“For the guest rooms. That stack is for the couple rooms, the next for the dorms. I wanted to see what you thought before planning for family rooms. You want to have kids around the place, or not?”
Mark ignored her question for a moment as he lowered himself to the floor. “How on earth did you do all this so fast?” He gawked at the pages. “Plus, you’re spot-on accurate. You’ve got measurements for the rooms—where are you hiding your measuring tape?”
“It’s built in.” She grinned and tapped her temple. “I can eyeball a room and know the dimensions at a glance. It’s not a very handy skill except when it comes to designing. Or parking… I can parallel park in spaces that would make your hair stand on end.”
Holy shit. He set down the stack and went for the next one, again amazed at the details and simple beauty of what she suggested. “I think your ideas are brilliant. You accomplished enough in an hour to keep me busy for the next four months.”
“I’ll help,” Tessa offered. “I can swing a hammer, and I don’t mind getting dirty.”
Mark exchanged the drawings for her hands, holding her tight. “I’m…impressed. And pleased.”
Tessa beamed. And wiggled.
He examined her more closely, trying to figure out how she was moving in such a strange way. “Tessa, what are you sitting on?”
“A balance board. Gives my body something to concentrate on while I’m doing things with my hands. Keri came up with the idea when we were in college. She’s my bestie. You know her? Of course you do, she mated with Jared in July. I think she said she’d be back in the fall.”
“I’ve met her.” Well, a point in his favour—his mate already had a friend in the pack. “We can meet up with her and Jared, if they’re around. Why don’t you call to find out?”
She shot to her feet, somehow continuing to balance on the tippy wooden plank as she dragged him upright with her. “I’d like that very much. You’re so sweet.”
Mark untangled himself to gather her work piles together. “We’ll do a walk-through on these ideas after you get in touch with them.”
“That would be great. Hey, you never told me what you prefer—family rooms or no?”
He’d been avoiding thinking about it, because the answer was all tangled together in his brain. The image of little kids running through the house led to thinking about their kids someday running through the house. Which led to images of Tessa being pregnant, which backtracked to full-colour, live-action feature-film-quality high-def sex scenes, starring her and him.
Although he was pretty sure porn would have nothing on the actual event. Not with them being mates.
Some time in the last minute he’d moved in closer, again, and when she squirmed on the board, her torso brushed his intimately. Mark swallowed hard. Ignored the instant response of his body. Forced the words out. “Kids are okay.”
Tessa leapt into the air, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He dropped the papers to catch her, hands cradling her ass as she leaned forward until her lips pressed to his. He sucked in her taste like a starving man.
She rested their foreheads together, a contented smile lighting her face. “I think I like you.”
“Well, that’s good.” Nothing was going to distract him from enjoying the temporary warmth of their bodies touching. He added a few more items to the list of what he knew about her. Impulsive, but talented. Athletic.
“I think we can accomplish some great things together,” she announced. “We’ll make an awesome team.”
“A team?” He wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. “More than that, Tessa. We’re mates. Our skills complement each other.”
Her eyes went wide and she nodded slowly. “Cool. And you do like kids.”
“I like you.” It was enough for now.
She didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get away, so he took total advantage and kissed her again. Nibbled on her lower lip as she hummed happily and tangled her fingers in his hair. Her mouth was so soft under his, her wonderful scent whispering through his entire body and somehow increasing his tension even as it satisfied him.
He licked the seam of her lips, and she snuck the tip of her tongue against his. Head rush followed, sensory overload. Mark got lost in the complete rightness that was his mate.
If stolen kisses were all he could get, he’d force the beast inside to accept them. He and Tessa would have forever together. If it took a few more days than usual to start on the journey, well, he had enough patience to make it through.
In the end, it would be worth it.
Mark savoured the kiss, the weight of her in his hands. The intimate contact between their bodies. He stored up all the sensations in the hopes his wolf wouldn’t rebel and ruin his good intentions.
The beast grumbled, but settled, at least for now.
Chapter Six