He nuzzled her cheek tenderly. She caressed the nape of his neck and swallowed hard. He lifted her face and kissed her mouth, touching her lips with his tongue and probing until she opened her mouth to him, gave herself to him, and clutched at his neck to keep from slipping to the floor as the stiffness in her posture melted away.

Finn wrapped his arms around her and held her lightly against his body, which without his permission—as he only intended to comfort her in a damned gentlemanly way—was hardening with feral need. “I’m the only one who won’t back down from Hunter when it comes to you,” he said against her ear.

“Yeah, well, you talk big, but when you have to face him down…”

He smiled. “I have faced him down… on other issues, Meara. We don’t always see eye to eye.”

“But you’re not giving up your job, and well, it just wouldn’t work out between us.”

“Hmm, you may be right, but I’m staying in your bed tonight.”

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

“All right?” he asked in a more appeasing manner, stroking her cheek, wanting her more than he had ever wanted a woman, and feeling tenderness toward her that he had never felt for any other woman. He sure as hell didn’t want her to be upset, but she had to know that Cyn most likely had ulterior motives for wanting to see her.

“And if Hunter arrives here in the middle of the night?”

“Only two people will fit in that bed. He’ll have to find his own bed to sleep in.”

She groaned, and he kissed her cheek. “Want something to eat?”

Hunter would arrive in the middle of the night. They might as well make the most of the time they had left with each other before Hunter interfered.

She twisted her mouth for a second, and then she smiled, her whole expression brightening.

Suspecting just what she had in mind, he shook his head. “S’mores later. You have to eat something more substantial first.” He took her hand and led her back into the house.

He wasn’t sure why he asked Meara what he did next, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “So what do you plan to do when you find your mate?”

She didn’t hesitate to respond. “Run the cabin resort. Maybe focus on finding a single female for poor Rourke. You know, the reporter who learned about Cyn’s sister. He needs a mate for certain.”

Finn stiffened.

“Not me. And well, when I find my mate, he’ll take me on a nice long cruise.”

“A cruise?”

“Yeah. Like Tessa’s idea of going to Hawaii for a honeymoon. We may not have church weddings, but I think honeymoons are the way to go. I’ve never been on a cruise before, and that’s where I want my mate to take me.”

“What if you get seasick?”

“I’ll just take something for it and stay in the cabin with my mate, curled up in bed with him so he can take my mind off the waves—or we can make our own waves.”

Finn had been on a lot of ships in his lifetime, but never a cruise ship. To think he could be on the high seas with Meara, sequestered away in a cabin for two. The scenario definitely played into his fantasies.

He looked into the fridge and smiled at all the steak. “Anna brought us some groceries.”

Moving in behind him, Meara slipped her arms around Finn’s waist and peeked around his shoulder. “Hmm, shrimp,” she said.

“And steak.”

“You and Hunter.”

He looked down at her. “You don’t like steak?”

“Of course I do.” She ran her hand over his hard stomach. “Beefsteak is my favorite. But I love shrimp, too. Do you want to grill it by the ocean? We could use that gas grill down below.”

“Yeah. I’ll let Paul know we’ll be down there, and he can watch our backs.”

She studied the bottle of wine Anna had gotten them and set it aside, then looked for a couple of wineglasses. Once she’d found them, she fished out a couple of plates and sighed. “Too bad we have to have an audience.”

Finn shook his head and pulled out his phone to call Paul. Having an audience was good, or he was bound to forget what he was here for—again.

***

Meara set an old comforter Finn said he’d found in the garage on the sand. Like a pro, he prepared the steak and vegetables, which she hadn’t thought he’d go for. Hunter liked to grill, never bothering with the vegetables, but she didn’t figure that meant Finn would grill, too. At least half of their male pack members didn’t cook.

She loved watching Finn flip the steaks with finesse as if she was in a fancy Japanese restaurant. Then she poured them some wine, thankful to Anna for being so thoughtful, and stood next to Finn as the breeze tugged at the collar of his shirt.

“Do you vacuum?” she asked, teasing in a casual way.

“Vacuum?”

She shrugged, thinking how even more perfect he would be if he wasn’t running off on deadly missions. Not only could he grill great impromptu meals, but he was a damned sexy lover. But if he also vacuumed, the chore she hated most, he would be a woman’s dream come true. It wasn’t the vacuuming, particularly, that she hated so much. It was that the vacuum spit out more than it sucked up.

