Chapter 14 #2
I want the raw passion my wolf gives me, but I also want what Damien offers. A real relationship. Someone who wants more than just my body, someone who looks at me like I’m the center of his universe.
The front door opens and closes, followed by Maren’s voice echoing through the house.
“Luna! Where the hell are you? I need coffee and food before I deal with any horny animals today!”
“In the kitchen.”
I’m glad she’s here and grateful for the distraction. I grab two more eggs out of the fridge and add them to the bowl, pouring them into the heated pan, the sizzle filling the room.
Maren appears in the kitchen archway, shaking snow off her head.
“You couldn’t have done that on the front porch?”
She gives me a sheepish smile. “Sorry, it’s freaking cold out there today. I’m staying for a few days because I don’t want to deal with that road. I think they might close it.” She eyes the pan of scrambled eggs with obvious interest. “Please tell me you’re making enough for two.”
“Of course. Toast?”
“You’re a goddess.” She grabs two slices of bread and drops them in the toaster, then leans against the counter. A wicked grin spreads across her face. “So… want to tell me about that hot and heavy lip-lock you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Loaded shared Monday afternoon?”
Maren’s been gone for the last few days. She left before Damien did on Monday. Her grandmother had cataract surgery, and she's been staying with Estella during her recovery.
“Can’t you just call him Damien?” I stir the eggs, keeping my eyes on the pan.
“No, I like coming up with fun nicknames for him. Especially because it bothers you so much.”
“How old are you?”
“Not as old as you.”
The toaster pops up, and Maren transfers the toast to a plate before adding two more slices of bread.
“You’re only four months younger than I am.”
“And it feels like a lifetime sometimes. Now quit stalling. And don’t give me that innocent act.
The entire volunteer staff saw you two going at it like teenagers.
Jenny actually fanned herself with a clipboard, and Tate, God bless him, made some very inappropriate noises that I’m pretty sure violated several workplace harassment policies. ”
“We were not ‘going at it.’”
“Honey, the man had you pressed against that door like he was trying to fuck you through your clothes. We all got hot and bothered just watching.” She grins wider.
“So spill. All you’d give me Sunday morning was that you had a ‘nice’ time, but based on that kiss, I think Luna had a ‘really good’ time. ”
I turn off the burner and divide the eggs between two plates, buying myself time. There’s no point in lying to her.
“Okay, fine.” I hand her a plate. “Things got a little heated Saturday night.”
The second set of toast pops up, and I grab it, slathering butter on both pieces while I figure out how much to tell her.
Maren’s eyes light up with interest as she takes a bite of eggs. “I knew you were lying when you wouldn’t spill. Now define ‘heated.’”
Warmth creeps over my skin at the memory. “I let him go down on me in his penthouse.”
The fork clatters against Maren’s plate.
“Luna fucking Marie… So, how was it?”
I exhale a long breath. “Glorious. Mind-blowing. Heart-stopping.”
“Shit. I can’t believe you kept this to yourself for almost five days.”
“I know. But I just needed some time to wrap my head around it. And we were both a little busy. How’s Estella?”
“She’s fine. Takes more than that to slow her down.” She waves her hand as if she’s swatting away the question. “And we are never too busy for that conversation. You just grab me, shove me in a closet, and say, ‘Mar, Damien Wolfe ate my pussy so good last night, I saw God.’”
She picks up her fork and resumes eating like she’s just commented on the weather.
“I’ll remember that next time.”
“But the real question is why you stopped there. Why didn’t you just ride him into next week?”
I push eggs around my plate, my appetite gone. The nausea crawls up my throat again, the same feeling that’s been plaguing me, along with the headaches.
“I don’t know.”
We both look toward the window at the sound of a massive white delivery truck rumbling up the driveway with “MedCore Systems” emblazoned on the side.
“What the hell?” I set down my fork.
Cold seeps through my jacket the instant we step outside. Snow packs beneath our boots as Maren and I head toward the truck. Two men in coats and coveralls lean together over a clipboard, their breath misting in the frigid air.
“Excuse me. Can I help you?”
The older of the two men approaches us, his cheeks red from the cold. “You Luna Foster?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“We’ve got a delivery for you. Lithotripter, model XL-5000. Where do you want us to set it up?”
My mouth falls open. “I’m sorry, there must be some mistake. I didn’t order a lithotripter.”
The man checks his clipboard again. “Says here it was ordered yesterday for Sage & Summit Wildlife Sanctuary. Paid in full by the Wolfe Foundation, including installation and setup.”
The ground shifts under my feet.
“Holy shit, Lu.” Maren lets out a low whistle. “Your pussy must taste like pure gold.”
“Maren!” My face burns despite the cold air.
But she’s grinning like the Cheshire Cat. “I mean, damn, girl. Most guys buy flowers or jewelry. Your man buys you a half-million-dollar piece of medical equipment. That’s some next-level courting right there.”
The deliveryman clears his throat. “So, where do you want us to put it?”
I’m still reeling, my mind struggling to process what’s happening. Damien was only supposed to make a call to see if CSU would let me use their machine for free. Instead, he bought me one. An actual lithotripter that I can use whenever I need it, for any animal that needs treatment.
“The main building.” I point toward the sanctuary.
The men begin unloading their equipment.
“Where are we going to put that behemoth?” Maren asks as we watch them.
“I don’t know.”
I pull out my phone with shaking hands. I need to call Damien. I need to understand why he would do something so generous and overwhelming.
“You know what this means, right?” Maren bumps my shoulder with hers.
“That I’m going to be paying him back for the rest of my life?”
“That man is crazy about you. And after that kiss on Monday and your Saturday night escapades—holy shit, Lu, you’re just as far gone as he is.”
My heart clenches because she’s right. I am falling for Damien fast and hard, and in ways that terrify me.
But how can I give my heart to him when it belongs to someone else?