“I have territories that I have to patrol. I took a little time off for my brother’s wedding and spending time with family that’s in town, but I have to get back to work. In fact, if they call with anything they need checked out before then, I’ll be headed out early.”
“How much time do you spend away from home usually?”
“A week or two out, then a few days back.”
“Doesn’t seem like you’re here much.”
“I’m not.”
“Because you have to be gone, or because you just don’t want to be here?”
Lines appeared in Hellen’s forehead as her brows bunched up, her irritated reaction to him reading her so well and not really knowing her at all.
He grinned.
“What?” she demanded.
“I like these little lines,” he said, reaching out to brush his thumb across them.
“They’re wrinkles,” she grumbled.
“No, they’re character. They warn people they better back the fuck off if they’re even considering something you don’t like.”
She wasn’t able to stop her quick smirk.
He started eating again, then a couple of minutes later shrugged, as though he’d been having a silent conversation in his head. “If we gotta go check on the wildlife, we’ll go check on the wildlife. It’s a good idea to familiarize myself with your territories, anyway.”
“Why? So you can find me at all times?” she asked defensively.
“Or avoid you, whatever works at the time, you know?” he asked.
Her mouth fell open as she glared at him.
He chuckled, a rich, deep, velvety laughter. “Close that pretty mouth, cher. You might give me other ideas if you keep it open like that. And eat your fruit. It’s good, yeah?”
Hellen picked up her fruit and ate it all before she realized she’d obeyed his suggestion without even being aware of it. She put her empty bowl down and scowled at him.
Lucien grinned, realizing it just at the same time she did.
“What are we going to do today?” he asked.
“We? There is no we. There’s me, and there’s you, at least until you get me out of your system,” she snarked.
He laughed again, the sound melting her insides and making her go all warm and fuzzy inside. “Damn you,” she grumbled.
“Oh, you’re not the first to wish that very thing on my soul. None of the others mattered enough to achieve it, though. You, I’m still not sure of.”
“Give it a few days, you’ll get bored and be on your way, free of all thoughts of damnation.”
“I can only hope.”
She ignored him and ate another bowl of fruit and half her eggs and potatoes, looking especially for the caramelized onions and peppers in the mix.
Lucien paid attention to the things she ate, and the way she drank her coffee and the way her jaw moved when she chewed. The gentle movements of her throat when she swallowed and the increased headiness of her scent when he laughed. He also noticed the attentiveness of his beast, which was totally out of character. When he was walking around doing the human thing, his beast usually wanted no part of it, but with this girl, Hellen, he seemed unwilling to look away and give over total control.
“Okay, I’m full,” Hellen said, pushing away her plate.
“You hardly ate anything!” he said, looking at all the food left on her plate.
