Magnus #3
And that made me want to gather her in my arms and apologize—right before commanding her to never cover her freckles again. I also realized I’d yet to kiss her, which made me want to take her face in my hands and show her. Show her how good it could be between us. If she’d just let me in …
But I’d promised….
So, I forced myself to stand there, drinking her in with my eyes as I said, “Thank you. I’m glad to see you’re well.”
“I am. Thanks for checking.” Tara glanced down at her towel. “Uh, I should probably take that shower now and I definitely need to change into some new clothes. So … I’ll need the room to myself for a little bit.”
It took me a moment to register that she was asking me to leave. And a lot more politely than she’d asked me for anything before.
Progress, I decided, even as my wolf whined at the thought of leaving the room so soon after my she-wolf’s bout of distress.
“Aye, sure, I’ll leave you to it. By the way, I’ve already asked for the week off so no need to rush yourself. I’ll just be watching a few highlight programs on the sofa in the receiving room. You take as much time as you like. When you’re ready, I’ll be here to talk. Alright?”
“Okay,” she agreed.
But … I didn’t move.
And neither did she.
Eventually, she said, “You said you’re taking the week off?”
“Aye,” I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. “In truth, I didnae really come here to carry you back to the village.”
Why did everything feel like a confession with this woman? She was like a priest. A sexy, beautiful, liable to punch a wolf at any moment priest.
“My wolf needs to spend some time with you,” I admitted quietly. “Because of the pregnancy. You ken how wolves are biologically wired?”
Her lips tightened. “Yeah, I’ve heard. Wolves have a primal instinct to protect their mates and offspring until birth. That’s why your workaholic brother is traipsing all over the world with my best friend rather than letting her go alone.”
“Exactly,” I answered. “And that’s why I made the big announcement before requesting a week off. It’s the friendlies season, but honestly, coaches can be real wankers about granting time off even before championship play. I needed a news headline to go along with my request.”
It was as believable a story as any, but Tara arched an eyebrow, her intelligent brown eyes flashing with skepticism.
“ So, that was your whole reason for making the announcement? None of this was about keeping me here in Scotland and making it so I couldn’t leave the country without someone clocking it? ”
I winced, wanting to lie. But in the end, I opted for honesty.
“That wasn’t the whole reason, nae. But I wasnae planning on absconding with ye either.
I wanted … I’d like to give ye a proper bairnmoon.
It is customary in my pack for two newly mated wolves to go off together and get to know one another better after the heating is done.
I’ve got my travel kit down in the car. I guess I thought I might take you on a beach holiday in Spain and, I don’t know, woo you?
Try to convince you I’m not completely mental and that no matter your first impression of me, I will be a good mate and a good father.
But now that I say it aloud, I can see how you might think I’m a nutter for going about it the way I did … ”
Her expression became unreadable, and I trailed off.
Was this what it felt like for normal human men? The ones who actually cared whether the woman they just holed stuck around until the next morning?
If so, poor bastards. Human dating must be hell if it carried even a smidgen of the trepidation bordering on outright terror I was currently experiencing.
Tara’s eyes narrowed, and I braced myself for her to say something cutting with her razor-sharp tongue.
But instead …
She carefully placed her hands on my chest and stood on her tiptoes, covering the University of Edinburgh logo on Iain’s sweatshirt.
Then with her eyes still narrowed suspiciously, she kissed me.
Tentatively, with an innocence I wouldn’t have guessed she possessed behind her cutting tongue and piercing brown eyes.
Tara’s kiss was so careful that if she’d been human, I would have demanded to see her ID card to make sure she was old enough to be doing such things with a thirty-three-year-old man.
But of course, I knew she was old enough for me. Moreover … I liked her careful kiss. And I licked my lips when she pulled away, savoring her fleeting taste.
I wondered why she’d done it.
“So that’s what it feels like to choose,” she said, interrupting my pondering.
I shook my head, confused by her words.
Tara looked up at me, her eyes two wide circles in a sea of freckles. “That’s what it feels like to choose someone.” She blinked as if seeing me for the first time. “That’s what it feels like to choose you.”
I could only stand there, stunned. Unable to believe her change of heart. Though, by this point my cock had given rise during her fleeting kiss. It pulsed at her words, demanding I start believing my mate right now and moreover, put her beneath me.
Tara misunderstood my stunned silence.
“I’m an awkward kisser,” she said wincing apologetically. “I know, it’s weird.”
Her words brought me out of my stunned state. I took the step forward I’d been wanting to take ever since she opened the door.
“Dinnae worry about this …” I searched for any endearment other than mo banrigh. One that wouldn’t cause any problems. I finally opted for “… mo leannan.” It was Gaelic for darling or sweetheart.
Then I took her head in my hands and said, “I am most definitely willing to teach you.”