Page 36 of The Alpha Option
“The picnic will be a picnic,” Jace said as calmly as possible. “They’re good people, most of them. And Del won’t let anything happen to you.”
Cassidy lifted a brow. “That compliment sounded as if someone were pulling your teeth.”
“It’s that balance thing,” he told her. “Del’s not a bad person. But he’s not where he’s supposed to be, according to my wolf.”
Blue pushed back his empty plate and met Jace’s gaze straight on. “I’ll be with them. I promise, nothing’s going to happen on my watch.”
“Huckleberry.” Stephanie’s smile flashed bright.
Jace’s cousin waggled his brows. “Sweet enough to eat.”
The gagging instinct was too fast to ignore. “Gah. Please. I’m trying to keep my food down,” Jace complained.
The rest of the evening passed quickly between dinner cleanup, a few final tasks, and gathering by the fire to make plans for the next day.
Jace found Cassidy’s gaze lingering on him, and he took the time to come in close whenever possible. To stroke a hand down her arm. Slide it over her shoulders and squeeze because touching her felt right.
Blue and Stephanie sat to one side of the fire, intently discussing what they wanted to bring to the potluck. Cassidy lowered her voice and tilted her head to the side as she spoke quietly to Jace. “Are you really okay with us going to this thing?”
He blinked. “You said it—it’s pretty important not only for the connections to Timberwolf Lodge but for your friend’s son.”
Her gaze stayed steady on his. “It is important. But you and I seem to be starting something as well, and I want you to know I’m aware you’re choosing to let this ride. I might not understand everything within the wolf community, but it feels like a pretty big give to let us go when you’re not allowed to be there. And I appreciate it.”
His goddess was smart, intuitive, and so fucking sexy, he was going to lose his cool. He leaned in close and brushed a gentle kiss to her cheek. “The fact you shared that with me means a lot. Yeah, I’m fighting some cave-wolf instincts right now, but I’m also interested in your take on the pack.”
“As an outside human observer?”
Oh, the innocence of her question. Before very long, she would be leading the pack at his side. Guiding them in all the ways he wasn’t able to, their skills lined up for the good of everyone.
What a thrill it would be to finally reach that moment.
He met her gaze steadily. “You’re more than human. Remember that. See what you think is right and wrong. What needs to go forward, what needs to change.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “I planned to do a lot of assessing, even without your prompting.” She fixed her sexy smile on him again. “I had fun this afternoon.”
“So did I.”
She laid a hand on his thigh and squeezed lightly. “I’m going to hit the sack now. Alone.”
She wasn’t ready to jump in with both feet full-time, and he understood. He wasn’t ready either. “Sleep well.”
She vanished into the house, Stephanie following soon after.
He and Blue stretched out their legs and stared into the crackling fire. A quiet settled over them as the coals glowed brilliant red and the logs slowly faded to ash.
“Good day?” Blue asked.
“Good day,” Jace agreed. He grinned at his cousin. “Jasper pack isn’t going to know what hit them.”
“Just control yourself, and don’t start a war while we’re at the picnic,” Blue warned.
Jace snorted. “Please. I have some self-control.”
Blue gave himthe look.
That’s all he did, but it was very clearly one step shy of blowing a raspberry. And all Jace could think was,Yeah, my cousin knows me pretty damn well.
Especially when Sunday, just after lunch, as Blue and the girls got into the SUV and headed off to the picnic. Jace stood in the roadway and waved until the vehicle took off over the hill.
