“What am I supposed to say to that?”
“No need to say anything. It’s part of our history. All that matters now is what we make of the present.” He pulled the truck into his driveway and parked close to the door. He’d carry her inside so she wouldn’t have to expend any more energy if he thought for a second she’d let him.
Her heavy sigh filled the cabin as he killed the ignition.
“I’ll tell you what… You’ve had a hell of a day. Let’s get you inside. I’m going to get you some pain killers and pour you a hot bath. If you feel up to talking afterward, then I’ll answer every single question you have.”
Twenty-One
Too lost in thought, Maple hadn’t noticed much about the outside of Jaxon’s house other than the fact that it was a lot bigger than the cabin. Of course, it didn’t take much to top that. He took her through a large open living room with leather sofas and a huge fireplace. Every surface was neat and tidy, but not overly so that it looked sterile. If anything, the warm tones on the walls made the room rather cozy.
Careful not to touch her, he led her up a wide staircase and down a dimly lit hall toward an open door at the end.
“You’re taking my room tonight. I’ll sleep in one of the others,” he said as he crossed the threshold.
“No. Really, I can take a guest room, or a couch even,” she protested immediately, though she could have remained quiet for all it did to stop his progress.
She waited just inside, more awkward than she had ever been with him, as he disappeared through another door. A king-sized bed covered with a deep maroon bedspread sat between two floor-to-ceiling windows with matching coverings. The dressers, handcrafted, showed the character of age, along with timeless beauty and elegance rarely found in modern pieces. One dresser drawer jutted out a little, making her itch to get closer and have a peek inside, but she stayed where she was.
A moment later, the sound of running water drifted through the door Jaxon had gone through. “Go ahead. I’ll get the pain killers,” he said, making her jump. She hadn’t heard him come back into the room.
Maple waited until he was gone to cross to the bathroom. Where the décor was soothing and classic in his bedroom, the washroom was bright and shiny. A long, double-sink vanity with mirrors going up to the ceiling graced an entire wall. On the other side, a glass-enclosed shower that could fit a small party gleamed. But what drew her in was the long claw-foot tub at the end. Already, the water had half filled it. There was no denying her exhaustion, but climbing into that gorgeous bed with all the dust and grime of her time at the Sugar Shack had her skin crawling. Not to mention how good a hot bath would feel on her sore muscles.
What the hell. Stripping down in record time, she lowered herself into the water, moaning at the luxury of it all as she submerged her body up to the neck.
She listened for Jaxon’s steps and was rewarded a few minutes later when she heard him cross the bedroom. He hesitated for a moment, then a soft knock came at the door. “Can I come in?”
Maple had half a mind to say no, but considering all they’d done together, it seemed silly to keep him from seeing her naked.
“Yes.”
He opened the door and came to her, holding a tall glass of water in one hand and two white tablets in the other, all the while keeping his gaze locked with hers. With the pain in her jaw and her head aching as it was, she didn’t hesitate to take what he offered. Part of her wanted to run with the out he’d proposed and delay their talk, but that was all it would do—delay it. She needed answers only he could provide.
“Would you stay and answer some of my questions?” she asked before she could lose her nerve or he could leave.
“Sure, what do you want to know?” He crossed the room and dimmed the lights. Not so much that she couldn’t see him clearly, but enough to help her relax a bit more.
“What’s it like? Being a werewolf, I mean?” It was as good a place to start as any.
Jaxon ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s like having a second being inside of you, only it’s a part of who you are. The wolf is territorial and possessive. It acts and reacts on instinct for the most part, but I’m still in control. I know it doesn’t make much sense, but it’s the closest I can think to describe it. It’s nothing like what you read about in books or see in the movies. Although the full moon makes us feel things more deeply, it doesn’t turn us into monsters that go on killing rampages.”
“Am I in danger?” She didn’t feel threatened by him, but she had to ask. It wasn’t every day a girl found out she’d been sleeping with a werewolf.
“No one else will ever be safer from me or my wolf than you.” Truth and conviction resounded with his declaration.
“Because we’re mates?”
“Because I love you.”
Maple gasped.
“I don’t need you to say it back, but I won’t lie to you about it, either,” he hurried to add before she could say anything at all.
As shocked as she was by his declaration, it didn’t scare her nearly as much as him being a werewolf did. Jaxon took a fluffy white facecloth and dipped it into the water, then handed it to her along with a bar of soap that smelled like him.
She’d almost lulled herself into a somewhat calm state until she dragged the soft
