Sage laughed, surprised, but then Canyon shrugged and said, “You did what you had to do to survive. That’s not a problem for me.”
Timber grunted and finished chewing and swallowing, then burped and said, “Me, neither.”
Sage put her burger down and let that sink in. These two weren’t like othervod.They understood.
You get me,she told Canyon inruhi.I like that.
She smiled at him and he smiled back.
Then she rememberedshe couldn’t speak ruhi!A hot flush hit her cheeks, and she looked down, grabbing her burger and pretending to eat it so she didn’t have to talk.
She’d never forgotten she couldn’t speakruhibefore.
75—Wolf, Cop, Protector, Enemy, Watcher
Sage lay in bed thinking. The TV was on in the other room. The three of them had watched two movies, not talking about anything serious, just laughing at the movies and being together, feeling each other out. Timber’s phone buzzed all night long, but Sage hadn’t seen him look at it once. Half an hour ago, Sage had excused herself and gone to clean up, then to bed, sometimes hearing the brothers laugh in the other room.
The TV went silent. Someone moved around in the bathroom, running water. The toilet flushed.
Sage lay still, hoping Canyon would come to her.
After some time, bare feet padded on the linoleum. Sage opened her eyes. It was Canyon, and he wore only boxers, his beefy silhouette outlined in moonlight. She smiled, loving the outline of his abs and his shoulders, his arms and neck, all the way to his military haircut.
He spoke, his voice pitched low. “Want company?”
Sage scootched over in the bed and held the blankets open. She wore a t-shirt and booty shorts, and Canyon took a moment to stare at her body. She couldn’t see his eyes in the darkness, but she could feel his appraisal… and his approval.
He climbed in bed near her, but not quite touching, putting his head on the second pillow. Sage scootched over, entwining her legs with his, then running a hand through his chest hair.
“Vod,” she said softly. “It means ah, wolf, cop, protector, enemy, watcher.”
“Mm,” Canyon murmured. “That’s a lot.” He put his hand on her hip and let it rest there.
“Andvodvod… it means, uh, the same thing, but scarier. In the old days, it referred to the meanest wolves, or the alpha wolf. These days it means the officers of the KSRT.”
“Are you scared of me?” he asked softly.
“Sometimes,” she admitted, whispering. “But it’s because of what you are, not who you are. I… like who you are, but thevodare scary. They’re strong, and powerful. They huntfoxen.”
Canyon was silent for a long time, and didn’t move, staring into her eyes, with their lower bodies touching, the weight of his hand solid on her hip.
Canyon pressed against her. “I’m drawn to you.”
“I’m… I’m drawn to you, too.”
“I think that means something.”
Sage didn’t have a response. She realized Canyon’s cock was growing hard between them, and she forgot what he’d said. She reached inside his boxers to grasp it. He groaned softly, then he got up on one elbow and curled one hand around her nape, touching his lips to her lips, his strong masculine scent overpowering her. Sage responded, not knowing if she was doing the right thing, but knowing she was doing what shewantedto do.
***
Canyon kissed Sage deeply, feeling a solid rightness. This was good. This was what he wassupposedto be doing. If Sage had awolvenmate, it was him, and no one else, even if he hadn’t had a reaction. He dropped one hand to Sage’s which wascurled loosely around his cock, and he helped her stroke it, then he dragged her soft fingers around the head, then he released her and let her do what she wanted. Her touch was soft and felt divine.
In the other room, the TV switched on.
“He’s trying not to hear us,” Canyon whispered. “Thinks we’re gonna get nasty.”
“Did you tell him you were gonna get nasty?” Sage whispered back.
