Waking up with three small wolf puppies snuggling against me in my sleeping bag the next morning wasn’t surprising. But it was hot. After the scare with them the previous night, it was an easy decision for me to sleep out here again to watch over them. I fell asleep soon after Lexi had crawled into my sleeping bag.
All three pups were in the bag with me when I awoke the next morning. Lexi had tucked herself up under my chin, but there was another pup near my feet acting as a foot-warmer, and the third was curled up near the small of my back. Toasty wouldn’t even come close to what I was feeling. Sweat was pooling between my breasts and dotting my skin.
None of this mattered, though. I really had to go pee.
I didn’t want to disturb them, if I could even figure out how to get out of the bag without kicking one of them, but I needed to go. It was then that Lexi pushed her hind feet into my bladder. Decision made! I now was hoping I would make it in time.
Pushing the pup gently away, I slithered out of the bag and then sprinted for the bathroom. I didn’t even notice the coolness of the floor nor of the early morning air until I had completed my mission. Fall was coming since the temperature seemed to have fallen about ten degrees during the night.
Stepping back into the living room, I teetered between returning to the warm sleeping bag, which meant cuddling more with the pups, or staying up and getting ready for the day.
“Coffee?”
I whirled around, my hand on my chest, gasping.
Shane stood in the kitchen, looking like he had been up for hours already. His silver hair was only a little bit messy, and his eyes shone in the dim light. Jeans that fit his ass perfectly, and a T-shirt that might have been a size too small completed his look.
I inhaled sharply and then blushed. Taking deep breaths, I centered my thoughts and feelings, trying to ignore how yummy the man looked. Even at this ungodly hour of the morning. I raised a hand to self-consciously brush a few strands of hair away. Darn. I looked like I had been… well, sleeping with puppies. I sighed and gave it up. They didn’t hire me for my looks.
“Please.”
I guess I was staying in the house now. A quick glance down reassured me that the shorts and tank top I had slept in were decent enough. When was the last time I had shaved my legs? I couldn’t remember and just hoped no one could see the hairs that covered them.
As Shane moved out from around the kitchen island, I watched him. It was easy to watch his muscles move in those tight jeans. Delicious.
Darn. I hope I wasn’t drooling.
He cleared his throat once, a grin crossing his face.
I coughed, blushing, letting my eyes travel down to his bare feet. I frowned. When had he gotten here? He looked… awake. And yet, it was only six in the morning.
Damn morning people!
“When did you get here?” I blurted out. And then blushed again. “Sorry. I just meant that you weren’t here last night when I went to bed. Yet, here you are, barefoot and…”
My voice trailed off as I stared at his feet.
“I doubt I am pregnant.”
His chuckle was low and caused something deep inside me to flutter. He handed me a mug of coffee. I stared down at it. He had made it just how I liked it — with lots of cream and sugar. How did he know? I glanced up, startled.
He moved past me towards the couch that faced the French doors. I slowly followed him and sat, realizing that this positioning allowed us to monitor the pups from the comfort of the house.
“N-n-no. I didn’t mean that…”
I floundered and then gave up, taking a small sip of coffee. My eyes rolled up in my head. Gods! This man made the best morning coffee!
“I know.” He turned his smile to look out onto the deck. “I arrived this morning. You were outside, sleeping with the pups.”
I didn’t answer but continued to sip my coffee, enjoying the warmth of the mug in my hands. I pulled my feet up under me and leaned against the arm rest, watching both the man and the pups beyond him.
The pups had remained in my sleeping bag after I had left, snuggling closer together inside of it. I hoped they had enough air in there, but I suspected they wanted to stay in the warmth.
Shane turned to look down on me, his silvery eyes amused. “Thank you. I can’t believe I had forgotten that wolf pups need to cuddle and sleep together like that. They looked like they enjoyed sleeping with you.”
I blushed again, pushing my hair behind my ears. “Thanks. It wasn’t a problem. I wanted to be close in case they had another seizure. Besides, I realized that they enjoyed cuddling the other night when Lexi came and slept with me.”
I frowned, realizing I had finished the whole mug of deliciousness. I debated if I should have another cup.
No. I should feed the pups first.
