Page 31 of Sweet Tooth

“We have a place like that at home. It’s sweet but not so sweet that it messes with the other flavors.”

“Sounds pretty similar. I took the liberty of ordering half cheese and half pepperoni. I wasn’t sure what to get and didn’t want to bother you at work.”

“Either works fine for me. The one I usually get back home is pepperoni and onion so…” She paused, her lips curving upward when she looked at me then. “What? You’ve never done it before?”

“I’ve heard of pineapple on pizza, but onions?” I wrinkled my nose at her.

“Don’t diss it until you try it.”

“Next time, for sure.”

“Planning our second date already?”

“I… sure. You’re smiling, which means you must be having a good time, right?”

“I am, mostly because I don’t have to stand on my feet for another five hours.”

“Just you wait. As soon as we get home, you won’t have to do anything at all.”

 

* * *

 

After getting our pie and pulling into the drive, I unlocked the front door, then held it for her so she could go inside. Kate took two steps, then let out a slow breath.

“Wow.” Kate put a hand to her chest as she scanned the room. “Are those the original?” she asked while pointing to the intricate carvings along the stairwell.

“They are. My dad did them.”

“They’re beautiful.” She walked over and ran her hand across the polished spindles. “The beams overhead as well?”

I studied the support beams above us and grinned. “Yup. He designed this entire house. He had some help from his friends when it came to building it, but the design is his.” Which for wolves wasn’t that unusual.

“I think it would be so cool to design something like this and see it to fruition.”

“It’s very rewarding,” I said as we continued through the living room, into the kitchen, then down the steps to the lower level of the house.

“Oh.” Kate stopped before she reached the bottom of the steps. “You guys hunt?”

“We used to,” I admitted once I placed the pizza box on the coffee table, “but between work and sleep, we don’t have as much time as we used to.”

Kate bobbed her head, then continued around the room. As she did, my stomach turned. Did she like that we were hunters? Did she care?

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t realized she was talking to me until she placed her hand on my arm.

“Hey, you okay?” Deep brown eyes bore right into my soul.

“Yeah, sorry. Most folks freak out when they see the heads on the wall.”

“Not me. My childhood friend had them as well. So long as it isn’t for sport, I don’t care.”

“Hunting for sport is so disrespectful.” We used every part of the animal we killed.

“It’s also a waste,” Kate said as she lowered onto the sofa.

With the house tour out of the way, I joined Kate on the couch and opened the pizza box only to realize I’d forgotten the plates. “One sec. Do you want anything to drink? We have apple juice, cola, and I think I might have some tea left as well.”

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