Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
He nodded silently as Mr. Tom bustled into the room with a cup of coffee and a pile of clothes.
“I apologize for the tardy coffee, miss. I realize you are unbearably grumpy until you have it.” He handed off the cup to me, clearly not noticing my intense scowl. “Master Jimmy awoke, and I wanted to see his face when he opened all his Hanukkah gifts. I know you’re only supposed to do one per day, but I rounded up to an even ten, since we’ve missed the entire holiday already.”
“Hanukkah?” I asked in confusion, sitting at the little table by the window. “We’re not Jewish.”
“Yes, that’s what he said. But judging by the severe disregard you have for any sort of faith-based activities, I figured we might as well support all the major holidays.”
Tristan snorted and turned away, hiding a laugh.
“Is this your way of smothering him with presents?” I asked, shaking my head. “He doesn’t need—”
“How dare you!” Mr. Tom’s wings rustled, and he braced one of his fists on a hip, pausing in handing over Tristan’s folded clothes. “I do not smother anyone. I merely look after their every need. Master Jimmy needs things. Like socks. I found one with a hole big enough to allow his toe through!” He finally handed over Tristan’s things. “Now, Tristan, what am I making you this morning? How about a French press coffee? I realize that sounds horribly simple, but sometimes simpler is better, I think. Master Jimmy called it ‘dope,’ so it is clearly very popular with the younger generation. I could also do some sort of—”
“French press sounds great, thanks,” Tristan replied, putting on his clothes.
“Fantastic. Miss, I’ll have breakfast up shortly. I’m thinking an omelet sounds good, don’t you? Master Jimmy raved about the one I made him. I’ll just—”
He whizzed out of the room, muttering to himself the whole way.
“I’ll give you some time in silence,” Tristan said with a grin, heading for the door. “You don’t have to worry about my being intrusive.”
“No one could be more intrusive than Mr. Tom, no.”
But he’d only been gone for a moment before I realized something…
I didn’t much want silence.
I didn’t want alone time.
I also didn’t much want someone else stepping into Nathanial’s position.
It was a dangerous place to be. I didn’t want anyone else’s blood on my hands. I needed someone, though. I couldn’t deny that. I needed someone helping me in the air. Tristan would be the obvious choice, someone I literally trusted with my life.
“Your mate protector should be the one guarding you,” Ivy House said.
“Except Austin can’t fly, so it doesn’t really matter if he does or doesn’t take the magic.”
“The mate protector will be able to magically communicate with your army. He can move the pieces into the best positions to protect you. He won’t need to fly.”
That I hadn’t known. Not specifically.
“Or,” she went on, “make the alpha gargoyle your second mate. He’d be good in the sack, I bet you anything. You don’t have that kind of swagger without something to back it up. That would be a nice man-sandwich.”
I stared at the door because she had no eyes. She’d said something along those lines before. If she had a body, she’d be chasing Tristan, I had no doubt.
“Austin is my mate. Only him. He’ll take the magic when he’s ready. Leave it alone.”
I hoped he would, at any rate. Because she was right—there was no one I wanted guarding my back more than him. There would be no one better at protecting me. If he could connect with everyone like I could, he’d find a way to make our unit stronger than ever.
He just had to take that magic.
With a sigh, I took another sip of coffee and stood, turning for the bathroom and the much-needed shower Cyra’s visit had put off. It was only then I noticed the presence at my door. He’d come back to the house and walked onto the grounds completely unnoticed by me with everything else that was going on.
“Hey, baby,” Austin said, raking his gaze down my body. “Comfy?”
“Oh. Uhm.” I looked down at the dirty, rumpled shirt. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“And what does it look like?” He prowled closer to me, a predator with his prey in his sights, his eyes on fire. “Other than my very sexy mate wearing my T-shirt in the morning.” Reaching me, he slid his hands up the outsides of my thighs and then over the swell of my butt. He growled softly. “Without any underwear.”
I set the mug down quickly, spilling a little out of the side, and gripped his shoulders.
“I just felt like wrapping myself in your smell,” I said with a soft moan as he dipped his fingers between my thighs. “That’s not weird.”