The scent of pine from the open window mixed with Daniel's familiar scent enveloped me like a cozy blanket. As I shifted slightly in the bed, I realized my body was entwined with his. We had both slept in, which wasn't really a surprise considering how late I'd come home after helping Deva at her shop.
Warmth enveloped me as I snuggled closer to Daniel, his steady breathing soothing my tired mind. The sun shone through the window, casting a soft glow through the curtains and painting the room in hues of gold and pink. My skin tingled from our close contact, feeding off the energy that radiated from him. A content sigh escaped my lips. How lucky I was to have this man back in my life.
"Morning," Daniel said, his voice husky with sleep. He tightened his arms around me, pulling me even closer.
"Good morning," I said into his chest. I tilted my head upwards to meet his sleepy gaze and smiled. "I missed you last night."
"Missed you too." He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead. "You got home late. Everything okay?"
I bit my lip, hesitating for a moment before deciding to fill him in on the previous night's events. "Deva and I found some interesting information about a group of people we're looking into for the lingering issues at her shop. We need to get more information and see where this curse is coming from."
"Can I help?" He pulled back, all alpha male and serious. Geez, he was sexy.
"Maybe." I nuzzled into his neck. "You'll be the first to know if I need you."
"Good." He pressed another kiss to my forehead. "Now, how about we get up and start the day?"
"Only if you promise to make those amazing pancakes again," I said, poking him playfully in the ribs.
"Deal." He chuckled, his laughter rumbling through me as he disentangled himself from our cozy embrace.
With Daniel's words echoing in my mind, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stretched my arms wide.
"Hey, why don't we take a shower?" Daniel suggested with a cheeky grin, his green eyes full of promise. I had to admit, the idea sounded pretty hot.
Standing, I took his hand and Daniel led me into the bathroom. Warm steam filled the air as he turned on the water, adjusting the temperature just right. I took the time to admire his broad shoulders and muscular arms.
As we stepped into the shower, the hot water cascaded down my body, soothing my sore muscles and washing away yesterday's frustrations. Daniel's strong hands found their way to my tense spots, massaging them gently. His touch sent desire chasing all over me, and the combination of his hands and the hot water was pure bliss. The scent of lavender soap filled the small space, adding another layer of relaxation to the experience.
"Okay, so...shower sex." I tried to sound confident despite my nervousness. I mean, I wasn't a prude or anything, but it had been quite some time since I'd done something like this. Shower sex was rarely easy.
"Uh, yeah." Daniel chuckled as he attempted to find a comfortable position for both of us. After a few moments of awkward maneuvering, it became clear that this wasn't going to work without some serious yoga skills—which neither of us possessed.
"Maybe we should just enjoy the shower for now?" I suggested, trying not to sound too disappointed. Daniel nodded in agreement, a sheepish smile on his face.
"Sounds fine to me," he said as we returned to washing ourselves and each other. His hands gliding over my body were electrifying, and the anticipation of what would come next only served to heighten my excitement.
As we finished our shower, I again thought about how lucky I was to have reconnected with Daniel. Fate had brought us back to each other, giving us another chance at happiness.
"Back to bed?" Daniel asked, wrapping a towel around his waist and offering me one as well.
"Definitely," I said with a sly smile. We walked hand in hand to the bedroom, leaving behind the steamy bathroom and the failed attempt at shower sex. That was fine. Sex in bed was even better.
Drying off completely, we slipped between the sheets, and Daniel was on top of me in an instant. His big body surrounded my much smaller one. Our mouths met, and our kisses deepened. His hands slid all over my body, his touch warm against my skin.
It wasn’t long before we came together. And like every time before, it was electric. Not only did my orgasm hit like a wave, but his satisfaction only further turned me on. Somehow this man knew my body better, after only a short time, than I even knew it myself. If he was going to be an expert at something, I was glad it was this.
When we were finished, we were both panting, lying entangled with each other, completely content. I snuggled in closer to him, my thoughts focused on Daniel and only Daniel. Every time I felt like I couldn’t be happier with him, he proved to me I could be.
