“You fixed it!”she gushed.
“I’m glad I could.This needs to be cleaned, though.I saw instructions online on how to do it, and just need some oil and a few small tools.Before we get into that or ordering fabric and supplies, how about lunch?I saw Nancy in the kitchen making chicken salad sandwiches on croissant bread.”
“Sounds delish.I’m starving.”
“Maybe after,” he said, helping her to her feet and pulling her close, “we can clean up in our room.”
“Our room is already clean.”
He just stared at her, willing her to know exactly what he meant.And then she grinned.“Oh.Clean.Got it.”She giggled and went onto her toes, brushing her lips over his.“That sounds like a great plan.”
With a lingering kiss, he let go of her and they headed to the kitchen to join the herd for lunch, but his mind wasn’t on the chatter around the table or the excellent chicken salad sandwiches.
It was on the bedroom upstairs and the fun he and Fallon would get into when they were alone.
* * *
After Avi and Fallon drove each other wild, they dressed and talked about the plans for the afternoon, which mainly involved the continued cleanup of the farmhouse.It was tedious work because there was still glass everywhere, and the floors and furniture had to be gone over multiple times to ensure no shards were left behind.The windows were supposed to be delivered on Tuesday and Avi was thankful the weather was decent and they weren’t dealing with rain or cold temperatures at night.
He joined Fallon as she finished dressing and saw one of the drawers that he’d cleared for her in the dresser wasn’t even half full.He frowned.
“I didn’t notice,” he said, “but is that all the clothes you have?”
She pushed her foot into her shoe and looked at him.“Yeah.Why?”
“There’s not much, sweetheart.”Then it dawned on him.She’d had to escape her prowl to save herself, and had only been at the park for a week.“The park shifters didn’t give you anything?”
“They did, actually.They gave me a new phone and some clothes, but I hardly ever left the house I was staying in, so I didn’t need much.I’m just glad I had a cute skirt for our date.”
“Well, shit, we need to fix that.”
“But you said it wasn’t safe for us to go anywhere.Not until things settled down.”
“True, but we can order stuff for you.Come on.”
He grabbed her hand and took her down to the kitchen, where a built-in desk held a laptop the herd used to order supplies.He opened a web page to an online store where she could get pretty much anything, with most things able to be delivered overnight.Then he scooted back and got up, pointing to the chair.“Order whatever you need.And not just the stuff you need, but stuff you want.”
“I don’t really need anything.”
“Sweetheart, of course you do.”He leaned on one arm and looked at her intently.“I logged in with my account, so I’m paying for it.But even if I didn’t, the herd has funds just for situations like this.You’re not the only one to come to us with only one bag to their name, just ask Zara.Order clothes and shoes, toiletries—whatever.Don’t feel like you need to order panties, though.”He winked and she laughed.
“If you’re sure?”
“One hundred percent.All of us put money into a general fund for whatever the herd needs.When you’re done, you can look online for the sewing supplies and I’ll set up an order for that stuff too.”He kissed her forehead.“Go wild, sweetheart.I’ll check in on you in a bit.”
“Thanks, Avi.I mean it.”
“My pleasure.”
He lingered in the kitchen a moment longer, watching her scroll through the online catalog.The afternoon sunlight made her dark hair shine with hidden auburn strands, and he thought she was the most beautiful female he’d ever seen in his life.
And she was his.
“Hey, sweetheart?”
She glanced back at him.“Yeah?”
“I know this isn’t how you pictured your life turning out, with your escape from the prowl and hiding out on some middle-of-nowhere farm with horse shifters, but I’m really thankful you’re here.And no matter what comes our way, good things and bad, we can get through it together.You and me, thick or thin, hell or high water.”
