Deadly Desire (Riley Jenson Guardian 7)

I nodded to the two kids behind him, then walked out. Once in the car, I checked the computer for any messages then leaned back in the seat, wondering what to do. Cole wouldn't have finished his report on Armel's murder yet, and I didn't want to go back to the office. Quinn had business meetings all day, so he was off the list as well. Even my friend Dia wasn't around. She'd gone up to Queensland for a month-long vacation.

I blew out a breath and started up the car. With nowhere else to go, I headed home to grab some lunch.

Liander was sitting in the living room when I arrived, newspaper in hand and his feet crossed on the table. The sun streaming in through the windows made his silver hair gleam like ice, and his normally pale skin took on an almost golden glow.

He finally looked healthy. For a while there, he'd been looking frailer than a ghost, and moving like an old man. Though I guess almost getting gutted would do that to you.

"Some people have a good life," I said, throwing my bag on the table before heading into the kitchen to turn on the kettle and investigate the fridge.

"Some people hate the confinement the doctors are forcing on them," he said dryly. "There's leftover lasagna in the fridge if you want to zap that for lunch."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, pulling out the tray. "How much longer do you have to rest?"

"Until the soreness goes away."

I shoved two slices of lasagna into the microwave, then leaned against the door frame and frowned at him. "I thought it had."

He suddenly looked sheepish and made a show of looking at the paper again. "Well, it did, but then Rhoan and I got a little overadventurous, and I think it strained things."

I snorted softly. "No sympathy from me, then. You want a coffee?"

"As long as you're not going to tell me to get it myself."

"I'm not that mean." I made two coffees and carted them across to the coffee table, then went back to grab the lasagna. I handed Liander his, then plonked down on the other sofa.

"So how's the love life?" he said, after several mouthfuls.

I grinned. "A hell of a lot safer than yours, from the sound of it."

"No problems on the Quinn front?"

"He's being quite the gentlemen."

Liander snorted. "That'll change once you start acting like a proper wolf again."

I gave him an exasperated look. "I am acting like a proper wolf."

"Have you gone back to the clubs? Taken other partners yet?"

"You know I haven't. I'm happy as I am, Liander, and Quinn and I do share something special."

"He's not a wolf, my girl. And your wolf soul will always hunger for its mate, no matter how happy you might be with Quinn."

"You're not telling me something I don't know. I'm just not ready to venture fully out of the cave yet."

"You know, if I ever meet Kellen again, he's going to get a very large piece of my mind."

"Don't you dare. He was doing what was right for us both."

He snorted softly. I ignored him and continued to eat the lasagna. One of the many good things about Liander coming to live with us was the fact that the quality of the meals we were getting had improved-mainly because he could cook and Rhoan and I couldn't.

I took a sip of coffee to wash it down, then said, "I had something of a close call yesterday, actually."

"Oh?" He raised a gray eyebrow, amusement teasing the corners of his silvery eyes. "Do tell."

"You remember Kye? The bodyguard Patrin employed?"

"The one Rhoan reckons was more than just a wolf?"