The next morning Boone woke up to a half-empty bed. It hadn’t taken him more than a few seconds to figure out where Willa had gone. The kitchen was calling to him, filled with the most amazing scents. His bear was almost drunk on the smell of bacon and when he’d ventured downstairs he found the boys in similar states of adoration.

It had been tough to find a few moments to speak to her with the number of bodies crowding the kitchen, but Willa seemed to understand the question in his eyes and found a way to clear the room. “Boys?” All their heads swiveled to look at her and he’d had to stifle a laugh. They usually held out until he was shouting loud enough to shake the trees outside. “Go and wash your hands,” the boys started to move, “and use soap!” That got her a few half-hearted grumbles, but they ran off to get ready for their meal.

Boone wasted no time, stepping in close to speak directly into the shell of her ear. “You okay?” He brushed his lips along the silken curve of her ear. “If you have any questions about why I stayed with you. About we shared a bed-”

“Because you’re warm?” She laughed and finished slicing the honeydew melon and let the pieces tumble into a big bowl. “It was the best way to wake up that I could come up with.”

His shoulders relaxed a bit. “I didn’t want you to think I was rushing things. That is your room, mine is the next one over.”

“Good to know,” she leaned up and brushed a kiss on his cheek as the boys started to rush back into the room to eat.

“Okay, you get this finished up and I’ll make sure the chores are done outside and the SUV gassed up.” He mimicked her kiss on her cheek and walked out through the side door.

* * *

Bolt was the last one in, his steps measured instead of rushed. He smiled a soft, tentative grin at Willa. “Did I hear right last night during dinner? Boone’s taking you to the store today?”

Willa nodded and handed him the bowl of cut melon. “That’s right. It’s why I made pies to take to the store,” she paused as a few grumbles filled the air, “there’s plenty of pies that we can keep some at home, so shush. Go ahead and eat your breakfast so you can all get on with your day.”

The boys dug in, but it was Chad who looked up at her a few moments later. “You know we’ll help you with the cooking,” he grinned, “Boone would have our heads if we didn’t at least offer. None of us like it much, but we’d do it to help you. So, you’ll want to stay.”

Willa grinned from ear to ear. “Well, I want to stay, and I’d be happy to have anyone help me if you’d like, but if there’s one thing that I’ve always loved doing for other people,” she explained with a sigh of joy in her voice, “it’s cook for them and feed them.”

Cobb’s chuckle was unmistakable. “Well then, Ma’am, we’re gonna make you ecstatic. We don’t have a small stomach in the bunch.”

Willa moved toward one of the empty chairs at the table and Pino tugged the chair out and helped her take her seat. He accepted her smile of thanks and gave her one of his own back.

Sonny looked into the glass pie plate at the center of the table. “What’s that?”

She didn’t even have to look to know what he was talking about. Willa knew that the smile playing across her lips was barely holding back a laugh. “That’s a frittata.”

“A freeto-whatta?”

Pino shrugged at Sonny’s question. “I’ve never seen something like that.”

“It’s an egg dish. I made it with some Italian sausage and peppers.”

Satisfied, Pino reached for the handle of the server that was already waiting under a slice. “You had me at eggs and sausage.”

Sonny reached for the tool, but stopped short with Bolt’s hand on his wrist. “Leggo, Bolt. I was looking at it first.”

“Manners, man.” He passed a look around the table that made his point loud and clear. “You keep your manners, you keep your hand.”

Willa felt her cheeks color with worry for a moment and then she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Bolt’s driving home the point, but it’s more a metaphor than anything else. The boys know there’s no bloodshed at the table.”

All the boys agreed with Boone readily and a long moment later she burst into laughter. “Ha, you had me going there…”

“Yep, you got us.” Cobb shrugged. “The only place Boone lets us shed blood is in the yard.”

“It makes sense when you think about it.” Bolt’s sigh was a melancholy one. “It’s so much easier to clean up that way.”

Willa was sure her face was pale as a ghost as she looked about the table from face to face, until she got to Sonny. The boy’s expression crumpled into a rasping repetitive laugh.

“Sonny just can’t hold the laugh.” Cobb groaned and then retaliated by picking a piece of melon off Sonny’s plate. The other boy was laughing so hard he hadn’t seen the theft and just kept laughing right along with the others.

Boone pulled out his chair beside hers and sat down amidst the ruckus. “Still enjoying yourself?”

She started to laugh and couldn’t stop herself, even when she dropped her hand down on her belly to hide the way it shook with her joy. It didn’t stay there for more than a few seconds when Boone picked it up and brought it to his lips, kissing the inside of her wrist.

* * *

On the road, in his SUV, Boone couldn’t help the nerves he felt. He almost flinched when Willa touched his thigh when he turned down the last street.

