“You tell me how to make it, I’m game.” Olivia took another bite and moaned, demanding his attention. “This is so good.”
“You said that already,” Mal snapped, entirely focused on the silver prongs of that fork sliding between her lips. She had to stop making that sound. Now.
“Mal, give me a hand?” Jessa asked him. “He sleeps, I sleep.” She smiled down at Oscar.
Mal glared at Anders and went to help Jessa. She seemed more fragile than ever, too little to be so top-heavy. For the first time, he understood Finn’s worry. Jessa was important to the pack, but she was everything to Finn. As her mate, he’d do whatever he could to keep her alive and healthy, even let one of the Others in with the pack. Not that Mal believed Ellen could do that. She was more likely to kill them all in their sleep. But if that was the plan, why hadn’t she done that already?
“You okay?” Jessa asked, squeezing his arm.
Mal nodded, trying to shove thoughts of Ellen aside. Finn told him the bitch was off-limits. He had to listen.
“Thank you.” Jessa laughed. “I like her, Mal. A lot.”
“Think you can make it to your room?” Mal asked, eyeing her stomach.
She frowned. “I could always roll my way to my room.”
He chuckled.
“You sure you want to leave her alone with Anders?” Jessa asked, smiling.
Mal scowled.
“I was teasing, Mal.” She sighed. “I’m going to bed, without help.” She waved at him and carried Oscar down the hall. He stared after her, watching over his Alpha’s mate despite her teasing dismissal.
“Mal,” Olivia called. He turned to find her smiling at him. “You have to have some pie.”
He walked across the room, trying not to glare at Anders. She was fine, enjoying her pie, talking to Jessa. And Anders. Damn Anders. He didn’t want pie.
“You look a little tense,” Anders said, grinning.
Olivia glanced at him. “Are you tense?”
He sighed.
Anders grin grew. “Doubt he’ll say as much. He’s not one for a lot of chit-chat.”
“I’ve noticed,” Olivia agreed. She scooped up a piece of pie and offered Mal a bite. “Here.” She was staring at his mouth, the fork shaking in her hand.
He grinned, grabbing her wrist and eating the bite. “It is good,” he said.
Olivia wriggled her hand free. “Hungry?” she asked.
“Yes.” He stared at her, knowing he was playing with fire but unable to stop. No matter how hard he wanted to talk his wolf down, to buy more time, he seemed set on a one-way track.
Destination Olivia.
She paused, her hazel gaze focused on him. “Wh-what do you want?”
He arched a brow, a slow, lazy smile taking hold. She asked for it.
“On that note, I think I’ll take the rest of the pie to the guys in the lab.” Anders chuckled, carrying the pie out with him.
Mal ignored him, enjoying the flush of Olivia’s cheeks and the pounding of her heart. That she wanted him, wanted to be his mate, took his fucking breath away. Pathetic, but true.
“The whole pie?” Finn asked in the hall as Anders brushed past him.
“It’s not for me,” Anders argued, never slowing. “Getting a little hot in the kitchen. Fair warning. Besides, Jessa’s heading to bed already.”