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Chapter Five

Molly couldn’t stop thinking about everything her mate had said during dinner. It was so confusing. And her body’s reaction to his words was even more confusing.

She hadn’t recognized herself when she’d talked back to him, and she’d immediately regretted her bold words. But he’d made light of her sass and even embraced it as if he wanted her to spar with him.

Her mother would be appalled if she knew Molly had spoken so boldly to her mate. The woman certainly never spoke like that to Molly’s father.

But there was something different between Molly and Gavin. Something she’d never felt or witnessed before. She felt oddly close to him even though she’d only been here and conscious a few hours.

Nerves ate at her as he finished feeding her and cleaned the kitchen. He’d said he wouldn’t rush her to have sex with him, and that had shocked her. She’d mentally prepared herself to take him into her body tonight.

The odd thing was that a part of her wished he would just do it. It was inevitable anyway. Putting it off would only drag out her nervousness. But she appreciated him not rushing her.

And that was her emotional response. Physically she couldn’t begin to understand her body’s reaction to him. It was like her mind and her body were two separate beings. The magnetic pull he described was a real living being. It planted thoughts in her head she’d never experienced before.

As he removed the tray from her highchair and unfastened the strap round her waist, all she could think about was touching his mark again. It had scared her the first time, but she wanted to feel that sensation again.

Gavin lifted her up and stood her on her feet. “Maybe you’d like to explore your nursery a bit. You didn’t get a chance to look around earlier.”

“Okay.” She liked how he took her hand in his. His huge palm enveloped hers. She liked the physical contact, the warmth, and the way he seemed to ground her.

She hurried alongside him to the room he referred to as a nursery. She was curious but freaked out at the same time. Grown women in the valley did not have nurseries. They cooked and cleaned and took care of the young. That’s what Molly had been raised to expect.

Instead, this new world was the opposite. She wondered if she was perhaps asleep and having the strangest dream ever. That made more sense.

Gavin moved across the pretty room and sat in the giant rocking chair where he’d held her when she first woke up. “Look around, Little one. This space is yours. I want it to be a place you can relax and enjoy whatever makes you happy.”

She let go of his hand but stood for several seconds breathing heavily, watching as he rubbed his palms together between his knees. Her instinct was to step closer to him, press her body against his. She wanted his hands on her, rubbing her back. She didn’t like this separation.

Even more curious and embarrassing, she found herself wishing he would remove her dress and the layers of shifts under it. She craved his gaze on her body. Not just his gaze but his hands.

A deep shudder shook her from head to toe, and she quickly spun around to take in her surroundings as he’d suggested.

She was rooted, though, uncertain where to begin and not wanting to take a step away from him.

After a few moments, he cupped her hips and drew her backward between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her middle and kissed her neck. “It’s hard to focus on anything but the growing bond, isn’t it, Little one?”

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered. Thank goodness he understood.

“Yes, Daddy ,” he responded.

She trembled as she leaned her weight into him. “Yes, Daddy.” Why did that word sound more natural now than it had earlier? Maybe because he asked her to use it, and she wanted to please him.

“Mmm. I like the sound of that, Little one.” He kissed her neck again.

Goosebumps rose all over her.

“I know you’re feeling all kinds of unexpected emotions.

I am, too, Baby girl. We’re one being now.

Fate put us together, and She does not make mistakes.

It’s confusing at the same time. I want you to take a few minutes to explore.

Then you can come back to me. I’ll be right here, watching you.

I’ll never be more than a few feet away from you for weeks, Little one. ”

She gripped his huge hands at her waist and whispered, “I don’t want you to let go of me.”

“I know, Little one. That’s normal. I promise.

” He kissed her shoulder now and nibbled around her neck.

He wasn’t making things easier. Her brain scrambled.

Finally he lifted his head and set his chin on her shoulder.

He pointed toward a corner of the room with one finger.

“How about we get you a giant beanbag chair so you’ll have a place to read. ”

She smiled. “I’d like that. I promise not to read more than you allow. My mother said…” She winced. How many times was she going to start a sentence with my mother said ?

He chuckled. “Let me guess. Your mother warned you not to bury your head in a book all the time because she thought it would anger me.”

