Chapter 176: The Heart of Home
Zane~
"Three hours had slipped by since Natalie and I had lost ourselves in each other all over again. Her bite still tingled against my shoulder like a brand of wildfire, searing into my soul in the best way imaginable. We’d collapsed into each other afterward, exhausted and breathless, her scent tangled with mine, our hearts still racing from everything we’d shared. I had cleaned us up the best I could—wet towels, soft strokes across her flushed skin, careful not to wake her completely. And then we’d drifted off, our limbs entangled, her head resting on my chest like it belonged there, like it always had.
The moon had long since risen when I stirred, the warmth of her body tucked against mine making it nearly impossible to move. But she shifted first, her lashes fluttering open against my skin, and when our eyes met, I saw her wolf staring back at me.
"Nice to see you, handsome," she murmured, her voice hoarse, sultry from sleep and sin.
I cupped her cheek, brushing a knuckle along her jawline. "Nice to see you, my mate."
She gave me a sleepy smile, but then scrunched her nose. "We smell like blood and sex."
I chuckled low in my throat, the sound rumbling through my chest. "Then we should fix that."
We made our way into the bathroom, the water already running hot as steam curled into the air. She stepped in first, and I followed, watching the droplets coat her skin like dew on a rose petal. My hands found her hips, pulling her back against me as the water sluiced down our bodies. She turned in my arms, her fingers tracing lazy paths across my chest.
There wasn’t urgency this time—just warmth and comfort, laughter between kisses, touches that soothed rather than teased. I lathered her hair with care, pressing soft kisses to her temple while she laughed about how I missed a spot. She returned the favor, trailing suds down my back with slow, deliberate hands. When we rinsed off, she leaned her head on my chest again, and for a moment, everything was quiet—just us and the steady hum of the water.
After we dried off, I pulled open her closet and grinned.
"When did my clothes find their way in here?" I asked, smirking as I scanned the neatly lined-up shirts and pants.