“Three.” John laughed. “Can she even move after all that food?”
Kerry smiled. “Will you be eating too?”
“No. I’m all good, but a coffee and a slice of that cake over there would be nice.”
Kerry busied herself setting up a tray and preparing the food. “Do me a favor. Those covered plates on the counter need setting up on the serving tables for the early morning shift change. Take them out while I get this ready for you, please.”
“On it.” John balanced several plates in his arms but paused before walking out. “Erm, Kerry, do you think we could keep this between us two? I’d rather not be the latest pack gossip.”
“Your secret is safe with me, John,” she answered, glancing over her shoulder with a smile. “I hope she knows how lucky she is.”
Unfortunately, John didn’t think Eva would call herself lucky, and it had nothing to do with him. Life had thrown too many blows at her recently, and she hadn’t even begun to catch up.
Plates set out and his tray of food done, John set back off for his cabin with a strange sense of anxiety and anticipation in his blood. It wasn’t in his nature to worry; he was the run headfirst into danger type of guy, but Eva was territory he’d never stepped foot in before, and he was very much aware he couldn’t mess this up.
He’d never intended to kiss her earlier, but he’d been unable to resist the urge. That she didn’t protest or pull away gave him hope, but John wasn’t naïve enough to believe courting Eva was going to be easy. John wanted her for life, and for humans, he’d learned life had a different meaning to a wolf. Eva hadn’t pulled away this time, but would she if he made her understand the true depths of his feelings? Would she run? Would she deny his wolf’s need to mate?
When he entered his cabin, silence greeted him, but when he knocked softly on her door, her sleepy voice mumbled, “Come in.”
Pulling herself upright in bed, her eyes widened as she eyed the tray. Once he’d placed it in front of her, John removed the covers from the plates and stood back with a smile.
“Wow… John, you’ve impressed me.”
“Full disclaimer, I didn’t cook any of it.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I guessed as much. Pretty handy having a twenty-four-hour kitchen nearby.”
“It is. I can cook though. My mom made sure of it. Maybe you’ll let me sometime?” His heart hammered in his chest, and John had never been so pleased Eva was human as it would have been even more embarrassing knowing she could hear the frantic gallop of his heart.
“Maybe I will.” She smirked before taking a bit of pasta. Her eyes slid shut, a moan escaping her.
John gritted his teeth against the sudden rush of lust coursing through his blood. “It’s good then?” He chuckled.
“Mmm.” She nodded, chewing some more. “Sorry, I didn’t realize how much I needed food until it hit my mouth.”
“I can see I’m going to have to make sure you take care of yourself.”
“I was lost in the forest,” she defended. “There weren’t many options available to me.”
“Can I sit?” John asked, pointing to the space beside her.
Nodding, Eva concentrated on her food, a delicate splattering of pink dusting her cheeks.
So, I make you nervous too… good.
“I’m guessing the second slice of cake is for you?” she asked after a few minutes of silent eating.
“Hmm. I ate earlier, but it looked too good to pass up.”
“It does.”
John sipped his coffee, happy to simply watch Eva eat. This was what he wanted—someone to share his bed with and enjoy the simplicities in life. His world was busy with training, patrols, advising his alpha, and when he came home and shut the door to his home, he wanted to be able to shut all of that stuff out and relax with the woman who was meant to be his. It was a simple desire, but when day-to-day decisions could mean the potential harm of your pack, it was needed to balance out the chaos.
“John,” she said, once she’d laid her fork down and pushed the tray back with a content sigh. “What do you want from me?”
Her question had his heart stalling. “What do you mean?” he asked, unsure if he wanted the answer.
Glancing up, she seemed to think over her words. “Since I arrived with my family, I’ve had three guys chat me up. Two outright asked me on a date, but I sense you’re not looking for a quick bit of fun.”
It took John a moment to clear the red haze from his mind. He was too busy wondering who he needed to kill to grasp her question.
“Are you jealous?” she asked, laughing behind her hand. “Because you look like you’re imagining tearing limbs from bodies. I turned them all down if that makes you feel better.” She shrugged.
“Who were they?” he finally asked, calm enough to find words.
“I don’t know, erm… Logan—the one who got shot. He was the first about a week after arriving. Honestly, can’t remember the names of the others. They were from the other pack. Does it matter?”
“Yes,” he growled.
“So you’re the jealous, possessive type.” Her lips pursed. “Hmm, I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“Evaline, all shifter males are the jealous, possessive type. It’s in our blood.”
She visibly swallowed. “Well, I ask again… what do you want from me?”
“I don’t know how to answer that question, Eva.” Not without saying the word mate anyway. How did he explain without sending her running?
“This is more than just wanting to get into my pants, right?” Her eyebrow raised.
“Yes, though that would be nice.”
Eva
