Bold & Beautiful (11 page)

I stared at her, lost in her beauty. Her blue eyes were bright blue, like looking at the Caribbean Ocean. Her hair fell in waves of sunshine around her face. It was a little messy, but it only made her more attractive. I loved how natural she was. “Good morning.”

I leaned in to kiss her slightly puffy lips. She clamped them together and adamantly shook her head. I frowned, unease nudging me. “Did you change your mind?”

She covered her mouth with her hand. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

Damn she was endearing, even when she didn’t mean to be. I pursed my lips. “You owe me one.”

Chapter 30

AURA

I quickly escaped to the bathroom with my toiletry bag and backpack of clothes. I brushed my teeth, brushed my hair and pulled it up into a knot on top of my head. I dressed in a pair of comfortable, grey legging pants, a long, oversized, thin navy blue, V-neck t-shirt, and a wide gold belt that helped thin my waistline and matched my gold ballet flats.

I folded my pajamas and shoved them back in the book bag with my clothes from yesterday.

When I opened the bathroom door, Jonas was standing there, dressed for the day in a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a black polo shirt, waiting. His smile instantly warmed my heart. “You look beautiful.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions at bay. No one had ever told me that before. “Thanks.”

Without warning he captured my lips. His touch sent chills down my spine and had my heart skipping a beat. There was a new depth to our connection this morning. Every minute I was with him, the pull towards him grew stronger and my feelings for him intensified.

Slowly he pulled back with several quick, successive kisses on my lips. I opened my eyes to find him gazing right into my eyes, into the depths of my soul it felt. “Now that’s what I want to wake up to every morning.” He gave me one final kiss before stepping back and taking my bags for me.

I followed him into the bedroom where he set my bag of clothes and bag of toiletries on the bed. He grabbed my school backpack off the floor and secured my hand before leading me downstairs.

“What about your stuff?”

“It’s already in the car. I’m a tad faster than you at getting ready.”

“Damn werewolf speed,” I mock moaned.

He winked at me over his shoulder. “I was thinking we could stop and get breakfast at the coffee place.”

“Let me take my meds now then.” I headed straight for the kitchen. I stopped short at finding Cassie sitting in her robe at the island, sipping a cup of coffee. “Good morning.”

“Hi, dear. Come on in. Make yourself at home. It doesn’t seem like my son is going to let you go anytime soon.” She smiled knowingly at me over the rim of her cup.

I felt my cheeks heat. Instead of saying something stupid, I focused on taking my medicine. I drank two cups of water with my pills.

“Aura, would you mind helping me with dinner again tonight? Whatever you did to the pasta came out fabulously. I think that was the first night in years that I haven’t had to pack leftovers into containers.”

I gave her a grin that I knew was huge and goofy. My heart seemed to skip a few beats at the idea of having some freedom in a kitchen again with plenty of ingredients to choose from. “I’d love to.”

She nodded her head once. “It’s a date then.”

“She only dates me,” Jonas barked from the other room.

Cassie rolled her eyes. “You better get going, dear. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.” I waved on my way out the kitchen.

Jonas was waiting by the door with my bag over his shoulder. When we arrived at the Jeep, Brody was waiting, leaning against it.

He came around the car the moment he heard us. He smirked. “How was the love birds’ first night together?”

Jonas glared at him. “Don’t push it.”

Brody burst into a fit of laughter. “You know I’m going to.”

I climbed into the back seat, not wanting to be caught in the middle of their duel.

The drive to Mrs. Martha’s coffee shop was filled with banter between the guys. They were quite amusing together. I found myself chuckling a time or two, which typically irritated one of the two of them because I was laughing at a taunt the other one threw.

Brody opened my door when we got to the coffee house and Jonas opened the shop door. A girl could definitely get used to this sort of royal treatment.

The moment Mrs. Martha saw me, she struggled to hide her grin. I stepped up to the counter and she immediately laid into me. “I told you so.”

“I don’t even get a good morning?”

“Good morning. I told you so.”

I felt myself blush. “Yes, you did.”

Jonas leaned into me. “Do I even want to know what she told you?”

“No.” I met Martha’s gaze. Her eyes sparkled. She was happy for me.

“What can I get you guys this morning?” she asked.

After we ordered, she called me around behind the counter. In a low voice she broached the subject. “Wilbur told me you stopped by yesterday morning. He said you looked panicked. Is everything alright, sweetie?”

For once I could give her a positive answer. “It is now.”

She nodded in understanding. “I told him the truth. If you ever stop by again, he’s going to insist that you come inside.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Martha. For everything.”

“Oh, sweetie. You talk like someone’s going to put me in the ground tomorrow.” She frowned.

“Sorry.”

“Between you and me, you wrangled a damn fine man from what I can tell. If I was twenty… okay, perhaps thirty years younger, I would bed him.”

“Mrs. Martha!” I cried in a hushed whisper.

“Shh.” She winked.

If she only knew how great their hearing was.

I poked my head around the machines and snuck a peek at the guys. They were snickering. Jonas met my gaze, a goofy grin on his face.

I turned back around to find Mrs. Martha watching me like a hawk. “I see you two already have the secret communication step down pat. Tell your fellow your order’s on the counter.”

“Thanks.”

“Uh huh.” She cracked a smile as she started wiping down the counters.

When I returned to the table, Brody was still struggling to contain his laughter. “I love her. Ah, man. She’s awesome, and apparently has sized up Mr. Alpha over here.”

“Stop your cackling, Brody. Jonas has the ability to make your life hell. I’d keep that in mind if I were you.”

Brody instantly sobered. “Talk about harsh, Aura.”

“Looks like my mate is bold and beautiful.” Jonas beamed.

“Likewise.” I smiled.

~*~

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Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed Jonas and Aura’s story.

For more information on the Future Alphas series, and my other titles, please visit:
www.christinlovell.com

Thank you for picking up this book.

Christin