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Story: The Wolf of My Eye

“I know, right? If they hadn’t, I know it wouldn’t have been long for the other one to deliver,” Robert said.

“Not with the full moon here,” Lachlan said.

“Yeah, I hadn’t taken that into account.” Robert laughed.

“None of us had,” Edeen said.

Lachlan said, “Well, this will go down in the history of the pack.”

“You couldn’t have kept me away for anything. Not when you and Edeen are expecting too,” Robert said.

“I looked on the calendar, and my due date isn’t near the full moon,” Edeen said.

Robert laughed. “That’s a good thing.”

“Do you want us to stay or let you relax before Maisie gets home?” Edeen asked.

“Why don’t you go home and take it easy? I know you need to rest. I have some plans for the roses you decorated the house with,” Robert said.

“You are a romantic at heart,” Edeen said. “I never would have guessed it. I’m so glad I set the roses up for you for the open house.”

“I’m going to have to learn a trick or two of yours,” Lachlan said.

Edeen laughed. “You are also so romantic.”

Robert smiled. Then he hugged Edeen and Lachlan, and they returned to the manor house.

He took the red roses from one of the vases of flowers hissister had brought for the open house, then began pulling off the rose petals and scattering them on the bed. After that, he took more rose petals and scattered them from the garage door through the house to the bedroom.

He was going to make Maisie a Whisky Mac made of Scotch whisky and ginger wine, her favorite, according to her sister, as soon as he heard her car drive up. Hmm, or he could draw a warm bath and toss some rose petals on top of it, with a chilled bottle of champagne sitting next to the tub. She hadn’t had time to drink anything but water before she went to take photos. He hadn’t had any alcohol himself yet because he wanted to have a drink with her.

He put the chilled bottle of champagne on the tile surrounding the tub and started the bathwater, hoping it would still be hot by the time Maisie came home, though he would start it over if he had to.

He snapped his fingers. “Candles.” He got some of the cinnamon-scented candles that Edeen had placed throughout the home and set them around the tub as he heard Maisie’s car pull into the garage.

He quickly lit the candles and then scattered rose petals on top of the water. Then he ran to get a couple of the remaining vases of flowers and set them around the tub also.

“Hello!” Maisie called out. “Did I mate a romantic wolf or what?”

He came out of the bedroom to meet up with her in the hallway and hugged and kissed her, smiling. He was so thrilled to see her and so glad they were finally alone. “You deserve the best.”

“I am so lucky.”

“So am I. I have the bathwater going, but if you want to take a wolf run first instead, or…” He was totally up for doing anything she wanted to do—whatever her heart desired to make this open house finale the best.

“The bath sounds superb as long as you’re in it with me, sharing the hot water, the jets, the bubbles from the jets.” She grabbed his hand and headed for the bathroom.

“That’s exactly what I hoped you would say.” In the bathroom, they began stripping their clothes off in a hurry.

“Good. I suspect that’s exactly what you had planned. Wow, scented candles and chilled champagne, just…wow.”

“Naturally.”

Chapter 21

Early the next morning, Maisie snuggled with Robert, not wanting to get out of bed for anything. She couldn’t believe how he’d been so romantic after the long day and delivering the wolf pups, then visiting with the rest of the guests while she had taken the newborn pictures. She absolutely adored him.

He kissed the top of her head, his hand stroking her back. “Do you have anything scheduled today?” she asked him.