“How are you feeling?” Senan sounded sleepy, and Finlay wasn’t surprised.
“Your friend Gabby is a force of nature.” Finlay chuckled. “Does she always do a ‘whoop-whoop’ every time she sees a man take a shirt off in a movie?”
“Ah, not just any man.” Senan snuggled against Finlay’s chest, his breathing slow and relaxed. “Only Maximus Khan has caused that reaction, so far. I don’t know what she’d ever do if she ever met him.”
“Hmm. I could probably arrange that.” Brushing a kiss on Senan’s hair, Finlay added, “Do you think she’d like that?”
“Like it?” Senan lurched up, his hands resting on Finlay’s chest, his hair spilling over his shoulders as his eyes widened.
“Gabby would adopt you if she thought you could do that. You’d become family.
Everyone else in her life would cease to exist. She would be fussing over you with baked goods and endless beers every time she saw you if you facilitated a meeting with her amazing movie star. ”
“I’m quite partial to baked goods and endless beers.
” Finlay started laughing. “But my gods, wouldn’t it be funny if she met him and didn’t like him?
I mean, he’s a nice enough guy, really friendly, but when she sees him in the movie, he’s playing a character – that’s not the real person.
In real life, he scratches his ass the same as the rest of us. ”
“I wouldn’t see that as a bad thing.” Senan snuggled back down on Finlay’s chest again.
“There’s not a person in Gabby’s existence who doesn’t know about her infatuation with Maximus Khan.
If she did meet him and didn’t like him as a personality, then she might turn her attraction to someone else, which would mean we could watch some of the newer movies that have come out that don’t star Maximus Khan. ”
“He’s only done about ten movies.”
“I know.” Senan yawned. “And I could probably recite the words to every one of them thanks to her.”
As Finlay looked down, he could see Senan watching his face.
“You know I was actually talking about the situation with your brother, and the Luna Pack this afternoon when I asked if you were all right.”
“I guessed that. Gabby was easier to talk about.” Finlay thought for a moment. In the calm of Senan’s bedroom, with his mate in his arms and the smell of their shared lovemaking in the air, the events of the afternoon seemed a lifetime away.
“Today was a real eye-opener for me. That’s the only way I can put it. My own brother sent four of his strongest betas after me, not to hurt me, but to distract me long enough so he could get to you.
“What type of an asshole Alpha does that to his pack mates? He had to know I could beat them – they weren’t allowed to hurt me, so he was putting them at a disadvantage for a start. The second I knew what was happening, my only thought was to get back to you, and they kept getting in my way.
“UGH, it makes me so angry. Morgan should never treat his pack mates like that, but he was just so hellbent on getting his own way. It was pure selfishness. One of the betas told me they’d been there every day since Friday night, waiting for me to go for a run. Who does that?”
“You answered that yourself, hon. He’s always been selfish.” Senan’s hand stroking over his chest reminded Finlay of what and who was important. “Did you speak to him at all before you came to find me?”
“Nope.” Finlay blew out a long breath. “I ran back to the clearing. You weren’t there.
I remembered what you’d said about translocating to the car, and I could smell your magic in the air.
I could also scent Morgan who had gone in the opposite direction.
For me, the choice was obvious.” Finlay chuckled again.
“There you were sitting in the car, reading on your phone as happy as you please. While I probably looked like the wild man of the woods.”
“Your wolf got plenty of exercise.” Senan yawned again.
“I guess what’s worrying me more is what happens now?
Do we have to move, or find you somewhere else to shift?
Because, no disrespect to your only family member, but I know I really don’t want your brother popping up in our lives like a stinking turd every five minutes. ”
“I don’t think he will.” Cradling his mate close, Finlay said quietly, “What you did, what you said, the way you said it, and everything else, I’m so damn proud of you for standing up for yourself.
But you also proved to Morgan that the only way he can get his own way with us will probably lose him his position as Alpha.
And being Alpha of the Luna Pack was all Morgan’s wanted since he was eight years old. ”
“Then he’s got what he wanted. It’s been four years since I first saw him, and it’s not like I’ve bumped into him since then… Not until you came barging into my space.”
“Meeting you was the only decent thing to come out of that event, and ironically, the only reason I was there as Morgan’s plus one, was because the man can’t get a date.”
“We both know why. You can send him a book on dating tips for Christmas.” Senan’s body was warm against Finlay’s side, and his cock twitched. “Hmm, when I’m curled up with you, the thought of working as many shifts as I’ve been used to does not appeal.”
“Great minds think alike.” Finlay trailed his hand over Senan’s shoulder.
“I think I’ll get in touch with my boss and let him know I’ll only be available for local work.
The jobs will be few and far between, but today, that panic I felt at not being able to get to you was very real.
Not that I think you can’t look after yourself, because you clearly can, but… yeah. I suppose that sounds lame.”
“Sounds like a mate talking to me. But we might need a new house. We need somewhere for you to have a grill, and I don’t even have a back porch.”
Finlay had already decided to put his house on the market. Senan’s was smaller, but it was a lovely space, perfect for the two of them. “I’ll get in touch with your landlord tomorrow and see if he wants to sell. Then I can build us a porch for the grill.”
“Now that’s a sexy image.” Senan giggled against his chest. “You shirtless with tight jeans and a tool belt. Hmm. My favorite fictional fantasy. I do love a man who’s good with his hands.”
“Ooh, you’ll have to show me some of the books you’ve been reading.” Finlay pulled his mate so Senan was lying on his chest. “Did you want me to show you how good I am with my…hammer?”
“I can’t believe how well you say things like that with such a straight face.” Senan was still laughing when Finlay pulled him in for a kiss.