"Have a lovely evening, honey."
I don't blush.It would be ridiculous to blush, so the heat on my cheeks is something else.
I wait until we're out on the road before I focus on Ira."You can't jump out of your window.What if something had happened to you?"
At first, he doesn't reply, then he gives me a defiant look."I was only telling Boris about the cookies.You'd have told me no if I'd asked if I could go to him."
Well, yeah.I say nothing as we walk into the house and into the kitchen, where the scent of chicken casserole I didn't make greets us.
* * * *
Chapter 27
Boris
I made another venison stew and baked an apple pie, but today I don't rush over with it when Simon goes to fetch Ira.It's cookie day, so I'll be allowed to talk to them.
I wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Fuck, how much time do they need to pick up some cookies?
When I finally spot the car down the road, I grab the food and hurry out the door.Simon stares at me as he exits the car.I can't read his expression, but I don't care.I get to be near him.
"Boris!"Ira runs toward me, his backpack scraping on the ground since he only has his fingers curled around one of the straps.
"Ira."I grin at him."Watch the bag."
He sighs but lifts it off the ground."There are sooo many cookies."His eyes are huge, but he's grinning.
"Yeah?Maybe we won't have time to deliver everything today."I frown at the car.There are a lot of cookies, and I haven't told anyone we're coming.Or Zahrah.She's been calling me every day to make sure I'm still alive, so I told her.Mom too.I don't think Mom's ever been this worried about me.Maybe because she knows what it's like to lose a mate.
"Let's head to Beantopia first.I bet some of them are there."
I more or less shove the food at Simon, then, since his hands are busy, I lean close and nuzzle him."Thank you for this, love."
He shivers and avoids my gaze.
I hurry over to the car and open the trunk.There are three large cardboard boxes filled with smaller boxes of cookies.Damn.
"Okay, do we have a list?"
Simon disappears into the house only to come back a few seconds later without any food in his hands."I think there is a paper."He walks closer to me, close enough for me to feel the heat of him.Then he lifts the lid of one of the boxes.When he finds nothing, he opens the next one.There is a sheet of paper.I move closer still, boxing him in against the car, and he glares at me over his shoulder.
I grin.
When he straightens, he brushes against me, and I put a hand on his hip.
"Boris."It's a warning, but I ignore it.Instead, I lean my chin on his shoulder and skim the list of names.
"Okay.I think we'll go to Beantopia.Conan will be there, and with some luck, we'll catch Oswald and a few others there too.Then we can head to Mom's, stop by Zahrah's on the way back, and then we'll see who's left, and we can take them tomorrow or the day after."I tighten my grip on his hip, only a fraction, a small squeeze.
He shoots me another annoyed glare, but he doesn't step away.He could have, and the realization makes me hide a smile against his shoulder.
"I have bagels and juice in the car if you're ready to head out, Ira."I turn to find him watching us."Maybe take a bathroom break before we get going."
