Chapter 15

That evening, Maisie wanted to retire early with Robert, which made her want to go to his place for some solitude and loving. She was tired after the wild night making love to Robert last eve, and she was eager to make love to him again before they went to sleep. Finally, when it seemed like a decent time to go to bed, William gave them an out and said he was ready to call it a night.

Yes!

Then they all said good night and headed to their beds.

This time, Maisie and Robert made love before showering together, and it truly was as good as the first time. In the shower, they were smiling as they soaped each other and washed each other’s hair, which felt amazing. She could really get used to this routine.

They climbed into bed naked, pulled their covers up, and snuggled as if this was just the way it should always be. She already didn’t want Robert to return to his home once they didn’t need him for security any longer. She never thought she would feel so strongly about a wolf after all her failures with other wolves she had dated.

***

Man, Robert could really get used to being with Maisie like this—the loving, the showers, the intimacy, sleeping with her. He hadn’t known what to expect when he slept with her, but they fit like two peas in a pod, complementing each other. He hadn’t slept this well in forever. She soothed him and made him forget anything else other than being with her. He loved his new home, but returning to it meant leaving her once he wasn’t needed for security, and that was already making him think of changing that arrangement in a hurry. They didn’t know when the sisters would no longer need him and William, but he hoped the arrangement would give them time to get to know each other better, and by the time he moved back home, maybe Maisie would want to move in with him—permanently, of course. A mating, definitely. But he would give it a while to make sure she was of the same mind. He sure hoped so because he already didn’t want to give her up for anything.

She was sleeping securely in his arms. This was the life, he thought, as he finally dropped off to sleep.

***

In the morning, Maisie remembered the animal photos for Robert’s clinic should be in the mail and Robert could give them to Veronica to frame. She hopped out of bed, got dressed, and said, “Mail time!”

He smiled. “I’ve never seen anyone who is that eager to get the mail.”

“Your photos should be in the mailbox.”

“Oh, great.” He climbed out of bed and began getting dressed.

“I’ll be right back.”

William’s guest room and Anne’s bedroom were quiet and dark, and Maisie envisioned them both sound asleep under their covers. She headed outside the inn to get the mail, and when she returned, Robert was dressed and starting the coffee in the kitchen.

Maisie handed the package of animal photos to Robert. He looked through the photos and smiled. “These are great.”

She glanced at them. “They turned out beautifully.” She started making breakfast.

Robert said, “I’ll take the photos to the castle to give them to Veronica to frame after we have breakfast, and then I’ll be right back. William will stay with you ladies in the meantime.”

“You don’t have to be in any rush to return. We’re fine for now, and if you need to get anything else done while you’re away, go for it. I just need to be at the castle at two this afternoon to do the photo shoot for Heather and Enrick. We could…meet at your place maybe for lunch?” Maisie didn’t want Robert to feel like she was planning his life for him if he had other things to do, but she really craved spending more private time with him. She was thinking about their time on the island and how nice it had been to be together alone for those hours. “In the meantime, I’m going to look over Colleen’s photos and then get them ready for her to choose which ones she wants also.”

“Absolutely, I would love to have lunch with you. Does noon sound good?” Robert asked without hesitation, sounding just as eager to enjoy some more time with her.

“Yeah. I’ll just drive over to your place, we can have lunch, and then I’ll run over to the castle to do the shoot. I need to go early so I can show Colleen the proofs of her photo shoot also.”

“That will be perfect. I’m going to work on the house a little more before the open house Saturday.”

“If you need any help with anything, just let me know.”

“Sure thing.”

Anne came out of her bedroom dressed, rubbing her eyes. “You two are up early.”

William came out of the guest room and yawned. “I guess it’s morning.”

Anne laughed. “Yes, how can you tell?”

William motioned to the kitchen, where Robert and Maisie were dishing up omelets and bacon. “They’re making breakfast.”

Anne began getting them mugs of tea, coffee for William, and glasses of orange juice. Then they sat down to have their breakfast.

After breakfast, Anne and William took over cleaning the kitchen so Robert could get out of there.

