Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
He turned and stared at her as he dried his hands with the towel he held, then dropped it on the counter.
“You figured it out,” he said as he walked toward her.
She held her hand up to stop him. If he got too close, she wouldn’t be able to think straight and went to speak, but he spoke first.
“I had hoped you would realize that I properly courted you as a wolf would when he found a female he wished to mate with, spend his life with, and love with all his heart before you realized there was a problem with the werewolves. I fell in love with you at first sight, if you can believe that. You stole my heart as soon as you got in my vehicle and looked at me and I could tell, sense, that I appealed to you. I started thinking then of how I would court you and offer you a position beside me as my wife, my mate. Maybe I should have been more forward, more transparent, but as alpha as I am, I think I feared you might refuse me, and I wasn’t sure how I would handle that since I had already lost my heart to you.”
Olivia got teary-eyed and was at a loss for words. All she could do was stare at him.
He walked toward her slowly. “I want you in my life, Olivia. I cannot bear the thought of you leaving here. I love you. I want to marry you, have children with you, and since I can feel my life strength waning, I hope to live only as long as you do so that we can spend the afterlife together.”
Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“Please tell me those are tears of joy,” he said, reaching her and wiping her tears away with his thumb, then resting his hand on her wet cheek.
She placed her hand on his wrist and turned her face into his palm to caress it with her cheek, then looked up at him. “I believe I fell in love with you at first sight as well. Though it does sound crazy, I can’t argue with myself at how I felt when meeting you and how that feeling grew. I came here hoping you might hire me and instead I fell in love with you. Though,” she said with a tilt of her head, “I never expected the werewolf issue.”
“Will it be a problem?” he asked cautiously.
“I think it will take some adjustment, but since I love wolves, I think I can adapt.”
“I and the others will make it as easy as possible for you,” he assured her. “Fay warned me not to let you get away. She knew when first seeing us together that we had strong feelings for each other, and she insists that I have been alone too long, as does my brother, Sim.”
“I would love to meet your brother.”
“You will and others as well. There are homes throughout the preserve where many of the werewolves live and the regular wolves live peacefully among them. There is so much for you to see and learn and I can’t wait to show it to you and to see the wealth of knowledge you bring to the preserve.”
She threw her arms around Tiernan and hugged him tightly. “You’ve made my dream come true.”
“You did that, Olivia, with all your hard work. You earned your dream, and I am thrilled and grateful to be part of it.”
He kissed her, not a breath-stealing kiss but one that somehow, in its own way, sealed their love.
When it ended, she smiled and said, “I’m starving, and I think I should cook.”
Tiernan laughed. “So am I, and I agree. You should cook.”
They worked together, laughing, hugging, and kissing, so it took a bit longer than usual to get breakfast cooked.
They sat across from each other at the table, their hands reaching out often to take hold.
“I have to return home to see to leaving my job, packing my apartment, and ending the lease,” she said, not happy with the prospect of leaving him.
“You won’t be going anytime soon with this snow. You may not be able to leave until after winter, which, of course, I don’t mind. But I do understand your responsibilities. Maybe there’s a way we can take care of it from here, so you don’t have to leave.”
“As much as I don’t want to go, there are things I need to see done there in person.”
“I suppose I can travel with you if it isn’t for too long,” he said.
He sounded doubtful, so Olivia asked, “Why is travel difficult for you?”
“I cannae go long without shapeshifting. I get agitated, angry, if I go too long without being able to run free.” He reached out and took hold of her hand. “Though understand one thing, Olivia, I would never, not ever, under any circumstances harm you. I would, however, do everything in my power to keep you safe.”