“Yes. She suggested I set a timer and make sure it’s okay with you before I disappear into my silly stories.”

He stiffened. “Molly, nothing you enjoy will ever be deemed silly by me. If reading is something you love, I will buy you all the books in the universe to make you happy. I won’t require you to set a timer, Little one.

You never need to worry about angering me.

Making you smile will always please me greatly.

I may come in and swoop you right out of your beanbag chair when it’s time to eat so you don’t starve to death, but I won’t punish you for doing what you love. ”

She turned in his arms. He was too good to be true. She needed to see his face. He looked serious. “I get lost in my books sometimes,” she warned him.

He rubbed his nose against hers. “I’ll find you.”

“I’ve always been introverted and shy. I prefer to be alone with my fantasies than interacting with other people.” She was proud of herself for being bold enough to tell him about her personality quirks.

“I bet you won’t feel very shy around me for long, Little one. I will know every inch of you inside and out. I will ask you a million questions until I know your mind, and I will also touch every inch of your body until I know what brings you pleasure.”

The idea of that both unnerved her and intrigued her. She’d never felt this bold before. She couldn’t have imagined leaning into her new mate, flattening her palms on his chest like she was, smoothing them up toward his neck.

If someone had told her tonight would look anything like this, she would have laughed. Her own parents would blink several times if they saw her now. She was aware of her introverted side, but she was just so drawn to him that she ignored the timid girl she’d always been.

A new Molly was peeking out.

Daddy…

He lifted her hands from his chest and kissed her palms. “Explore, Little one. You need some time to process and think.”

Could he be any better?

She gave him a shy smile, took a deep breath, and turned to face the strange room. Gravitating to the bookshelf, she dropped to her knees and tipped her head to one side to examine the few books he’d already arranged for her.

“I didn’t know what you’d like to read,” he said from behind her. “I didn’t even know if you liked reading at all.”

She twisted her head to grin at him. “I read all kinds of books. Thank you.” When she turned back, she picked up something that was about the size of a book but had a screen. “Is this an e-reader?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve never had one.” She trailed a finger reverently around the edge of it. “You fill it with electronic books, right? I’ve heard of them.”

“Yes, Baby girl. You can put as many books on there as you want.”

“As many as I want? Like a dozen?” She glanced at him again.

He chuckled. “Like a million. More than you could ever read.”

She jerked her attention back to the device and giggled. “Seems like it would get heavy.”

His deep laughter filled the room. “It will weigh exactly the same. I guess you’ve never seen one?”

“Some people have them. I’ve heard of e-readers. But we didn’t have one at my house. I read paper books from the library.”

“You’re going to love Damon’s mate. Her name is Olivia.

She’s nearly blind, but reading is her passion, too, and when she first shifted, she found out her wolf has perfect vision.

If you’re worried about me finding you curled up in a corner reading for hours, imagine poor Damon.

He has to chastise his mate for spending too much time in her wolf form. ”

Molly listened closely to her Daddy, partly because she found she loved his voice. The tone burrowed under her skin and made her tremble with the desire to drop the e-reader and hurry back to his arms.

She couldn’t keep from giggling. “I guess if her human can’t see, she’d want to spend as much time as possible in her wolf form. Does she shift in the house?”

“Yep. She sits in her nursery in her wolf form. Damon says it gets a bit lonely because she obviously can’t talk to him when she’s shifted.”

Molly pushed out her lip in a pout, an expression she didn’t think she’d ever made before. “That would be a bummer, but I can’t blame her. If I could only see in my wolf form, I’d do the same.”

Daddy shocked her when he dropped onto his knees next to the rocking chair and crawled toward her.

More like stalked in slow motion. She could see the laughter in his eyes, so she couldn’t keep from giggling as he approached.

At least she had the wherewithal to put the e-reader back on the shelf before he snagged her ankle and gave a tug, causing her to fall onto her back.

She smiled up at him without an ounce of trepidation or fear, watching mesmerized as he removed first one gold sandal and then the other. When he was finished, he tossed the ceremonial shoes aside and kissed her feet, tickling her.