Robert kissed Maisie, giving her one of his wonderfully long and delicious kisses, then they hugged, and he smiled down at her. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Already looking forward to seeing him at lunch, Maisie waved goodbye, then went back inside, and while Anne took breakfast orders from guests, Maisie began cooking the meals. Even though William had offered to help with preparing breakfast for guests the last two days, they hadn’t needed him to yet. His job was to be there for protection, to watch and make sure that someone who didn’t belong there didn’t show up and threaten Anne or her.

“Lunch with Robert, eh?” Anne said, coming into the kitchen to give her more of the guests’ orders and to start making omelets. “I don’t blame you. I would want to spend every waking hour with him alone and not with a couple of other people within earshot all the time.”

“I love you,” Maisie said, giving her sister a hug.

“I know you do. And I love you right back.”

Once they finished serving breakfast and cleaning up after their guests, Anne went out to take care of the rooms that needed cleaning, William going with her.

Maisie began going over the photos of Colleen and Grant while manning the front desk.

William and Anne returned a lot sooner than Maisie thought they would. She wondered if William had actually helped Anne change the linens on the beds because they’d returned so quickly. Anne put the used bed linens in the washing machine and started it. By the time she arrived at the check-in counter, it was time for lunch.

“I’ll make lunch for us,” William said to Anne.

“Oh, great. Thanks.”

“I’m out of here.” Maisie grabbed her photography gear and her laptop.

“Have fun with the photo shoot. I can’t wait to see Heather’s gown,” Anne said.

“Me either.”

“And have a nice lunch with Robert,” Anne said.

“I’m sure I will. He’s an amazing cook.” Maisie left and drove over to Robert’s place.

When she arrived, she knocked on the door and Robert hurried to open it, Mittens greeting her too. “Aww, you came back.” She crouched down and petted her.

“Yeah, I brought her home while I was doing some laundry and other chores. You and I didn’t talk about what we wanted to eat. Do Scottish salmon sandwiches appeal?”

“Oh, aye, I haven’t had one in ages. What can I do to help?”

They soon were adding the cheese, avocado, mayonnaise, tomatoes, and cooked salmon to slices of sourdough. Then they sat down to eat.

“Ohmigosh, this is so good,” Maisie said, tomato juice running down her chin. She laughed, and he wiped her chin with his napkin before she could grab her own.

Then, and she didn’t even know how or why or exactly when it happened, they were kissing. She was on her feet, and she guessed he’d pulled her from her chair. It was just so amazing, spontaneous, fun-loving, and he tasted so delicious. “You make everything even more special,” she said. “Meals, the island adventure, sword fighting, nighttime fun, all of it.”

“I swear, Maisie, when I caught you in the sea, our stars had to have been aligned.” Robert kissed her again. “I feel like when I’m with you, I’m standing in sunshine, no clouds in sight, though if they come, we’ll chase them away.”

“You’re all that I want in a wolf,” she admitted. “I know we don’t want to rush into anything, but I’ve never been this close to a male wolf before, to be ready to mate. I feel so comfortable with you, like I’ve known you forever. You’re so easy to love.”

He smiled. “I feel the same way about you. It feels so nice being with you no matter the wild situations we’ve been in. You’re an amazing woman.”

“Let’s finish our lunch, and then we’ve got some time to try out your bed before I have to leave.”

“I’m so glad we’re on the same page.”

She swore they finished their sandwiches in record time, and then he grabbed her up and stalked toward his bedroom. She was glad he did because she wasn’t sure which of the rooms was his bedroom. It was beautiful inside with one large picture hanging over his bed of Mittens sleeping on her pillow.

Maisie laughed. “How did you get it framed so fast?” It looked so perfect with his black-and-white bedroom decor—his black comforter and black-and-white pillows, the black lamps on the bedside tables and white lampshades. His furniture was all light oak that complemented the black-and-white furnishings.

“While you were working at the inn, I took the pictures over to Veronica first thing, and she did that one right away so I could bring it home and hang it.”

“It’s just adorable.”

“Yeah, because you did such a beautiful job taking the photo in the first place.”

“Thanks. I love the way Mittens is color-coordinated perfectly with your bedroom.”

“Exactly.” Then Robert and Maisie were kissing, hugging, cherishing each other.

He made her feel so special and so loved.

He started to slip her shirt over her head. He sat her down on his comfortable bed to remove her shoes and socks. “Oooh, I love your bed. Once I’m in it, I’ll never want to leave it.”

