CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

ZAC

I claimed my mate last night and my wolf’s happy about it. He’s like a ten-week-old pup playing with his siblings. Life couldn’t be better.

* * *

I slip out of bed without waking Brook and hop into the shower. My cock gets hard thinking of her. I consider waking her so she can satisfy my needs, but she’s earned her rest, so I let her sleep and gratify myself. It’s not the same, but it’ll do. It’ll have to.

I quietly dress after my shower and head downstairs to make my girl some breakfast. Hope I have everything I need.

“You have to be kidding me?”

Caleb and Jake are sitting at the kitchen table. They already made coffee, and were each nursing a cup.

“Just checking up on you,” Caleb says. “We got busy yesterday and didn’t get over here till late.”

“You were here?”

“Oh, yeah.” Caleb grins. “We heard things coming from your bedroom that made poor Jake blush. You want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Just curious.” Caleb’s brow wrinkles. “Did you tell her about us? About you?”

I give a crisp nod.

Caleb fist pumps. “Well, all right.”

Jake shakes his head.

Caleb says, “Did you mark her?”

“Yes.”

He leans across the table and holds his hand up for a high five.

I don’t give him one.

He settles back into his chair. “In all seriousness. How did she take it? How did she react when you shifted?”

“She looked scared at first, but then she . . . Shit, I don’t know. She took it well, I guess. She accepted me and let me mark her.”

“That’s all you can ask for, I guess.”

“I guess,” I say and add, “Don’t take this personally, but would you guys mind leaving? I’m gonna make Brook some breakfast.”

“Yeah, sure.” Caleb downs the rest of his coffee. It’s not hot any more. “Let’s go, Jake.”

I walk them to the door. “Thanks for stopping.”

“No problem,” Caleb says. “You know, I hate to be a dick, but there’s paperwork piling up on your desk that really needs some attention.”

“Oh, man.”

“Just come to the office after breakfast. Bring Brook with you. I’ll have Natalie and Emily come down and they can all spend some time together.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Do that,” Caleb says. “See you in a couple hours.”

He and Jake leave, and I go to the kitchen and look around. I really need to do some grocery shopping. Pancakes and eggs are all I have ingredients for, so I whip some up. I take it to the bedroom and she’s still asleep, so I wake her.

“That’s so sweet,” she says and props her back against the headboard. I put a tray of food on her lap. “Thank you.”

“I have to run to the office after breakfast,” I tell her. “You want to come with me? Natalie and Emily will be there.”

“Sure.” Brook takes a bite of her pancake and holds the fork up at me. “You’re a really good cook.”

I kiss her forehead. “Now you’re the one being sweet.”

After breakfast and a morning quickie, we dress and go to the office. Natalie and Emily are already there. They exchange hello’s and hugs, then Natalie says to me, “We’ll take her off your hands for a while. Do some shopping, lunch, and who knows what else. We’ll have her back here by the end of the day.”

“How can I say no?”

“You can’t,” Emily says and they rush her away.

I go to my office and attack the mountain of paperwork on my desk.

* * *

Brook texted me at four and said the girls were dropping her off at home. That’ll work because I have more paperwork to do. I should have been done by now, but we had a prospective client that needed schmoozing and I had to be there. We got the client.

* * *

Supper is waiting for me when I get home. Steak and potatoes, my favorite foods.

“What did you do today?” I ask when we sit down to eat.

“We went down to the art gallery and got my old job back.” Her grin is impossible to contain. “They were really nice about things. Natalie told them I had family issues, and they understood. They’re wonderful people.”

“That’s good.” I’m glad they didn’t replace her. I know how much she loved the place. “When do you start back up?”

“Tomorrow, or the next day. Or whenever. They said there was no rush. Whenever I feel comfortable coming back, the job is there.”

“That’s great.” I cut off a piece of steak. Medium rare and juicy, just how I like it. I put it in my mouth, chew, and swallow. Black angus. Prepared perfectly. “Outstanding,” I say to her. “Well done.”

“Thank you.”

