melt at his proclamation. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be any man’s one and only. She’d been mated once, and that had been a complete disaster.
“I may never be ready to mate again.” She needed to be honest with Mikhail.
He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. The heat from his big body surrounded her. Tension thrummed in the air. “Just don’t send me away. That’s all I ask. Give us a chance, Elise. I’ll take you any way I can get you.”
“That isn’t fair to you.” So far, he’d done all the giving. That didn’t sit well with her.
He eased back and hooked a strand of hair over her ear. The light caress sent a shiver of pleasure racing down her spine.
“You let me decide what’s fair to me. I never thought I’d find a woman like you.”
He lifted her hand and placed it over his heart. “You touch something deep inside. And besides, my wolf likes you.”
…
Mikhail’s heart was racing a mile a minute, and he struggled to contain the dread coursing through him. Elise had worked herself into a combative mood before he’d even arrived. While he understood it, a part of him hated being unfairly compared to her ex.
She offered him a tentative smile, as he’d hoped she would, and some of his tension bled away. He’d been looking forward to seeing her all day. Knowing she was waiting for him was the only thing that had made the day bearable. He hadn’t expected her to be confrontational from the moment he walked in.
Maybe he should have. She was obviously still testing her own limits and his. This was a learning process for both of them.
“Now can I greet you the way I’d planned when I walked in?” He waited until she gave him a tentative nod.
Mikhail brushed his mouth against hers. She parted her lips, and he slid his tongue just inside before withdrawing. She tasted sweet and warm. He wanted to pick her up, take her to bed, and kiss her for hours.
Okay, so he wanted to do a hell of a lot more than just kiss her. His cock was hard enough to pound nails, but neither of them were ready for that next step. Their connection was too new and fragile. Elise needed to truly trust him before they could finally make love. For a woman like Elise, that would be tantamount to a commitment. Even if she said she might never mate again—his wolf howled in protest—if she committed to him, it would be as binding as a mating.
His first hurdle was getting her used to having him in her home, in her space. The second was getting her accustomed to his touch. He looked forward to both tasks.
He deepened the kiss, and she welcomed him. She ran her hands over his shoulders and around his neck. It felt incredibly right to hold her in his arms. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her lower body more firmly against his. He wanted her to feel his arousal, to know how much he wanted her.
She touched her tongue to his and moaned. He growled, unable to stop himself from reacting to her boldness. He angled his head and practically fused their mouths together. She was air and water, everything necessary for him to live.
It took a strength of will he hadn’t thought he possessed to finally pull away. Elise’s face was flushed, and she was breathing heavily. She slowly opened her eyes. “That was—” She licked her lips. “That was amazing.”
“What’s between us is special,” he reminded her. He’d certainly never had such a visceral reaction to a woman or a kiss before. “Let’s sit down. We can talk.”
“Okay.” He thought she’d take her seat at the table, but she took his hand and led him into her living room. He liked that she’d been the one to reach out to him.
He waited until she was settled and then sat beside her. The sofa was big and comfortable. He tried not to think how easy it would be to strip off their clothing and make love.
“Tell me about your redecorating plans.”
She tilted her head to one side, and there was a definite twinkle in her golden eyes. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”
“How about I show you instead?” She slipped off the sofa, went to the table, and collected her laptop. When she returned, she sat next to him and propped the computer on her thighs.
“I want more color in the room. I’m thinking about a yello
w for the walls. It’s a happy color.” She brought up a website she’d bookmarked and showed him the color. It wasn’t a lemon yellow, but it wasn’t a pale yellow, either. It fell somewhere in between.
“It’s nice,” he told her. He had absolutely no design skills whatsoever, but he did know what he liked. The yellow she’d chosen would look good on the walls. “What else?”
“I’m thinking green for the curtains. I’m not sure if I’ll go plain or maybe something with a pattern.” She showed him several possibilities. “Yellow or green for the bedding. Maybe add a pop of color with red or orange accent pillows. Or possibly chocolate brown.”
“It will be colorful.” Vibrant and alive. “Like bringing the outside in.” The colors currently in her room were more for a sleeping princess. The ones she was showing him were for a woman who was confident and bold.
“That’s exactly it. Bringing the outside in.”
“What about something to replace the infamous pink bench?”
She laughed. “I haven’t gotten that far yet. But in keeping with the theme, maybe something wooden and rustic. Maybe I can ask Cole to make something for me.”
Mikhail’s wolf bristled inside him, going from content to combative in a heartbeat. Even though he knew Cole was happily mated, he wanted to publicly stake his claim to Elise.
“You don’t need to ask Cole. I’ll make you a bench.”
“Really?” A look of pleasure washed over her face. “You’d do that for me?”
His heart wrenched at the wonder in her voice. “Of course I would. I’m working on one now that would fit perfectly.” Because he’d designed it that way. “I started it this morning.”
She gave him a considering gaze. “You weren’t hoping to replace the pink one, were you?”
He sighed and rubbed his chin. “Maybe.” He wondered if she’d take it the wrong way.
She grinned. “Good thing I’d already decided to get rid of it.”
“You can check it out when it’s done and see if it’s what you want.” As much as he wanted to have something he made for her in her bedroom, he didn’t want her to accept the gift if she didn’t like it.
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