“It’s almost eight,” he chuckled. “I can’t be late. Lots to do today.”
“Thanks for being here this morning when I woke up.”
He grinned, the warmth of it melting her heart. “Where else would I be?”
She nudged his side and snorted. “Really?”
Atlas rolled them over until her back was pressed into the bed. “Hush, trouble. I tried my best to resist you.” She giggled and stretched out against him, arching up to kiss him. He whispered against her lips, “Look how well that turned out.”
“I have no complaints,” she laughed again. She arched up to kiss him. “Atlas?” she wanted to tell him. He was her mate. They were basically married now, like he had said. But she couldn’t bring herself to say the words out loud, too scared he wouldn’t say it back.
It was silly, probably. Right? He had to love her. That was the whole thing with mates. Wasn’t it?
“Hey,” Atlas took her chin in her fingers. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I just don’t like the idea of being here without you.” It was as close to the truth as she could give him.
“Hmm,” he said. “Sorry, trouble. I’ll be back before dark. I promise.”
“Okay, wolf man.” She pushed him toward the side of the bed. “I wanna snooze more. Go work.”
He chuckled. “Yes, darling.” His chuckle turned into a full laugh when he spotted her face.
“I just realized how cold that sounded,” she said. “Work is basically saving my ass, isn’t it?”
“Yup,” he said, walking toward the bathroom, nude and perfect and still hard somehow. “But that’s quite a fine ass you’ve got, trouble. It’s definitely worth saving.” He shut the door before she could reply.
It wasn’tI love you, but it sure sounded like it.
* * *
Lilliane took her time showering,but the sound of voices confused her when she turned off the hair dryer. She slipped on a pair of pink leggings with a white tunic before heading to the kitchen.
“Oh! Hi there!” she said to Nero and Reece. They sat at the dining room table, speaking in hush tones.
Her heart fluttered. Atlas had been leaving the house to meet the guys at his office. Yet here they were in his kitchen, probably because of her comment.I don’t like the idea of being here without you.Of course, he would’ve listened. That wolf man was something special. And he was all hers. She smiled to herself, still a little woozy from her night with Atlas.
Her head was full of light, hope, and happiness. She was lighter than she’d been in a long time, and it wasn’t a coincidence that it was happening in Atlas’s house. In his life. In his arms.
In the dining room, Nero and Reece smiled at her. “Valentine is excited about this development,” Nero said.
“She’s probably pissed I didn’t call her the second it happened,” Lilliane said.
“Yeah, something like that.” He laughed.
“Your sisters are coming for dinner,” Reece added.
“Bit of a family reunion,” Nero clapped his hands in excitement. “We’re not technically family, but…”
“All wolves?” she offered.
The guys exchanged a glance before laughing. “Yup,” Reece nodded.
“Where’s Atlas?”
Reece pointed toward the back deck. The look on his face was sober. Reece was always a bit aloof. It wasn’t the same way as Atlas. She understood the reasons why Atlas was the grumpy wolf he was. But Celestine probably felt like that about Reece, so it was all mate stuff. It was a line straight to your partner’s thoughts. That’s why Lilliane knew something was wrong the second she spotted Atlas pacing the backyard.
He gave her a smile, but it wasn’t as warm as usual. “I asked the guys to work here today.”
