Chapter Twenty-One
Emelise
“I never thought I would be so happy to stop driving as I am today,” Emelise said as she pulled the truck to a stop in front of her apartment building. She rubbed her tired eyes and rolled her shoulders.
“If we ever have to do something like this again, I vote we fly and then drive back,” Lily replied. “I don’t want to move but I know I need to unhook my car and go home.”
“How do you think I feel, girl? I don’t even have anything to sleep on so I’ll be passing out on the floor,” Eme countered.
Lily turned to look at her. “Damn, I didn’t think about that. Come crash at my place tonight; we can get the Pard to help you unpack tomorrow.”
Emelise waved a hand at her. “No, it’s fine, I can rough it for one night.”
Lily started to argue when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. When she turned to look, she grinned. “Or not. Looks like the cavalry has arrived.” Several members of the Pard approached the truck while they sat there talking.
Emelise turned to see what she was talking about and groaned. Not only had several of the Pard arrived to unload the truck but Caine was with them. She really couldn’t deal with him right now. “Just what I need.”
Lily laughed softly. “Might as well get it over with,” she told her and got out.
Emelise followed at a slower pace. “Don’t start,” she growled at Caine. “We can talk another time; I’m too damn tired to do this right now.”
Caine
When Declan informed him that he’d gotten a rough estimate from Lily of when they would be back in New Orleans, Caine decided he would be there to greet them. He asked for volunteers to help Emelise get her belongings unpacked and wasn’t surprised when several members of the Pard jumped to help. They knew she was his mate even if he’d not claimed her yet, but he didn’t think that was why they did it. They were the same leopards who were helping her clean up the place she bought, and she’d clearly left a good impression on them.
He waited in the shadows until the truck came to a stop. He watched as Lily and Emelise had a brief discussion, then motioned the others forward as he stepped into view. He was at the driver’s side of the truck by the time Emelise had stepped out. When she growled at him, he cocked a brow. That was hot. Did she have to be so sexy when she was aggravated? “All right, den. We’ll talk about it tomorrow, cher,” he growled low in her ear as he leaned close to breathe her in. “Tonight, da Pard is helpin’ you get unpacked.”
Emelise blinked at him. “Thank you.”
Lily waited for her car to be unhooked before she turned to Emelise. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Eme, after we’ve both gotten some sleep,” she said, then looked at Caine. “Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re mad at me too. You can chew me out later. I’m beat. Night, Eme.”
“Night, girl, thanks for going with me,” Emelise replied and watched her friend leave.
Caine had to fight the urge to pull Emelise into his arms. “We take care of our own,” he told her and moved to help with the unpacking of her belongings before he decided to check out the apartment she’d picked out. He had to admit, it seemed to suit her even with the bland color on the walls. Even after the others left, he lingered to be near his mate for a little while longer.
Declan
Declan waited outside Lily’s apartment building for her to arrive. He’d been tempted to meet her out front of Emelise’s place, but he knew Caine was going to be there, and that was bound to cause enough sparks; he didn’t need to add to the tension. So instead he leaned against the side of the apartment building Lily lived in and watched for her car. He wanted to make good on his promise to her, or threat, whichever way you chose to look at it, that she wouldn’t be getting out of bed for quite a while once she was home.
He glanced at his watch before he spotted headlights coming his way. He watched as Lily pulled her car up to the curb and had to tamp down the urge to rush over to her. Fucking hell, he’d missed her. “I see you made it home safe and sound, doll,” he growled as he approached her.
Lily’s head snapped up at his voice and she laughed a little. “I should have known you’d be here waiting,” she said and tipped her head at him. “Of course we made it back safe and sound. We were careful every time we stopped. I know you males have to be so macho, but we females aren’t as helpless as you seem to think we are.”
Declan cocked a brow at her. “You’re feeling feisty,” he said and pulled her into his arms to kiss her. His arms tightened around her and he knew she could feel his arousal pressed against her.
Lily
When she pulled up to the curb outside of her apartment building, all Lily was thinking about was how much she wanted to go in and collapse into bed. That thought fled when she heard Declan’s voice. Suddenly she was wide awake and things low in her body tightened with need. She thought about their little sexting session, and the promise he’d made her, and a shiver of anticipation went down her spine. She never would have thought the idea of being tied up could be so hot.
Lily lifted her face to his when he wrapped his arms around her. She felt his arousal and it made her whimper a little. He was already so hard. “You like me feisty,” she countered. “I’d be boring otherwise.”
Declan laughed. “True, I do like you feisty,” he admitted and kissed her. “Let’s go inside,” he growled against her lips. “I have a promise to keep.”
“Yes, you do,” she replied huskily and pulled from his arms to head inside to her apartment. She wasn’t going to pretend the attraction wasn’t there, and she wasn’t going to pretend like the sex wasn’t the best fucking sex she’d ever had either.
Declan
Declan had to admit, he liked the fact his mate wasn’t fighting their attraction anymore. He’d known she was loyal and when she gave herself to someone, she gave all of herself, not just part, and now he was reaping the rewards of that. As soon as they were in her apartment, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her hungrily. “Missed you, woman,” he growled and dipped his head to trail kisses down her throat.
