He dragged in a long, long breath, and I lowered my hand. “Fine. But if anyone sayssomething—”
“I’ll clock him over the head with the hammer from that state-of-the-art toolbox you got me last Christmas,” Coleoffered.
“Thank you,” August said, rising up to his fullheight.
“You’d do the same forme.”
“I would.” August grabbed a muffin, bit into it, swallowed, bit into it again, swallowed again. Two more bites, and he was rubbing his hands together to get the clingy crumbs off. “Ready togo?”
I got down from the barstool. “If you don’t mind me keeping the shirt, then yes. If not, I can put thedress—”
“Keep theshirt.”
He pocketed his car keys, wallet, and phone from a hand-carved wooden bowl on the island, while I stuck my feet back into my heels and grabbed my dress. When I drew the front door open, brightness flooded the loft-likespace.
Sunny days heralded goodthings.
Today would be a goodday.
Julian would take outCassandra.
It struck me that he would inherit her pack. Would all of them move to Boulder? I hoped not because a thousand more werewolves in the area would not only clutter our woods but also instigate territorial skirmishes. I turned away from the bright sky to see what was holding up August. I imagined it was Cole, but both of them were staring atme.
I shifted a little. “Are youcoming?”
August smacked his buddy’s chest, tossed him a murderous look, then walked over to me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and ushered me out. The warehouse parking lot was full of cars and trucks, so I stepped out of hisreach.
His eyes, that hadn’t lost their homicidal glint, swept over me. He didn’t say anything, but I felt a tug deep in my stomach, and the tug had me sidling back up tohim.
“August—” I gasped, tripping on myheels.
He reached out to steady me. “What?” His tone was innocent, but his expressionwasn’t.
“You know exactly what,” I grumbled, quickly scanning thelot.
Thankfully no one wasoutside.
When we reached the pickup, he opened the door. “Ness, I have a physical need to keep you close to me. It’s beyond mycontrol.”
I shook my head. “Says the man with the greatest amount of self-control.”
“Not when it comes toyou.”
He dipped his chin into his neck, and then the hand that wasn’t holding the door brushed my waist before opening like a flower in front of me. Sighing, I slipped my hand into his proffered one and climbed into thetruck.
Once he was settled behind the wheel, and we’d pulled out of the lot, I scooted closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder. His arm came around my waist and held me againsthim.
“Do you think Julian will win?” Iasked.
August sighed, and his sigh fluttered pieces of my uncombed hair. “We’ll know soonenough.”
“This fight-to-the-death tradition is sobarbaric.”
August pulled away to look down at me. “Says the girl who signed up for the Alphatrials.”
“I didn’t know that was going to be the ultimate test. The elders just said I would have to leave if I lost. They didn’t mentiondying.”
He stopped in the middle of the road. Thankfully there were two lanes, so although we got honked at, the cars went aroundus.
