Page 10 of Dancer's Heart

“We need to talk about my work,” he said, frowning.

“Later,” Dani purred, scratching his back lightly with her fingernails. “Much later.”

CHAPTERFOUR

The following morning, Row called and asked to stop by with Kammie to say goodbye. Kammie, for whatever reason, had decided they should go to the sleuth sooner rather than later.

“We’ll bring Mom back with us,” Row said. “I know she wants to meet Adam.”

“If you really loved me, you’d bring my stuff back with you.”

He looked down at her, his eyes flashing with emotion. “I do love you, Dani. You’re a wonderful little sister, and I’m glad you found your truemate.”

“Adam will keep me safe,” she said.

Row looked over her head where she knew Adam was watching them. “I know he will. I’ll always care that you’re safe and loved, but you’ve got a good male.”

She gave him and Kammie a final hug, and then shut the door. Turning to face Adam, she said, “Kammie has a hard time of things in the pack, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah. Being forced to be a low-ranked omega isn’t easy for anyone.”

She tilted her head and looked at her handsome mate. He had the most soulful blue eyes. When they sparkled with desire, it made everything inside her go haywire. “So, I don’t understand this omega stuff, because the sleuth isn’t ranked like the pack is. Before we go meet with your alphas, I’d like to know what the deal is with everything.”

He smiled. “Of course. I wanted to talk about my job anyway.” He looked past her shoulder to the front window. “It’s sunny. Want to go for a walk?”

“It’s pretty cold,” she pointed out.

“I’ll keep you warm.”

After dressing in her winter coat and matching magenta hat and gloves, she took Adam’s hand and followed him out of the kitchen’s sliding door into the backyard. The yard was ample, edged on three sides with small shrubs. Beyond the shrubs were the woods where she’d met Adam.

They passed by the shrubs and walked into the woods. The morning sunlight filtered through the trees, making the snow shimmer. “It’s so pretty here,” Dani said.

“I’m sure it’s pretty in Oakville.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure you want to stay in Wilde Creek?” he asked.

“Of course. Don’t you want to?”

He was quiet for a moment, and then said, “I do. But I want your happiness more than I want anything for myself. If you’d be happier with your sleuth, then that’s where I’d be happy, too.”

She glanced at him and the frown that tugged the corners of his full mouth downward. “I’m not going anywhere, you know.”

He looked at her in surprise. “What?”

“I mean, I’m not taking off, period. I feel like you’re trying to be extra-nice to get me to stick around. We’re truemates. Where you are is where I am.”

His frown eased and his gaze softened. They stopped walking and turned to face each other, his hands resting on her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Dani. You probably think I’m an idiot.”

“Never.”

He chuckled mirthlessly. “I have no idea how to be a good mate to you. My mom died when I was a kid, and all my dad did was carouse with human women.” He rested one hand over his heart. “Iknowyou won’t leave, but part of me is still terrified you will. I can’t shake the feeling that I have to do everything possible not to lose you.”

She stepped close and slipped her hands inside his coat until she had her arms wrapped around his waist, her hands linked at his back. “Things are still new between us, so a little worry is understandable, but I’m very happy to have found you. I don’t have any plans to leave, because being with you makes me feel like I’m whole, like I didn’t know I had this missing piece of myself until we met. I’d be empty without you. I don’t want that, ever.”

He pressed his lips to hers, and in spite of the chill in the air, she felt warm from the inside out. The woods seemed to go entirely silent, a reverent sort of quiet that Dani wished would last forever. All too soon, Adam’s lips left hers and he stared into her eyes, his gaze searching and full of emotion. “I was only half existing before you came into my life, Dani. I never, ever want to go back to that place.”

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