Amber’s eyes narrowed as she watched Kelos. “Are you fishing for information?”
“Information?” His brows knitted together. “About Shawn?”
“Yeah. Well, his daughter. Jane.” She tilted her head to one side.
“No.” Kelos shook his head. “Jane is Shawn’s daughter. He’s a good father. That’s all I need to know. Where she came from and who her mother is… That is Shawn’s business. Unless he needs my help.”
“When he moved back to Cougar Ridge, he said lots of people asked questions.” She smiled softly and placed her hand on his chest. “But you are not one of them?”
“I wasn’t around when he first moved back,” Kelos murmured, lowering his head. His tongue snaked out and he moistened his lips. He could almost taste her.
“Where were you?” Amber purred as she slipped her hands around his neck and leaned forward.
“Here. There. Wherever the wind blew.” He dropped the dishcloth on the countertop and cupped her face in his hands. “I drifted around. I had no purpose.”
“But now?” She tilted her head back and kissed the line of his jaw. Kelos tensed and closed his eyes as sensations flooded his body. In all his long life he’d never experienced such overwhelming emotions. It was as if a fog had penetrated his brain and he couldn’t think straight.
“Now, I want to build a home.” He opened his eyes and drank in the beautiful soft curve of her cheek and her piercing blue eyes. Bluer than the clearest skies over the highest peaks where nothing stood between him and the heavens above. “I think I knew you were coming.”
“So, you can see the future.” She nuzzled his neck and his pants grew tighter across his groin.
“No. But I had a desire to build a home, a place where I dreamed of raising children of my own.” His thumb brushed her lips as she parted them, ready for his kiss.
“What if I don’t want children?” Her voice lost its dreamy effect and she inched her head back.
His chest deflated as the air left his lungs. Winded, he sucked in a breath that cleared the fog in his head. Yet his desire for Amber didn’t diminish. It never would. “Why don’t you want children?”
She sighed and dropped her hands to her side. “I just never thought I was the mothering kind.”
He touched her cheek and leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips. A brief, chaste kiss. “I think you would make an amazing mother.”
“You don’t know me,” she protested.
“I know that you dropped everything to go and help your brother when his family was threatened. I know that you are willing to put their safety above your own.” He stroked her cheek. “Family is important to you. You are like a she-bear protecting her cubs.”
“What happened with my brother has reminded me that having a family, having children is hard. The constant worry about their safety. I like my freedom, Kelos. I’m a drifter. You bought this house to build a home.” She shook her head. “I’m not there yet. I’m not ready to give up my freedom and set down roots.”
“Then we will wait.” He smiled gently. She was scared. He could see it in her eyes. But now wasn’t the time to push for an explanation. When she was ready, she would open up to him.
“You might have to wait a long time.” Amber pulled away from him and went back to washing the dishes.
“I’ve waited this long. I can wait a while longer.” He retrieved his dishtowel and dried the rest of the dishes. When they had finished, he dried his hands and nodded toward the living room. “Let’s go to bed. Or let’s go to the sofa.”
She smiled wearily. “I think I could sleep anywhere right now. I’m so tired.”
Amber followed him out of the kitchen and into the living room where he picked up a bundle of bedding and handed it to her. “Pillow and blankets.”
“Thanks.” She walked around the sofas and stood facing them. “Are you going to fit on one of these?”
He shook his head and pointed to the floor in front of the hearth. “I’ll sleep on the rug.”
“You should have taken the bed.” Amber looked uncomfortable as she placed her pillow at one end of the sofa. “I feel bad that you gave your bed to complete strangers.”
“I’ve slept in worse places, believe me.” He grabbed a pillow and a couple of blankets and lay down on the floor. “And it was my choice to invite you here.” He put the pillow behind his head and pulled the blanket over him. “I’d rather sleep on the floor and know you are all safe than lie on the most comfortable bed and not sleep because I’m worried about you all.”
“I know what you mean.” Amber sat down on the sofa and rested her chin in her hands. “Thank you.” She gave him a lopsided smile.
“You are welcome, Amber.” He rolled over onto his side and watched as she slipped her feet under the blanket and settled down on the sofa. “Sleep well.”
“Oh, I will,” she slurred as sleep crept over her and her eyes closed.
Kelos rested his head on his arm and listened to her breathing. He didn’t want to close his eyes and fall asleep. He was too scared he would wake and find her gone. That she’d never really entered his life but was just a vision conjured from the air to stave off his bone-deep loneliness.
Until he’d met his mate, he had no idea how deep that loneliness was. It was like a pit that descended to the darkest depths, but Amber had shone a light on it and banished the shadows that lurked at the corners of his mind.
Amber entering his life had shown him exactly what he was missing. It was as if he’d learned a secret that
