“Please don’t,” I choked out with a grimace. “I like you too much to watch you get torn to pieces.”
Kellan released me to flex his impressive biceps, the striations visible even though his long sleeves. “I’d hold out for longer than you think,” he said, with all the stupid confidence of an alpha. “Don’t you worry about me, Shortcake. I wouldn’t let you down.”
Of that I had no doubts. “So, where do we eat?” My voice was breathless, but I felt too flustered to care. “I really can’t see Hunter perching at the kitchen counter like we did this morning.”
Gerald cracked a smile while Kellan nodded. “You’re correct. We eat in the dining room of course.We’re not savage beasts.” He mimicked Hunter’s gruff tones for the last four words.
We ended up in an adjoining dining room, and I was relieved to see the table—which could easily seat ten alphas—was only set with three places.
Looked like I’d get a reprieve from Finley theGrouchy Bearand Slade theScary Shiftertonight.
Thank the goddess.
Chapter
Eighteen
Hunter strode in a few minutes later looking as perfectly pressed as when he’d left this morning, though his expression was harried. “Apologies. There was a slight disaster just as I was about to leave the office, but we got it handled.” He rubbed his right hand over his face in a tired gesture, and I noticed a white bandage on top, stark against his olive skin tone.
There weren’t many injuries an alpha couldn’t heal within a few minutes, and as my annoyance rose at seeing him wounded, I was about to ask what happened, before remembering that it wasnone of my fucking business.
It would just have to be added to the list of questions on a constant loop in my mind.
Hunter shrugged off his navy suit jacket, and Florence was there to take it from him before he said a word. He sat, and I noticed the slightly tousled strands of his dark hair, as if he’d been running his hands through it. It was a good look on him, especially when he loosened his tie and released his cufflinks to roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt.
It took all my willpower to focus on the crispy white tablecloth in front of me. There was no woman strong enough towatch Hunter Reeves relax after a hard day of work and not want to strip the rest of his clothes from him.
I never imagined how fucking sexy it was to watch him go from perfectly pressed and professional to this slightly ruffled alpha, his tattoos peeking out from his sleeves as he unwound from a long day.
Now I wanted to know how he looked in the morning after a night of running my hands through that glorious hair.Wait!What?
No. Emme. Immediately no.I was in desperate need of some therapy because my mental thoughts were getting out of control.
These alphas could literally kill me with almost no effort, and yet my body—and wolf—was ready to sign up for whatever they offered.I’d be ashamed of myself, but I was too busy being pissed off.
“What was the disaster?” Kellan leaned forward, uncharacteristically serious. In the short time I’d known him, he’d never given the impression that he was at all business minded, but as Hunter launched into an explanation about production and testing issues, Kellan understood it all, and even offered what sounded like practical and intelligent suggestions in return.
Hunter might be the genius inventor behind their gadgets, but if Kellan was any indication, the rest of the pack had plenty of input into their company as well.
“Enough about work,” Hunter finally said as Florence appeared. She carried a tray in her hands, and the scent of roast meats and vegetables filled the room until my stomach rumbled in response.
“How was the rest of your day, Emmeline?”
Hunter drew my attention from the food, and since I’d never liked my full name, I said, “Call me Emme, please. My mom thought Emmeline would class us up, but it’s never suited me.”
Hunter observed me in his focused way, and I waited for further questions, but none came. “Emme it is,” he said gruffly.
Kellan pressed his huge hands to his chest. “Aw, Shortcake. Look at you and Hunter playing all nice with each other.”
“Shut up, Kellan,” he growled.
“Yes, Daddy.”
The growls grew louder, and Hunter’s wolf flashed in his stormy eyes as gold flecked brightly near the irises. I swallowed at the dominance in the room until Kellan threw both hands up, his face contrite. “Don’t attack. I’ll shut up. Sorry, I get annoying when I’m nervous.”
Unable to help myself, I reached out and patted his hand. “You’re not annoying, Golden Boy. You’re exactly what I needed to keep from losing my shit. So… thank you.”
He all but preened under my touch, his eyes bright and shiny.
