He stared down his regal nose at her, his eyes the color of ice. A slow, wicked smile stretched his masculine lips. “You’re one of those bright-side-girls, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
He chuckled and made his way to her. His chest rose as he inhaled deeply, and then he knelt at her feet, and began untying her shoes.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Taking care of you.”
Those four words burrowed right into her heart and drew warmth from her inside out.
He took his time and removed her shoes, and socks, then ran his hand down the back of her calf, massaging all the way down to her feet. She relaxed back into the couch cushion as he massaged her foot. “I’ve never done this before,” she murmured.
“Had a foot massage?” he rumbled.
“Yeah.”
“I’ve never given one. Never cared to.”
She loved him.
She knew it in this moment, as she watched him work his gentle massage into the arch of her foot. Big, strong, dominant, warrior werewolf was on his knees on the hardwood floors, making sure she felt cared for.
She’d loved him since she’d seen him sitting by himself out in the cold outside of Copper’s.
There was no turning back anymore. Not after meeting his people and feeling accepted. After he’d met her parents, and her father had even smiled as he’d told Dodger goodbye and shook his hand tonight. Her mom seemed so happy for her. She already had plans with the females in his Pack for a girls’ night later this week. She already had plans with Dodger for a lowkey date night after they got off work tomorrow. He’d invited her into his denand asked her to spend the night with him. He was going to show her his wolf.
She had been in it before, but now? She was in deep.
Destiny didn’t want to go back to her same old life, before she’d known of his existence. That life seemed so far away and dull now.
Here, with him, every moment seemed so in focus, bright, and happy. It was as if she was making memories with him she knew would always be burned into her memory. She loved it.
Her outfit from last week was laid on the kitchen counter, neatly folded. She padded toward it and ran her fingertips across the fabric. He might have been forcing himself away from her, but he’d kept this connection with her. He’d put her scent in his den.
Beside it was a pile of folded T-shirts.
“What are these?” she asked, already pretty sure she knew the answer.
“Your new sleep shirts.”
“Possessive.”
“Damn right,” he rumbled low. “I know what I have.” He reached across her and pulled the t-shirt off the top of the pile. He unfolded it and shook it out, then held it up to her. “Perfect.”
“Want me to try it on?” she asked softly.
The smile faded slightly from his masculine lips, and his glowing blue eyes softened. He nodded once.
She stepped forward and held her hands out at her sides, waiting.
His grin flashed across his face as he settled his T-shirt over his shoulders and pushed her jacket off her shoulders. He draped that across the counter, then unsnapped the suspenders of her ski bibs.
There shouldn’t be anything sexy about removing layers of winter clothing, but Dodger had a talent. He leaned in and kissedher as he eased the thick snow pants down her thighs. Next, he lifted her sweater over her hair, and then her thermal underlayer until her upper half was only clad in her push up bra.
He knelt slowly, and she held onto the edge of the counter as he unlaced her snow boots, and pulled them off one by one, then peeled her pants from her legs completely.
As he stood, he dragged his hungry gaze up her body, she fought the urge to cover herself. She was safe here, with him. Her skin was chilled, and he dragged his fingertips up the gooseflesh on her forearm. His touch felt so good, the chills got bigger and shivered up her spine. She huffed a small giggle at her body’s reaction to him.
