Page 41 of Alpha's Sunflower Smiles

His hands came up to wrap around my neck and pull me into another, deeper kiss. I let him take charge for a while, simply falling into his kiss.

Then he whispered into the space between us, “I love you, too.”

Perhaps it was the shock of the evening – Papa barging in, telling him about Wilfred, confessing our love – but my mouth ran away with me again.

I had meant to wait much longer before telling Wilfred what I wanted but it just popped out.

“Wilfred, I want to move in with you.”

“You do?”

“I know it’s unconventional to ask to move into your partner’s place, but I can’t ask you to live here; I know you hate my house. I want to live with you, where I can see you whenever I look up, where I can wake up beside you every day, where you’re happiest and where I can protect you.”

I knew his answer, even before he gave it. Wilfred beamed with such sunshine in his expression that he could have lit the room.

“I’d love you to move in with me. Or, if you prefer, we can find a place together. I know alp— some people get funny about moving into another person’s house.”

“You mean alphas like to be the ones to provide?” I teased.

“Yes, but I realise that’s a stereotype.”

“Perhaps, but I’m happy to live in your cottage. You love it there and I can’t think of anywhere else you’d love as much. It would make me happy if you let me change the door, though.”

Wilfred chuckled. “Alder said alphas were funny about doors.”

I gave an offended huff. “Your door is fifty years old and it’s not secure. Anyone with a good shoulder could barge it open.”

That was why I had insisted Wilfred stay here this week, even though I knew he disliked the modern house and the sleek décor. At least it was secure. The one night we’d spent together at his cottage, I’d slept badly, half-awake all night, listening forintruders. It made me break out in a cold sweat to think of Wilfred being there without me.

To my intense relief, Wilfred gave me an indulgent look, as though he thought it was sweet that I was so silly, but he agreed.

“I’d love for you to move in with me, and you can make any changes to any doors that you like.”

I pressed a kiss to his lips. “I only need to change the front door.” I paused. “And the back door. And, if you don’t mind, the window in the kitchen as well, the one with the dodgy latch.”

He nodded. “If you like.”

“I do like.”

And this time, when I kissed him, I didn’t come back up for air until I’d carried him into the bedroom. I wanted to make my man come.

Chapter 17

Wilfred

Ifelt silly for worrying about Pete not wanting to be in a permanent relationship with me but, in my defence, I didn’t really have much experience with dating. What I did know was that Pete made me feel so full of happiness that I felt like I was going to burst.

He’d been so funny this morning when he drove me to my cottage and prowled around it, making note of all the things he was going to change before it was safe enough for us to live in.

I’d started to feel bad that I’d done such a bad job of looking after the place but he was pleased I’d had a fire alarm installed and had a fire blanket in the kitchen. That made me feel competent.

We were going to stay at Pete’s house until my cottage was fixed because I could see the idea of staying in my cottage with the dodgy door caused him genuine distress. I didn’t mind. Really, I just wanted to be with Pete and I’d have lived in thatboring, square house forever if that was what he needed to feel safe.

Luckily he didn’t want that. He was right. I loved my cottage.

Just not as much as I loved Pete, that’s all.

And, because I loved Pete, I was going to do something scary.

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