Page 13 of Jace's Mate

“Good morning,” she greeted a teenage employee who was trying—and failing—to stack apples into a pyramid.

As he fumbled a few, she instinctively caught them.

“Good...uh…” The boy blushed, glancing up at her nervously.

“I’m sorry,” she said, helping him steady the fruit.“I must have bumped you.”

“It’s fine.Not your fault.”His voice cracked, and she offered him a gentle smile before moving on.

She needed potatoes.And butter.Maybe some bacon.

And then—rosemary.

She picked up the fragrant bundle of herbs, bringing it to her nose and inhaling deeply.

Was there any scent more amazing than rosemary?

“Nope!”she said out loud, grinning when Eldin shot her a confused look.

She tossed the herbs into her cart, then moved efficiently through the store.She finished her shopping quickly and headed back home, her arms full of fragrant ingredients and her mind full of recipe options.

She was already debating whether to add black pepper to the roast when it hit her—

That scent.

Again.

Just a block from the rental house, Anikka stopped dead in her tracks.

Her heart stuttered.Her arms froze around the grocery bags.

The scent floated to her on a breeze—subtle at first, then overwhelmingly rich.

It was unlike anything she’d ever smelled before.

Masculine.Wild.Spiced heat wrapped in something darker.

Alluring.

Her body jolted in response.

Tingling awareness flooded her skin, like she’d touched a live wire.

Her breasts tightened.Her arms felt hypersensitive.Her core pulsed with a low, coiling heat that sent a shiver down her spine.

Could this all be triggered byscent?

That’s insane.

And yet—here it was.

Real.

Powerful.

Tempting.

She lifted her head and sniffed again, more carefully this time.