“Never was part of my SEAL training.” He gave her an elusive smile.

“Hmm, well, maybe it should have been. Every man needs to know how to vacuum.”

“What about Hunter?”

She sighed. “I’m afraid he didn’t get any training, either.” But then she brightly added, “I’m sure Tessa has him vacuuming up a storm now, though.”

Finn flipped the steaks and said with a smile, “I can’t imagine Hunter vacuuming, sweeping, or mopping floors. He’d be good at giving the orders, though, pointing out spots that needed further work, a little more polish, a little more sweeping and vacuuming.”

She laughed. “Yeah, that’s Hunter all right. He’s also good at building fires to keep Tessa warm.”

Finn gave her a devilish look, and Meara felt her body warm considerably. “I’m talking about wood fires. The electricity was out during a snowstorm, and he had to keep them warm.”

Finn grinned broadly and nodded his head.

“By keeping the fire going.”

He chuckled.

She shook her head. She’d never known a man who was better at taking what she said innocently and turning it into sexual innuendo. She gave up trying. But then she began to think of what it would be like if her electricity went out in the middle of a snowstorm and Finn was with her. Would he spend a lot of time trudging down to the beach to gather firewood?

For certain, he’d take her to bed and ply her with hot kisses designed to thaw her out, his body rubbing against hers in the heat of passion.

Her cheeks warmed again, and he cast her a questioning glance. “Anything you want to share with me?”

“No. I’m ready to eat, though.”

He still looked like he was more interested in knowing what she’d been thinking about.

Within minutes the meat was browned, along with potatoes, zucchini, yellow summer squash, onions, and carrots. The steaks and shrimp had perfect grill stripes and had been seasoned with thyme, rosemary, and lime rind after being lightly coated with olive oil.

“Rare, right?” Meara asked, watching the steak as it sizzled.

Finn gave her a sexy smile. “Steak seared on the outside, nice and red and juicy on the inside.”

“Hmm, just the way I like mine.” She carried their drinks to the blanket as he brought their dinner plates.

To her surprise, he brought up the vacuuming issue again. “I take it you don’t care for the chore of vacuuming.” He sat down beside her as the sky over the ocean blossomed with pink and orange, the white clouds thinly stretched behind the setting sun, rays stroking the dark water.

“It’s just that my vacuum cleaner doesn’t pick up well. I end up moving the dirt around the floor as the vacuum sucks it up and spits it back out.” She took a deep breath and raised her glass to Finn’s. “To sunsets over the water, and to peace and prosperity everywhere.”

He drank some of his wine and raised his glass to hers. “To a beautiful wolf on a golden night. May you find happiness always.”

“Thanks. I try to.” Once she found the perfect mate to share it with, she would. Of course there would be bumps on the road to bliss, but still…

She watched the sun set as she ate the steak and shrimp and vegetables, also enjoying apple slices and red and green grapes, and washing it all down with sips of red wine. To top it off, they shared bars of chocolate, no s’mores this time. The meal couldn’t have been more perfect. And the company and the setting.

She thought about Finn and his declaration that he wasn’t into dating. Did he mean dating as in eating out at restaurants? They were nice, but she didn’t need five-star restaurant service to enjoy a night out. In fact, this was better than most dinners she’d had where she was waited on hand and foot. More relaxing. More atmospheric and appealing to a wolf. More conducive to a romantic liaison without tons of people in attendance. With Paul watching them, protecting them, she figured Finn wouldn’t kiss her at all.

She hadn’t had any nicer dates with a man than these impromptu affairs with Finn.

When Finn took the empty wineglass and plate from her and set them aside, she envisioned another kiss, hoping that he’d ignore Paul for the moment.

He didn’t give her a kiss, not at first. He gazed into her eyes as if he was doing some real soul-searching. Then he sighed and pulled at her to join him. When she did, he made sure she was nestled between his legs as they sat on the blanket and watched the last of the fireball sun melt away beneath the waves. She imagined it sizzling as the heat of the sun hit the water and the night air grew cooler.

Finn rested his chin on the top of her head and held her gently in his arms. When the last of the light was gone, he nuzzled her bare neck with his face and then caressed her cheek with his mouth, his hands shifting to her breasts. That made her wish they really were alone with the sound of the waves washing over the sand and the night breeze swirling around them.