Chapter 10
Iset Basil and Sage’s carrier down just inside the door, then straightened, taking it all in. Axel’s home was nothing short of breathtaking. Dark wood, luxury materials, cozy furniture. A massive fireplace extended up one wall, made of river stones.
I know I was gaping but…
“You really built all this.” It explained why he always smelled like woodsmoke and sawdust with a little something more mixed in. But there was another scent in here. One that instantly calmed me. Leather and…cinnamon? I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
“Follow me,” Axel said, his voice gruff. He grabbed my duffle bag and headed toward the back of the cabin.
“I’ll be back, little gremlins,” I whispered to my bunnies.
Axel led me to a large room that was unmistakably masculine. He set my bag on the bed. “You’ll sleep here. Got clean sheets just this morning. But if there’s anything else, let me know.”
I glanced through a side door, spying a full bath and a collection of toiletries on the counter. Masculine toiletries.
My heart skipped a beat. “Wait, is this your room? I can’t—”
“I’m afraid it’s the only room in the house, little witch.”
I ignored the way his endearment made my belly erupt into warmth.
“Didn’t exactly build this place with company in mind. So unless you intend to sleep on the couch.”
“I’ll sleep on the couch—”
“Over my dead body.” The words came out a growl. Then his eyes darted to the bed before finding mine. It was impossible to hide the heat flushing my skin. “You’ll sleep here. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I’m a wolf. Half the time I sleep outside in my form.”
“Oh.” I pressed my lips together.
“Now, shall we see to the little snacks?”
“Axel!”
“Right. Right. No salivating. Got it.”
We made our way back out into the main room.
It took an hour to get the bunny enclosure frame and acrylic panels up and secure. Axel’s house was beautiful and I worried about all the wood. My bunnies never saw a piece of wood they didn’t like and made sure to leave little teeth marks in everything.
I chewed on my bottom lip.
“What’s wrong?” He frowned. “Did I set it up wrong? We should put it over there, shouldn’t we?”
“No. It’s not that. I just… They like chewing. Wood, mostly. But they’ll chew anything. Carpet is Basil’s specialty. If I let them out—”
“If you let them out?!”
“Well, yeah?” I gaped at him. Did he really not know. Ugh. Was he one of those who thought bunnies should stay in tiny little cages? “Bunnies aren’t meant to be in small spaces. They need room to roam, to run around and exercise. It’s good for their health and keeps their guts mobile.”
“You cannot be serious.”
“I am!”
Axel’s jaw tightened. “I see.”
“I don’t want them to ruin anything.” I twisted my fingers together. “But they’ll go crazy if they’re stuck in there too long. Then they’ll really want to chew everything.”
He sighed. “It’s just wood, Rebecca—Becca. Do you prefer Becca or Rebecca?”
“Either is fine.” What I didn’t say was how much I liked his little witch endearment.
He gave a stiff nod. “Let them out when you need. I’m going to cook some dinner while you get them settled. You got any food allergies?”
“Oh, I…” My stomach chose that moment to growl. Because the last thing I’d eaten today was a cookie. And it was well past my usual dinner time. Not to mention my gremlins needed theirs.
“You don’t have to cook for me.”
“You intend to starve then?”
“I mean…”
“There’s no need to be difficult. Just accept the offer.”
“Okay. Yes. Please.” My thoughts jumped to Elle, the conversation we’d had not long before, about wanting a male to make me pancakes. A little laugh escaped.
“Something funny?”
“Nothing at all. I don’t have any allergies, but I do prefer to keep the dairy to a minimum, if possible. And I can pay you, or help pay for groceries, I mean.”
“Not a problem. Don’t worry about it. Just…see to that—” he waved his hand in the direction of the bunnies, “—and I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”
I thanked him again before seeing to Basil and Sage. I arranged their enclosure, putting their litter boxes in the usual place, setting out their toys, filling their hay and water, then setting out their daily allotment of pellets. Then I opened the carrier and let them out.
Even though none of their belongings had changed, the space had. So instead of hopping around with confidence, they went right into investigation mode, walking around on all four feet instead of hopping, as they cautiously sniffed out their new world.
I was overly aware of Axel as he retrieved coolers from the truck, which presumably carried the groceries he’d gotten before the incident at The Roost. Soon after, the cabin filled with the amazing aroma of food.
The entire bottom floor was an open floor plan with the exception of the bedroom down a short hall in the back.
