“I love seeing ye like this?”
I leaned back in the chair and gave him a smile of my own. “And what way is that?”
He inhaled and exhaled slowly, as if he felt so much contentment and pleasure in that moment. It took him a moment to finally say, “Like ye’re happy.”
My heart kicked a little in my chest and I felt a light heat spread across the tops of my cheeks. “I am happy,” I whispered, and his nostrils flared before a low growl left him.
He had one shoulder against the doorframe, his thickly corded arms crossed over his broad chest. His short blond hair was tousled, the coloring seeming a little lighter because we’d spent a lot of time outside.
He was just so incredibly handsome. And all mine.
My body instantly warmed at the sight of him.
But then his words settled into me and I felt my brows lower. “Guests?” There was no anxiety or hesitation coming from him, and because he seemed very easy-going right now, so did I.
“Aye.” He pushed away from the door and entered the room to come to stand in front of me. He held his hand out.
I slipped my much smaller one against his palm and let him pull me up before he embraced me. I rested my cheek against the center of his chest, and inhaled, the scent of fresh air, wild pine, and that spicy, dark aroma that was all Odhran. It filled my head and soothed me but also had arousal climbing swiftly in me.
“I can send them away and instead take ye upstairs.”
“Oh? And what would we do?” I teased. “Read? Maybe listen to some soothing music and meditate? Or you could teach me some more Latin? You know how I’ve been struggling with pronunciation.” I felt a grin cover my mouth.
He growled again and that smile faded as desire rose in me. I moaned at how the vibrations from his voice settled right between my thighs.
“I was thinking more along the lines of burying my face between yer pretty thighs and feasting on ye, lass, until ye give me three orgasms.”
I was tempted to take him up on that offer, but I pushed my basic desire down and lifted my head to look into his face. “How about you tell me who it is first.”
“Mmm. I like my suggestion better.”
I laughed. “I bet you do.” After a moment he groaned in disappointment, gave me a long, lingering kiss, and huffed out like he was frustrated, which only made me smile even more.
“Luna, Darragh, and Evie are here. I dinna know they were coming, so I can send them away if their surprise visit is too much, darlin’.”
“They came here to see me? Why?”
“Ah, my lass, who wouldn’t want tae see ye?” He cupped each side of my face before kissing the center of my forehead. “They want tae meet the lass I’m completely and utterly, madly in love with.”
I felt that flutter in my belly happen again, and my heart race from his words. We stared into each other’s eyes for long seconds, and I fell into that intimate moment where nothing else mattered but being here with my mate.
“Okay,” I whispered and pressed my chest to his, rose on my toes, and kissed him softly on the lips.
With one more lingering kiss from him, and a rough growl against my lips, we broke apart and he led me out of the study to where the trio awaited.
I could hear the feminine chatter before we rounded the corner and made our way toward the front foyer. And then I saw them, the trio seeming so comfortable with each other as they talked animatedly and laughed together.
It wasn’t something I’d seen for a very long time, not since I’d been with my family, and it had a special kind of longing filling me.
When they realized we’d entered, all conversation stopped and they faced us. Darragh had her clasped hands up to her mouth as she stared at me with wide eyes. Luna had a motherly smile on her face, and Evie was grinning from ear-to-ear.
Luna stepped forward and said, “I am so sorry we just burst in on you, but we were in the neighborhood and wanted to drop some things off.” She smiled wider and looked over her shoulder at the other two women before facing me again.
“We were going out to a late dinner, and you’re more than welcome to come with us,” Evie said a little too excitedly as she stepped forward.
“Or we could hang out here,” Darragh said and clapped her hands. “We could order takeout. I know that little pub in town is open until two in the morning.”
I didn’t say anything, felt a little more than shell-shocked at how excited they were, at how they were so eager to move things along. I felt out of my element and found myself tensing, this weird panic starting to settle in me.