frustration and eased away from her mouth to glance at his watch. The message waiting surprised him.
“What is it?” She tugged her shirt down to cover the hint of bare skin his feverish kisses had uncovered.
“Apparently, my quarters assignment was changed. My things were already moved. Your bag, too.”
“Is that bad or good? The new assignment, I mean.”
“Good,” he said, noting the new location. “Very good, actually. We’re directly below Vicious and Hallie.”
Although he and Maisie had discussed his promotion and what it meant for them as far as his workload and travel, they hadn’t talked about any of the perks. She had been so tired on the flight back to the Valiant, and he had been content to simply hold her while she slept. The logistics of their new life together hadn’t mattered in that moment.
Now, as he led her down the hall to their new home, he realized it did matter. Quite a bit, actually. Maisie would probably be on her own for days at a time, especially in the early days of his directorate. She would need the support of friends and people she could trust. He could only hope Maisie would come to know and enjoy the company of women like Hallie and Brook. He wanted her to be happy here and to flourish.
He opened the door to their new home and decided to be ridiculously gallant. He swept her up in his arms, making her gasp and laugh, and then carried her across the threshold. The lights came on, and the virtual home assistant welcomed them. He didn’t expect to find anything more than the usual standard furnishings that came with each unit so he was taken aback by the decorations.
Someone had hung a handmade welcome home banner across the living area. Colorful paper streamers, some of the curled and others crimped, framed each side. Delicate puffs of paper dangled from the ceiling. There were vases of fresh flowers, and the dining table had been set for two with flameless candles and plates that he recognized from Hallie’s collection.
“Is this a tradition?” Maisie asked, equally as surprised by the celebratory welcoming.
He carefully set her down. “No, it’s not.”
“It should be.” She reached up to touch the streamers. “This is sweet. Your friends are very kind.”
“They are.”
Maisie motioned toward the boxes wrapped in beautiful lavender paper with bright white bows. “May I?”
“I’m sure they’re for you,” he said, certain that expensive paper and ribbon wouldn’t have been wasted on him. “Go ahead.”
She sat on the sofa and selected a box while he walked over to the table to see what had been written on a small green card left there. When he picked it up, he caught the faint scent of something floral. He opened it and read the message.
Terror and Maisie,
We’re so happy for you both! Dizzy and Hallie stocked your kitchen with essentials. Naya, Brook and I made sure you have the necessities for the first few days in your new home—linens, toiletries, clothing.
We would like to take Maisie out for lunch some day this week. Send me a message, and I’ll arrange it.
All Best,
Ella
Of course, it was from Ella, Raze’s mate. She seemed like the type to have scented stationery on hand. Normally, he suspected it would be Hallie who organized a thing like this, but with her babies coming any day, it made sense that Ella, the social butterfly of their close-knit group, would take the lead.
When he turned to show Maisie the message, he found her surrounded by piles of dresses, shirts, tops, lacy and plain underthings and shoes. She seemed completely overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness. “How do I thank your friends for this?”
“Our friends,” he corrected gently. “All you have to do is say, ‘Thank you.’”
“That’s all?”
“That’s all,” he assured her. He shifted aside a stack of dresses and dropped down onto the cushion next to her. Draping his arm over the couch, he leaned over and kissed her temple. “There’s dinner in the oven.” He made a face. “Hopefully, Hallie or Dizzy cooked it. If it’s from Ella, we’ll make do with whatever I can find in the cabinets.”
Maisie plucked the card from his hand. After she read it, she lifted it to her nose. “Smells like spring.” With a mischievous smile, she asked, “Am I expected to get stationery in pretty colors that smells like perfume now that I’m a mate?”
“No,” he said and chuckled. “Ella is...,” he searched for the right word. “She’s flashy,” he