Chapter 10

POV Ava

Then my cheeks went hot, and I stepped back, thinking of kissing this gorgeous alpha-not knowing he was Alpha-in the Human World. I thought of how gentle and sweet and yet strong he had been, how much I had wanted him, how good he had made me feel.

But as his eyes went confused, I was hit by deeper memories of this man as a child, of the little brat who chased his sister around the house and asked so many questions.

I stepped back and held up the basket between us. "Mother taught me one of your favorites as a child. Tell me, when was the last time you had a decent rabbit stew?"

His eyes glittered, but he just said, "I have memberships at dining clubs that will serve me basically anything I want, but you're right that I haven't had a good rabbit stew since I left here. Thank you for thinking about something so personal."

I ignored that intimate little note in his voice and nodded my head along the path. "Come on, then."

It was awkward to lead Chris to my home, so I mentally ran through the contents of my fridge, including rabbit and some of Ethan's favorite pork chops.

Ethan. Goddess. Just a day ago I had still been his wife and that had been our home. Now Ethan would never be allowed to return there, which brought me feelings of relief and disorientation.

The house would now be mine alone. As we drew near, I took in the single-story cottage with its gray slate roof and winter-green walls of strong oak planks. After inheriting the house from my mother, I'd had the planks repainted the same color, but the front door was now cherry red.

A wrap-around white porch held four rocking chairs, and as we drew closer my eyes went to the porch ceiling painted sky blue to keep the birds from nesting in my eaves. I had planted rows of violets and snapdragons along the paved path from carport, in which sat my two-door green EV.

"I like the door," Chris said from behind me.

"Thank you."

Inside, we walked directly into the kitchen, where he complimented my new stainless steel dishwasher and refrigerator flanking the century-old wood-burning stove.

I thanked him and set out the food on the maple butcher block counter before retrieving the rabbit and some white wine. I held up the bottle for approval, then watched as Chris unerringly stepped over to the cabinet holding the glasses and retrieved two.

He looked at me with a smile and reached into a drawer to pull out a bottle opener, and I handed him the cold bottle with a roll of my eyes.

"Mom used to say she should pay you, you hung out in the kitchen so much," I said, washing the vegetables and fruit before rinsing the raw rabbit in the sink and patting it dry with a towel I tossed in the laundry basket in the abutting utility room.

"She was always incredibly kind to me," he said, taking a knife from the rack and chopping up the leeks, tomatoes, and cauliflower.

"A little thinner on the cauliflower," I said.

"Yes, dear."

I snorted before cutting up the rabbit and putting it in my best earthenware pot. I got the wood burning in the stove (I did have a small gas one, but food tasted better when it was cooked over fire.), added in some stock, butter, salt and pepper, and then the leeks and some of my wine. Soon, the kitchen was filled with smells that made me breathe deeply and brought a deep smile to Chris's soft, full lips that I really needed to stop looking at so closely.

The herbs, apples, and cauliflower were next. Then I asked Chris to make the salad. He nodded and refilled my glass before using some wine to make a vinaigrette.

"I think that's when I first realized how I felt about you."

"What?"

"When your mother told me I was handsome, and I felt embarrassed. I thought of you then, how I wanted you to find me attractive instead."

I rolled my eyes at him again. "No fishing for compliments. I'm sure you know how you look."

"Yes, dear."

I laughed again. "I remember the time she taught you how to make mushroom soup, and you were so disappointed none of the mushrooms was poisonous." I shook my head. "Such a boy thing to say."

"Well, I was a boy."

"And even as a boy you knew how to set the table." I nodded at the four-chair table on the other side of the kitchen island. "And don't say 'Yes, dear.'"

"Whatever you say, darling."

I refused to respond, and as he set out our utensils I finished up the meal and then brought the pot to the table while he followed with the salad.

As we ate, I felt something in me unclench at the comfortable way he ate his meal and sipped the wine. I saw his eyes go a little dreamy at the first bite of stew and his lips open in a small surprise after he ate a tomato.

"It's delicious," he said at last, "but I don't see how this has any of the 'magic' you were talking about."

I smiled. "Wait until you see how you feel tomorrow."

His face clouded. "I know it's time for me to leave, but Olivia owns the house now. It wouldn't be right for me to go there, considering."

I shrugged. "There's the packhouse."

He made a face, and I remembered she might have returned there to break more things.

I held up my hands. "Of course you can stay here, though I warn you I've replaced the sofa you used to sleep on."

"I noticed," he said. "I approve. It looks quite comfortable for sleeping, and other things." He waggled his eyebrows to make me laugh.

"Oh, stop it," I said, trying very hard to sound like an older sister.

"Would you mind helping me with my bandages again?" he asked. "I'll try my best, but I'm sure I'll get them wet in the shower."

The thought that he was about to get naked in my house, to say nothing about the soapy water that would soon be gliding down that smooth skin, was firmly avoided. Of course he'd need to shower after the Challenge.

"I've not changed the bathroom at all," I said. "I'm sure you can still find it."

"I'm sure." He stood, but instead of heading to the back, he gathered up his things and took them to the sink. Soon we were loading the dishwasher and generally cleaning up the kitchen. I put the scraps into the compost bin out back, and when I returned I saw he'd lit the fire in the front room before heading to his shower.

I sat with the last of the wine and relaxed my muscles. My mind replayed the Challenge when I closed my eyes, however, so I opened them to look around at Ethan's things. I supposed I should find where Ethan ended up in the Human World so I could send on his clothes and books, most on the law and lore.

Right about when I realized I'd need to get his bow-and-arrow collection professionally shipped, Chris came into the room wearing nothing but a towel and holding my first-aid kit in his right hand.

I kept my eyes off his chest with a strong effort of will, but when I looked at his face, he looked amused again.

"Trust yourself to change my bandages?" he teased.

I flushed with nerves. He really needed to stop doing that.