This was love. Love, desire, and happiness. Life wasn’t so bad.
An hour later, the enticing smell of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee tickled my nostrils as Daniel and I headed to the kitchen. The savory scent was almost enough to make me forget about my stiff neck, a remnant from that old car accident injury that always seemed to flare up at the most inopportune times. As we rounded the corner, we found Henry already busy in the kitchen, humming to himself as he flipped pancakes on the stovetop.
"Morning," I said cheerfully, the glass-half-full Emma making an appearance. Also, I may have been a teensy bit satisfied after that orgasm. "I see someone's been busy."
Henry looked over his shoulder and grinned. "Thought I'd surprise you guys with breakfast. Hope you're hungry."
"Starving." I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. "You know how cranky I get when I don't eat."
Daniel chuckled, wrapping an arm around my waist, and pulling me close. "Oh, I'm already well aware, love."
"Good thing you've been warned." Henry shot Daniel a conspiratorial wink. "Please, have a seat. Breakfast is served."
We eagerly sat down at the table, our chairs scraping against the wooden floor. The sizzle of bacon in the pan was music to my ears as I took in the spread before me, fluffy pancakes, scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon. My mouth watered as I reached for the maple syrup, its sweet aroma wafting through the air.
As we ate, the conversation turned toward the wolf pack and Daniel's involvement with them. He mentioned how he'd been trying to help Nathan, the young alpha, with some issues within the pack. Nathan had always been a leader who let the pack run wild, so now teaching the pack to obey rules and be useful members of the pack was a struggle. At every turn, at least one of them was getting into trouble, so Nathan was having to learn the skills to handle these situations, and Daniel was helping to teach him. Daniel seemed genuinely concerned about their well-being, and it warmed my heart to see him so invested in helping others.
I took a bite of pancake, the taste of buttery sweetness mingling with the saltiness of the bacon in my mouth and nodded in agreement as Daniel spoke passionately about the importance of guiding the younger members of the pack. The heat from the coffee mug warmed my hands as I listened, my thoughts drifting to Deva and her curse.
A lull in the conversation settled over us, the only sounds being the clink of silverware on plates and the occasional sip of coffee. It was during this quiet moment that Henry cleared his throat and looked at us hesitantly.
"Um, so I've been thinking," he said. "What would you guys think about me proposing to Alice?"
My heart leaped, but I tried to keep my excitement in check. Beside me, Daniel raised an eyebrow, biting back a grin. He also knew an overreaction wouldn't go over with Henry, but two proposals? I was on cloud nine!
"Really?" I tried to sound casual, but I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "That's a big step."
"Yeah, I know." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We've been dating for several years now, and I can't imagine my life without her."
I exchanged a glance with Daniel, who grinned and gave me a subtle nod. He supported the idea as well.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," I said sincerely, reaching across the table to squeeze Henry's hand. "Alice is amazing, and she makes you so happy. I'm sure she'll be thrilled."
"Thanks," Henry said, his eyes shining as he withdrew his hand very slowly from mine. Touch wasn’t his favorite thing, but he could handle it in small doses. "And you too, Daniel."
"Of course, man," Daniel said, clapping Henry on the back gently. "We're here for you, no matter what."
As we chatted about Henry's big decision, nervous energy radiated off him. He fiddled with his fork, glancing between Daniel and me. I got the sinking sensation there was more.
"Hey, I have another question," Henry said hesitantly, drawing my attention away from the last piece of crispy bacon on my plate. "Would it be okay if Alice moved in? Like, could we turn the spare room across from mine into her room?"
I blinked in surprise for a moment before answering. I'd assumed the proposal came along with Alice moving in, but I forgot that relationships were another thing Henry did in his own way. "Of course! That would be great. But, you know, married people usually sleep in the same room." It had to be said, just in case.
A flush spread across my brother's cheeks, and he laughed. "Of course. I know that. But Alice and I both have these massive gaming systems, and she has all her hobbies too. I just want her to have space for everything she loves."
