“No. Ewan kept watch while I went into Doolin House. He said he could smell the magic, but no one followed us back here. Where do ya’ want me to bring his luggage?”
“Up to my room,” she said, then at his shock, added, “for now.”
“So it’s true.” Tierney took a swig of coffee and looked her up and down. “Thereissomethin’ different about ya’.”
Fuck. Would everyone be able to tell? That she’d wanted to screw her mate blind? “Shut it and get his luggage. Pack meetin’ in fifteen minutes. Everyone who’s awake and...themselves.”
“I’ve been stable all night,” Mara said from behind Farren. “Not a single episode. Unless you could all the times the baby woke me dancing on my internal organs. And I’m pretty sure that’s normal for how far along I am. At least with a werewolf baby.”
Cade stood at his mate’s side, flecks of silver in his steel blue eyes. “I still don’t like having another elemental under this roof. But it seems to be helping her.”
“Good. I’m not cookin’ this morn’,” Farren said. “There’s enough in the cupboard to keep the lot of us from starvin’ while we talk about what happens next. Someone else can haul it all to the main room.” After she poured a second mug of coffee for Eli, she carried them back up the stairs, pausing outside her bedroom door.
Shite. He could be naked in there.
“Eli? Are ya’ decent?” she called out.
“Enough.”
What the hell did that mean? Nudging the door with her toe, she peered into her bedroom and her mouth went dry. Her mate stood in front of his open suitcase wearing nothing but a pair of black jeans. A few droplets of water clung to his broad shoulders, and she wondered what it would be like to lick them from his skin.
Get yourself under control, Farren. He’s not yours. Not yet anyway.
Eli stopped with two different shirts in his hands. “Is there some sort of dress code for going to meet your doom?”
“Go with the one on the right.” Farren was hopeless when it came to fashion. Most of her wardrobe was comprised of black leather pants, tanks in various shades from pale to dark gray, and her favorite motorcycle jacket. Around the house, she often donned a cashmere cardigan. One of her few indulgences.
“The persimmon? Really?” Eli asked.
“It brings out yer eyes.” Why had she even noticed?
Her nipples tightened under her tank, and she set the mugs down on her dresser and hurried over to her closet. One of those cardigans would come in handy right about now.
“Is one of those for me?” Eli’s deep voice sent her insides melting, and she shrugged into a super soft black scoop neck sweater Tierney had given her for Christmas the year before.
“Yeah. I thought ya’ might need it. We’re havin’ a pack meetin’ in...” she checked her phone, “less than ten minutes. We need to figure out how to unbind your elemental powers.”
“I don’t want to ‘unbind’ anything. I want to go back to London and forget any of this ever happened.”
Farren flinched and almost choked on her coffee. Her mate wanted to forget her. Forget every meeting her.
“Well, that’s not goin’ to happen.” Farren stalked towards the door, but Eli grabbed her arm. “Let go.”
“No.”
His touch made her believe there was still hope. He was gentle, but firm, and when he held her gaze, there was heat in his green eyes. If only she could see more. Respect. A connection.
“Eli. Whatever this is between us? It’s not important now. Not when there’s a practitioner who knows ye’re in Doolin.” She cupped the back of his neck and pulled him closer. When their lips met, electricity zinged down her spine. God. He tasted like coffee and spice, and her wolf railed against her control, desperate for the touch of her mate.
His hands skimmed down her body, cupping her arse and lifting her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. “Farren. How much longer?”
“Not long enough. Not for what I have in mind.”
Shite. She was so turned on, she couldn’t think straight. But if she gave in to the mating drive now, she’d regret it for the rest of her life. Because when she mated with him—ifshe mated with him—she would absolutely take her time and enjoy every bloody second.
“Put me down, ya’ bastard. We have to get to the livin’ room before Cade and Liam send someone up here.”
Eli eased her to her feet, but he didn’t seem to want to let go. “You’re certain about us?”
