"Ha. Ha. Now get your feet off the table." I stepped over and knocked his feet off the coffee table with a swat of my hand. He glared at me.
"Who's a cranky pants today?" Instead of putting his feet back up he grabbed a book off the table, opened it, and then set it down flat, with the pages open, the spine breaking in the center.
Resisting the urge to scream I snatched up the book and flipped it closed. "Not right now." I always tried to keep my patience with Alex, with everyone really, but he knew exactly how to push my buttons. "Don't you have somewhere to be? Unless I've lost my brain in the dumpster out back, I do believe it's the full moon."
Alex stood, but instead of storming away with a flippant remark, he reached out and yanked me into a bear hug. His chest was warm and firm, and his broad shoulders allowed him to pull me completely inside the circle of his arms, and then some. "Sorry Elle, I know you're tired. Want to come with me and grab dinner with the pack? Jane's making her chili and cornbread." He spoke into the top of my head, his breath hot against my scalp.
I shook my head against his chest. "I just got a John Doe from the police this morning and I need to get started on the research." My voice was muffled against his chest, but with his enhanced wolfy hearing I knew he heard me.
Slowly he released me, keeping his hands on my arms. "Want me to bring you some later?"
We both knew later meant tomorrow morning. He was absolutely not allowed to come by the store in wolf form. I thought about cold chili and cornbread for breakfast and shook my head. "How about doughnuts instead?"
He smiled, finally releasing me. "Okay pumpkin, will do."
And before I could berate him for calling me that horrible nickname—which he'd been calling me since the first day we met—he was gone out the door and into the summer heat.
"Who's a cranky pants today?" Instead of putting his feet back up he grabbed a book off the table, opened it, and then set it down flat, with the pages open, the spine breaking in the center.
Resisting the urge to scream I snatched up the book and flipped it closed. "Not right now." I always tried to keep my patience with Alex, with everyone really, but he knew exactly how to push my buttons. "Don't you have somewhere to be? Unless I've lost my brain in the dumpster out back, I do believe it's the full moon."
Alex stood, but instead of storming away with a flippant remark, he reached out and yanked me into a bear hug. His chest was warm and firm, and his broad shoulders allowed him to pull me completely inside the circle of his arms, and then some. "Sorry Elle, I know you're tired. Want to come with me and grab dinner with the pack? Jane's making her chili and cornbread." He spoke into the top of my head, his breath hot against my scalp.
I shook my head against his chest. "I just got a John Doe from the police this morning and I need to get started on the research." My voice was muffled against his chest, but with his enhanced wolfy hearing I knew he heard me.
Slowly he released me, keeping his hands on my arms. "Want me to bring you some later?"
We both knew later meant tomorrow morning. He was absolutely not allowed to come by the store in wolf form. I thought about cold chili and cornbread for breakfast and shook my head. "How about doughnuts instead?"
He smiled, finally releasing me. "Okay pumpkin, will do."
And before I could berate him for calling me that horrible nickname—which he'd been calling me since the first day we met—he was gone out the door and into the summer heat.