Leaving my bunnies to enjoy their pellets inside their enclosure, I gravitated toward the kitchen.
It was modest, what you would expect for someone who lived alone, but the finishes and craftsmanship was incredible.
A butcher block island with three barstools on one side and a workspace on the other.
A gas stove with brass fume hood. Wooden counter tops with dark blue cabinetry and gold hardware.
To some it might have felt overly masculine, but to me it mostly just felt homey with a touch of elegance.
“That smells incredible,” I blurted. “What are you making?”
“Trout.” He was occupied at the stove. The oven light was on and I could just make out a baking dish inside. Smoke rose from the vegetables searing in the frying pan.
“Need any help?”
“Already got it covered.”
I nodded and pulled up a barstool.
“You like to cook?” he asked.
“Love to, actually.” I grinned at him.
He grunted. “You any good?”
I lifted a shoulder. “I can make you the best beef stroganoff you’ve ever had.”
He grunted again. “That your signature dish?”
I laughed. “No. I just figured it’s one you’d gravitate to.”
He tossed me a glance before returning his attention to the stove. “How are the little snacks?”
“They are not for eating,” I warned, even though I knew he was teasing.
“But they’re good. I’m going to leave them in their enclosure for the next twenty-four hours.
It will let them get used to the new smells and calm down from the ride.
I’ll need to drop by the market to pick up fresh greens.
I didn’t think to grab mine from the fridge.
They’ll manage for a morning. But if I skip anymore than that—”
“What kind of greens?”
“Uh…like, various types of lettuce mostly—except iceberg. Cilantro. Other herbs and such that I throw in for variety.”
“I think I should be able to manage.”
“You don’t have—”
“I’ve got plenty. It’s no problem at all.”
My eyes narrowed. “Okay. What gives? Where’s Axel? What have you done with him?” I stared at his broad back. The way his shoulders filled out his long sleeved Henley, which he’d pulled up to his elbows. The bits of hair that curled around the nape of his neck. The way his jeans hugged his ass.
He glanced at me over his shoulder, arching an eyebrow.
“You open your house to me. Proceed to cook me dinner. Offer my bunnies food—oh!” A little laugh of realization burst from my chest. “You feel bad! I knew it. You gave me the cold shoulder last week. And now you feel bad.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” He reached for a dishtowel, then pulled the oven open, reaching in for the baking dish. The kitchen erupted with the delicious aroma of baked trout swimming in some kind of yellow sauce.
“Don’t lie. First you stalked me. Then you tagged along. But next thing I know, you’re staring ice daggers at me in The Roost. Now you feel guilty about it.”
He set the dish down onto a hotpad, looking overly focused on the task at hand.
“Axel.”
“Don’t read into this more than necessary. You’re here because that gobshite witch was threatening you. I have the means to keep you safe. End of story.”
“Yes, but I don’t see you adopting other women off the streets. Not like my story is unique.”
I could practically hear his irration in the sigh he expelled. “You want dinner, or not?”
“Yes, please.”
“Then drop it. Otherwise, I walk out. There’s a reason I live alone.”
Stung, I snapped my mouth shut. If that’s how he wanted it? Then fine.
I remained silent as he dished up two plates, artfully arranging our food like a three Michelin star dining establishment.
He didn’t explain the dish when he set it in front of me.
Then he took the seat beside me—I half expected him to leave one between us—and without a single word, tucked into his food.
Did wolves get grumpy when they were hungry? The thought almost made me smile. Instead, I picked up my fork and did the same.
And promptly moaned aloud the moment the flaky white fish hit my tongue.
I could sense rather than see Axel freeze.
I didn’t care. I quickly took another bite.
The sauce was some kind of lemon butter, with herbs.
He’d seared the fish on one side and baked it the rest of the way.
So it had a nice char. The veggies were also seared to perfection.
And there was wild rice resting beneath the trout that had cranberries and nuts.
It was, quite frankly, the best thing I’d had to eat in as long as I could remember.
Suddenly my cooking prowess seemed a little lack-luster. Great. So much for my self confidence.
If he could whip up something this good on the fly, I could only imagine what he might do when he planned something special.
Ignoring his gaze burning into the side of my face, I continued to eat. At last, he returned to his dish. A few minutes later, he went back for seconds. I wanted to, but my tummy was full to bursting. So instead, I sat in silence and watched him polish off three plates of dinner.
Wolves…
“What time do you teach tomorrow?”