“I would love to keep you there with me,” he said, smiling.

He removed his shoes, and she began to kiss him again. She treasured kissing him, enjoying his warm mouth on hers, the tenderness, loving, genuine force while he was pressing his kisses against her lips. Then she was unbuttoning his shirt and dragging it off his shoulders.

He unfastened her pants, and she did the same with his. Her bra was tossed aside, and then his boxer briefs and her panties joined her bra on the floor. They were on the mattress, moving against each other, bodies undulating, pressing against all their most sensitive spots, working up his arousal. He was getting hard with all the friction between them. Together they were amazing. She was so hot and wet for him already.

She was certain he was the one for her, and she would have just said screw it and mate me already , but she was afraid she was being way too impulsive, and she needed to slow down. But slowing down wasn’t what she had in mind as she gently scratched his back with her nails and he nipped at her bottom lip, telling her how much he loved the feelings between them.

“I don’t want to wait,” she said in his ear, wanting him to know she needed this with him and making herself vulnerable to rejection. But she was also ready to accept it if he wasn’t ready for it.

“I know I’ll never feel this way about another wolf.” Robert smiled. “You’re the only woman I’ve been with that, when we have plans to be together, I don’t forget them.”

She smiled at him. “That says a lot.”

“It sure does. What about your parents? Do they even know that we’ve met and have been dating?”

“Aye. They’re thrilled. I think Anne’s been telling them more details than I have.”

He laughed.

“But this is my choice. Our choice,” Maisie said.

“I agree.”

“Then mate me, Robert Campbell. Put me out of my misery.”

He laughed. “You’ll be doing the same for me, Maisie MacTavish.”

Then they were heating up the bed, kissing and sliding their bodies against each other until they had built up the sexual tension again. He slid his hand over her breast, squeezing it and then tonguing her mouth at the same time.

She loved the way he set her blood on fire. Just from the touch of his stiff arousal against her, she knew she was making him experience the same thing.

She breathed in the male scent of him, his wolfishness and sexiness. She absorbed his warmth as he crushed her to his chest and whispered in her ear, “I love you, Maisie. Catching you was the best thing that has ever happened in my life.”

She smiled and hugged him back tightly. “I love you. Catching me the way you did changed my life forever—in a good way.”

They kissed again, pressing their lips together, their tongues colliding and dancing.

She was sure her sister would be shocked to learn that they went this far today, but Maisie had no intention of holding back. She expected Robert to penetrate her sheath with his rigid staff to claim her as his mate right away, but instead, he began to slide his hand down her belly, separating from her and working her feminine bud to bring her pleasure. Ensuring he pleasured her first was another reason she loved him.

He continued to stroke her, kissing her breasts, licking her aroused nipples. He kissed her throat, nipping at it and her jaw, tackling her mouth again as her hands roamed all over his muscular body. She felt she was being uplifted, higher, the sensation of climax just out of reach, there, just…a…little…bit…aye! She cried out, loving that he could work her to a climax in such a wonderfully adept way. Then she slid her hands around to his buttocks and pulled at him to join her. This was it—the mating between wolves that would be forever.

“Are you ready?” he asked, being ever sensitive to her feelings.

“Yes, for sure, forever and ever.”

He pressed his heavy arousal into her, slowly, deepening their joining, penetrating all the way, and then he began to thrust. She met his thrusts, raising her pelvis so he could go deeper and kissing his mouth with appreciation and love.

Their hearts were beating so hard, as if they were racing to the moon and back. Their blood was on fire. His gaze connected with hers for a moment, lust-filled but loving too, while he continued to pump into her, taking her all the way to a cataclysmic orgasm.

She cried out, and he groaned with completion, and then he settled against her body like a heavy silken blanket. She wrapped her arms around him to keep him there. She knew she needed to make sure she made it to Heather’s photo shoot in time, but for now, she just wanted to hold on to her mate and revel in the fact that he was all hers.

He didn’t seem to want to let go of her either and just hugged her tight. “I’m not squishing you too much, am I?”

“No. You feel just perfect.”

“So do you.”

“I want to just stay here for the rest of the day.”

“I want to also.”

“Just don’t let me miss Heather’s photo shoot.”