Making my way back to the kitchen, I placed my mug on the counter. Opening the refrigerator door, I stared inside. It was full of bowls of diced meat for the pups. Pulling out one large bowl, I opened the lid and sniffed. Grimacing, I placed that one in the sink and pulled out another. Giving it the sniff test, I closed the frig door and moved towards the French doors again.
Shane leaned up against the wall next to the doors to the deck, just watching, his face expressionless.
I moved past him, stepping onto the deck. He followed me but stopped right outside the door while I continued over to the den.
Sitting crossed legged, I lifted a corner of the sleeping bag and peered inside. Yep, three pups cuddling together. Lexi opened one eye to stare at me.
“Lexi! Good morning, girl! Want some breakfast?” I kept my voice soft as I opened the container and took out a small piece of meat, presenting it to the pup. “Come out here if you want this. I don’t want to get our bed dirty.”
The small pup studied me. Just when I thought she wouldn’t move, she carefully rose and took the three steps to leave the confines of the sleeping bag. She lifted the meat from my hand and ate it , a pensive look on her little face. I grabbed another piece and presented it to her. Instead of the pup taking this one, she turned around and yipped at her siblings, who were still lying asleep in the bag.
Betta raised her head, her little nostrils flaring. She rambled out and took the piece, gobbling it down before moving closer to me, trying to stick her nose into the bowl to get more. I placed the bowl in front of her and let the pup eat from it. Betta shoved her head into it and started to gobble down the meat.
Soren watched for a moment. Lexi moved back to him before poking him with her nose. He snorted and then stood, joining Betta at the bowl. He looked like he didn’t want to eat, but was soon gobbling as fast as his sister.
“Lexi, you need to eat.” I scolded her. Why did she make sure the other two had first dibs on the meat?
Another bowl slid around my side. “Fresh. For the princess.” Shane’s voice was soft.
I pushed it closer to the pup, and she gave me a canine grin. Before eating, though, she moved towards me to lick my hand, in thanks. She then buried her head in the bowl, making up for missed meals.
“Again, thank you, Holden.” Shane’s voice rang with awe.
I shook my head. “Seriously, I did nothing. Just slept with the pups.”
He was squatting behind me, his body warm against my back, his thighs on either side of me. A small shiver traveled down my back.
“We didn’t think to sleep with them, that a night together might help to relieve their feelings of abandonment. But you did.”
I thought about that. Shane knew a lot about wolves, it appeared. I wondered how he had gained this knowledge. I started to ask him about it, when Lexi moved to my lap and looked up at me. Her small body moved in close and her head rubbed up against my shirt.
Her face was clean, having eaten like the princess she was. The other two pups were not as neat and were cleaning themselves after having eaten their whole bowl.
Shane reached around us and grabbed the half-eaten second bowl. “Let me take this in for later. The pups will sleep for a few hours given all the food they had consumed.”
He stood, and I missed his warmth. But I dismissed that as I continued to cuddle with Lexi, the young pup squirming around to get comfortable. The other two came over and leaned up against my legs, and soon all three were asleep.
Damn. I wondered if I could get up without disturbing them. I didn’t want to sit here in shorts, given it was a little cool out here. I longed for a hot shower.
Shane grinned as he brought out a few heated blankets. He placed them on the deck outside the den and then lifted two of the pups onto it, wrapping it around them like it was a nest. He left room for Lexi.
“I think you should move her. She is becoming very attached to you, Holden.” Laughter sounded in his voice. I wasn’t sure what he thought was funny, though.
Lexi whimpered as I placed her into the nest he had made for them. She cuddled up with her siblings, after throwing a one-eyed look of consternation over her shoulder at me.
Shane used a second blanket to close the nest, giving the pups warmth and some privacy. He then stood and held out a hand to me.
Taking it, I felt a jolt run through my body, as he lifted me to my feet. I wanted to lean in closer to him, but I wasn’t sure why, so I stepped back, dropping his hand.
“Go take a shower. I will watch them until you get back, Holden.” He grinned, a smug look on his face before moving over to the deck chairs and settling down. He lifted his coffee mug, looking at me with one brow raised.
I just nodded and headed for the doors. Before going in, I turned. “Thanks, Shane.”
He didn’t turn around to look at me but just nodded his response. I turned away and moved towards the bathroom and a much needed shower.
