Page 93 of Broken Wolf Heart
I grin. “Thought about going back to Shady’s and making him an offer.”
“Is that why you brought me here? Hoping for another lap dance?”
Her question, and more specifically, my answer, sobers me. “I brought you here because you deserve to feel safe somewhere in the world.”
She blinks then looks away, but not before I glimpse tears brimming in her eyes.
“You don’t have to decide anything tonight,” I tell her softly. “You don’t even have to move in. I just wanted you to know it’s here. A place that’s yours. Ours.”
A place we call home.
I don’t say the last part. Mostly because Lexiismy home, and that has nothing to do with walls or a roof. But I know shedoesn’t feel comfortable at Franco’s, and truth be told, neither do I.
She turns to me slowly. “Show me the rest?”
I nod and lead her through the house.
There are two bedrooms, both already furnished. The one I’ve mentally marked as ours has a king-sized bed covered in bright throw pillows (a nod to how much Lexi seemed to light up at Mia’s bright-ass apartment) and a bay window seat overlooking the side yard. White curtains frame the French doors that lead straight out to the backyard.
She arches a brow at me. “Is this the guest room?”
“I thought this might be our room.”
She gives a mock gasp. “No monotones this time? How will you manage to sleep in here?”
“Smartass,” I say wryly, swatting her ass. “Besides, I don’t plan to do much sleeping in this bed.”
She grins and goes back to exploring the room.
A few books line the shelves—I stocked them with titles she’s talked about, ones I remembered her mentioning as being better than the movies. Her black duffel sits on the bench at the foot of the bed.
I don’t mention it.
She notices, though.
She reaches out and gently touches the bag. “Is this…?” She looks up at me sharply. “You said we couldn’t go back to the penthouse now that— I thought I’d never see this stuff again.”
“I hid it at the warehouse before the wedding.”
Her throat works, but she doesn’t speak.
Instead, she walks to the French doors and pulls them open. I follow her out to the deck where stepping stones lead to a grotto-style pool, a small waterfall spilling into it with a soothing rush. A fence offers a sense of privacy, but it’s notnecessary, considering the thick trees that press in on all three sides. Or the fact that we’re miles and miles from the nearest neighbor.
Lexi gasps at the sight of the oasis. “This is…”
I grin. “There’s a hot tub, too, around the corner. But this felt more like you.”
She turns to me, eyes sparkling. “You did this for me?”
I step closer, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I did this for us.”
“Why the pool?”
I lean in, my voice low. “Because I like seeing you in a bathing suit. Especially that blue bikini you wore at Dutch’s.”
Her lips part, mischief dancing in her eyes. “You like seeing me naked more.”
“Obviously.”