He glanced at the clock. “You have another half hour before you have to go.”

She sighed. “Good. What are we going to do about tonight?”

“Do you want to have dinner and then run as mated wolves? We can tell the families we’re mated after the photo shoot.”

“That sounds good. Don’t be mad at me if I let it slip when I see Heather though.” She was just so excited about it. She thought she would be careful about not sharing it, but if Heather asked her, Maisie wouldn’t be able to lie and wouldn’t want to either. She wanted the whole world to know.

Robert chuckled. “I won’t be. We could tell our families now.”

“No. Way. I want this moment of mated bliss to last for a few more minutes, and then I’ve got to shower, dress, and run.” Maisie would have to show Colleen her pictures after Heather’s shoot now.

As soon as she headed into the bathroom, she said, “Whoa, I love your bathroom. This whirlpool bathtub is fantastic.”

He walked into the bathroom. “Do you want to take a bath?”

“Another time. I’ve got to get to work, so it’s shower time. I love your glassed-in shower too. It’s big enough for two.” She pulled him into the shower with her, and he shut the door.

She was so ready to stay here in her new home with her sexy mate. It was the greatest.

As she pulled her bra and panties on, she said, “Oh, I need to move my clothes from the inn to the house!”

He laughed. “Okay, before dinner we’ll pack up your things and bring them here.”

She finished dressing while he did too, and she glanced in the closet, figuring he would have to move his clothes over to give her some room, but she was astounded at what she saw. The closet was fitted with rods for his and her clothes, shoe shelves, even drawers, and, on the very top shelf, room for hats. His clothes were confined to his side of the closet, leaving the rest for her. He was astounding, and she was thrilled. She appreciated his sensitivity in considering his future mate’s needs. Not that he knew that he was going to find Maisie in particular, but for just any she-wolf he might have taken for a mate. She was so glad that she was the one who had totally lucked out.

“You are amazing,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful closet for two. And you didn’t even spread your clothes out all over it until you found a mate.”

He hugged her tightly. “I was just waiting for you to come into my life.”

“Well, it’s much appreciated, believe me. When Anne sees it, she’ll wish you had caught her in the ocean instead.”

“It wouldn’t have been the same. Once I met you, this is where we would have ended up. You and me just like this.”

“I agree. I can’t wait to move everything in, and it will feel much more official that we’re together now. Plus, we need to get it all put away before your open house. We probably should have waited until after your open house to mate.” She didn’t want to mess up his beautiful house.

He laughed. “There was no way I could have lasted that long.”

She chuckled. “I agree.” Then they kissed again, and she had to go! Heather would be at the castle gardens soon, and in her condition, she didn’t need to be waiting for Maisie to show up! “I’ve got to go. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Then Maisie was off to do the last maternity shoot that she had scheduled for a while.

***

Not only was Robert glad that he’d saved all his boxes from his move here in the garage and they could use them to move Maisie’s household items to her new home, but he was also so thrilled that he had considered a home that was set up to beautifully accommodate a mate. Maisie had been so cute when she was so enthusiastic to see the closet’s setup, and he knew he’d done it right. His sister had said his mate would love it, but when Maisie showed how much she did and that the bathroom was set up to accommodate a couple too, he knew his home design had turned out perfectly.

In anticipation of Maisie moving in, he began moving the packing boxes into the car. He was ready to move his mate into their home and enjoy the place with her as a mated couple. He was glad their packmates would see that he didn’t have a half-empty closet, but that it was half-filled with his beautiful she-wolf’s things too.

The master bathroom also had double sinks and enough empty cabinet and drawer space for anything Maisie needed to store in there. She hadn’t even noticed that yet, and he knew she would really be pleased. He made room in the coat closet and then looked in the kitchen cabinets. He could move things around to accommodate anything she would bring to the house, but he would wait to see what she had.

He glanced out the window at the backyard. Would she like a garden like Edeen had? He didn’t have time to grow and raise plants, not once he opened his clinic. But if Maisie wanted a garden, he would sure help her set it up. He imagined Lachlan would help him too.

Another delivery of supplies for his clinic showed up, and he went out to put them away, thinking about how he couldn’t wait for Maisie to return so he could get her moved in for good.

If ads affect your reading experience, click here to remove ads on this page.