“How does she do that?” Jacque asked. “It’s like she’s her own radio station.”
Fane pressed a kiss to his mate’s nose. “Don’t be jealous that you can’t make music suddenly appear out of nowhere.”
“I’m a sprite-wolf, baby, who knows what I’m capable of.” She leaned forward and bit his bottom lip, which made Fane growl.
When she released him, Fane tucked some loose hair behind her ear. “I’ve no doubt you are capable of a great many wondrous things, female of mine. And I know this because you have already shown me some of them.”
“Her bedroom skills don’t count,” Jen said from beside them on the couch, where she sat in Decebel’s lap. Thia was sound asleep, her head slung back. She lay on Jen’s arm, her mouth wide open as she snored.
“And you’re wondering why Titus is picking little Hope over your hellion.” Jacque motioned to the sleeping girl.
Jen laughed. “She isn’t a graceful sleeper. More like an old man. She even farts in her sleep.”
“She doesn’t get that from me,” Decebel rumbled.
“On another note, one that is far, far removed from Decebel’s gas problems…” Adam pointed to the coffee table. “The kids are out cold. We’ve got a few days left before we need to get into destruction mode. How about we get our game on?”
“Get our game on?” Crina sat down on the floor next to the table, which was now piled with board games.
Adam shrugged. “I could just say let’s get it on and forget about the games.”
Fane felt Jacque laughing as Crina flushed.
“Oh, I see a classic!” Jen stood up and set Thia back down in Decebel’s arms. She walked over to the table and shuffled through the boxes until she pulled one out and held it up. Fane’s lips pulled up into a huge grin as memories rushed through his mind.
“We have to play this one.” Jen pointed to the box.
“What’s Yours Like?” Wadim read the box, and then a mischievous smile appeared on his face. “Sounds like a T-shirt I need.”
“This game is hilarious,” Jen assured everyone as she motioned for Adam to clear the table.
“And by hilarious you mean everything gets turned into a sexual innuendo?” Zara asked.
“Is there any other kind of hilarious? Wait.” Jen held up her hand. “Don’t answer that. Those pictures up there.” She pointed to what had been dubbed the reindeer wall. “That proves other shi—I mean, other stuff besides sex can be freaking hilarious.”
She set up the board, and the others gathered around. Bethany and Drake remained on the love seat, and Peri placed Alina Hope back in their arms and wandered over to the coffee table.
“We doing this, wolf-man?” Jacque asked Fane.
“It does bring back good memories.” He leaned close so that their lips bumped as he spoke.
Her grin widened. “It does.”
Fane pressed a hand to her cheek and held her still. He leaned even closer and pressed his lips to hers. He’d planned for it to be something short and quick, but then his mate opened her mouth, and her taste was on his tongue. His mate’s scent and taste was an aphrodisiac, and he was quickly tempted to haul her back to their suite.
“We’re about to see what Fane’s is like if those two are left unsupervised much longer,” Sally said.
“Couldn’t you have at least kept your trap shut until she got Fane’s shirt off?” Jen huffed.
“Jennifer,” Decebel growled.
Fane felt air on his stomach, and when he pulled back from his mate’s mouth, he looked down. His feisty female had indeed been pulling up his shirt. Fane knew his smile was cocky as he winked at her. “Eager?”
Jacque pushed him away with a laugh. “As if.”
“All right,” Jen said, drawing everyone’s attention. “The first cards are being passed out.”
Fane and Jacque slid off the couch and knee-walked over to the table where their pack made room for them.
Jen looked at her card and grinned. “His is a hairy beast. I mean, mine,” Jen quickly corrected. “Mine is a hairy beast.”
Decebel groaned. “What happened to games like Twister and Pictionary?”
“We can play that next.” Wadim stared at his own card.
“Yep,” Jen agreed. “But not just Twister. Naked twister.”
“I meant Pictionary.” Wadim shrugged. “But Naked Pictionary works too.”
Decebel exhaled. “Not everything has to end up with everyone naked, baby.”
“Buuut, things are so much more interesting when they end that way.”
“She’s not wrong,” Zara muttered and then yelped when Wadim leaned over and bit her neck.
“Are we playing this game or what?” Sally asked.
“I vote for or what.” Costin raised his hand.
“I vote to play,” Peri said, surprising everyone. “This actually sounds fun.” She placed the box that she’d been reading down then glanced at her card. “Mine is filled with bubbles.”
Jen laughed. “Bet that’s fun for Lucian.”
Jacque groaned and glanced at Sally. “I feel like we’ve just stepped back in time to high school.”
“We could drug her like we used to back then,” Sally offered.
“Mine is slippery when wet.” Elle’s face turned a rosy-red shade when Sorin leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
“I know the answer to that one,” Drake said from the far side of the room. “Female water slides. They’re a thing.”
“And babies come out of them.” Jen gave the new dad a thumbs-up.
“I heard about that one in your thoughts, Luna,” Fane whispered to her. “Sounds like the conversation during Bethany’s delivery was quite … titillating.”
“It was straight up weird. No lie.”
Fane pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. “Then it was a typical situation.”
“Good point.” Jacque leaned into him.
Fane listened and laughed as they played. He’d pulled Slate’s blanket closer to them and checked frequently on their son. Thankfully, the boy was a great sleeper. And if he stayed asleep, What’s Yours Like would become an entirely new game later that night.
“I heard that.” Jacque’s voice was sultry in his mind.
“I wanted you to. Now, focus on losing so we can sneak out while Jen gloats about winning.” His next words were as hot as the desire growing inside of him. “I have need of you, Jacquelyn.” With only six days left until the period of mourning ended, Fane felt as though he needed to make every second count. Each one had to be more precious than the last.
His mate’s body shivered against his, and he pressed closer to her. She smells divine. His mouth watered for another taste and more. Fane didn’t even attempt to censor the thoughts running through his mind. After several minutes, Jacque dropped her card on the table and stood up.
“Slate’s hungry, and I’ve got to see a guy about a thing,” she rambled. Jacque stepped over Fane and picked up their son, who was still sound asleep and definitely not showing any signs of hunger. Fane laughed as his mate continued incoherently while she walked away. He’d gotten the wolf riled up just as much as the human.