I nodded, taking a deep breath. “Listen, I wondered… First, do you know how the setup works here? The link with the Ivy House crew?”
“Yes,” he said, and his eye color almost seemed to shift to the palest shade of blue, excitement sparking deep inside of them. In a moment, though, the effect was gone. My fatigue was getting to me. My desire to go upstairs and cuddle Austin was almost overwhelming.
“I wondered, would you like to join my crew? You’d get a room here and youthful vigor, though maybe you don’t need it, plus the other perks Ivy House has to offer.”
“I would, yes. But maybe…” He looked down at himself. “If I could shower…”
“Oh, totally.” I held up my hand. “Sorry, yes, we can do it some other time once we’ve all recovered.”
He nodded, and one of his weird, crooked smiles worked up his face. He looked out the window. “It feels good…to be asked.”
“You’re a valuable member of the team. It’s a no-brainer.”
His smile broadened. “Still feels good. That you think I’m good enough to join your team. That you don’t look down on me for my oddities or my flaws.”
I huffed out a laugh. “That would be something, wouldn’t it? If I looked down on someone else for being odd and having flaws?” I raised my hand. “Hello? Pot calling the kettle black. Besides, everyone in this house is unpardonably odd and has more flaws than normal qualities. You fit in just fine.”
Still smiling, still looking away from me, he nodded slowly. “I do fit in here. And maybe that’s why she believed in me.”
“Who?”
His eyebrows went up. “Oh. You. Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. Well…if that’s all?” He partially stood. “I don’t want to keep you from your alpha. I might go home and shower now after all. I suddenly feel invigorated.”
I laughed and stood, wobbling a little. He stepped forward to steady me, backing off when I gave a thumbs-up. “Welcome, in advance. To the team.”
“Thank you.”
I trudged up to my bedroom, not sure how much fun I’d be with Austin, since I could barely lug myself around. He’d have to do all the work, not that he’d mind.
Soft candlelight greeted me when I opened the door, flickering in the dimly lit room. Fresh roses in a vase sat on my little table by the window, which also held a bottle of wine and two glasses. Austin sat on the edge of my bed, bare-chested and godly, the top button on his jeans undone and his feet bare. His smile dwindled and his eyes took on a focused look to match the pulsing warmth radiating through the link.
Something about the way he was sitting there, dressed down and gorgeous, weakened my knees and made my heart swoon. This powerful, fearsome alpha had always let me see his softer side, the easygoing part of him with a little smile around his full lips. Both sides appealed to me—his power and strength, and his smiles and laughter. I’d been lucky to have him as a friend for all these months, and I was luckier still to have this new intimacy I couldn’t seem to get enough of. I hadn’t even totally given in to it yet, and it had still consumed part of my soul.
I’d need to figure all that out, eventually. Today, though, I just needed to chill. It had been a long day.
“Hey,” I said, closing the door after me.
“Hey.” He held out his arms, and I walked into them, dropping my hand to his shoulder, feeling the electricity zing between us.
He sat me down on his knee and ran his palm under my shirt and across my stomach.
“What do you think about a relaxing bath?” he asked. “You haven’t felt one of my massages.”
“Oh? Are they famous or something?”
“Probably not. I don’t give them often, but I’m pretty sure they help pass the time.”
I smiled and kissed his lips. “Sounds good.”
He waited for me to stand before joining me, grabbing the bottom of my shirt and readying to pull it off.
A foot I didn’t recognize stepped onto Ivy House soil. Austin paused. The intruder continued up the walk, the steps slow and clumsy, not in a straight line. A moment later, the person turned and ran off.
Mr. Tom approached the front door, and I waited to see what would happen, dread filtering through my middle. After every battle or magical hurdle, there was one person who’d always made his presence known. One person who’d always turned up.
The front door opened. Mr. Tom stepped out. Shock blasted through the link, and then sorrow, and then rage.
I was running before I’d made a conscious effort.
“Go get the miss,” Mr. Tom shouted, perhaps to Ivy House, because no one else was there.
“I’m here.” I took the stairs down two at a time, Austin right behind me. “I’m here. What is it?”