“Are you okay?” Her voice was filled with concern.

“Yeah. Sure. I’m just going to work, right?”

Willa remained quiet in the passenger seat, looking out the window. “Sure. You do that at least five times a week, no biggie.”

“Yeah, no biggie.” He could hear the growl in his voice, but it wasn’t his bear. That lazy bag of bones was sidling up to Willa’s gentle touch, basking in her warmth. “Are you?”

“I’m excited,” she turned to look at him and her hand moved up his thigh an inch. “This is your business. Something you built. I can’t wait to see it and meet the people there.” She grew a little silent and he felt the tip of one of her fingers draw a slow circle on his thigh. Even through his jeans, he felt her touch like a brand. “I was just wondering about you, you didn’t eat much this morning.”

It pleased him that she noticed, but it also felt odd that she was worrying about him. He didn’t want to make her worry.

“It wasn’t because it wasn’t good.”

She laughed. “Thank goodness! I think the boys were happy to let you walk away hungry.”

He nodded, and a small smile teased his lips. “I had plenty to eat last night.” He lowered his hand to cover hers. “Especially after dinner.”

The next breath he took in was laden with her sweet honey.

“Your kisses fill me up, Willa.”

She sighed, stretching beside him. “And this morning, you tasted like coffee on my tongue. It certainly made it easy to feel alive and ready to face the day.

Taking his foot off the gas pedal ever so slightly, he leaned closer to her. “We can postpone this-”

“And do what?” Willa looked up at him with curious shock on her face.

“I can take you back home. The boys are gone for the day and we wouldn’t have to worry about anyone walking in, so we can do whatever we want… wherever we want.”

He didn’t need to take a breath to know that she was just as interested as he was. Her fingertips bit into his leg and the hard length he’d been sporting since he saw her in her flowing knee-length dress, was suddenly like iron and rubbed the worn denim of his jeans against the back of her knuckle.

“Oh,” she was breathless, “you have no idea how much I want to tell you to turn around-”

“But,” he chuckled, “you’ve got those fruit pies in the back.”

He saw her nod in his peripheral vision.

“I’ll make you a deal,” he knew his voice was little more than a gruff scratch from his vocal chords, “if you save one of those pies for home, we’ll keep going.”

Willa leaned against the seat back, her mouth falling open into a throaty laugh. “I have a raspberry pie at home… just for you, Boone.”

“I think I love you, woman.”

He heard her hard, indrawn breath and then her feeble laugh. “Don’t joke about something like that, Boone.”

He turned into the parking lot along the side of the hardware store and steered the truck into his spot. He watched her struggle with the release on her seatbelt, so he reached over and covered her hand with his. He felt her tremble and gave her a little squeeze before they clicked the release.

Boone didn’t want to make things more tense than they already were. He couldn’t tell her he was joking.

Because he wasn’t.

But he was also as sure that Willa wasn’t ready to say how she felt, or worse, that she really wasn’t feeling the same thing.

His bear gave him a nudge, and unlike most times when the grouchy old thing would give him a growl or rake him with extended claws… his bear leaned hard against their bond and rubbed his huge shoulder against him, offering comfort.

If there was one thing they both knew, it was that Willa was their mate. And if she wasn’t ready… or if she wasn’t feeling love for him, he was going to do whatever it took to make sure that changed.

Boone lifted their joined hands and brushed a kiss over the backs of her knuckles. “I’ll come around and get the tray of pies for you.”

He opened his door and started to slide down from his seat.

She turned slightly to look at him. “You’re not going to offer to carry them for me?”

Boone licked his lips at the rush of baked berry smell that he pulled into his lungs. Mixed with Willa’s distinctive honey scent, he felt a shudder roll through his body. “I need you to walk in front of me, so you have to carry the tray.”

“Walk in front of you?” She laughed. “What, are you scared of your employees?”

“Not afraid of them.” He held the tray out to her after he opened her door and gave her a hand down from the cab. “I need a little bit of cover until I can get everything under control.”

She caught on quickly. Her smile taunted him and made him lean in to nibble a bit on her neck until her body leaned into him. “Keep that up and I’m going to need to fold my arms across my chest. Not fair, Mr. Wayland.”

“What’s not fair is having to keep my hands and mouth off you, Willa. Let’s get inside so we can get this part of the day over with.”

Her laughter trailed behind her, leaving Boone to catch up to keep his ‘cover’ behind her curvy form.

* * *

When her visit was over, Willa gave the employees a final round of hugs before she met Boone at the door.

He gathered her close and gave her a hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Are you trying to ruin them?”

“Ruin them?” She leaned back from him and frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Boone pulled her back against him and whispered into her ear. “Fairly sure they’re all head over heels for you.”

