“How are we getting home?” Wonder asked.

The plane was approaching the passenger boarding bridge and some of the passengers were already releasing their seatbelts.

“One moment,” Anandur said. “Let me check.” He pulled out his phone.

The question she’d really wanted to ask was whose home they were going to. Was she spending the night with Gertrude and Hildegard? Or was she going to move in with Anandur and share his house together with Magnus until the other Guardian found a new place?

She had no problem with that, and, hopefully, Magnus wouldn’t mind either.

The truth was that she couldn’t imagine sleeping alone in her bed even for one night. Having Anandur right there beside her was how she wanted to fall asleep every night and wake up every morning.

“Apparently, we were dearly missed.” Anandur glanced up from his phone, which had started buzzing with text messages as soon as he’d taken it off airplane mode. “Kian sent his driver to pick us up with the limousine, and we have a welcoming party waiting for us when we get back.”

“Cool, I’ve never been in a limo. Is it fun?”

“It has a nicely stocked bar with stuff that doesn’t taste like piss.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Wonder zipped up her purse and put it on her lap. “I hope they don’t expect us to go straight from the airport to the party. I want to shower first.”

He sniffed at her hair. “You smell fine to me.”

She huffed. “I could stink like yesterday’s garbage, and you’d think I smelled amazing. I think my pheromones are messing with all of your other senses.”

Either that or he lied a lot, but she doubted that. He loved sniffing her hair and nuzzling her neck, and he’d often mentioned how great she smelled, even when she felt less than fresh, which with Egypt’s heat and humidity had been an issue. Five minutes after leaving the hotel’s air-conditioned interior, her clothes would stick to her body, and she’d have to pull her hair up because her neck was sweaty.

“Where did you come up with that? I’ve never heard of pheromones working that way. Have you been talking to Bridget?”

“No, but there is no other explanation for your sense of smell getting all wonky.”

“I think it’s love.” He nuzzled her neck. “Do I ever smell bad to you?”

Wonder giggled as he touched a sensitive spot. “No, but that’s because you never do. How can you ever get smelly when you shower twice a day?”

He grimaced. “Normally I don’t. Egypt was just so damn hot and humid.”

Anandur sounded as if he was apologizing for his attention to cleanliness.

She smiled at him. “I love it that you’re so clean. I don’t think I could’ve lived with a guy who wasn’t. I like things clean and tidy too.”

“About that.” He scratched his beard. “I’m clean but messy. I may not live up to your standards.”

As if a little mess could diminish the pure joy of just being with him. Cupping his cheek, Wonder leaned to kiss Anandur's lips. “I love you, silly. And I don’t expect you to be perfect. A little mess is such an insignificant thing. We will find a compromise.”

“Oh, yeah? Like what?”

Pretending to think it over, she tapped her chin. “If you keep the living room nice and tidy, I’ll let you mess up the bedroom.” She winked. “But only for a good reason.”

“Define good reason.”

She got closer and whispered, “Like throwing the coverlet on the floor to make love to me. That’s a good reason. Or putting all the pillows in one big pile to accommodate that position you like so much.” She waggled her brows.

“Teaser.” He nipped her nose. “You think you’re safe from me because we are getting chauffeured home? There is a privacy partition in the limo.”

Although the idea sounded exciting for a moment, she soon realized the disadvantages. It would get messy, and Wonder doubted a limo came with a shower.

Making love in a car, even a limousine, didn’t appeal to her. Still, if Anandur wanted to be adventurous, she wasn’t going to deny him. “In that case, I’ll definitely need a shower when we get back.”

“It can be arranged.”

As the plane stopped and the seatbelt sign was turned off, Anandur got up and pulled down their carryon from the overhead bin. Blocking the aisle for her to get in front of him, he kept reading messages on his phone while holding up the throng of passengers waiting to get out.

“I’ve gotten some exciting updates.”

She turned around. “Good ones?”

“Excellent. Do you remember the guy I told you about who might be joining our community?”

“I assume you’re not talking about Eva’s baby.” He’d mentioned three new additions to the clan. One was her, the other a baby on the way, and the third one was a young guy they believed was a Dormant.

“I’m talking about Ruth’s boyfriend. He’s finally ready to join, which means that Eva and Bhathian will be moving in soon.”

So the guy had transitioned successfully, which according to Anandur wasn’t a given. It was a dangerous process, and they’d had a couple of close calls with Dormants who had almost not made it.

“I’m glad he’s okay, for him and for his girlfriend. That’s very good news.”

“It is. We celebrate every new member.”