I glanced back at the bakery door. “I mean, I can understand that. But he’s young. Is he old enough for a mate?”
“Because Lewis is fae, he’s always going to look incredibly young. Even the fae alphas still look barely of age.”
I sighed. “Oh, to have genes such as that.”
Maxwell stopped, and in doing so, I was halted at the same time. I looked up at my mate in question. “What?”
“Really? You don’t exactly look old. Especially not compared to me. Have you noticed the few silvers at my temples?”
I smiled huge. I absolutely had. “Yes, and they are incredibly sexy.” I reached up and touched the ones that were glinting in the early morning sun on his left temple. “They’re very attractive, and I like them. A lot.” I winked at Maxwell before I dropped my hand and started walking again. We were in front of the store, and the clinic wasn’t far, but it was chilly still, and I was really craving these lemon bars. “Come on, sexy. I’m wanting one of these lemon bars before we start the day.”
Maxwell chuckled. “If you had mentioned them to me earlier or even thought about them, you could have already had one this morning when we had breakfast.”
I smiled over at my mate. “True. And I will from now on. Please remember, I’m still getting used to being mated. Add in that I have one that has magical powers, and it’s even more to get used to.”
“Understandable. But there has to be something positive about being mated to me,” Maxwell said with a playful smile.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I knew he was teasing and that he knew without a doubt that there were so many wonderful things about being mated to him. We walked up the front walkway to the clinic, but Maxwell veered off to the right before we made it to the front door. I followed along, and when we rounded the building, he typed in a code and unlocked the door.
“I’ll get you a code in just a bit. I have all of that information down in the office for you,” Maxwell told me.
“I’m not worried about it. I know you aren’t purposely keeping anything from me. We’re a team, both here and at home.”
Maxwell held the door open for me, and after I entered, he came in and closed it behind us. “The office is just there, if you remember.”
“I do,” I told him. I held up the box in my hands. “Do you care if I eat in your office? Or should I go over there?” I asked, gesturing with my head toward the break room.
“Our office,” Maxwell said. “At least until I can get you one of your own. And no, I do not mind if you eat over there.” Maxwell ushered me to the office, and I was surprised that it had changed since we’d been there last. There were now two desks, and they were centered in the room instead of Maxwell’s one that had been off toward the left side of the office.
“You didn’t need to rearrange the office for me,” I told him. Maxwell’s smile gave it away. “It’s such a sweet gesture though.”
“I’m glad you approve. I have to get permission from the council to expand the clinic for another office. I’m sure it will be granted, but for now, a second desk will have to do.”
I grinned, and after I placed the box down on the desk on the right, I turned and reached for my mate. “You know,” I said, “I’m not exactly going to complain about having to share an office with you. It’s not like we can’t stand one another.”
Maxwell moved closer and placed his hands on my hips, the boxes he’d been holding disappearing.
“I know it will be such a hardship to have to share another space with me,” Maxwell teased.
I tsked and shook my head. “Whatever will we do? Forced to stare at one another while trying to focus on patient notes, supply orders, and schedules.”
Maxwell smiled as he leaned down, closing in to kiss me. “Such a terrible way to spend the day,” he said jokingly just before his lips touched mine. I moaned when his tongue swiped at my lips, and when his tongue met mine, I melted into his embrace.
Maxwell quickly pulled back though, and when I tried to follow and continue the kiss, it finally registered why he’d cut the kiss short. I took a deep breath and sent my mate a promising look. Perhaps we’d come back too soon? Owen, the sweet panda shifter I’d met that first day, stopped at the office door with a huge smile on his face.
“Welcome back,” he said. “And congratulations. But shouldn’t you two be off on a tropical island somewhere?”
I looked over at Maxwell. “We thought to come back early since we’re working together anyway.”
“But why?” Owen asked. “Did you not get the message from the council?”
I was really confused now and glanced to my mate again.
“No. What message? I’ve not seen anything from anyone.”
“There’s another doctor here. Someone named Constantine? He and his One brought their children out to visit with family. I’m not sure who the family is, but he’s been seeing any of the patients. They all seem to know him? He said the two of you have known each other for a long time.”
Just then, the back door opened again and then closed with a soft click. In strolled another man, this one with even more silver at his temples.
