Blood and Blade (Goddess with a Blade #6) - Lauren Dane Page 0,4
room she could easily see them spending those hours before sunrise together just watching movies.
The whole setup was custom made for her. He paid attention to what she wanted. What she needed. And he made it happen. Sure he was grumpy and a control freak, but what Vampire wasn’t a control freak? No one in the world understood her the way he did. No one saw all her jagged edges, her flaws, her scars and hang-ups and accepted her so openly. Even covetously. He didn’t just look at her; he saw her.
She still wasn’t ready for it sometimes. It left her befuddled and anxious and off balance. But less and less the longer they were together. They fit and she accepted it. A gift.
Her pleased musings about how their new home was something he’d done for her came to a screeching halt when Clive made a surprised then annoyed sound.
“What the bloody fuck is that?”
It wasn’t like she’d eaten nachos in his bed or anything so she stepped forward, curious as to whatever he was so worked up over.
Star lay on his bed. Legs up in the air, head tilted to see the door, her tongue hanging out the side of her widely grinning mouth.
Good Goddess.
“We talked about you waiting until the time was right to meet your new dad,” Rowan said as she pushed past her husband. “Your belly is very nice. Don’t tell anyone or I’ll deny it,” she added in a whisper before giving Star a belly rub.
“Rowan. What have you done?” Clive asked through a jaw clenched tight.
“Get changed and we’ll talk about all sorts of things. There’s tea and dinner waiting.” She pointed at Star and then the floor. Star snorted but rolled and hopped down.
“Tell me these things as I change from this suit.”
Normally, if he’d been that arrogant she’d have flipped him off and left the room. But she had a lot to tell him and talk him into, so it paid to follow him into his closet and at least pretend to be slightly reasonable.
“So, back to what I was saying when you first got home.”
He hung his tie carefully before he shot her a look. “Not that. The thing that got fur on my bed. That living thing.”
Star trotted in like Rowan hadn’t just put her out in the hall. She paused to sit at Rowan’s feet and stare up at Clive with that same grin she’d had earlier.
“Well. So this is Star. She’s sort of like my guide or keeper or something like that. A familiar? Whatever she is, she’s a magic dog.”
Brigid warmed Rowan’s belly. The Goddess approved of Star and already had protective feelings over her.
“You can’t just bring a dog home. We’re not dog people.”
“I bet you had dogs when you were galloping around England rutting and looking gorgeous and being rich.”
He smirked at her after his head popped out of the neck of his sweater. “Don’t think I’m unaware that you’re flattering me. Yes, I did have dogs at one time. But that was a few centuries ago. They did not get on the furniture.”
“Seems to me, it’s time to switch it up now that we’ve got electricity and running water.”
He made another annoyed sound and she had to bury her snicker.
“Where did you get this dog? You’ve avoided that answer twice now.”
“Have I?”
He glared at her after pulling on jeans she knew were buttery soft. Rowan shoved her hands in her pockets to keep from stroking his butt.
“Quick version. I had a visit with Carl today. He brought Star to me then. And told me a bunch of stuff that’ll take a while to unfold.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and she went to him, going up on her toes to move his hand aside and kiss that spot. Goddess, he was adorable when he was frustrated with her.
“For god’s sake, Rowan, we’ve only been back in Las Vegas for two days. I leave you alone for a moment and you come home with an animal.”
She took his hand, tugging him out toward the kitchen. “Not a drop of blood on me though. Which is pretty snazzy, right? Don’t I get credit for that? Come on. Tea and food and explanations.”
“I’m positive I’m going to regret this,” he muttered and she gave in to laughter.
“You are not.”
He harrumphed but followed her out to the eat-in kitchen where of course the tea was ready. And his favorite. Earl Grey with extra bergamot. Lemons had been