Romance Rules for Werewolves (Charming Cove, #3)(68)

The fire died abruptly, and with it, the curse finally broke. It felt like a champagne cork popping inside me, and I gasped.

Rafe stumbled backward, shock on his face. He blinked rapidly, his gaze going blurry. His breathing stilled.

“Rafe?”

“I—remember.” He shook his head, dragging a hand over his face. “I have family. Parents. Friends. A home.”

I smiled, tears pricking my eyes. Tears of joy for him, tears of sadness for me. “I’m so glad.”

He nodded, his gaze a million miles away.

It had all happened so much faster than I’d expected it to. One minute, he’d had no memory. He’d essentially been all mine, though I knew that was an absolutely ridiculous thought. Also selfish.

But now he had a whole life that he remembered.

“You should go to them,” I said. Did he have a girlfriend back there? Worse, a wife? No, it had been over ten years. He would have been too young to have a wife, and any girlfriend would have moved on.

“They might not even remember me,” he said.

“I’m sure they do now. If the curse broke on you, it broke on them. They’ll be searching for you.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

I knew what he meant by the words. He couldn’t imagine anyone caring about him. He’d been alone so long that the idea was entirely foreign.

I care about you! I wanted to cry.

Instead, I pinched my lips closed.

“We’re going to finish your house first,” he said.

“You can’t keep putting me first.”

“You’ve been putting me first. Insisting we go away to Avalona, to Wales, all while you’re on a deadline to finish this house if you want to keep it.”

He was right. It had been my fear that I’d put a man’s interests before my own. But it was different with Rafe because he also put me first.

We’d been putting each other first all along.

The enormity of it made my throat tighten.

This felt real—real in a way it had never felt before.

“Isobel.” He stepped closer, his voice rough. He reached out to cup my cheek, and I leaned into him. “I’m not leaving you until you don’t need me anymore.”

I drew in an unsteady breath. “Rafe.”

He leaned down and held his lips over mine, waiting for something. For permission, I realized.

We’d agreed to not do this, and yet, I couldn’t remember why. Whether or not this could last forever, I wanted it right now.

I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. The cool wind whipped past us as he picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him, feeling the starlight on my skin.

He spun me in a circle, and joy filled me.

“I want you,” I breathed against his mouth. “Now. Tonight.”

He nipped at my lip, then carried me down the hill. We made it as far as the chairs in front of Lavender House. With the moon high above, we made love against the backdrop of the sea and stars.

The feeling of Rafe beneath me, inside of me, was so glorious, so overpowering, that I could feel it imprint on me. Pleasure like I’d never known flushed through me, and I kissed him with all the passion in my soul. More than anything, I didn’t want this to end.

But it would, a thought that I tried to drive from my mind as I desperately chased the pleasure that he promised. No matter what happened, we would have tonight. And for now, that would have to be enough.





Chapter

Twenty-Eight





Isobel



The next week passed in a blur of work and happiness. Rafe and I had taken it to the next level, and even though I knew we shouldn’t have, I couldn’t help but love every second of it.

We spent the most glorious week together, working on the house and then living our lives in the evening. They were short evenings due to the long hours at Lavender House, but we always ate dinner together, then shared his bed. It was magical.

He hadn’t yet contacted his family, and I had a feeling he needed a bit of time to process the changes that were about to come. But they had to know he was alive now, so at least they had the hope of seeing him soon. That made me feel a bit less guilty about keeping him to myself for the last week.

By my twenty-eighth day in Charming Cove, Lavender House was complete. The contractors had put the finishing touches on their work, I’d repainted any areas of the wall that had been disturbed by the electrical and plumbing repairs. Rafe had put the finishing touches on all the gorgeous woodwork, and I’d even got some furniture from Vivienne. She was redecorating Blackthorn Hall, the ducal estate where she lived on the outskirts of town, and she’d had loads of gorgeous old furniture that needed a new home. With Vivienne and Madeline’s help, we’d arranged it all into a quirky, eclectic house with character.

I loved it.

Even Poa liked it, despite the lack of figurines to watch her every move.

Rafe and I stood on the lawn, looking at the beautiful stone house with its new roof. Aria had planted some bushes and autumn flowers, and the exterior of the house looked perfect.

“It’s gorgeous.” I leaned against Rafe, staring up at the house.

“It really is.”

“And now it’s time to go see your pack.”

He frowned down at me. “The solicitor will be here the day after tomorrow to check on the house—”