Page 37 of Can’t Help Growling in Love (Harmony Glen #9)

Chapter

Twenty-Five

JUNE

“Regarding the email you sent…”

Elena, the hospital administrator, stops at the nurses’ station and taps her manicured nails on the desk. She runs our schedules with ruthless efficiency, and her appearance fills me with anxiety.

If she had good news to share, she wouldn’t have stopped by in person, would she?

Tia, pushing an elderly lady in a wheelchair past us, gives me a wink and crosses her fingers to show her support. I told her earlier that Asher and I had a big talk, and she made me promise that she’d get to be my maid of honor if we get married.

“Yes?” I watch Elena warily and check her flawless complexion for any hint of what’s to come. “I know it’s very last minute, sorry.”

“It is.” She pierces me with a dark look. “And you know I usually dislike changes to the schedule. But I’m short-staffed for Halloween next week.”

I straighten my shoulders. “I can work on Halloween. In fact, I can do Halloween and the full Thanksgiving weekend if you give me the next three full moons off.”

I’ll do anything to give Asher and me a chance to spend time together.

Elena’s lips twitch up in the tiniest smile. “Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, and Boxing Day, and you’ve got yourself a deal.” She glances over her shoulder, then adds more quietly, “Also, congrats on finding your mate. That must be wonderful.”

A swish of her auburn hair, and she’s gone, leaving me staring after her.

“Well?” Tia returns minutes later, having settled her patient in her room. “How did it go?”

I grin, my hands shaking with excitement.

“We made some changes to my schedule, so I can take tomorrow night off!” I high-five my friend, then add, “And I took over all the upcoming holiday shifts that don’t align with full moons.

I’d rather work those so you guys can take some time off with your families. ”

“You don’t want to celebrate with Asher or his family?” Tia asks, already pulling up the next patient’s file.

I think of what Asher told me about his parents and their relationship.

Then I remember the last Christmas I spent with my mom and dad.

We’d had an awful argument over me having to leave their drawn-out dinner with their associates early because I had to drive back to Harmony Glen to pick up a shift at the hospital.

I take the folder from Tia and shake my head. “I think we’ll find our own ways to celebrate.”

I step out of the hospital just before six, breathing in the crisp morning air. The scent of damp leaves, a whiff of antiseptic from the building behind me, and the faint muddy smell of lake water mingle together to create the perfect impression of fall.

I shimmy with excitement, then glance over my shoulder to see if anyone witnessed my victory dance. I’m off work for forty-eight hours, and I’ll get to spend most of them with Asher.

The walk to the radio station is too short for me to even get chilled, but the moment I text Asher that I’ve arrived, he pulls me through the door and wraps himself around me. His t-shirt stretches over his bulky shoulders, and his tail wags behind him, betraying his excitement.

“You’re cold.” He takes big whiffs of my scent as he buries his face in my hair. “I could have picked you up.”

I push away from him so I can look him in the eyes. “It felt nice. I like walking, and lately, I haven’t had the time. You’ll have to get used to me biking and walking places, you know.”

He crowds me against the wall, his body caging me in. “I will, I promise. But after.”

After the full moon. After we’re mated .

“Will it get easier for you?” I put my arms around his waist and stroke his back in soothing circles. “Once we’ve been together for a while?”

He runs his hands over my hips and finds the dip of my belly button with his thumb. “Maybe. I hope so. I don’t want to smother you.”

My heart twinges at this. “You’re not smothering me. I love how you take care of me, Asher. I just hate that you’re suffering when we’re apart.”

Asher kisses me. His hands tighten on my waist, and I dig my fingers into the fur on the back of his head, holding on so he’ll know how much I want him.

All night, I’ve been battling memories of how we are together, and every time, I had to squash them down to remain focused and professional.

Now I let everything out, I let him feel exactly how desperate I am for him so he’ll know he’s not in this alone.

His low, guttural groan does something to me. It fills the needy part of my soul and tells me he wants this. He wants me , just as I am, human and breakable and soft, even though he’s so much bigger and stronger than me.

