Mating Brand
Page 14

“We’re here. Don’t move.”
The truck stopped and the engine died. She waited impatiently until he got out and opened her door. His fingers curled around her upper arm as she unfastened her seat belt. He led her about ten steps before stopping and positioning himself behind her. One arm wrapped around her waist as he leaned down to press his lips to her ear.
“Have I told you how much I love you?”
Warmth spread through her “Yes. I love you too. May I look now?”
“Not yet. My roommates are a bunch of idiots and I might have to kill them if I catch them checking out your ass one more time when you stay with me. You’re living with the world’s biggest grump. It’s getting tougher to leave your apartment in the mornings but it’s worse on the nights we can’t spend together. I want to be with you all the time.”
Her heart rate increased as his words and their possible meaning sank in. His fingers touched her face and the blindfold came free. She blinked a few times to adjust to the sunshine. The first thing that came into focus was a rustic cabin in the woods. It was a cute single-story A-frame. She forgot to breathe.
“I hope you aren’t angry.” He dropped the blindfold and wrapped his other arm around her waist to hug her tightly. “I signed a lease. It’s ours, Charma.”
She latched on to his arms to keep upright when her legs threatened to buckle. She was stunned.
“I know I should have asked you first,” he rushed on, “but listen to me before you make up your mind. I can pay the rent so don’t worry about the price. It’s not exactly a dream home but it’s cozy inside and it’s remote enough to give us as much privacy as we want. You might be worried about your car breaking down on the drive out here but I changed a few of my classes to fit with your schedule. I’ll drive us to the campus. We won’t have to sleep apart anymore or worry about your roommate hearing us have sex.”
She recovered from the shock and turned in his arms. The look of anxiety in his expression was clear. “Brand…”
Lines appeared next to his mouth. “I think I thought of everything. I talked to your roommate. I know your pride pays your rent. She swore to say you’re still living there if anyone asks. Hell, she was thrilled with the prospect of getting half the rent paid without having to deal with an actual roommate. It was motivation enough for her and your family won’t find out you’re living with a werewolf.”
Hope was the next emotion that sprang up. “Really?”
Brand grinned. “Yeah.”
She turned her head, stared at the cabin. “It’s so adorable.”
“It’s not the biggest place, only one bedroom, but it’s in great shape. I had the guys come out with me a few days ago to paint and do minor repairs.”
She faced him again but had to blink back tears. “Yes!”
He lifted her off her feet and hugged her tightly. “You haven’t even seen the inside.”
“I don’t care. We’ll get to sleep together every night. I hate when we’re apart too.”
His gaze flicked to her shoulder then back to her eyes. “Sometimes I want to bite you.”
That heartfelt confession made her sad. “We can’t do that.”
“You love me.”
“I do but you’re a wolf and I’m a cat.”
“You’re half cat but I don’t give a damn. It doesn’t change my feelings or my urges.”
“Our families would raise hell if they knew we were a couple. I also told you—”
“Don’t,” he cut her off. “Don’t mention that asshole you’re supposed to mate because your leader ordered it. Not now, not today. We’re living in the here and now. We have a while before you have to return to your pride.”
He was right. She always resisted thinking about when she’d graduate and be expected to return. “Okay.”
He slowly eased her back to her feet. “Let’s try living together before we have a discussion about that kind of crap.”
She could tell he was upset. “I’m so sorry, Brand. I’d want you to bite me if it were possible. I swear I would.”
He released her waist and snagged her hand. “I refuse to argue today. Let’s go inside. I’ll give you the tour.”
“Okay.” She was willing to let the matter drop.
He fished his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. Charma tried to take a step inside after he swung the door open but she gasped instead when Brand scooped her off her feet and carried her inside. It was romantic and sweet of him to carry her over the threshold.
The living room and kitchen were one big open space. She was in for another surprise as she studied the new furniture. “You big liar!” She laughed though.
He turned her a bit so she could take in more details of the room. “Sorry about that. I didn’t want to buy stuff you’d hate so that’s why I made up the story of needing to replace everything in the living room of the house I rent with the guys. They do randomly get sick from drinking but I’d never sink money into that hole. It’s like a fraternity with five guys living in one house. They destroy everything nice.”
She turned her head and stared up at him. “This was so sweet, Brand. It must have cost you a small fortune.”
He shrugged. “Not really. I just had to buy stuff for the living room and our bedroom. I got us a king-size bed. No more twin.”
She grinned. “I kind of liked having to sleep on top of you so one of us didn’t fall out of my bed.”
The bedroom was down the only hallway. They passed a bathroom on the way. He paused inside the door. “I just got the bed and a nightstand. There’s built-in drawers under the closet. See?”
Charma wiggled until he put her down. The space wasn’t big and the bed took up most of it. “A dresser wouldn’t fit. I love it just as it is. It’s perfect.”
“I got the most important thing in this room.”
She grinned, following his heated stare to the bed. “Yes, you did.”
His gaze shifted to her. “I meant you, hon.”
She loved him so much it made her chest hurt. “I think we should test out how comfy that mattress is.” She reached for the edge of her shirt, tore it up her body and tossed it to the floor.
Brand kicked off his shoes. “Welcome home, Charma. We’re going to be so happy here.”