Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Arriving at his home, he saw her curiosity as she leaned forward to glance through the window, looking at his property. In all the time they’d been dating, he’d been able to avoid bringing her back to his home. He didn’t even know why it had been important to him not to bring her.
Climbing out of his truck, he rounded the vehicle and opened her door.
“I don’t think I should be here,” she said.
“You’re here, and stop being a crybaby. Come on, I’m going to feed you, and there’s nothing to it.” Also, I’ve got to tell you that we made a baby. You’re pregnant with my child, and you’re going to give birth to the next-in-line heir to the pack.
Pam told him he would find the right way to tell her, but so far he was drawing a blank. He held onto Lisa, helping her out of his truck, and he didn’t want to let her go. There was that scent of vanilla and chocolate. Such an addictive smell. One he missed, and the reason he went by her house so often, as well as the coffee shop.
Also, the sweater he’d kept of hers inside his home had lost her scent. He had no choice but to wash it, and he was going to use it as an excuse to find some way to interact with her.
He missed her, there was no escaping that. Shadow knew he could pretend it was because he didn’t get to end things when he was good and ready, but that was a lie. No one would ever be able to replace Lisa. She was a one-of-a-kind woman.
He didn’t need Pam reminding him that he was an asshole. Shadow knew he had been a complete and total asshole. Lisa had been more than just fun. From the moment he saw her, he’d known what he wanted, at the time he just hadn’t seen forever, but now with this baby, there might be a chance.
“You have a lovely home,” she said.
“You haven’t seen the inside yet. You might hate it,” he said.
“Nah, I don’t think I could hate it. It looks beautiful,” she said, and tilted her head back to look at it. “You have a beautiful home and I know you can’t really stand a mess, so I figure the inside is going to be just as beautiful.”
That was his little secret. One Lisa had figured out when she caught him folding laundry and tidying up the mess they’d made. He had a pet peeve about crusty food on leftover plates and dishes. Lisa had teased him, saying if he wasn’t careful, she would have to lock him up in her house and throw away the key. He remembered laughing but also figuring with a naked Lisa, that wasn’t such a bad idea. He wouldn’t mind being locked away with her every day of the week.
Taking her hand, he walked up to the small garden that did have quite a few flowers growing. He didn’t want Lisa to feel too bad. She had complained that she didn’t seem to have what it took to create a beautiful garden. He always planned to plant some beautiful, colorful flowers for her to enjoy, but he’d never gotten around to it.
“It figures,” Lisa said.
Shadow laughed.
“You already know what figures, huh?” she asked.
“My flowers. My garden. Don’t forget, I am at one with nature. The full moon makes sure of that.”
She laughed. “Do you like turning into a wolf?”
Shadow stopped as he opened the door to his home and turned to look at her. In the six months they’d been dating, she had never once asked him if he actually liked it.
“Yeah, I do. The first time sucks, but then it sucks for everyone. Your body has to go through so many changes, and it is not ideal. But then, I don’t know, after a time, it all just works out, and there is no pain.”
“What’s it like? Do you feel a calling or is it like some heat, or, I don’t know, kind of like taking your clothes off?” She wrinkled her nose. “You don’t, like, remove your skin, do you, with a zip and slide it right off?”
Shadow laughed. “That sounds pretty freaky, but I assure you, no, it is nothing like that.”
He helped her into his home.
“And this is where I live,” he said.
“It’s … amazing, just as I knew it would be.”
“I’ll give you the tour right after you eat something.”
“What is everyone’s obsession with me eating? I can eat. Trust me, I will eat a lot.”
He laughed. “We all want you to eat and be healthy.” He wanted to tell her she was pregnant, but that was not ideal.
Helping her into one of the chairs at the kitchen counter, he made sure she was fine, and she swatted his hands away. “I’m fine. Trust me, I’m fine. I’m not going to faint or pass out, or whatever I did back there. It is all good. I promise.” She gave him two thumbs up, which did nothing to make him feel better.