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I touch my chest where the lightning hit me. It doesn’t even twinge anymore. Ezra’s scent sours.
Layla presses a hand to her heart. “Aw, Jo.”
She loops her arm through Josiah’s. He stares down at her, and the rest of us might as well not be standing here.
He covers her hand with his. “I’m sorry, beautiful Layla. I should have told you.”
She rests against him. “It’s okay. Maybe I am going overboard.”
He tips her chin up until she meets his eyes. “I love the way you look out for me, baby. Don’t ever think I don’t see or appreciate what you do for me.”
He plants a sweet kiss on her lips, and she melts into him. Today I can’t get away from mated couples enjoying the mate bond. Mother Fate is dropping hints. Ezra rubs slow circles on my hip with his thumb, and I press my thighs together.
Josiah slides his hand down to give her ass a squeeze. I put my eyes anywhere else.
“Can we go home now?” he asks her. “It was a long day at the station, and tomorrow will be a long day too.”
“Okay.” Layla throws her arms around him. “Let’s go home so I can take care of you.”
“No,” Josiah tells her. “I’m taking care of you.” He bows to us. “It was good to see all of you.” He drops his grin and pins Ezra with a look. “There’s nothing wrong with fighting fire with fire. Sometimes that’s the best way to get the message across.”
I’m still trying to work out what that means when he teleports out with Layla in a swirl of black smoke. I fan what’s left of it away.
We all turn to Ezra. He’s still watching the spot where they vanished. His scent is hot metal under cedar. That’s how he smells before he does some shit Claude would slap him for. My dragon is scheming.
Ocran sighs. “What did I tell you? We love Uncle Jo, but we absolutely never listen to him.”
Seth grunts at that while I check the flyer again. It really is an eye-catching design.
“Go home, guys,” I tell Ocran and Seth. “I’m fine.”
They come kiss my cheek goodbye and nod to Ezra.
“Hey, we’ll stop by in a couple of days,” Ocran calls.
Ezra waves them off all fake and friendly. He ditches the act as soon as he catches me glaring at him.
The boys take off racing each other into the trees. I grab Ezra’s hand and tug him up the porch steps. “A healthy habits book from Josiah,” I say as we step inside. “I like those quotes he gives all the time. I’m sure it will do well.”
He closes the door behind us and pulls me in, all warm muscle at my back. My wolf wants to soak up every bit of him.
“You cooked,” he rumbles. “I clean.”
I go to sass him back, but he cuts me off. “Hey.” His lips graze the spot under my ear. Goosebumps break out along my neck. “You can banter with me until you’re suddenly wondering how you ended up sitting on my face, or you can get ready for bed.” His arms tighten around me. “Your choice.”
My wolf howls her vote for his face. I turn and slap the flyer flat against him, then saunter off toward the stairs with an extra swing in my hips. I’m not going to last another day.
13
EZRA
Iput the pot in the dishwasher and start it with a washing pod. I give the island a quick wipe-down before I hang up the rag and cut the lights.
I stop at the bottom of the stairs to breathe in deep. All those poems I wrote her, and no one ever warned me the part I’d want most would be this, dish soap on my hands while my mate waits in our bed upstairs. She made me Angie’s beef stew tonight and hung on every word I said about the planetarium. Up on the roof, she leaned into my shoulder and listened to me talk myself hoarse about the stars. Even the kiss Seth and Ocran ruined counts.
The cabin smells like her now, wild berries and warmth. She’s mine, and I’m keeping her.
Then there’s the forest, where she gripped me through my pants and ordered me to shift. My dragon answered to her instead. He still isn’t sorry about it. My dick throbs at the memory of shaking under her hand against the tree. I grab the banister and tell myself to behave.
