Page 69 of Taming of a Wolf

“Here.” He drops my gran’s necklace into my lap. “Thank you for entrusting it to me.”

I lift his hand to my lips and kiss his fingers. “Thank you for giving it back.”

Damn. I can’t believe he’s really here. I honestly thought I’d never see him again. Somehow, Anders has become such an intrinsic part of my life. But does he feel the same? It’s so hard to imagine he cares for me the way I do for him. “Thank you for coming home.” I wince. “Sorry. I know this isn’t yourhomehome.”

Anders’s hand freezes where he is caressing my stomach. “And why wouldn’t I have come back to you?”

My cheeks warm. I really didn’t want to out my insecurities like this. “It just doesn’t make sense to me.” I clear my throat. “I forgot to put marshmallows in my hot chocolate.” I try to stand, but Anders yanks me back down.

“Tell me,” he commands, voice rough and low.

Oh no. Here goes… In a rush, I say, “Because everything important to you is in the past.”

Anders’s chest rises and falls on a slow exhale, like he’s trying for patience. “Have I not made it clear how important you and the lad are to me?”

“N-no. You have.” My mouth is dry. I take a sip of hot chocolate, then set the drink on the nightstand. “If… if your brothers had asked you to stay, would you have?”

Anders doesn’t answer right away. He takes a slurp of his drink, puts it down, then wraps his arms tight around me. “I am unsure.”

It’s not the ringing endorsement I wanted, but hey, I should be grateful he didn’t say yes. “Oh.”

He sighs. “Do not sound so disappointed, pet. I only meant—” He bites off his words with a frustrated growl. “I only meant that when I was exiled, I had a goal. Return home, overthrow my brother, and lead his pack. Meeting you, the one I was fated for, that was never part of my plans.”

“And what’s your plan now? Do you still want to return home, after everything?”

I feel Anders nuzzle his nose into my hair. He breathes in deep and exhales, his breath warm against my scalp. “I have no plan, pet. From the moment I met you, nothing has worked out the way I wanted—and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t know where I fit anymore. Where it is that I can call home. All I do know is that I want to be wherever you are, James Sullivan.”

His words make my heart sing. “Sounds good to me.”

“Could we continue my reading lessons?” Anders asks.

I grin. “Sure. Actually, there’s a book I wanted to introduce you to. It’s a Viking romance by my favorite author.” I grab the dog-eared book from my nightstand. I’ve reread this whole series dozens of times. “It’s my go-to comfort read.”

Anders squints at the title. “Th… the Viking’s—what is that word?”

I try not to laugh at his bad pronunciation. “It’s calledThe Viking’s Irish Lad.It’s the first in a gay historical romance seriesby L. A. Richardson. He writes some of the best romances I’ve ever read, but his historical stuff is just amazing! They’re so well researched, spicy, and heartwarming.”

“What do you mean by spicy?” he asks, leaning down to give the book a sniff, like he thinks it will smell of paprika or something.

“You know. Lots of fucking.”

Anders smirks. “Oh. And you like these fucking books?”

I return his smirk with a lecherous smile. “Oh yeah. You will too. I’ll read it to you. You can tell me how accurate it is.”

Anders settles back against the pillows, and I begin to read. I’m so familiar with the story that I know it almost word for word. Anders listens, but sometimes he interrupts to ask about a new word that’s caught his eye. By chapter two, the Irish lad has been captured by the sexy alphahole Viking chieftain. Anders decides to try reading a bit. He’s slow, and he mispronounces a lot of words, but I’m amazed by what a fast learner he is, and when his face lights up when he pronounces a word right, my heart feels light and warm.

I want more days like this. Just the two of us, curled up together and enjoying a book. Anders fits so perfectly into my life despite all our differences that it’s getting impossible to imagine being without him.

I’ve liked a lot of guys before, but I never loved them.

Not like I love Anders.

“Jamie, tomorrow, do you think we could—”

It’s like a chunk of ice drops into my stomach. Tomorrow. Shit. What’s the date?

“Jamie, what is it?” Anders sounds startled when I suddenly lean over him and grab for my phone. I open my calendar app, and my worst fears are confirmed.

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