Finally, he ends the kiss and stares down at me, our foreheads touching. “I want to leave right now, lock you in my house, and make you scream.”

I can’t stop a giggle from escaping. “That sounds like something a serial killer would say.”

He pauses, his fingers twitching under my t-shirt. “I read something in one of those books you borrowed.” He gestures at the desk tucked in the corner of the studio, then stares down at me as if wrestling with a decision.

“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

A muscle jumps in his jaw, then he blows out a long breath. “I might want to chase you. It says that wolves enjoy that, and some might switch up roles of hunter and prey.”

My eyes widen at the idea. “Oh. Um. But you want to be the one chasing me? Would I have to run?”

“Not if you don’t want to,” he hurries to say. “It’s just something to?—”

“I like the idea,” I blurt out. “I’m not that good at running, just so you know. That’s why I take my bike everywhere. I might not be very exciting prey.”

Asher’s eyes glint golden as he kisses me again. “You’ll be the best prey out there.”

I think it through, then confirm, “I wouldn’t mind that. It sounds like fun.”

A rumble starts in his chest, a deep, low growl. “You’d want me to chase you, baby? Pin you down and fuck you right there?”

Why does that sound so fucking hot?

“Exactly.” I melt in his arms. “I hope the weather holds. I don’t think running around in the storm at night would be too smart.”

He snorts, but he sobers quickly, brushing a thumb over my cheek.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmurs. “But I’ll have to.”

He steps away from me and closes his eyes. I follow before I’m fully aware of what I’m doing and cup his face with both hands, forcing him to look down at me.

“What are you talking about?”

He struggles for a moment, then admits, “It’s not just the hunting. I’m worried about the bite. It’ll hurt. And you said you didn’t like pain. That was the only limit you gave me, and I know I’ll fucking trample all over it tonight.”

I freeze, thinking back on the conversation we had in his car. “I did say that. But this is different—a different kind of pain.”

At least I think it will be. I’ve never been bitten before, but for some reason, I’m not dreading it the way I probably should be. Especially considering that I now know exactly how big and sharp Asher’s canines are.

“How can pain be different?” he asks. “If it hurts you, it’s bad.”

I think quickly, trying to find a way to explain how I feel.

“It’s because something great will come of it,” I say finally. “Like childbirth. Everyone says it hurts like hell, but at the end, you’ve got a tiny little baby, so it’s all worth it, you know?”

Asher groans and scrunches his eyes shut again. “ Don’t talk about babies right now. I’m barely holding on as it is.”

I squint at him. “Are you okay?”

“No, June, I’m not okay,” he growls, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes. “I want to bend you over the couch, fill you with my cum, and fucking breed you, but I need to finish up my work here, then help you rip up the carpet in your basement to burn off some of this energy.”

“We don’t have to do the carpet thing today,” I say quickly.

I squeeze my legs together to hide how much his words turn me on.

We’re not ready to discuss babies yet. I thumb the faint bump of the implant in my arm through my t-shirt, but for once, it doesn’t fill me with the same reassurance I used to feel.

If everything goes well, I do want to have this conversation with Asher in the future, beyond the acknowledgment that we both want kids someday.

But he shakes his head and stomps back toward his desk. “We do. We’re going to go to your house, where you’ll take a long nap while I spend some time in your basement.”

I gape, staring after him. “What?”

He turns on his heels and frowns at me from the threshold of the booth. “You need rest after your shift. Once the moon rises…” He lets out a low growl, then adds, “You won’t get much sleep overnight.”

Oh .

Biting my lip, I try not to give in to the images of what that’ll be like. There’s no way he’ll last for the entire night, is there? No one has that kind of stamina.

But Asher’s a werewolf, and he knows his body best. I’d be a fool to overlook his warning.

I try to stay out of the way as he finishes up his work tasks for the night and whirls around the office space, cleaning up.