"Ah, I see." I nodded. This made perfect sense. My brother and his soon-to-be fiancée were both incredibly passionate about their interests, and it was sweet that he wanted to create a home where they could both indulge in them. What was more, Alice was also a witch with empathic abilities. She might really enjoy a space to herself to just be alone sometimes. "In that case, of course, you can turn the spare room into Alice's room.”
"Thanks. Other than that," Henry said, looking sure of himself, "we're planning on having a small wedding, so it's not like there will be any fuss."
"Small?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Define 'small.'"
"Like, just family and a few close friends," he said, his enthusiasm infectious. "We don't want anything big or fancy, just a simple celebration with the people who matter most to us."
"Sounds perfect." It was so lovely to see my brother so obviously smitten and excited about his future with Alice. I grabbed a slice of toast and smeared it with butter. "What about Mom's ring? The one Dad gave her when they got engaged?"
Henry paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. "I appreciate the thought, but that's your ring. I figured Daniel will likely use it when he proposes to you since Rick thought it wasn't good enough." He smiled gently and resumed eating.
I blinked in surprise, my heart skipping a beat at the mention of Daniel proposing. Sure, we had talked about our future, but hearing my brother bring it up so casually made it more real somehow. I glanced over at Daniel, who was busy trying to cut a piece of toast that didn't need to be cut, a task he was taking very seriously. I stifled a giggle and focused on my own meal.
"Okay then." I nodded, a warm glow spreading through me at the thought of wearing my mother's ring someday. "If that's what you want."
"It is." He swallowed the last bite of his breakfast. "I'm going to head upstairs and get started on some work. You two enjoy your day."
Henry pushed back his chair and left the room, leaving Daniel and me alone in the kitchen. My cheeks grew hot as I fiddled with my napkin, suddenly very aware of the man sitting across from me.
Daniel wiped his mouth. "About what Henry just said. I hope you don't think I'm rushing things."
"Rushing?" I forced a laugh. "Please. We've known each other since high school. If anything, we're taking our sweet time."
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way I found utterly charming. "I just want to make sure we're on the same page. I don't want to pressure you into anything, especially not when it comes to something as important as marriage."
I reached across the table to take his hand. "I appreciate that, I really do. If there's one thing I've learned from all the craziness in our lives lately, it's that love isn't something you can plan or control. It just happens."
"Like karma," he said, squeezing my hand gently.
"Exactly!" I laughed. "When the time is right, we'll both know it. There's no need to rush or force things, let's just enjoy each other and see where life takes us."
"Sounds perfect to me." Daniel leaned over to press a soft kiss to my knuckles. My stomach-butterflies fluttered at the gesture, and I grinned like a lovestruck teenager.
We had hashed out our feelings about our own relationship, but we were standing on the edge of something new—a threshold we hadn't crossed yet.
My phone pinged, and with a big grin on my face, I answered.
"Emma," came Deva's voice on the other end of the line, cutting through my thoughts like a knife. "I need you at the shop. Now."
"Uh, sure," I said, my brow furrowing as I tried to glean some information from her tone. "Is everything okay?"
"Nothing a little karma can't fix," she said cryptically, and before I could ask what she meant, the call disconnected.
"Everything all right?" Daniel asked.
"Deva needs me at the shop," I said, sliding my phone back into my pocket. "She didn't say why, but it sounded urgent."
"Need a ride?" he said, already rising from his seat. His eyes held that protective glint I'd come to know so well, but there was also a hint of curiosity that made me smile.
"No, I'll drive," I said, grabbing my coat from the back of the chair. "But thank you."
He ran a hand through his reddish-brown hair. It stood up at odd angles, making him look boyishly disheveled, a side of him I found absolutely adorable. "I'll head over to the police department and check on that suspect list."
"Perfect." I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before making my way to the door. The wood creaked beneath my feet, the sound echoing through the quiet house. "I'll call you later?"
"Definitely," he said. "Stay safe."
"Always," I promised, stepping out into the crisp morning air. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a golden glow over the sleepy town. The sight was beautiful, but it couldn't compete with the warmth that filled me every time I thought of Daniel.