Page 110 of Quarterback Sneak
“But you’re his friend,” I protest.
“Doesn’t matter.” It’s quiet, and I don’t know what to say. “I’m going to go back inside,” Reid says quietly. “If you need us, just call. We’ll hear you.” He starts to go back inside.
“Wait. Are all of you...” I pause, looking for the right words.
“Wolf shifters? Yes.”
Without another word, he steps back inside and closes the sliding door. I’m left alone with the huge wolf that’s eyeing me. I step over to him tentatively and run my hand over his head.He makes that sound again, the one Reid said was contentment. There’s a small sound from the trees behind the house, and the wolf’s head jerks that way. I watch as he stares into the trees, his body tense. There’s something about it that’s beautiful and yet terrifying. I know instinctively that this animal is a predator, a very dangerous animal; and yet, I feel no fear. A sense of calm descends over me as I realize that I don’t have to fear anything. Zane kept telling me I was safe, that I had nothing to fear. The reality of that stands in front of me. Suddenly, I’m exhausted. I drop to the ground next to Zane’s wolf. “Is it okay if I sit next to you?” I ask, running my hands through its fur. It makes that contented sound again. “You’ll keep me safe, right?” The wolf snorts, and I smile. I run my hands through its fur; the motion calming and centering me.
Sometime later, Zane’s wolf growls low in its chest. I open my eyes and realize I’m fully reclined against the wolf. “I’m just bringing your mate a blanket.” I recognize Quint’s voice, but my eyes are too heavy to open them all the way. The blanket settles over me, and I relax against Zane’s wolf. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I should move inside; but I’m warm and safe and don’t want to move.
My pillow moves, and I shift, trying to get comfortable. When my pillow moves again, I pry open my eyes. I frown when I see the sky above me instead of the ceiling in my dorm. Everything comes flooding back, and I jerk upright and turn my head to stare at the massive wolf behind me. It's green eyes, eyes that definitely belong to Zane, peer back at me. When it stands, I follow its lead. I don’t know what time it is, but it’s definitely time to get back inside. It’s not sunrise yet, but it looks like it’s not far off. Zane’s wolf nudges me towards the door, and I open it. When I look back at him, he nudges me again. He watches me expectantly, and I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do. It nods its head at me once more, but I still don’t get it. Then heshifts back into Zane, and I squeak when a naked Zane stands in front of me. I whirl around, heart pounding.
“Sorry, I was trying to get you to go inside,” he says, his voice full of amusement. A second later, I feel strong arms wrap around me from behind. “Thank you,” he breathes against my hair.
“Are you still naked?” I ask, my voice a little high-pitched.
His hand strokes my side. “Do you want me to be?” he asks in a low voice.
“No!”
He chuckles. “Someday, you will.”
I don’t bother answering that, but I'm pretty sure my red cheeks tell the full story. “So, just to clarify, you’re not naked.”
“No, Baby. I’m not.” I turn in his arms and stare up at him. His eyes stare into mine. “So, you slept against my wolf. I take that as a sign you’re not afraid of him, right?”
His face takes on a look I’ve never seen before on him—vulnerable. I reach up and take his strong jaw in my hands like he’s done so many times to me. “No. Not at all. I can’t believe I fell asleep like that and slept outside.”
“You were exhausted. Come on, let’s go inside.” We step inside, and he closes the door behind us. “Did you want to go back to bed for a few hours? It’s still early.”
I stretch, working out the kinks in my back from sleeping outside. “I don’t think I’ll be able to, now that I’m fully awake.” When I lift my gaze to his, his eyes are heated.
“Did I mention I really like you wearing my clothes?”
I grin at him. “Only once or twice.”
He steps close, taking me in his arms. “Well, then let me state it for the record. I love seeing you in my clothes.”
“Well, that’s good because I’m pretty sure I’m never giving you this shirt back.”
“Keep it.” His hands drop to my waist. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes.” My voice is a little breathless.
“Want to help me make breakfast?”
That lights me up. “Yes.” I use the scrunchie on my wrist to pull my hair into a messy bun. “Okay, put me to work. Zane?” I prompt when he doesn’t answer.
“Did I mention I really like you in my clothes?”
I pat his chest. “Yes. Now, what are we making for breakfast?”
He sighs and walks over to the fridge. Meanwhile, I start opening cupboards to see what they have. I see a box of pancake mix and grin. I reach up on my tiptoes to get it but can’t reach it. “Who puts pancake mix on the top shelf?” I mutter to myself.
A strong body leans against my back, and I catch my breath. “I did specifically for moments like this,” he says next to my ear. When he finally grabs the mix and hands it to me and steps away from me, I put my hand on my hip.
“Did you really?”
