Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
I took his hand, my heart feeling like it was too big to fit in my chest. “Okay,” I said, my eyes swimming.
“Okay,” he replied, leaning over to kiss me. “Let’s go home.”
Austin
Austin resisted the urge to stomp on the gas pedal in the new super car Jess had bought him. It was extravagant, over the top, glitzy, and absolutely perfect for an alpha of his caliber. At least an alpha of the caliber he was working toward. Kingsley’s grudging jealousy was all the proof he’d needed.
The watch, though…
Kingsley didn’t have the same passion for watches. He wouldn’t appropriately get it. And Sebastian already knew about it, though Austin surmised he’d still be fine with discussing how fantastic it was. He wondered if Nessa had seen it yet. Hopefully not. He wanted someone to share in his excitement. Hell, he’d even consider showing Edgar, who would at least feign enthusiasm for Austin’s benefit.
He’d taken a few selfies with it, a few with her, and a couple of her that she didn’t know about. He couldn’t help himself. She was so beautiful, such a perfect mate and leader. She had this way about her that made everyone feel comfortable. She’d been totally at home at the BBQ, ordering people around without meaning to. Making them go ahead of her or pushing the last cookie on someone. The ability to command showed an alpha’s grit, but Jess’s use of her authority to help those around her showed her goodwill and desire for a healthy pack. Most alphas strived to be like that, but he’d never seen anyone make it look so natural. So effortless. So absolutely genuine.
It would be easy to say the leadership came from her gargoyle, but he knew better. This was why the house had chosen her, because the female gargoyle needed to be a leader, and Jess had that natural ability.
Fuck, he loved this woman. She was perfection in pretty wrapping. He could’ve found no one better to lead with. No better mate.
He took Jess’s hand as he drove slowly through the town, having taken the long way home. He was desperate to feel her body and taste every inch of her, but tonight had been so amazing. He didn’t want it to end.
“I think you were destined to be a mage’s mate,” she said, her voice subdued in the quiet car. He hadn’t switched on the radio.
“A mage’s mate?”
“The mage side of a female gargoyle, at any rate.”
“Why is that?”
“Because of the watch thing. You’ll probably pick up how to read the subtle language of watches really easily. Broken Sue seemed completely at a loss when Nessa tried to explain it to us the other day.”
He nodded, finally turning toward the house. “I suspect I probably will, though it sounds incredibly nuanced.”
“It does. I wonder if some of that isn’t just Sebastian reading more into it than other people. He’s super smart. Surely the dumber mages can’t read as many layers as him.”
He laughed, once again resisting the urge to slam down on the pedal and feel the forward thrust of the car.
“He certainly does seem to think in riddles.”
He parked out front and climbed out of the car, helping Jess out and walking with her to the porch, getting a last look at his gift as he did so.
“It really is spectacular,” he finally said, unlocking the door and stepping aside so she could go in first.
“You should text a pic to Gerard from Khaavalor cairn. He’d probably call me up to curse me out for showing him up again.”
She led them toward the kitchen but stopped just outside of it, her palms lifted to him.
“Okay, this is where I might just ruin your night,” she said, and he could feel the unease through their bonds. “I needed access to your kitchen—”
“Our kitchen.”
She paused, a shy smile curling her lips.
“Our kitchen,” she said softly, a gush of warmth coming through the bonds. “Mr. Tom needed to set things up, but I couldn’t tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise. Turns out, breaking into your house isn’t very hard. Nessa found an open window on the second floor. We did a little B&E, but it was for a good cause.”
He ran his hands up and down her arms. “This is what I was saying. I dropped the ball with the key situation, I’m sorry. I’ll give you one before you leave, okay? I need to find a spare. I know I have them…somewhere…”
She sighed with a smile. “Okay, good. Night not ruined. Great news. Let’s do the next thing.”
“Is it later, yet?”
“Just about.”
A fondue fountain sat in the middle of the island in the kitchen, spilling chocolate down its tiers. Beside it sat an empty platter. She went to the fridge and took out two baskets of fruit, strawberries in one and apples in the other. She set those down and pulled a cutting board from the cabinet.