“Unless they’re poisoned,” Callum said. “One bite, and you’re dead.”
I closed my eyes. “Callum? I swear to all that’s holy, I’m gonna take off my shoe and hit you with it.”
Maddox examined the contents further. “Peaches too. And pears.”
“A fruit basket?” I released my death hold on Briar and inched closer to Maddox. Once beside him, I peeked into the basket. The fruit didn’t only look delicious but it smelled just as great. Green apples with a few red ones. Peaches and pears that were perfectly ripe, not too hard or mushy. The perfect ripeness for baking into pies or cobbler. “Who sent it? Is there a note?”
“Not that I can see,” Maddox said, but then stopped. “Wait.” He shifted a peach out of the way, revealing a small piece of parchment.
Please use these for your next dessertwas written in slightly messy handwriting, the writing smeared in some places and drops of ink following the word, as if whoever wrote it struggled with what to say.And thank you. For everything.
It wasn’t signed.
“Lookie here,” Duke said, pulling a rose from the basket. It had been with the note. “The Thorn Prince has a secret admirer. A love letter and a red rose.”
“Every male in this room admires him,” Quincy added. “Some greater than others.”
Maddox glared. “As long as every male in this room, apart from me and the physician, keep their hands off him, we won’t have a problem.”
“Yes, sir,” Quincy said.
Duke looked like he was about to laugh but coughed instead. “Understood, Captain.”
As if they’d try to make a move on me. I almost rolled my eyes at the thought. They might’ve liked to tease me, but it was more like how an older brother picked on a younger one. Nothing romantic at all. Maddox was just slightly overprotective and possessive.
A little bit.
Okay, a lot.
Duke handed me the rose, and I pressed it to my nose. The petals were so soft. I then took the basket over to the opposite counter and unloaded the fruit, mulling over the note. My gaze returned to the basket. Intricately woven wicker. It reminded me of…
Lake.
Similar baskets had been placed throughout his cottage, one in the living room holding knitted lap blankets and another he’d used when picking vegetables from his garden.
“It’s not a secret admirer,” I said, chest warming. “Lake sent it.”
Maddox growled under his breath. “That wolf needs to keep his distance.” He stepped up behind me and rested his arms on each side of me, lowering his face to the back of my neck. “I don’t trust him.”
“Because he’s a wolf? That’s not fair.”
“No, because every time he comes around, you end up hurt.”
“He doesn’t mean to,” I said, recalling the pained look in Lake’s eyes as he saw the blood on my arm. Despite his impulsiveness, he had a gentle soul. “He’s just not used to being around people.”
Talking about Lake in front of Callum and the others didn’t worry me. They had been in the ‘rescue Evan party’ months ago when I’d gotten myself lost in the woods. They’d come with Maddox and Briar to find me, meeting Lake for the first time.
“This looks so good.” I grabbed a peach and turned it from side to side, deciding the best place to bite it.
Maddox put his hand over the peach. “If you plan on eating that, allow me to take the first bite.”
“Just in case it’s poisoned?” I pulled my hand away from him. “Lake wouldn’t do that.”
“Then you won’t mind me testing it just to be certain.” Maddox snatched the peach from me and bit into it. Juice seeped from the fruit, shining on his lips as he chewed.
My mouth watered. He looked more delicious than the peach. On impulse, I rose up to my tiptoes and licked at his juicy lips, tasting both him and the fruit. “Yummy.”
Maddox’s hungry gaze fanned my own flames of arousal. Without a doubt, I knew he’d be throwing me down and fucking me the moment we were alone.