She stroked his stomach and enjoyed the feel of his abs under her palm. “They love my pies and I’m fairly sure Nerissa likes guys, so you don’t have to worry there. Do you still have time to drop me off with Paige and Devlin?”

“Only just, as long as you get in the car right now. I have to come back and actually make these people do some work if they don’t fall into a sugar coma from your pies.”

Boone turned to open the employee exit door and Willa gave him a nice swift pat on his backside.

He pulled her outside as the door gave and swung open. “I hope you know you’re going to pay for that later.”

She sashayed past him toward the passenger side, her skirt swishing around her knees. “Promises, promises…”

* * *

Paige Kerr was an absolute sweetheart.

And she was largely pregnant.

And glowing like a paper lantern in a cold dark night, warmth personified.

Willa remembered some of the news coverage about her, the daughter of Sylvan City’s Mayor had been rescued by and married to a tiger shifter. Even when she squinted her eyes into the house, the man standing behind Paige didn’t really look like Devlin Kerr.

Paige laughed a little. “Don’t worry, this grumpy gus is Cage Gamble.”

Boone readily offered Cage his hand for a shake and Willa relaxed.

“Sorry,” Willa apologized, “I feel like there’s so much I need to catch up on. Where I live, the only people I really know are our customers.”

“Yes,” Paige grinned and took Willa’s hand in both of hers, “Devlin mentioned that you’re an amazing cook. I’m quite jealous.”

Willa turned and rubbed a palm over Boone’s bicep. “If you’d like, tell me what you like to eat, and I’ll send it over with one of the boys.” She heard the cautioning ‘cough’ from Boone. “I’ll bring it over with Boone. The boys may just eat it… they’re all bottomless pits so far. I have dreams of actually making one of them ‘full’ someday in the near future.”

Cage shook his head. “If they’re shifters? Good luck.”

Paige shared in the laughter, but Willa saw a twinge of something in her face. “Are you feeling all right?”

The mother-to-be laid her hand on the side of her belly. “It feels like the baby is doing acrobatics.”

Willa looked at Boone. “I’m going to get her inside to a chair.”

“That’s good.” Boone’s warm smile made Willa feel warm all over. “Call me when you’re ready for someone to pick you up. If it’s not me, I’ll send one of the boys.”

Willa nodded as she helped Paige inside, following her directions into the living room. Cage followed along, looking a little green as Paige giggled with Willa.

“I don’t know if you saw the look on Boone’s face when you walked me away from the door.”

Willa moved over into the open kitchen and got a glass of water that she brought back to Paige. “Oh, he wasn’t upset, was he? He said he had to get back to the store.”

“No, but he looked a little lost.” Paige accepted the glass and took a long sip. “I’ve seen that look before on Dev’s face when I don’t rush to kiss him goodbye when he leaves and I’m staying home.”

“That’s so sweet,” Willa couldn’t keep the dreamy sigh from her voice.

“Can we avoid all the romance stuff?”

Willa looked at the last remaining man in the room. “Sorry, Mr. Gamble.”

“Cage,” he corrected her with a little bit less of an edge than his last words. “And I guess I shouldn’t complain,” he rolled his muscular shoulders in an uncomfortable gesture, “since I came here to ask Paige for her help.”

Paige touched her hand to Willa’s arm. “I was telling Cage he should talk to your Boone.”

Willa felt herself warm all over at Paige’s words. “My Boone?”

It sounded like Cage groaned in his throat. “There you go with the romance stuff.”

Paige leaned over to get a good look at him. “Suck it up. I’m trying to get you the help you need.” Waiving her hand at him, Paige told Willa. “Mr. Grumpy Jaguar there just found out he’s becoming a dad,” and before Willa responded, Paige continued, “to a bouncing teenage girl shifter.”

Cage, if it was possible, managed to look even more uncomfortable. “She’s the daughter of my best friend and she’s arriving in a couple of weeks. I have no idea what I need to buy for her room.”

“So, he came here to get my opinion. I thought Boone would have a better idea with all of his boys.”

“Boys,” Cage responded back, “that’s the problem here. What boys need and what girls need are two different things.”

Willa gave him a sweet smile that had Cage frowning in reply.

“What?”

“That’s so sweet, you’re going to be a good dad.”

Cage cracked his neck and crossed his arms across his chest. “Is it going to be like this?” He pointed his chin at them. “All this talking and shit.”

Willa and Paige shared a look and started to laugh.

“Ah fu-”

“Language!” She picked up two throw pillows and placed them over her stomach. “Dev won’t like it.”

Cage muttered under his breath. “So, you can’t come and take a look at my place? Tell me what I need?”

Paige leaned back against the back of the couch and put her feet up on the ottoman. “If I walked around anymore, Devlin would tie me to the bed…” Paige’s eyes took on a wistful look, “as exciting as that would be… I’m sorry. I can’t, Cage.”

