I blinked up at him, shocked.
“All witches leave the school when they are chosen. That’s what everyone says.”
He frowned and then seemed to make a decision.
“Mates never go back to the school because of the old tradition,” he said thoughtfully. “I think it’s time for us to start making some new traditions.”
32
Luke
Bella was crying by the time I finished my sentence. I held my breath, confounded by her wild beauty once again.
“Are you okay?” I asked her after a moment.
“Oh, Luke,” she sobbed. “I’m so happy.”
My heart exploded with joy and I pressed my lips to her hair, her forehead, her eyelids.
I carried her inside, into my bedroom - our bedroom, now - and placed her gently down.
Before I could pull away, her wicked little hands were all over me, sliding up my chest and tangling in my hair as she tried to pull me down for a kiss.
“Soon, little one,” I promised her. “But you need more rest. You’re as weak as a kitten.”
“No,” she moaned. “I need you now.”
My wolf roared in my chest and I tried to cling to control.
“How about a warm bath and a meal first?” I offered.
“You’re trying to trick me into getting sleepy, aren’t you?” she said, her dark blue eyes narrowed.
“Maybe,” I laughed. “But if you really don’t need more rest it won’t work, right?”
“Right,” she said. There was a competitive flash in her eyes that made me want to go down on my knees and feed on her immediately.
But she needed rest and food more than she needed my mouth on her.
“Get undressed, I’ll get your bath ready,” I told her.
Reluctantly, I headed to the bathroom to start the tub. I threw in some bubbles and lit a couple of candles in spite of myself. It couldn’t hurt if it was a little romantic in here, could it?
When I returned to the room I half-expected her to be asleep on the bed again. Instead she stood naked, gazing out the window.
“Bella,” I said softly.
She turned to me and smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I moved toward her as if in a dream, reminding myself that I could not claim her yet.
She took my arm and we moved slowly to the bathroom. I held her hand as she lowered herself into the steaming water.
“Ahhh,” she moaned, closing her eyes.
I was instantly hard as stone.
“Come in,” she said, opening her eyes and putting her hands out. “Come with me.”
“Not yet,” I told her, shaking my head. “You enjoy. I’m getting you something to eat.”
“Mmm, okay,” she murmured, sliding further into the water to wet her hair.
I practically jogged to the kitchen, desperate for a little space so I could plead with the wolf to let us take our time.
He paced and moaned in my chest as I scrambled eggs and cut up fruit. It wasn’t a fancy meal, but it was all I had in the house that could be prepared quickly.
And I was eager to return to my mate, so eager.
She sat up in the tub when I came back with her breakfast. Bubbles slid down her clavicle, along with rivulets of water that bared her beautiful breasts to me.
I gaped at her like a teenager for a moment, then forced my eyes up to meet hers.
“Are you coming in now?” she asked.
“After I feed you,” I told her.
“You’re going to feed me?” she asked.
“You’re covered in bubbles,” I pointed out reasonably. “Besides, I want to tame you. So you don’t try to sneak off and leave me again.”
She laughed at my dumb joke and I loved her even more.
I sat on the edge of the tub and speared a raspberry on the end of the fork. She slid closer to close her pink lips around it.
Gods.
I fed her another bite, eggs this time. Then another.
Soon the plate was clean.
“Better?” I asked her.
She nodded, her expression expectant.
I stood, placing the plate on the sink.
Her eyes were hungry as she watched me pull my shirt off over my head. I unbuttoned my jeans as slowly as I could, loving the way her eyes caressed my abs.
I didn’t have to work hard for the hard angles and bulging muscles she was ogling. They were my birthright as a guardian, and I had taken them for granted all these years.
But seeing her eyes on me made me glad if they could bring her pleasure.
Her lips parted as I finished unbuttoning my jeans and dragged the fly down. I hoped I wouldn’t frighten her. I was going to be so gentle with her. I would do anything to protect her from pain.
At last my clothes were piled on the floor and she put her arms out to me.
My heart sang with the knowledge that she was still eager to have me close. I stepped into the steaming water and lowered myself down.
She flowed into my arms in a swirl of bubbles and I knew that no matter what I had promised myself, we weren’t going to make it back to the bed.
33
Bella
My body slid against Luke’s under the warm water and I wanted to close my eyes and soak in all the sensations.
But I forced myself to lock eyes with him, the man I loved and wanted. I needed to see his emotions and be sure mine were bared to him too.
“Bella,” he sighed. The sound was a song to my ears.
I placed my hand on his chest, felt his heartbeat throb under my palm, a sense of reassurance pouring over me.
Things were about to change in my world, a lot.
But this was never going to change. This was the high I had been chasing, the sense of home - all beating like a drum in this man’s chest.
Not a spell. Just love. Stronger than any magic I would ever learn, even from the greatest teachers.
He lifted my hand to his mouth, kissed my palm, and I could
