After an uneventful lunch, thank the goddess, Kelsi and Lee retreated to their dirt domain and began unpacking. Several townsfolk watched from the fence line as they moved from the pod to the house, but didn't dare cross onto the property. Kelsi desperately tried to ignore them, but their judgmental stares bore into the back of her head, inviting painful memories of high school. She attempted to combat the uncomfortable situation by stuffing AirPods into her ears and cranking up the music. It helped—somewhat.

Thankfully, as night fell, the humans retreated to their cars and drove off. Kelsi watched them, sweat dripping down her brow. Was this merely a preview of the rest of their lives? She could barely wait for the town's revenue to trickle in so they could build a stockade fence or a high-security wall like the one that surrounded Clan Bloodmoon.

Sighing, she retreated to the house. Arms aching, she lay down on the kitchen floor, body wedged between boxes of pots, pans, and silverware.

Bare feet padded into the kitchen. "I think we should call it a night," Kelsi groaned, looking up to see Lee peering down at her. His black hair was tousled and there were bags under his eyes.

"I think that's a great idea." He extended his hand and pulled her to her feet.

Exhausted, Kelsi stumbled into their bedroom. They had managed to put the frame together and maneuver the mattress into place. Maybe she'd properly make the bed tomorrow, but for now, they had a couple of pillows and a comforter.

Lee disappeared into the bathroom while she grabbed her toiletry bag and an oversized T-shirt.

"Where's the hamper?" he asked as he exited, wearing only a pair of black boxers and carrying his clothes. Kelsi straightened, eyes raking him from head to toe. Goddess, if she wasn't so tired, she'd climb him like a tree.

Judging by Lee's tired smirk, that particular bit of information had filtered through their bond.

"You're horrible," she told him, shaking her head in amusement.

He dropped his clothes into a pile on the floor by the bed and climbed in, stretching out to showcase his abs. "What? A man can't revel in the fact his wife finds him attractive?"

Lee had her there. Who wouldn't want to climb into bed with a man whose body was chiseled perfection? "I think the hamper's in the pod," she said, her cheeks growing warm.

"Ah, well, I'll get it tomorrow."

Under different circumstances, she would have gone out to get it herself because she couldn't stand throwing clothes on the floor, but it was too damn late for that. She retreated to the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth, and change her clothes. Wearing only the oversized T-shirt and underwear, she returned to find Lee watching HGTV.

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked, pillowing his head on one arm. "I just need something to zone out to for an hour or so."

"Go ahead," she replied, dropping her clothes on a box before climbing into bed. At this point, an Amtrak could roar past the house and she wouldn't care.

Lee hummed, then reached out to draw Kelsi toward him. She curled up on her side, pillowing her head on his shoulder, watching the TV flicker. She thought she'd had long days before, but nothing compared to today. It felt as if they'd been on the go for twenty-four hours straight.

Lee's free hand idly rubbed Kelsi's back. "I've been thinking," he began.

"Hmm?" she replied lazily, feeling her eyelids grow heavier by the second.

"Would you be opposed to me adopting Riley?"

That wasn't what she was expecting. Her warm reverie broke and she tipped her head up to stare at him. "I'm sorry?"

"I mean, you said her father isn't very present in her life. And from what I've seen, he treats her as an inconvenience. I figured she might want a dad who would be there for her."

Oh, goddess ... She shifted, propping herself up on one arm. "Lee ... that's very generous of you ..."

His brow furrowed. "I sense a 'but' coming."

"I appreciate it, I do," she told him sincerely, laying her free hand on his chest, "but that's a decision best left up to Riley."

"Ah." He tipped his head slightly, looking disappointed.

"Listen," she said, shifting her position. "We both know that Don's a complete and total asshole. I even asked him once if he wanted to give up his parental rights. He became defensive and shot it down." She sighed and pushed hair away from her face. "Riley's getting to the age where she's becoming aware that her dad is making promises he won't keep. Given enough time, I think she'll eventually want to distance herself from him. Maybe then she'll want you to adopt her. Or not." She shrugged.

Lee's mouth formed a contemplative line. "I figured that's what you'd say. But I wanted to offer it anyway."

"I know," she said, laying back down and resting a hand on his chest. "I appreciate it."

He smiled, kissed her forehead, and went back to watching TV.

Any hope of falling asleep vanished after that conversation. Two weeks ago, she would've thought Lee was crazy for even suggesting adopting Riley. The mere idea of a stranger taking on a fatherly role would have sent her running without a second thought. But the bond made everything different. She felt his sincerity as deeply as if it were her own and knew in her soul that Lee was a good man who wouldn't hurt them—physically or otherwise.

She wasn't fully in love with him, but she was getting there. It was the little things he did, like the kiss on her forehead. It was easy, tender, and completely sincere. Those were the gestures that had been missing from her relationship with Donovan.

Her hand drifted down Lee's chest, past his breast bone and trailed over his abdomen. Through the bond, she felt his sleepy concentration flare into surprise.

"I thought you were tired," he said, abdominal muscles rolling beneath her touch.

"Quiet," she murmured, dipping her hand behind the elastic band of his boxers.

He was flaccid when her fingers curled over him, but he soon began to swell. She reveled in the smooth, silky feel of his skin against her palm as it stretched and lengthened, becoming hard under her ministrations.

"Fuck," he groaned, hips rolling.

Desire flowed through the bond, igniting a fire in her belly. She rubbed up and down his length, tracing imaginary lines with her nails.

"Kelsi!" Lee exclaimed, hips bucking as she turned her attention to his swollen head. "C'mere," he growled, picking her up and pulling her across his body.

