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Holy shit. He was blushing. My mate was actually blushing.

Something was up. Something was special about this land, and I wasn’t getting it. I looked around again, trying to figure out what this was about, but nothing sprang to mind.Advertisement

He closed the distance between us and pulled me into a hug. “I know I said we didn’t have to move in together, but I thought one day, this could be a good place to live.”

I laughed. “Here?” There wasn’t anything around except for a forest and a pond.

“Here.” The nerves were back.

What was he talking about?

“It’s kind of like a dual birthday and bonding present.”

“My brain isn’t functioning.” I blinked a few times, trying to process his words. “This—all of this land—is a present? For me?”

“For us. The spread is about fifty acres. We could build a house near the lake. There are fish and it’s quiet. Plenty of room to go for runs. Not too far from your parents or brother—if they stay in Texas. Obviously, it’s a long-term thing. But my cabin won’t work forever, and when we start to think about a family and—”

Wow. My mind was blown.

He’d bought me acreage. For a house. So we could raise a family here. The guy was light-years ahead of me, but that wasn’t anything new. Still, I was worried about growing up and taking the next step, and he was onto building a house and raising a whole pack of kids.

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It was a little absurd. I stepped away from him as I took in everything.

“You don’t like it?” His tone was more than a little pouty.

“That’s not…” I didn’t know what to say. “I mean, I love it. I just wasn’t prepared. I didn’t expect anything like this.” I was totally messing this up. “Am I supposed to get you something? Because I definitely didn’t buy you a farm or two goats or whatever.”

He grinned, and the dimples deepened in his cheeks. “No. You’re giving me you. That’s what I want. It’s tradition that the guy gifts his mate the home they’ll share. This isn’t exactly a place to live yet, but I think it could be perfect.”

I tucked myself to his side and scanned out at the land again. A house. A lake. I could handle that. “It’s perfect.”

Dastien put his arm around my shoulder and I reached up to link my fingers with his.

One thing that he’d said stuck out though. “Kids, huh?”

“In a few years?”

“A few years?” Now that was something I wasn’t ready for. “You realize we’re kids.”

“We’re also werewolves. We can wait twenty years, but I see you and I see the future. I want to be prepared. I want to give you everything.”

That was sweet, but I really didn’t need all of it. “I only need you.” I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. “But umm…I won’t have puppies will I?”

He pulled away, looking at me like I was nuts. “Puppies? We’re not dogs.”

“I know…but you know—” I waved my hands around, trying to ease the tension. “The babies…they won’t come out furry, right?” Because I didn’t know if I could handle that.

Dastien started laughing. Hard. Like he probably was busting a gut. He fell to the ground when I shoved him.

“It was a valid question!” My cheeks were burning. Okay, so it was a dumb question, but it was a fear of mine.

He pulled me down beside him. “No. They won’t be furry.” He chuckled again. “We don’t change until puberty. Remember? That’s why the school exists.”

Oh. Right. “Well, I got carried away for a second. You buy me land and start talking about a family and my mind is still sort of in pieces. I mean…I can barely think about what’s going to happen post-St. Ailbe’s—or post-next week really—and you’re talking family.”

His rough hands ran up my arms and I shivered. “I thought the girl was the one who was supposed to be all into the family thing.”

“That’s a cliché. And if there is one thing I refuse to be, it’s a cliché.” His mouth was inches from mine, and I couldn’t look away from his lips.

“No one would ever think that, my bruja, alpha werewolf, human. You are anything but normal.”

Done waiting for him to close the distance, I brushed my lips against his quickly and my heart kicked into gear. “Isn’t it grand?”

“It sure is, cherie,” he said with his lips a breath away from mine. His hands on my cheeks, he deepened the kiss. I lost myself in it. The warmth of him. I ran my fingers under his shirt, and wrapped one leg around his hips. pqdm.com