He keeps throwing glances my way, as if he’s worried I might disappear at any moment, so I make a point of relaxing on the couch.

He wipes down the counters and takes the trash out to the curb, and I nestle back against the cushions and answer texts and emails on my phone.

If he’s right, and we’ll be completely focused on each other once the full effect of the moon hits him, I should let people know so no one sends a rescue party after me.

I’ve never been offline for more than twelve hours or so, and I don’t want anyone to worry.

The moment Asher’s colleague, Natalie, shows up at the door, he jumps up from his seat in the booth and hustles over to my side.

He takes my sweatshirt and helps me put it on, tugging it carefully over my head, and I let him because it seems to soothe him.

His growling quiets, which I take as a good sign.

“Hey,” Natalie greets me, hand outstretched. “Marcos told me Asher had a girlfriend. You’re Tia’s colleague from the hospital, right?”

I brighten at this. “Yeah, and you’re her friend who makes the jewelry,” I say, eyeing the snakes coiled on top of her head. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Asher wraps his arm around my shoulder, not interrupting us but visibly vibrating with impatience.

I grin up at him. “It’s okay, I’m good to go. Natalie and I can talk another time.”

“I don’t want to rush you.” He leans in to take a sniff of my temple. Then he straightens and focuses on Natalie. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you, actually. Not today. But I’ve been thinking of buying the station from Stella.”

The woman brightens up at this. “Really? And keeping it going?”

“Yeah.” Asher’s grip on me tightens, then he takes a deep breath and relaxes his hold slightly. “I’m not sure yet, but it’s an idea.”

“I think it’s great,” Natalie says. “I know Marcos would want to stay on, too.”

“Cool.”

He glances down at me, and his eyes glint golden. He tugs me closer to his side, so I put my arm around his waist, too, slipping my fingers under the hem of his t-shirt for better contact. His tail wags, brushing the small of my back with every swish, and I grin at this show of emotion.

Natalie snorts. “So, uh, I’ll let you two get on with your day. Full moon tonight, huh? That’ll be fun for you.”

We both turn to her, and she flushes, her snakes twitching in agitation.

“Oh gods, I didn’t mean—” She covers her mouth with her hand. “That totally sounded like I was asking about your sex life. Which I’m not!”

I grin, already liking her. “It’s okay.” Then I glance at Asher, who’s gone completely still, his gaze on my lips. “But you’re right, we should be going. It was lovely to meet you!”

I nudge Asher toward the door with my hip, and when that doesn’t work, I wrap my arm more firmly around his waist and drag him along with me.

He snaps out of his trance and grunts a goodbye to Natalie, who’s holding back a smile.

I decide to not let the awkwardness get to me, so I wave at her and finally close the door of the studio behind us.

“I thought meeting Marcos after we’d made out on that couch was as bad as things would get.” I grin at Asher. “I was wrong. Also, I think your idea is awesome. You’d be great at running the station.”

He nods, but he’s still not answering, so I pry the car keys from his hand.

“I think it’s better if I drive today.” I nudge him toward the passenger side of his truck. “Come on, you had a plan, remember? Or do you want me to drive us straight to your house?”

Asher blinks and shakes off the daze. “No. Carpet and nap first.”

He climbs into the truck and doesn’t lift his gaze off me. I clamber up to the driver’s side. He monitors how I adjust the seat and the mirrors, then reaches over and pulls the seat belt for me, clicking me in securely. As he leans close, he groans and closes his eyes, clearly suffering.

“Asher…” I palm his cheek, stroking the soft fur. “We don’t have to do this. The carpet will wait, and I’m okay. I know you’ll let me sleep when I need it. Right now, I’m too wired to settle down anyway. I want this. So if you want me in your lair, you only have to say so.”

His golden gaze meets mine, and then he nods, just once, a quick dip of his chin.

“Okay.” I put the truck in reverse and back out into the street. “Hold on. We’ll drive down to the hardware store to drop the key to my house in Gabe’s mailbox, then run straight home. It won’t take more than a minute.”