Broken Bonds (Lizzie Grace 3)

“I’m very happy to hear that.” Belle pushed a cappuccino toward me. “I’m guessing you’ll be absent from the hotel room for the next couple of nights, then?”

“The next couple of weeks, if I have any say. I’ve three years of abstinence to make up for, remember.”

“If you can make that up in mere weeks, I’ll be seriously concerned about the state of your libido.”

I laughed. “How was the show?”

“Good, but then, you can’t really go wrong with Les Mis.”

There was something in her voice that had instinct stirring. “But there nevertheless was a problem?”

“Could be.” She pursed her lips. “I think the wolf grows restless.”

“That was always going to happen.” Although it was a truth I wasn’t willing to confront just yet given my relationship with Aiden had barely gotten off the ground. Or, more specifically, into bed.

“I know, but I did think my fabulousness would hold his interest a wee bit longer.”

“It certainly should have.”

She smiled. “Luckily, there are plenty of other canines in this particular den.”

“I think they’d all be rather offended to hear you refer to them as mere canines.” I took a drink. “Has he said anything?”

“No. And it’s not like he’ll take on other lovers without talking to me first. He is, above all else, honorable that way.”

“So it could be nothing more than an off night?”

“Could be. I doubt it though.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t really fuss me, to be honest. I’m having a thoroughly good time with him, but I’ve always known it would be a short fling rather than anything deeper.”

Because werewolves didn’t do deeper—not with the likes of us. It was something I needed to keep reminding myself about, given my past habit of falling for entirely the wrong man.

Belle leaned her hip against the counter and took a sip of her coffee. “What are we going to do about the witch that’s coming in?”

I shrugged. “Avoid him seeing us standing side by side at all costs, but other than that, there’s nothing we can do.”

“True.” She sighed. “I guess the real worry will come once they contract a reservation witch.”

“Yeah, but let’s not stress about it until it happens.”

She raised her eyebrows, amusement evident. “This from the woman who was all doom, gloom, and ‘my parents are going to find us and drag us back to Canberra’ only a day ago?”

I grinned. “It’s amazing just how much good sex can brighten one’s outlook.”

“Obviously.” Her amusement faded. “What did the th

reads within that protection circle look like? I might do a run through Gran’s books, just to see if she mentions anything along those lines.”

I gave her a description and then said, “Weren’t you the one berating me for sticking my nose into dark events when there was no need?”

She sniffed. It was an amusingly haughty sound. “Which is why I should do the research. As the motto goes, a good familiar should always be prepared.”

“That’s the Scouts.”

“Same, same.” She wrinkled her nose. “In all honesty, the spirits are uneasy, though they’re not saying why.”

“Now there’s a surprise.”

Her gaze became somewhat distracted as she listened to the other side. “They don’t appreciate your sarcasm.”