He eyed her from head to toe. “No, sweetheart. Look at you. This whole thing… it’s way out of your league.”
“Look at me?” Her brow puckered. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re not exactly dressed to sit at the adult table.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Come on. You’re celibate. You know as well as I do you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Do yourself a favor and ask to be removed from my case.” He backed out the door.
“I’ll do no such thing!” Selene protested, but Jason wasn’t listening.
He’d stopped short when he saw the source of the breakfast smells. The kitchen counter was laden with pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh coffee.
“I made you breakfast,” Selene said from behind him. “It should still be hot.”
He sighed. Most of the time the hollow feeling inside his abdomen was suppressed, hidden under the layers of constant wanting that drove his every decision. But now, seeing it all there, he almost felt hungry. “I don’t usually eat breakfast.”
“No kidding. Your refrigerator was a graveyard of half-empty take-out containers.”
“Where did you even find the food?”
“I brought it. It’s part of the regimen. You’ll eat six times a day. Your body needs to be strong and healthy if we’re going to beat this thing.”
“Healthy.” Jason’s eyes drifted to the bar near the fireplace and widened when he found it empty. “What happened to the wine? The Macallan? The Pappy Bourbon?”
“I had to get rid of it.” Selene shrugged.
Jason’s hands dug into his hair. “Thousands of dollars…”
Her laugh rang through the room like a bell. He looked at her in horror. Was she really laughing at his pain?
“Relax,” she finally said. “Silas took it for safekeeping. You can have it back when you’re better.”
He dropped into a chair at the white oak table and rubbed his forehead. “So… the acolyte has a sense of humor. A cruel but existent sense of humor.”
She crossed her right foot behind her left and bowed, her ponytail flopping over her shoulder. The movement made her look young and light like she was made of air rather than skin and bone. “We have a joke among acolytes.”
He slouched. “Let’s hear it.”
“A werewolf, a vampire, and an acolyte walk into a bar. The bartender asks, ‘What’ll it be?’ The werewolf orders a beer. The vampire orders a pint of blood. What does the acolyte order?”
“I don’t know, what?”
“A candle to light for the souls of the vampire and the werewolf.”
“That’s the worst joke I’ve ever heard.”
“Well, if we were comedians we would have chosen a different vocation.” She strode into the kitchen and started loading a plate.
“What is that in the eggs?”
“Onions, peppers, tomato, spinach. It helps with hormonal balance.”
As she swayed in front of the counter, she added pancakes to the heaping pile forming on the plate in her hands. He shifted in his chair, his cock kicking. His inner wolf stretched and lowered his head, stalking her every movement. Breathing deeply, he sorted out her mango and vanilla scent.
Selene didn’t seem to notice his lascivious stare. She plopped the full plate in front of him and handed him a fork. “Please don’t take this the wrong way but I’ve noticed you’ve lost weight,” she said. “Do you eat regularly?” Her voice was full of caring and concern, but all Jason’s cock heard was a sultry murmur.
“Hmm?” He stared at the round curve of her hip.
She wandered back toward the food and started loading another plate. “Eating? Have you been… regularly?”
“Uh. I’ve been busy. Work and things. Plus, I don’t cook.” His lids drooped as he followed the line of her body from thigh, to shoulder, to that long caramel-colored ponytail that swung behind her. He’d like to roll his hand in the length of it, tug her head back, and explore her mouth with his.