The tired mom-to-be looked at Willa. “Maybe Cage could borrow you from Boone until he finishes work for the day.”

Willa hesitated. “I was going to make steaks for the boys tonight.”

“Steaks?” Cage grumbled, his eyes changing with a feline slant. “Just throw them the raw things out of the package.”

A growl purred from Paige’s throat and both Cage and Willa turned to look at her. With a shrug, the gentle woman sighed. “I’m carrying a tiger cub, deal with it. But seriously, Cage? She’s Boone’s mate, and I’m Dev’s. Remember your manners.” She winced and smoothed her hand over her large belly. “Calm down, sweet-pea. Cage is going to play nice.”

The man’s upper lip curled back revealing long, sharp jaguar fangs. “Nice? The fu-”

“I’ll go with you.” Willa fished her phone out of her pocket and dialed.

Boone answered just after the first ring.

“Boone? Hey, it’s Willa.”

“Hey, Honey. You okay?”

“Yeah, Paige is awesome. I was wondering if I could go and help, Cage for a bit.”

“Cage?” She was sure she misheard the edge in his tone. “Honey, give the phone to Cage.”

Willa blew out a breath. “Okay.” She held out the phone and Cage took it in his hand, bringing it up to his ear. It took just a few seconds and a growled epithet before Cage handed the phone back to Willa.

“It’s your lucky day, Miss Barnes,” he smiled, and his teeth were all human again, “you get my kid-glove care. Shall I truss you up in bubble wrap?”

The two women sat there in shocked silence until Cage started to laugh. Then the two ladies were laughing until Paige had to get up and pee.

* * *

The apartment upstairs over the Six Guns’ office was sparse to say the least, but the room that Cage showed her was clean, so clean you could likely eat off the walls and floors.

She looked over at him as he walked up beside her. “Don’t take this wrong. This looks military clean.”

“I served two tours in my time.”

Willa felt her cheeks warm. “Sorry.”

He shrugged. “At least the room is clean.” He turned around in a circle and she watched him move, trying to read his mind. “What color do you think I should use? The guy at the paint counter said people buy a lot of yellow and pink for girls. He said lavender too, but that sounds better for an old lady.”

“Maybe,” she hedged, “you should wait to personalize the room when she gets here. It’s been a few years since I was a teenager, so I’m not up on the ‘in colors’ but what if we just go over some basics furniture-wise and you can give her a chance to personalize her room with rugs and sheets and stuff.”

To his credit, Cage looked disappointed.

“Do you know what kinds of things she’s bringing with her?”

“Shit!” Cage crossed the empty space and braced his hands on window frame. “I have no business taking care of her.”

“Is there someone else?”

He bumped his head on the glass a few times. “My buddy was really specific. Her mama’s family are craptastic. They’d have to be to stick her with me, but I’m gonna ruin her.”

“Hey,” Willa spoke at his back when it became clear he wasn’t planning to turn around, “did you trust your friend?”

He spun around, and she saw the anger in his eyes and the way his irises bled into the lethal stare of his jaguar.

She held up her hands in surrender, trying to give his animal the least amount of provocation. “Her parents wanted you to have her. If he trusted you and you trusted him, you just have to make it work, Cage.”

Willa let him think over her words as she found a pad of paper in her bag and a pen. Quickly she wrote out the basics that she’d need. Bed, desk, chest of drawers… she felt someone looking over her shoulder and smiled. “Did I miss anything?”

He gave an instinctive shrug and then looked over the list again. “You think that’s it for now?”

“It’s a good place to start.” She gave him an easy smile. “When she gets here, you should bring her over to…” Willa hesitated. “I mean, I’m sure Boone wouldn’t mind if you came over to visit.”

Cage gave her a curious look. “Hey, I’m not one to get my nose caught up in your business, especially because you’re with Boone.” He looked away and then shoved his hands in his back pockets, rolling his shoulders back. “Look at me, doin’ girly talk.” He sighed, “when Boone was on the phone, he made it clear, really damn clear that I better treat you like glass or he was gonna hand me my nuts on a platter and make me eat them raw. You may worry about your place in his life.”

Willa bit down on her bottom lip, waiting for him to finish.

“But Boone is all in where you’re concerned. The only thing you need to figure out is where you are.” He let the words hang there in the air until his head tipped back on his neck and he let out a string of expletives that had her ears wringing. “The next thing you know I’m gonna be sewing drapes for this damn place!”

Cage stomped out into the hall and kicked an empty packing box into the middle of the living room. “Freakin’ female infestation!”

Willa pointed at the front door. “I’m going to go outside and call Boone, tell him I’m ready to go home.”

The fighter was bent over with his head in his hands questioning his own sanity when she left the note with the list on the table just inside the door.