Page 70 of Shifters' Fated Summer
Scared to jostle his sprained wrist, I reached down and grabbed the ice pack.
Warm golden-brown eyes opened and focused on me. For a tense moment, we stared at each other.
“Are you okay?” I asked hoarsely.
A flush painted his cheeks dusty rose, and my stomach fluttered at the sight. Scowling, he extracted his arms and rolled away.
I watched the muscles of his back flex under his t-shirt as he unwrapped his wrist and tested it. It must have felt better, because he piled the bandage on the side table and stood up without glancing back at me.
After a quick visit to the bathroom, Cade left the room, leaving me disheveled and confused. This absolute indifference was almost more confusing than his anger.
The room was silent as I deliberated what to do. My stomach let out a growl. I hadn’t eaten much before morning training, and from the warm light filtering through the branches out the window, it was almost dinner time.
Stiffly, I straightened my clothes and dragged my fingers through my short hair to settle it. With one last glance in the mirror, I headed downstairs.
Luca met me at the bottom. “Everything good?” he asked, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. I leaned into his touch, and he reciprocated by sliding his handsaround my waist and drawing me against him. The warm comfort was what my heart needed, and I felt myself thawing.
“I didn’t get to see if Cade was better,” I muttered.
“He’s fine. The wrist healed in record time. You’re invaluable.” His smooth tone wrapped around me, easing the tension in my muscles. But his words left me feeling sour.
“Because I’m his fated mate? What if I wasn’t?”
Brows furrowing, Luca shook his head. “No, because you’re important to him. And to me. Even before the bond, I wanted you. Never forget that.”
Surrendering, I nuzzled into his chest. After a moment, he led me to the sofa and we curled up together. His affection was a balm after Cade’s stiff indifference.
My fated mate spent the rest of the day holed up in his office. Everyone ate whatever they wanted for dinner, and Luca heated up leftover steak, feeding me strips of thin beef dipped in spiced butter. It was delicious licked off his fingers.
His cousins ignored us. Lux sat and worked on a laptop with Finn, while Lana typed on a cell phone with her headphones on.
After my second yawn, Luca pulled me upstairs and we settled down to sleep. The bed felt empty without Cade, and I hated the fact it bothered me. It wasn’t fair when I had Luca curled around me, lavishing me with affection.
It sucked, but the bond wasn’t something I had anycontrol over, and fighting it just made us sick, as Cade hadlearned the hard way.
Chapter 26
Heat
When I woke, the heat of Luca against me felt like an oven. Groaning, I turned over, letting cool air wash over my skin. We’d kicked off the covers in the night.
Already, sunshine filled the room. An aching pit in my stomach prevented me from falling back asleep, so I dragged myself to the bathroom. A cool shower washed away my exhaustion and that sticky, sweaty feeling of being overheated by the big werewolf I slept with.
When I emerged, Luca was groggily rubbing at his eyes.
“Good morning, sunshine,” I teased.
He fell back onto his pillow. “If you insist.”
Chuckling, I headed to the kitchen, leaving my grumpy lover alone so he could get more sleep. That gnawing feeling in my belly wouldn’t leave me alone, so I gathered up fruit and one of the cinnamon rolls Holt had made the day before and walked to the patio.
The sunshine was hot on my skin, but it felt good. Sighing, I sank into a cushioned chair and balanced myplate on the wide arm rest.
All was peaceful, if not a little uncomfortably warm, until footsteps interrupted my solo breakfast.
Lana jogged up the steps, her boobs bouncing in a tight sports bra with a cutout in the middle to show off the line of her breasts pressing together.
Rolling my eyes, I went back to my breakfast. Unfortunately, she stopped in front of me. Her blonde ponytail fell over her shoulder as she removed ear buds.
