“Because you need to be ready to endure Jen’s ribbing.”

Jacque groaned. “Bloody hell, I’m going to have to listen to big butt jokes, comments about my boobs getting bigger and never bouncing back to where they belong, and snide remarks about me not being able to get off the couch. Crap you’re right. Let’s not tell them until I go into labor.”

Fane laughed. “I think they will figure it out at some point.”

“Okay, well then we’ll have to move to plan B.”

“I’m afraid to ask, but like looking at a bad wreck, I have to know. What’s plan B?”

“I’m going to kidnap the Alpha female of the Serbia pack.”

“That’s makes no sense.”

“Doesn’t have to, it is what it is, Fane. Get on board or jump ship.”

Fane’s brow rose as he looked at his mate, his incredible mate, and he grinned.

“Fine, we’ll kidnap her,” he agreed dryly, playing along.

Jacque squealed. “I’ve always wanted to kidnap someone.”

Fane shook his head at her. “Sometimes, love, you scare me.”

Jacque eyes narrowed and she let her wolf out just enough for them to glow. “You should be afraid wolf-man, very afraid.”

“Costin, I swear if you toss one more bottle in the air I’m going to go all Jen on you,” Sally warned. He was getting the bar ready for the night and had decided to show off for her with his fancy tricks. And she would be okay with that if he hadn’t dropped the last three bottles because he was checking her out. And she totally wasn’t distracting him on purpose.

“Let me turn on the music so you’ll have a beat you can strip to,” he teased.

Sally threw her hands in the air. “I didn’t mean her strip routine, you beast, and you know it.”

“Maybe, but I did get a good blush out of you, so mission accomplished. Now come over here and let me teach you how to make sex on a beach,” Costin’s grin got even wider as Sally’s blush deepened. She shook her head at him. “Okay, how about a screwdriver or a hairy virgin?”

She was laughing now but still shaking her head at him.

Costin pretended to think about it and then snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it, you totally have to learn how to make this one, screaming org—,”

“FINE,” she cut him off, “I’ll learn the first one, just quit hollering them out already.” She walked over to the bar and nudged her grinning mate out of the way. “Okay ‘O great bartender, please teach me your ways.”

She felt his breath on the back of her neck as he stepped up close behind her. Sally froze just as she started to turn a glass over. She trembled as his warm breath tickled her skin and she nearlymoaned out loud when he pressed his lips to her ear. She was expecting a flippant, flirty remark, and she wouldn’t have minded it. It was one of the things she loved about him. But every now and then, he surprised her.

“You are so beautiful.” His hands gripped her hips and she felt his fingers squeeze and bite into her skin. “In all my life I never imagined I would be blessed with someone like you.” He paused and she held her breath, waiting for what he would do next and knowing it would be something that might just make her pass out.

His next words were punctuated with breathtaking kisses on her skin. “You honor me, Sally mine,” he kissed her neck. “You amaze me,” then below her ear. “You bring life and passion to my world,” then on the other side of her neck. “I love you more than anything,” then he kissed his bite mark. He held onto her as she gasped, and Sally gripped the bar to steady herself. She closed her eyes and leaned back into his chest. His lips still hovered over her skin and his arms wrapped around her holding her securely.

He had written those words on her heart, and she never tired of hearing him say things like that to her. She reveled in it, and she forced herself to believe him because it wasn’t only by his words that she felt the truth, it was in his actions as well. Since he had watched her die, he had become even more attentive and showed her his serious side more often. But gradually his playfulness was returning and it brought her joy to see her mate healing from such a traumatic experience.

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. “Thank you, Costin, for loving me.”

He leaned down and kissed her lips gently and stared into her big brown eyes. “You don’t have to thank me for that. It’s a blessing to get to love you. But if we’re throwing around thank yous, then you can totally toss me one for last night.”

And he’s back, she thought to herself. Sally turned in his arms and gently pushed him back, giving him a playful smirk. “If that’s the case, mate, then I think you owe me.” She tapped her finger on her lips and looked up at the ceiling seemingly in thought, “four, wait,” her eyes widened and she grinned, “no make that five; you owe me five thank yous.”

Costin chuckled as he reached out to snatch her around the waist. “You’ve been hanging around Jen too much, Sally mine. She’s rubbing off on you.” He nipped her ear playfully.

Sally snorted. “You weren’t complaining last n—,”

Costin whipped her around and pinned her to the bar and pressed his lips to hers before she could finish her sentence.

“Behave,” he growled in her mind.

He heard her laughter through their bond and he wanted to howl with joy.