Page 16

L eera and I walk Zoey to the door after a borderline raucous morning full of laughter and chatter.

Runa had risen from the couch once the rest of us had made it to the kitchen. I'm fairly certain she had intended to sneak away to her own room, but Leera wasn't having it. She had hollered at her, asking how she liked her coffee. I'm also pretty sure, had Runa attempted to decline, Leera would have physically dragged her into the kitchen with the rest of us.

I was sitting on the barstool with a smile plastered to my face—one that I was finding harder and harder to get rid of when a thought plowed into me like a locomotive.

The number of people in my kitchen continues to grow.

It had always just been me, my men, and Matilda within these once-quiet walls. The light and happiness that Leera brought continues to amaze me as I watched her twirl—yes, twirl—around the kitchen with Zoey, their heads thrown back in laughter after they finally finished dismantling the disaster that was Zoey's hair.

Runa was smiling at them over the rim of her own steaming coffee mug. Dolos was watching Runa with a similar smile, and Eris’ eyes were alternating between the two of them with a pained pining I still didn't understand. Benny couldn't hold himself back any longer and joined the girls, dramatically prancing and, again, literally twirling around the room.

A booming laugh escaped me from my perch on the island with Slate to my right, and even he cracked a smile. We were going over the information Willa had sent me about needing to visit Sabbax in order to obtain my father's prophecy. Andrei had been on my left before Leera pouted for him to join their silliness, and like most of us, he couldn't tell her no.

When Matilda entered the room, her weathered face broke into a beaming smile of her own, and she took Andrei's seat, not saying a word, just patting my arm lovingly while she took it all in.

It was then that Zoey’s phone went off, and she and Leera stuck their lips out at the same time. “Okay, I really have to go now, or I'll be late for class.”

Leera hugs her best friend fiercely. “We need to do this more. Promise me,” she demands.

Zoey exaggerates drawing an X on her chest and promises, “Cross my heart,” before turning to leave.

My sweet mate deflates slightly at the loss of her friend’s presence. This is the perfect time to tell her, “I have a surprise planned for you today,” I whisper into her neck, wrapping my arm around her waist, pulling her to me, and turning her from the door.

Her bright eyes meet mine, sparkling with excitement. “A surprise?” she squeaks.

“Yes, my little miracle, a surprise. But only if you think you're up to it,” I tease, knowing full well that she's up to it and that I would still find a way to surprise her and make tonight magical for her.

She shoves at my chest playfully and snorts at me. “I love surprises, and I'm up for whatever it is you have planned,” she finishes, crossing her arms over her chest and striking a bratty pose. She still doesn't understand that shoving her perfect little tits in the air and cocking her hip out like that actually makes me hard, causing me to no longer take anything she says seriously. Adjusting myself to delay those extra-curricular activities until later, I smile down at her and growl, “I’ll never be able to take you to your surprises if we never make it out of our bedroom, Princess.”

She blushes furiously when my words register in that pretty head of hers.

“Now, go get ready. I've restocked all your girly shit that you like in the bathroom and got you an outfit to wear; it's laid out on the bed.” I lead her towards our room with my hand on her lower back.

When she starts to inquire further, her mouth dropping open to speak, I interject, “And that's all you're getting out of me.” I give her a final little shove into our room, not following her in, though. I was serious. If I go in there with her, all my planning will be shot to hell, and we'll never leave that room.

Roughly an hour and a half later, she emerges from the hall, and my breath catches in my chest. She's always so fucking beautiful, but I can tell she put in extra effort today. I heard her running a bath for the candles and vanilla bean bubble bath I left out. The combination of the vanilla melts heavenly with her natural honeysuckle and spun sugar scent—to the point my mouth nearly waters when she enters my space.

“You look fucking breathtaking,” I breathe, and she blushes all over with a small giggle.

“Well, you see...” She runs her fingers up the front of my shirt, making sure to skim the muscles underneath, “I have this pretty amazing guy in my life,” she looks me in the eye, “and he spoils me with the best girly shit,” she laughs, unable to say that one with a straight face, “and he got me this super comfy, adorable outfit,” she finishes, reaching around my neck and tugging lightly, which is Leera for, Pick me up, Big Guy.

I cup my hands on her perfect little ass, lifting her off the ground and against my body, and she links her arms completely around my neck. “Thank you, Roman,” she finishes with a slow and sweet kiss that’ll make me have to adjust myself…again.

I gently set her back on her feet and take her in again as she rearranges her clothing so they're lying just right. Thankfully, the temperature dropped again with a cold front, making my plans even more perfect if we get a few snow flurries later.

She's wearing a white long-sleeve shirt under a fluffy pink vest that you can barely see under the pink, white, and silver plaid blanket scarf wrapped around her neck. Her legs are covered in black, fleece-lined leggings with fuzzy pink leg warmers scrunched from her white tennis shoes to just below her calves. The colors all complement her hair and complexion perfectly. I have to remember to thank Zoey for helping me get it all right.

Her silver hair looks like it's sparkling…wait, it is sparkling; it looks like she sprayed some kind of glitter in it after she curled it, pulling the top half to the back of her head where a large pink bow is settled. All of it combined with her makeup makes her look every bit the princess she is.

“We gonna do something, Big Guy, or are we just going to stand here and gawk at each other all day?” she taunts, her eyes traveling down my body again. “Not that I'm complaining.” I hold my hand out to her. She accepts it without an ounce of hesitation, and I pull her into me. “We are definitely going to do what I have planned for us. It took too much work not to.” I laugh at the adorable, puzzled look on her face. “First, I packed a picnic of sorts. It's mostly snacks and finger sandwiches, but we have about a three-hour drive ahead of us, so I thought it would be nice to snack the whole way there.”

She claps her hands in excitement, rolling onto her toes. “This already sounds perfect!” she squeals in delight.

Taking her hand and leading her towards the door, I grab the picnic basket and thermoses Matilda and I prepared, as well as my coat. Everything else we need is already in the trunk of the SUV or already at our destination.

When we approach the vehicle, I release Leera's hand to open her door and help hoist her into her seat. She playfully swats at me, complaining that she can do it herself, but I can't help myself. Smiling at her antics, I place the basket in the space just behind the center console so that she can reach the basket and have all the snacks she likes.

Rounding the vehicle, I reach my door, lean in to set the thermoses in the cup holders, lift myself into my seat, and start the motor. I turn on Leera's seat warmers to take off the chill and let her pick the music we listen to as we settle in for our drive.

Intentionally making a few stops—claiming I needed to use the restroom, needing to put gas in the car, and wanting something cold to drink—I ensure we arrive at the familiar entrance to the pack lands just as the sun begins to sink below the horizon. You'd think I had some kind of control over nature itself with the way the sky is painted in the perfect pinks and purples filling the sunset sky with cotton candy clouds perfect for my sweet little mate.

When I pull into the familiar lot where we left the car last time, she smiles because I'm sure she believes her surprise is just being with the pack, but we won't even be seeing them on this visit.