Chapter 252 Chapter 252
By the time he got out she was standing where he planned to put a big deck and looking down over the property.
“Jesse, this place is beautiful.”
He went over and stood beside her and looked down at it. “This view right here is why I picked this land.” He motioned to the house, “I’m thinking big bay window so I can sit there and watch the sun go down.”
She nodded and then turned and looked at the house. “It’s even bigger now that I’m standing beside it.” Her brow creased, “were you planning for a big family?”
He shrugged, “I don’t know, I just wanted options.” He motioned to the trailer, “I spend so much time in a vehicle or motel, I just wanted space to roam when I’m home.”
She walked beside him, “I get that. I don’t mind being in the vehicle but getting out is always good too.”
“I’ll get the bags in a minute.” He unlocked the door and opened it, motioning for her to go in. he followed her and held his breath. When he went up the steps, he didn’t even recognize the inside. “I asked my mom and sister to come to clean it up and air it out.” He looked around, wondering where they put all the papers that had covered the table.
Evanna slipped her boots off and went in further. “Oh look.” She went over to the table leaned down and inhaled the scent of the flowers that were sitting there in a vase. She titled her head, and picked up a piece of paper beside them, “welcome to the family.” Straightening she turned and looked at her, “you told your family we’re mates?”
He nodded, “yeah, considering I’ve never brought another female here, I thought some explanation was needed.”
She smiled. “I’m glad.” She shrugged, “that you don’t bring other females here.” She tapped her chest, “I get, I’m not sure, not good feelings when I think about it.”
Jesse grinned, “that would be your cat being territorial. I get the same every time another male so much as glances in your direction.
“Really?” She bit her lip, “I thought it was just me.”
He shook his head, “no it’s not.” Kicking off his boots, he went over and opened the fridge. It was fuller than he’d ever seen it. Evanna came over and looked around him in it.
“Your mother is a good shopper.”
Jesse grinned, “yeah her and my sisters.”
Evanna moved by him and slid the door to look in the bedroom area. “There’s one bed.”
Closing the fridge, he rubbed his hand over his jaw, “the uh, couch pulls out, I’ll crash there.”
“Shouldn’t it be me that sleeps there? This is your place.”
He leaned back against the counter and shook his head, “no, this is our place,” he smirked, “well, temporary place until the house is done.”
“This is home?” Her voice was quiet, almost as soft as Leah’s was.
“It is.” He cleared his throat, “I’m not going to rush you or-or Leah, with marking you,” he grimaced, “even my cat knows that, so you have lots of time to adjust. And,” he was nervous now, “don’t think I brought you here for that because I didn’t. I just wanted to uh,” his cat was oddly silent inside him as he bumbled his way through this, “for us to get to know each other, for, uh, you to have somewhere quiet to adjust...”
She spun around and launched herself at him. Grabbing him around the waist, she rested her face against his chest. “I love it here. I didn’t think I needed to know where home was going to be, but I was wrong, and I did.”
Wrapping his arms around her, he held her and closed his eyes. He’d wanted to hold her since the moment he’d laid eyes on her and this was the first real embrace between them. “I should have thought of that sooner, rather than dragging you all over the place.”
She shook her head but didn’t release him, “no, no. It was great at Blair’s, we were okay there, I just thought Leah was the one needing home and permanence, but now that I’m here, I feel like I can breathe.” She loosened her grip enough to look up at him, “thank you. I don’t know how to be a mate, Jesse, I don’t-I just don’t, but we’re going to try.”
Touching the side of her face, he looked down into those deep dark eyes and his chest felt like it might burst with so many emotions. “I don’t know either. It’s just been me all this time. Finding my mate never even crossed my mind, so I guess we’re going to have to muddle through this as best as we can.”
The intense look in her eyes started to fade. “I’m glad you came up our mountain.” She frowned,
“What is it?”
Her look changed to confusion, “It’s Minn, she’s being all,” she gave her head a slight shake, strange. I’ve never felt her be like this.”
Jesse chuckled softly, “oh that.” His own cat felt like he was rubbing against him as if somehow, he could get closer to her cat. “Mine is too, being all-loving and gentle right now.”
“What is that?” Her eyes were wide when she looked back up at him.
He squeezed her in his arms gently, “it’s because we’re this close, they like being close.”
She leaned back and looked down between them, “if I suddenly get hairier it’s because it feels like she going to push right through my skin.”
Tipping her chin, up, he studied her face for a moment, “I think I know what will settle them down.”
“You do?”
“Yeah,” he lowered his head slowly, “this.” He brushed his lips over hers gently, not wanting to kiss her the way he’d been wanting for days now. When she leaned into him more, he kissed her again, taking his time to slowly taste her. His cat was still now, waiting. He couldn’t stop the low rumble in his chest as he lightly put his hand against the back of her head, making sure to avoid touching anywhere near her neck, and deepened the kiss. When she hesitantly touched her tongue against his, he thought he might lose his mind if she pulled away now.
Her taste burst through him, making his cat shudder. So sweet, a taste that was uniquely hers. He knew her scent had hints of something close to citrus in it, but he never imagined that he’d taste that.
When she reached up and grasped the back of his head, he had to fight to control the kiss and not take it too far. His cat cautioned him that they didn’t know what would upset her and what wouldn’t.
Tearing his mouth away, he sucked in oxygen and then had no choice but to kiss her some more. She had a tight hold on his head and breathing seemed to be the last thing she wanted. Without warning, the kiss changed and now he sensed a sweeter taste on his tongue, hers was still there, but more was added to it. The pressure of her grasp changed but only for a moment and then she moaned quietly, and his cat forced him to pull away. It was too soon. They had to be careful with her.