Page 43 of Deception

“Hi, guys.” She smiled and tried not to crane her neck to see behind them.

Then a fourth man crowded the doorway, and her smile stretched cheek to cheek. Her wolf wagged its tail and cheered.

Mate! My mate!

Their eyes locked, and his smile went from happy to blissed-out with lovestruck joy.

Hers, too.

Drew stepped slowly over the threshold, rubbing a shoulder against the doorframe in a way that said,Mine. Mine to cherish and protect.

And it was his, in a way, just as the place was hers, too. When they’d come back from Utah, Soren and the others had invited them to join the Blue Moon clan, and she’d shed tears of joy.

I think that means yes,Drew had said, grinning a mile wide.

All she could do was nod and blubber, unable to express it all. Home. She had a real home with an honest group of shifters she loved and respected. And best of all, with her mate.

She got a permanent job working shifts in the café and saloon, and Drew did, too. He shared bartending duties in the saloon, helped out in the café at its busiest times, and did all the odd jobs Soren and Simon didn’t have time to do. Which there were a hell of a lot of because both businesses were booming. The clan was flourishing, too. Jessica hadn’t said anything yet, but Summer was pretty sure that new, rosy glow on her boss’ cheeks didn’t just come from the prospect of a little time off now that there were more hands to share the load. She’d bet anything Jess was expecting, though she didn’t say a word. That was for Jessica to announce when she and Simon were ready.

Babies. Mates. Bright futures. A dozen sunny possibilities rushed through her mind as she watched Drew come through the door.

He paused and wiped his boots — such a polite bear — in that right-left, right-left pattern she knew so well and finally stepped up to her. Right up to her, nice and close.

“Morning.” His green-gold eyes sparkled and danced with joy.

“Morning,” she replied, trying not to blush. Because it had been a good morning. A damn good one when she’d woken naked and draped across his body with her head pillowed on his mile-wide chest. The best morning ever, it seemed like, because she was at his side.

He was so close she could kiss him, but just when she was about to, he took a tiny, teasing step back. That was a little habit he’d kept from their early days. Close-closer-back and then close again. She loved it — that reminder of how much they’d stood to lose, and how much they’d gained.

Mate,he rumbled, closing the gap again to kiss her at last.

She closed her eyes and drank in his kiss. And drank and drank as he backed her up to the wall. He held her there, his big, hard body flush against hers, and kissed her like they’d been apart for months, not hours. He nipped her lips, then smoothed them over with his tongue, and tasted her again and again.

“There they go again,” Luke sighed.

“Didn’t you give these kids a place to play house?” Mack joked.

“Love,” Sam said. “True love. Don’t mess with it, boys.”

A rumbling sound came from Drew’s chest, agreeing with Sam.Don’t mess with me or my mate.

Summer reveled in his kiss for another minute before forcing herself to break it off. Because, oops, she was supposed to be working. She got as far as tucking her face against Drew’s shoulder but got stuck there. Man, did he smell good. Felt good, too.

Mate. Want my mate,her wolf growled.Don’t want to wait any more.

That was the issue — the waiting. When they’d returned to Arizona, they’d decided not to exchange mating bites until things had settled down a bit. Drew still needed some time to heal from his wounds, and she needed time to get used to feeling…well, free. Free of the crushing guilt, the need to prove herself constantly.

Believe me, he’s ready,her wolf growled.And I am, too.

She was beginning to think they’d put off mating bites a little too long, given the way they nearly devoured each other every time they touched. A little PDA was okay, but too much…

“You know what?” Mack announced so decisively, everyone turned.

“What?” Luke replied on cue.

Mack stepped behind the counter. “I can get my own muffin, and Sam can get his own coffee. You don’t mind, do you, Jess?”

Jessica grinned. “Don’t mind at all.”

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