“So can you hear me?”she asked inhermind.
“Aye. I canhearyou.”
His voice felt like a caress, and she found herself leaning into his hand that was still touchingherface.
“You’re lovely,” he said in the deep rumble she’d cometolove.
Heather cleared her throat. “If you’re anywhere near as hot as your accent, then I’m sure you’re quite lovelyaswell.”
He chuckled and then spoke through their bond.“Can we go somewherealone?”
“You’ll have to lead the way,”Heather said, making it clear that her blindness wasn’t going to be the elephant intheroom.
“We have much to discuss,”Kale said as he tookherhand.
“Understatement,Iceberg.”
He laughed out loud, and the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach did an Irish jig. It was a very nicelaugh.
Heather started to follow him but pulled on his hand to stop. She turned toward her friends. “Youtwookay?”
“We’re good,”Stellasaid.
“If at any point you’re not good, I’ve got my phone. Call me.” It wasn’t a request. She wanted them to know that just because they had mates, it didn’t mean that they didn’t still have each other’sbacks.
“We will,” Kara said. “We’ll see you in a littlewhile,yeah?”
“Definitely,” Heather said and then turned back to Kale. “Leadon,mate.”
Kale didn’t haveto be told twice. He held her hand firmly in his and led her from the room. When they reached the stairs, he reached for her other hand and placed it on the rail. “Stairs,” he saidgently.
“Thanks.” She smiled as shefollowedhim.
Kale considered taking her to the back porch but decided that area wasn’t private enough. He guided her out the front door and into the yard. “Do you mind walking for a bit?” heasked.
“Not at all. Just don’t let me run into a tree. It’s painful andembarrassing.”
Kale smiled. “Bumped into a few trees,haveya?”
She laughed. “More than I’d like toadmit.”
They walked in silence, and Kale forced his wolf to behave. He wanted to rub all over her and cover her in their scent. And he wanted to sink his teeth into her flesh and mark her as theirs. But Kale knew they needed to take things slowly. Heather hadn’t been raised with any knowledge of the supernatural. He didn’t want toterrifyher.
“I’m not fragile, you know,” she said after a fewminutes.
“You picked up on my thoughts?” heasked.
“Some of them. You are afraid of scaring me. I don’t scarethateasy.”
He let out a huff of laughter. “No, I suspect you donah,lass.”
“Forgive my ignorance, but are you Irish, Scottish, some other kindof–ish?”
Kale couldn’t help the huge grin on his face. “Some other kindof–ish?”
“Just don’t want toassume.”
“Ahh, fair enough. I’mIrish.”
