Esmerelda: A Rogue Enforcers Novel by Darlene Tallman (phonics books TXT) 📕

long few days on the road. See you in the morning.” With a wave that encompasses the table, I head toward my home eager to put my eyes on Esmerelda, eat, grab a shower then fall into bed. Hell, I’m so tired, my dick doesn’t even twitch at the thought within an hour I’ll be wrapped around my mate.

“Esme?” I call out once I’m inside, my boots kicked onto the mat that’s right inside the door for just that purpose.

“In the kitchen, sugar bear,” she replies. I take notice that our bags are sitting next to the front door and grin, knowing my woman has taken care of the repacking for both of us just like I suspected she would do.

As I move into the kitchen, I see that she’s already ready for bed, one of those flowing robe things she likes to wear swirling around her legs as she carries a plate from the microwave to the table. “Mmm, that smells good,” I state, sitting down. When she starts to move away, I take hold of her hand and pull her closer until I can kiss her. “Needed that first,” I admit when we finally break apart.

“What do you want to drink?”

“A beer. I’m sure you already ate but will you sit with me?” I ask when she sets an opened bottle in front of my plate. She nods then retrieves a wine glass, topping it off before she sits to my right, scooting her chair so close I can feel her knee pressing against mine.

“How was the meeting?” she inquires.

“About as you would expect,” I reply before I inhale a forkful of spaghetti. “Damn, this tastes wonderful, Esme.”

“It’s from the last batch I made,” she says, smiling at me. “I got us packed up, Beast.”

“I saw that. I hate you were stuck doing it on your own, sweetheart.”

“Charisma helped me with the stuff I needed from my magic room. The clothes? Well, I used my magic for that, sugar bear.”

I chuckle. If I had her abilities, I’d probably use my magic for every fucking thing I could, but she prefers to do a lot of things by hand. “You know that shit doesn’t bother me.”

“I feel like it doesn’t count as much if I don’t do it by hand,” she admits, shrugging.

“I think anything you do, whether you use your hands or wiggle your fingers, Esme, is taking care of us and it counts. It always counts,” I insist when I see the doubt cross her face. “I know we’re still new to this whole mate thing, but you won’t hear me complain about how you take care of not only me but our home.”

“You know I’m a sure thing, sugar bear, you don’t have to toss compliments my way,” she teases.

“Esme, I watched my parents growing up. Seeing their mutual love and respect for one another taught me that I wanted to do that same thing with my own mate, if I was ever blessed to get one. I’m speaking nothing but the truth to you. There’s nothing you’ve done that has disappointed me in any way, shape, manner or form.”

“Beast, I love you,” she whispers, tears shimmering in her eyes. “I never knew I would need a mate, a life partner, but I can’t imagine life without you in it. Promise me you’ll be careful tomorrow. I know Ice is your family, but I am too and hopefully, when the time is right, we’ll add to our duo.”

I sit there shocked. Children? We haven’t talked about that yet, but her words tell me very clearly that she wants that with me. More importantly, I want that with her as well. I want to see her rounded with my cubs. Then another thought crosses my mind and I ask, “Would they be shifter or witch?”

“Honestly? I have no idea,” she admits. “Maybe both, maybe one or the other. I’m not,” she hastily says when my gaze drops to her stomach. “I’d kind of like more time with it being just us,” she whispers.

Finished with my meal, I stand and grab the empty plate then proceed to rinse it off and put it into the dishwasher. Grabbing two cold waters from the fridge, I hold my hand out to her. “Come on and keep me company while I take a shower so we can go over the plan as I know it right now.” She flicks her fingers so as we walk through the cabin to our room, I see lights turning off and hear the unmistakable sound of the front door locking. Again, I think about how awesome she is as she follows me into the bathroom. I grab her around the waist and sit her on the counter across from the shower, then start the water before I undress. Her eyes light up with appreciation as my body is exposed which makes my dick perk up. Maybe I’m not as tired as I originally thought, plus I can sleep on the plane, right?

As we lay there, sated, I pull her close and kiss her temple. “Esmerelda?”

She looks up at me, her hand curved across my chest. “Hmm?”

“Just for the record, I love you too.”

I wake up with the alarm the next morning only to find that Esmerelda has already gotten up. Stretching, I groan as I work the kinks out then stand to head into the bathroom to take care of business. Once I’m finished, I quickly dress, make the bed then head into the kitchen, stopping short when I see her at the stove, spatula in hand. “Pancakes are almost done,” she says without looking behind her.

“I smell bacon too,” I state, heading to the coffee pot to pour myself a cup. Unlike my sexy witch, I prefer my brew black as nature intended. She likes to add all the froufrou creamers when she deigns to drink coffee. Today it looks like that’s what she’s doing instead of