Tak grew so quiet that it felt as if the air had chilled.
“I feel silly about how I reacted.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
My cheeks heated, and it wasn’t from the oven. “I let my emotions get the best of me. He’s moved on, and I haven’t. I should have just kept walking.”
I felt myself rambling and fidgeted with a spoon.
“He owes you an apology.”
“It’s not as if I was a child when it happened. We were two adults who made a mistake.”
“Yet you’re the only one who carries the burden of guilt. Do you think there’s an age limit on violating someone’s trust? Shame and secrecy are the tools of a manipulator. You and I come from different worlds, but the basic law of wolves is the same.” Tak brushed my hair away from my shoulder. “I don’t wish to make you upset by this conversation, but I want to make sure that you’re okay. Are you okay?”
I nodded. “I’m okay.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and then gave me some room. “You said someone grew these in their garden?” he asked, his voice more chipper.
“Yes. The woman who sells me feathers loves gardening. She gave me much more than I needed.”
“That’s the kind of Shifter I’d value in my pack,” he said offhandedly.
I quirked a brow and looked at him over my shoulder. “Shall I introduce you two? She’s got a sparkling personality and sense of humor… just like you.”
“I’ll pass. One of me is enough.”
“How many of these do you think you can eat?”
He came up behind me and rested his chin on my shoulder. “More than that. How many peppers do you have?”
“Someone has a hearty appetite.”
His kiss branded my neck. “Not yet,” he replied, mischief in his voice. “Besides, I haven’t eaten anything but bagels for the past two days.”
I whirled around, horrified that he might be telling the truth.
When he saw the worry in my eyes, he backed up and sat down. “Finish what you’re doing,” he urged. “There’s plenty of time for talk.”
I filled an entire baking dish and put it in the oven. After setting the timer, I turned around and folded my arms. “Should I make something else? This won’t be enough.”
“It’ll be plenty.”
Unconvinced, I shook my head. “I can cook better meals than this. It was just the easiest thing to make with our leftovers.”
He drew in a deep breath and moaned as he let it out. “Something tells me you could make a tire taste delicious.”
I turned away and washed my hands, suds swirling down the sink drain. Why did he make me so nervous? We’d been intimate, and yet Tak had the strangest effect on me. Just knowing he hadn’t ditched me but instead spent hours guarding my door had me looking at him differently. He wasn’t just sticking around because it was the right thing to do. I’d given him a million reasons to leave, and not once had he left my side.
“Are you this timid around my wolf?” he asked.
After drying my hands, I sat down next to him and crossed my legs. “No. Your wolf’s not exactly easy to ignore. He has no qualms about showing his affection.”
“What’s your craving?”
“You mean after I shift? Oh, it’s nothing.”
He arched an eyebrow. “We don’t ignore cravings in my tribe. It angers the spirits.”