Brook hasn’t eaten yet. She has more to say, and it looks like she can’t wait to say it.

I try to help it along. “What else happened?”

Her eyes sparkle. “I bought some paint and stuff today. I’m going to take painting back up.”

“That’s wonderful.” I scan the room out of habit. I don’t see any paint—not that I would in the kitchen—but I didn’t see any in the living room when I got home, and I didn’t see any up in the bedroom when I went up there and changed.

Brook hasn’t known me for long, but she knows me well. She knows what I was looking for.

“My supplies are at the gallery. They have a back room where artists can pursue their creativity.” She twirls her fork in the air. “Besides, it would be too messy to paint here. Plus, there’s not enough room.”

Brook is probably right. This place is a bachelor pad and nothing more. There’s not enough room to pursue one’s artistic endeavors. Might have to do something about that.

“Well, I’m glad you’re going back to painting,” I say. “It’s good to do what you love.”

“Thanks, Zac,” she says and finally eats something.

The rest of the night is pleasant.

* * *

My evening last night was unsatisfying. Not the sex part, but the sleep. It isn’t right that Brook doesn’t have a room to paint in. It’s a problem that needs to be rectified.

Brook and I hurry through breakfast. We each have a lot to do.

I walk her to her car and we kiss. “See you tonight.”

“Okay.”

“Have fun painting.”

“I’m going to be working, too, you know.”

“Well, have fun.”

She smiles. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

* * *

Caleb’s in the conference room when I get to work.

I sit in a chair across from him. “I need to find a bigger place.”

“Probably a good idea.”

I open my phone and start searching homes for sale near me.

Caleb says, “Don’t forget, you’ll need a couple extra rooms for kids.”

I hadn’t thought about having children yet, but now that he mentioned it …

“How many bedrooms do you think, four?” I don’t know why I’m asking him.

“At least five,” he says. “And four bathrooms. Minimum.”

“Jesus Christ. That’ll cost a fortune.”

“We better start drumming up some more business, then.” He looks at his watch. “Speaking of. I’ve gotta go.” He pushes out of his chair. “Good luck with the house hunting.”

“Thanks.”

When Caleb leaves, I put my phone on the table and think about my future with Brook. There’s something else I need to do besides find a home, and I believe it takes priority.

I scroll through the internet and find what I’m looking for. Then I punch in a number.

“Kimberly’s Flowers, how may I help you?”

“I’d like to order two dozen roses, please. Yellow.”

“Okay,” she says. “Would you like a card to go along with that?”

“Yes.”

I tell her what the car should say and where to send everything, then I give my credit card information. Now I just have to get the ring.

* * *

Everything is ready for when she gets home. Italian food from Filippo’s is spread out on the table. Brook is going to love that. The roses are split into separate vases and scattered about. I bought too many. It’s the thought that counts though, right?

I’m getting nervous and I begin to pace. What if she says no?

The handle on the front door turns. Guess I’m about to find out.

“Hi,” she says when she sees me.

“How was your day?” I ask.

“Wonderful.” She lifts her nose up and sniffs. “You make supper?”

“Ordered it.”

She kisses me. “That’s sweet of you.”

“Thanks, are you hungry?”

“Starved.”

“Come on, then.” I take her hand and lead her to the kitchen.

She freezes at the sight of the flowers. “What’s this?” Her voice squeaks.

“Just a little something.”

Brook goes to the table. I had left a vase with a half a dozen roses in the center. “They’re so pretty.” She leans over and smells them. “Beautiful.”

“There’s a note,” I say. I’m sure she would have gotten to it.

She takes the note and opens it. Will you marry me? is written on the card. She covers her mouth and spins.

I’m on one knee, holding a ring. It sparkles under the light. “Will you?”

She clasps her hands and runs in place.

“Well?”

“Yes.”

She hurries to me and I stand. I put the ring on her finger and we kiss. Then she studies it.

“Hope you like it.”

“I do.”

She’s just made me the happiest man in the world, and I plan on showing her every day for the rest of my life how thankful I am.

“Love you, babe,” I say to her.

“I love you, too.”