The door opened again, and Talen Kayrs stalked into the room.
“Tayen!” Hope pushed off Cara and toddled toward the massive warrior.
He caught her before she rammed into his legs and lifted her high, his hard eyes softening in a way that just melted Cara’s heart. “There’s my girl.” He tucked her close and rubbed her back.
Delight glowed from her, and she wiggled enthusiastically, patting his chest. “Tayen. Yaaaaaay, Tayen.”
Cara started laughing. “Traitor.”
Janie grinned and shook her head. “She sure doesn’t hide the love, does she?”
“Why should she?” Talen easily held her with one muscled arm and tugged on her hair, not looking anything like a grandfather. “The kid has excellent taste.”
“Tayen!” Hope agreed with a vigorous head nod. “Water and Tayen. Lotsa water.” She gurgled. “And fire.”
Talen glanced down at her. “The forest fires are just about over, sweetheart. The smoke is finally going away.” He swung her around, end over end, and she giggled uncontrollably, her legs kicking as she played.
“Thank goodness.” Cara looked at the clear day outside. It was late fall, but summer had been dry, and many forest fires had cropped up in Washington and Idaho. While the fires hadn’t come close, the smoke had hung over the lake for weeks. It was time to get out of town for some fun.
She stood and walked over to grab the sundress out of the bag. “I’ll toss this in, and we’re off.”
“The Hummer is having electrical problems.” Talen settled Hope again and then frowned. “I called Kane to come fix it, but he’s in the middle of something. So I’m borrowing Dage’s Jeep.”
Cara stretched up and kissed Hope’s cheek. “I’m ready.”
Janie hurried over and hugged her mother. “Have a good time, and good luck on the adventure.”
“Thank you,” Cara said, anticipation lighting her veins. “We’re driving to Seattle to deliver those medical research samples to the lab, and then we’re catching the plane to Hawaii for some fun. I’ve left all the travel information by the fridge, in case you need it.”
Janie nodded. “Definitely check in, but don’t worry about us. Everything will be great. Bring some macadamia nuts home.”
“I promise.” Cara settled her palm over her abdomen. The war was over, life was good . . . so why was her stomach tingling with butterflies?
What could possibly go wrong?
Janie and Hope left, leaving her alone with her overprotective mate. Perhaps on the trip, they could realistically discuss her research and the benefits of teaching the next generation of humans how to look outside the western medicinal box in healing diseases.
She winked. “Lose the frown, or I’m kicking you right in the shin. Maybe higher.”
He leaned in. “Kick me. Please.”
Her stomach fluttered. “Don’t think I won’t.”
He smiled then . . . all dangerous soldier. “I’m waiting. Kick me, I’ll spank you, and then I promise you’ll be too damn sore to even think about riding in a car for five hours.”
Oh, he wasn’t getting his way that easy. She stretched up on her toes and pecked a kiss against his mouth. “Nice try, vampire.”
* * *
Talen couldn’t shake the itch between his shoulder blades. Taking his mate from the safety of their headquarters didn’t set well with him, and his muscles tensed in one long line.
“Would you relax?” she whispered from the passenger seat, her head back on the leather and her eyes closed in pleased abandonment. Her legs were up on the dash, her feet in little sandals that showed off bright pink toenails. Sexy and pink. Her long auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders, and he fought the urge to tug on a strand.
The woman was right. The war had ended, and he really did need to relax. He watched the road outside and yet kept a close eye on his woman out of his peripheral vision. “It occurs to me that you think things have changed.”
She opened her eyelids then . . . her eyes a stunning blue. “Huh?”
He cleared his throat and made sure her seat belt was firmly around her small body. “The war is over, you’re well, and you think things are different.” In fact, his woman hadn’t been healthy since right after they’d mated, and for years, he’d been more than gentle with her. At the thought that she was whole, finally, his heart started to thrum.
