When I scooted my chair back, Reno shot to his feet.
“I’ll get it,” he said, stepping over his chair and scoping out the kitchen like a wolf on the hunt.
My homemade pies were coveted among the men in the pack; it was the one dessert I rarely made. Pies just didn’t sell in the bakery unless it was a special order.
Ivy stood up and began clearing the dishes.
“Wait a second,” I said over the chatter. “You’re the guest, not the maid.”
Ivy balanced a plate on her forearm as a waitress might. “You and Austin have cooked us a generous meal. This is the least we can do to show our gratitude. No matter who I’m mated to, you will always be family to me.”
“I’ll help,” April said, a flash of guilt on her face.
I could have argued, but I didn’t. Some battles weren’t worth fighting. There was a little wine left in my glass, so I gripped the rounded bottom and moved to Ivy’s chair.
Austin nodded at Lorenzo’s wine. “More grapes? Or would you like a man’s drink?”
Lorenzo’s eyes sparkled with humor. “Wine is a good idea. We should do this more often. The cabin and surrounding territory are impressive.”
The wine made a glug-glug sound as it was poured into Lorenzo’s glass.
Austin set the bottle down. “I know the guy who owns all this land; we go way back. He tried renting it out years ago, but most Shifters aren’t renters. I threw out an offer for a time-share situation, and we created a contract. I can stay anytime I want between certain months in the winter, and the rest of the year belongs to another guy who comes out here to hunt and fish.”
“Wolf?”
Austin shrugged. “Hell if I know. Hector, the owner, keeps everyone’s business private. We get our own linens, towels, and blankets so that it feels less like a motel and more like home. The only thing we have to do is clear out all the food and drinks before we leave. Since Ivy restored a lot of the furniture, Hector made the guy sign a clause that if he damaged anything outside of the normal wear and tear, he’s out.”
Lorenzo lifted his chin, looking about the room. “And this is what you prefer to invest your money in?”
“Only this cabin is part of the deal. Yours and Reno’s I had to negotiate on the side since Lexi wanted to extend the invite.”
“Humph,” Lorenzo mumbled judgmentally. “When I take my woman on a trip, it’s not to socialize with anyone but her.”
Maybe inviting everyone over as a buffer wasn’t such a good idea.
Austin postured in his chair, leaning forward and flexing those delicious muscles, which were sadly concealed beneath flannel.
I had half a mind to spill red wine on his shirt just so I could watch him strip out of it and show off his impressive torso. I squirmed in my chair when I thought about nibbling on his tatted shoulders and hearing his rough, sexy voice whisper, “Baby, keep doing that.”
“Just look at your woman,” Lorenzo continued. “Surely you’ve noticed the lust in her eyes; I think we both know what’s coming.”
That snapped me to attention and I gave him a scathing glance. Those two jackasses were talking about me going into heat!
“You knew?” I asked Austin.
He cleared his throat, rubbing the whiskers on his jaw. “I’ve been planning this trip since July, so don’t give me that look. I have a good sense of smell, but not that good.”
“You could have canceled.”
Great. Since we were avoiding pregnancy, my heat cycle would last longer, which meant we were going to be marooned up here for God knows how long. Lorenzo didn’t know our private business, so he was going to get suspicious as to why Austin hadn’t taken care of my needs.
Austin winked at me, humor flashing in his eyes. “I’ll hunt for you, feed you, and make love to you so many times that we won’t need to stay the winter. But I’ve got a feeling you’ll want to. There’s no reason why we can’t stretch this trip out a little longer.”
Ivy moved through the room with her phone to her ear and sat on the leather sofa in front of the fireplace. Hope was fourteen and undoubtedly keeping the pack on their toes.
“Austin, I really don’t want to talk about sex in front of my cousin.”
I loved calling Lorenzo my cousin. For whatever reason, it irritated him. Maybe it’s because he’d tried to hook up with me when we first met.
“We’re not related by blood,” he said through clenched teeth. “You should visit and I’ll introduce you to your real cousins.”
My real mother was his aunt by marriage. My real father? Just some rogue drifting through town, from what I’d been told.
“I’ve already got a family; I don’t need yours.” I swallowed a mouthful of wine, the smoky flavor overpowering my taste buds.
Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, his right arm still resting on the table. “I just assumed you would want a larger family, as it doesn’t appear yours is as big as it should be.”