“Thanks, baby,” she says, smiling as she lathers up her soapy hair and scrubs it.
My eyes flash with heat at her nudity. She’s beautiful.
“Call me when you need help out. Be careful,” I order.
She waves at me with a dismissive look on her face that I don’t like. I don’t want her falling and injuring herself.
I shut the door and return to the living area.
Riley is still looking amused. He’s now sitting on the sofa and looking around. “This place is a hovel, Ty.”
“It is. I want to make it better for her.”
“Don’t,” Riley says. “There’s a beautiful house for you in Arcana Falls.”
I say nothing, because it’s not something I can even think about right now.
It’s as if he reads my mind.
“I get it. You’re learning how to live with your mate. You want privacy first, to find a rhythm in your life with her before you get bogged down with the pack and pack responsibilities. The pack is going to be all about bringing the two of you into the fold and it’ll be overwhelming after your upbringing. So, you don’t have to jump immediately, but Tyson… we’re there. Don’t spend energy on this place. Use it for now as you and your mate get closer, and then when you’re ready, it’s there.”
“We have the strawberry moon party this weekend, Tyson,” Bailey says. “You and Ivy should come. Spend time with us for an evening. You can either stay at your house and at least see it, feel the energy there, or come here after.”
She is setting the coffee maker up on the counter. Cat is washing my and Ivy’s breakfast dishes.
“I agree,” Riley says.
Cat keeps washing.
I stretch to catch a look at her face, and I can’t read it. I do read emotion from her though. Or more, feel it.
“The car is all fixed,” Riley tells me. “Here.” He passes me the keys. There’s a long silver square on the keychain that says “Drama Queen” with sparkled purple stones. I flip it over and it says Ivy on it. I tuck the keys in my pocket. “Who do I pay? You?”
“Naw, no worries. It’s our pleasure.”
“Thanks,” I say.
Bailey smiles at me. “Worried she’s gonna run off again?”
Cat makes a tsk sound and gives Bailey a look.
“Oops, sorry. I have no filter. Whatever I’m thinking just comes straight out of my mouth. It’s sometimes a problem.”
“At least with a personality like that, there’s no deception to worry about,” I say.
She smiles nervously and shrugs. I see Cat’s eyes on me.
“Yeah, I told her and Grey to give you time, but they came here last night anyway,” Riley says with disapproval in his voice.
I say nothing. I’m not about to encourage these people to barge in on my life but I’m also not quite ready to discourage it either. Truthfully, I’ve got mixed feelings about all of it but more than anything, I’m intrigued by the prospect of everything they have to offer. I don’t know if it’s me, don’t know if I’m built that way after my whole life being as it has been. It might be too late.
A few moments later, Ivy is emerging from the bathroom. Her hair is damp and in a braid and she’s wearing black tight pants and a black top with a hood. She has her thumbs through hoops on the long sleeves of the top. She’s wearing pink socks and she has her face painted.
“Hi everybody,” she waves shyly.
I move quickly to her and lift her up into my arms.
“On your feet, I see,” Cat says, and dries her hands on a towel before moving away from the sink.
“Trying,” Ivy says at the same time as I mutter, “Against my wishes.”
“Is that coffee I smell?” Ivy gasps. “Ooh, coffeecoffeecoffee!” She claps her hands.
I smile at her excitement. She certainly likes coffee, it seems.
“Is coffee that good, my only?”
“It’s better!”
“I brought my old coffeemaker,” Cat replies. “And some coffee, sugar, French vanilla creamer like you said you liked, and we brought lunch.”
“God bless you!” Ivy says enthusiastically.
I sit on the couch on the opposite end of where Riley sits and keep Ivy on my lap.
Riley rises and moves to the table and sits in the chair opposite Bailey.
Ivy moves off my lap, but stays beside me.
I grab her and haul her back up where I’d put her.
“Ty,” she grumbles. “He’s all about PDA,” she tells them with a pretty pink hue to her cheeks.
“PDA?”
“Public displays of affection,” she says.
Cat sits on the edge of the sofa in the place Riley vacated and lifts Ivy’s calf, putting her foot on her lap.
“I left the dressing off because I knew you were here,” she says. “I kept it dry. Just took a quick bath and left my foot out. It was trickier this time getting out without Ty helping me. I nearly wiped out.” She laughs.