Page 24 of Pack Coffey

"You don't regret it?" I ask with my eyes still closed, dreading the answer.

"Look at me, Darci," he demands, lifting my chin from his chest. When I do, he says, "Not a snowball's chance in hell. I toldyou last night. I'm willing to risk it all if I have to. Once I make my mind up about something like that, there's no going back."

I press a kiss against his lips, smiling as I do. We lay in the warm bed cuddling and talking around listening to the rain for a little while longer.

He finally stretches and asks, "Want to come over today?"

I don't think it's a question that needs answered, but I do anyway. "Yes."

“I’m going to have to get you a gift,” he mutters to himself. “Since we lost your prize last night.”

There’s only one thing I can think of that I will gladly take in place of my big, black bear, and we’re headed to the perfect place for it.

Chapter Eight

When we get to the pack house, we're drenched again by the time that we make it inside. The rain just doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. Saint opens the door for me, and we're greeted with their own Bear. I let him sniff my hand before going in for pets so that he hopefully remembers me. Of course, just like any male, he immediately forgoes the offered hand and sticks his face in my crotch. Saint chuckles and walks away, leaving me to deal with it. Grabbing the pup's face, I squeeze his cheeks between my hands and rub his face and ears as I baby-talk him the whole time.

"What I want to know," Banks says, coming around the corner. "Is what does aguyhave to do to be greeted like that?"

I raise up and tap my chin. "I don't know. Be a dog."

He laughs, shaking his head. "There are so many ways I could take that I'm not going to."

"In that case," I tell him, throwing my arms around his middle for a hug. "you earn a good morning."

"I'll take it," he says, wrapping me up and lifting me off my feet. When he sets me back down, his nostrils flare. Much like Bear, I get the feeling he knows exactly what happened last night. He must scent Saint on me, but being a gentleman, he doesn't say anything about it. Keeping an arm around my shoulders, he leads us into the kitchen where I can smell breakfast cooking.

Henry and Lawrence are already at the table, the latter on his phone and the former reading a newspaper. Keaton is over by the stove stacking him a plate high with pancakes while Saint makes us both a cup of orange juice. We stopped for coffee on the way over, but I've already drank it, obviously. Long night equals caffeine consumption at an ungodly rate.

Keaton pauses on his way by and presses a kiss against my temple before carrying onward to the table. I'm hungry but Igo to greet the last two of the pack before I make myself a plate. Throwing my arms around Lawrence's shoulders from behind, I give him a good squeeze, giving him just enough time to pat my arm before I move to Henry. We aren't on the same touching level yet as I am with some of the others, so I put my arm across his shoulder and look down to see what he's reading. His arm goes around my hips and, at that point, I don't really care what he's reading. As long as it's not another murder, and it's not.

By the time that I've greeted them both, Banks has already stacked some pancakes and bacon on a plate for me and set it on the table. I smother it in syrup and dig in as they start talking to each other. I'm halfway through before I notice Banks and Keaton sitting across the table staring at me.

Casting my eyes around, I see they're not the only ones. "What?"

Bank's tongue comes out to lick his bottom lip before he smiles. "Must've had a long night to be so hungry."

I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. I glance to Saint for help, which immediately has Banks cracking up. Keaton tries to hide his smile as he elbows Banks.

"Don't let him get at you," Henry states, rolling his eyes. "He's just teasing you because he's jealous it wasn't him."

"Damn right I am," Banks agrees, putting his elbows on the table and leaning into his hands. "I'm also intrigued. The one person to ever truly capture the attention of our badass, impenetrable pack alpha."

"That is actually impressive," Lawrence pitches in.

Saint's expression is asking him,really?

It makes me giggle slightly before pressing my lips tightly together to keep it from happening again. They all smile at the sound. Even Saint himself. He may be acting his normal serious self, but there's something in his expression and the way that he's carrying himself this morning that seems different. Almostlike a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. I remind myself to ask him about it later.

"Any who," Banks says, switching the subject. "We've got to go to the firehall today to check in. Want to come with us?"

Looking between him and Keaton, I can't keep a straight face, knowing I'd love nothing more than to spend some time with them today.

After breakfast, the three of us load up in Keaton's truck and head down to the firehall. The way they joke and tease each other has my stomach hurting and in tears by the time we roll up outside.

"Now," Banks is explaining to me, "if you just so happen to run into any other firemen in here, I'm going to need you to remember that you've already captured the heart of your own two heroes, okay? Don't be giving these boys in here false hope."

I know he's teasing me the way he did Keaton the entire ride over here, but I'm not so sure that he's kidding about capturing their hearts. It makes my own feel funny in my chest. As we walk in, there doesn't seem to be anybody around, but there's a loud ruckus coming from somewhere toward the back.

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