She walked into the kitchen to get her own breakfast. The phone in her hand rang. She glanced at the caller ID.
Rafe Alexander.
Her pulse kicked up. She stepped outside and answered. “Hello?”
“Hello, beautiful. Did you sleep well?”
She grinned and ran a hand over her sleep-tousled hair. Beautiful wasn’t the description she’d use, not as soon as she rolled out of bed anyway. Good thing he couldn’t see her. He’d run screaming in the opposite direction.
“I did. Actually, I just woke up.” Her breathless voice surprised her.
“You did have a late night. I’m glad I waited to call you. I didn’t want to interrupt your beauty sleep.”
Her smile widened. The man was sweet and considerate. “And how about you? Did you sleep well?”
“Hmmm, not a wink. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw yours. I’ve missed you.”
She blew out a breath and pushed the heavy weight of her hair off her shoulder. It didn’t help. Her skin burned. “I must admit I did think of you too. Once or twice.”
His deep chuckle filled the line. She reacted to the sound as if he stood behind her and held her close. Arousal sparked along her nerve endings, leaving her sensitized. She shifted the cotton top from sensitive skin.
“Once or twice isn’t good enough. I should be in your every waking thought.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I want to see you. Now.”
The demanding tone should’ve annoyed her. It didn’t. It fed her need to see him. She ran a hand over the back of her neck. “I can’t. I have so much to do, and I haven’t had a chance to call Mr. Wilkins.”
“Call him. I’ll pick you up at six.” The air of confidence he used, as if she’d agree without hesitation, was clear in his order. He was right. She couldn’t wait to see him. Talk to him. Kiss him.
“And Jasmine?”
She ran her tongue over her teeth and tugged once more at the annoying cloth rubbing against her chest. “What?”
“Plan for that sleepover,” he said and hung up.
She held the phone to her chest for a moment and conjured Rafe’s face. Her lower belly quivered. She swallowed hard and dialed Mr. Wilkins.
Chapter 9
Rafe blew out a strained breath and slid the phone back into his pocket. The length of the yard separated him from Jasmine. A few hundred feet. It could’ve been miles. She needed a male’s touch.
His touch.
“The female’s got you twisted up. Be careful.” The warning was clear in Kade’s tone.
Rafe faced his brother once Jasmine slipped inside the house. Kade sat with his back against a tree. The intense glare focused on Rafe demanded his secrets. Rafe snorted. His brother could level his alpha stare at him all he wanted. He wasn’t getting anything more than Rafe was willing to share, which wasn’t much.
“Be careful of what? Blue balls?” He glanced at the front of his jeans and the bulge there. “Got those already. That’s why I need to get Jasmine alone. She left me in this state, and by the gods, she’s going to take care of me.”
“I’m not talking about sex.” Kade waved his hand to encompass Rafe’s body. “You’re tense. You watched her bedroom window all night and left me to prowl the grounds.”
He’d done more than that. While Kade had shifted and explored the area, Rafe had made his way to the house. He’d stood below Jasmine’s window simply to hear her breathing.
“And?” Rafe leaned against a tree, one leg stretched in front of him and the other bent. The relaxed pose was for Kade’s benefit. He didn’t need to know how edgy thoughts of Jasmine had left Rafe. “That’s part of surveillance. We’ve spent many nights dealing with humans who were in this exact situation. We confirm the kids are safe, then assess the situation before deciding the best way to retrieve them so as not to frighten them.”
“True. That’s standard practice. And exactly what I said we’d do.” Kade leaned forward. “Getting involved physically with their human guardians isn’t. That’s asking for trouble.”
Rafe couldn’t deny that. “I didn’t know she was the guardian of shifter cubs when I met her.”
“No. You just thought she was involved either in shifter trafficking or romantically with another Royal. Or two.”
“What better way to get her to trust me then to get her in bed?”
“You’re using her.” Kade smirked. “Is that what you’re trying to feed me?”
Rafe glanced away. He couldn’t look his brother in the face and lie. Kade knew him too well. “We still need to find out how she came to be the guardian of shifters. I intend to learn her secrets. If that means getting close to her to gain the knowledge, then that’s what I’ll do.”
“Look me in the eye and tell me that.”
“No.” Rafe glanced at him. “I have nothing to prove to you.”
“Then I’m calling you a liar. You want to get close to the woman because she’s caught your cats’ attentions.” Kade dropped a hand to the ground and leaned forward. “You’re sitting here wondering if your cats sense something about her you don’t. That maybe she’s your true mate.”
“She triggered my instincts. I’ll admit to that, but it’s because she smelled of other males. I wanted to steal her away. Simple as that.”
“Yeah, she smelled of her cubs.”
Rafe shrugged. “Again, I didn’t know it at the time. You can’t tell a shifter’s age by scent alone.”
“All right. I can buy that excuse as the reason you first got her naked, but—”
“She wasn’t naked.” He would’ve been happy if she had been, though. He could’ve licked her head to toe before joining their bodies.
“—but what’s your excuse for the way you’re acting now?”
“What did the fire chief say when you talked to him?” Rafe was done with Kade’s interrogation. Rafe didn’t want to analyze why he couldn’t stop thinking about Jasmine.
Kade sighed and shook his head, obviously guessing at the reason behind the