"Oof!" she cried out, straddling his torso, bracing her hands on his sculpted pectorals to keep her balance.

He flashed a wicked smile, eyes glowing orange with desire. She leaned forward, hair falling over her shoulders as she kissed him. He tasted like mint toothpaste and mouthwash, a cool balm against her heated skin.

Lee's arms wrapped around her, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other sliding beneath her underwear to squeeze her bottom. Kelsi groaned against his mouth, their tongues touching, tasting, caressing. She cupped his face between her hands, his stubble prickling her palms. Slowly, she stroked his cheeks, thumbs curling inward to ghost across his lower lip.

"Goddess, that feels so good," Lee murmured, fingers knotting in her hair. "You're going to lull me to sleep."

"We can't have that, can we?" she replied against his mouth. She pulled back, making him open his orange eyes.

She sat up and reached down, gripping the hem of her shirt with both hands. In one fluid motion, she pulled it over her head, throwing it against the pillows. Lee's eyes widened, a low growl rumbling in his throat. His hands dropped from her back to curl over her breasts. He held them in his palms as if to weigh them, then bounced them up and down before running his calloused thumbs over her nipples. A burning need for her surged through the bond, causing desire to pool between her legs. She whimpered softly, rubbing her core against his torso while simultaneously pushing against his large hands.

"Lee," she moaned, arching her back. Her core throbbed as he continued his ministrations.

"Have I told you how perfect you are?" he asked, pinching her nipples between his fingers.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as the delicious pain swept fire through her core. If her underwear was damp before, it was positively soaking now. "You can tell me again," she murmured, head tipping back.

"Look at you," he growled hoarsely, gently twisting her nipples and sending another bolt of desire straight between her legs. "Hair tousled; lips swollen. What else is swollen?"

"Why don't you find out?" Kelsi swayed, adrift on a heady sea of pleasure. She may have been sitting atop her alpha, but he had the upper hand. And one of those hands was pushing at her underwear, pulling it aside so his fingers could slide between her thighs.

Kelsi's lips parted in a silent moan as he brushed past her clit and dipped into her core. She rocked against his fingers, pressing them deeper into her body.

"Goddess!" Lee exclaimed, his other hand gripping her left breast tightly. "You're so wet!"

He had her immobilized. One hand on her chest, the other between her legs. Not that Kelsi would've moved if she wanted to. She circled her hips, pumping his fingers in and out.

"Sit on my face."

"Huh?" Kelsi opened her eyes to see Lee staring at her with a burning intensity she never experienced with a man before. "Do what?" she mumbled through parted lips.

"Sit on my face," he repeated, curling his fingers inside her.

A shard of clarity pierced through the cloud of pleasure enveloping her thoughts. "I—I don't know," she said hesitatingly. "I've never done that. Won't I suffocate you?"

Lee laughed and pulled his hand free from her core, tugging at her underwear. "If you do, I'll die a happy man."

She sat there a moment, considering. Well, it wasn't as if he was asking for anal—which was a hard "no" in her book.

Besides, the only difference between him going down on her and what he was asking for was the position.

"Fine," she said, still a little uncertain. Rolling off him, she removed her underwear and threw the damp garment on the floor. One more thing to wash.

Grinning like a fool, the tip of his cock jutting beneath the band of his boxers, Lee guided her over his face. It was an odd position, Kelsi thought—until he parted her folds and swept his tongue over her swollen bud.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, arms shooting out to grip the headboard.

Lee chuckled, his breath hot against her fevered core. "Told you," he murmured, words muffled by her body.

Kelsi shuddered, nails digging into the wood of the headboard. His tongue expertly danced across her heated flesh, flicking, teasing, caressing. Stubble from his cheeks rubbed against her inner thighs. She took that pain and transformed it into pleasure, reveling in each scrape along delicate skin. So what if she was red and sore tomorrow? It was heaven tonight!

Lee's fingers spread her thighs wide as his tongue swept into delicious hidden areas she wasn't aware of. Her insides tightened like a rubber band, moans falling from her lips like rain.

Waves of pleasure lapped out from her core and she moved her hips, slowly at first, then at a more frenetic pace.

"That's right, baby," Lee growled, sucking on her clit.

She was close—oh, so close. "Lee," she panted, her breasts feeling heavy. She released one hand from the headboard and pinched her nipple, rolling it between her fingers.

Her mate growled, tongue lapping furiously. The rubber band in her belly suddenly snapped, pleasure cresting outwards in a magnificent wave. Kelsi threw her head back with a guttural cry, squeezing Lee's head between her thighs. Her climax shuddered through her body like an earthquake, every muscle stiffening.

"Ughhh ..." Lee moaned, tightening his grip on her legs.

Heart thudding in her chest, Kelsi slowly peeled herself off Lee's face and rolled over. She lay there, hands covering her cheeks as she gulped air. Oh, goddess, that was beyond words!

Lee grunted and reached down to grab something off the side of the bed. Panting, Kelsi rolled her head to see her mate using his T-shirt to wipe something off his chest.

"You, too?" she whispered, chuckling softly.

"Fuck," he breathed in admiration, tossing the T-shirt back on the floor. "That's never happened before." Rolling over onto his side, he curled around her, drawing Kelsi close to his chest. "I love you," he murmured into her hair.

She turned in his arms, throwing one leg over his hip. "I love you, too," she replied, kissing him slowly.

Lee rumbled something unintelligible against her lips, but she could feel his smile. Dropping her head, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, drinking in his scent. Yes, she did love this man. And there was no going back.