Page 33 of The Wolf's Surrogate

“You’re thinking of my cat? That’s sweet.”

I shakily stepped out of the car and walked up the sidewalk to the porch. There was no sign of Phil left, except for the feeling of being watched. That had always been the weird part about dating Phil in the past. It didn’t matter where I went. It felt like I was being monitored by somebody or something.

As I slid the key into the lock, I struggled to keep my fingers from shaking. I nearly dropped the whole set of keys when Liam stepped up to my right side and rested his hand over mine. Either he was a remarkably great reader of body language, or he could read my mind. I wasn’t sure which one.

And I wasn’t sure how he managed to calm me down with a single touch.

Inside, the apartment building felt warm. We went up to the second landing, turned left, and got into my apartment without further trouble. Everything was right where I left it. I flipped on the light and dropped my keys on the counter so I could shed my coat.

“Make yourself at home,” I called over my shoulder. “Sit wherever. I don’t care.”

Silence.

That was weird. I didn’t take Liam for being the chatty type—hehadbeen quiet on the ride over—but he wasn’t one to ignore a statement either. It was enough of a shift, even without me knowing him too well, that it made me turn around to see what was going on.

He hadn’t even shut the door. He was just standing there staring at the apartment with his mouth open like he’d come across a cave of treasure.

I leaned against the counter. “You alright over there?”

“This is where you live.”

My eyes shifted left, then right back to him without blinking. “Uh, yeah. You saw it last night, remember?”

“Oh no, I didn’t seethis—” He gestured wide with his right arm. “I didn’t know you lived in such a small apartment.”

Unwillingly, I thought back to last night. “I guess the lights weren’t on when you came in here.”

“It looks bigger from the outside.”

“It’s the one with the best price.”

His eyelids stuttered as he snapped his mouth shut. Those earthy geode eyes were burning with passion. “Ani, you can’t keep living like this. Where’s the laundry? The bathroom?”

I pointed to the small nook next to the kitchenette.

He gaped at it like I was showing him a closet full of skeletons.

“Liam, it’s not that big of a—”

He shook his head with a huff. “No, ma’am. You can’t possibly live your pregnancy out in this…this smallbox.”

“I mean, it’s comfortable.”

His gaze fell on me, and I felt all the strength of his care at once. “Your toilet isinthe shower, Ani. You can’t stay here. You’re coming with me.”

“I was already coming with you.”

“Pack what you need. I’ll have Fred and a few others come back for the rest of your things.”

My hand slipped from the counter as I realized what he was saying. “Liam, are you trying to move me in with you?”

“When I asked if there was anything I could do to make you more comfortable, I meant it.”

So much warmth drifted between us that I almost mistook it for the heat coming on. Men like this didn’t exist in the real world. Liam had to be some kind of fever dream or hallucination. There was no way this was happening right now.

I swayed slightly, catching myself on the counter before I could hit the ground. Liam was at my side in an instant with his right arm around my waist and his left hand on my cheek. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“I’m just a little—” I hiccupped.

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