Moon Cursed (Book 2 in The Star and Her Moon Series)

A Little Messy

MERIBELLA

 Meribella stood back and admired her work. The dining room table Raff once used as a collector of junk mail now rivaled any romantic restaurant they'd ever visited. White, tapered candles, their wicks waiting for the flame, rested in distressed wooden holders while she'd converted an antique milk pitcher into a vase for the white roses she'd received as a just because. She'd forgone a tablecloth, preferring the natural, wood tones of the table, but she'd lined it with a burlap runner.

The last thirty minutes had been spent moving things around the loft, replacing the sparse, masculine decor with pieces she hoped brought life and warmth to their home. Home. The word sent a thrill through her. She had a home with Raff.

Meribella did a giddy, little dance on her way to the kitchen, the aroma from the take out boxes making her mouth water. She might be on the road to becoming a domesticated goddess, but while her decorating skills were on point, her cooking lacked. Raff ignored a lot of her weaknesses, but even he couldn't muster up enough charm to lie about her cooking.

A flush suffused her skin as she recalled her first and only attempt at preparing a meal. The house had reeked of burnt oil for days, and Raff had laughed so hard he'd had to sit down when he saw her covered in flour and other bits of food. He stopped as soon as he saw the shimmer of tears on her cheeks. Within the space of heartbeats, he was at her side, kissing away her tears and whispering that they had better things do in the kitchen than cooking.

"Meribella," Raff called, from the bottom of the stairs. "I'm starving."

"Good, because dinner is ready," she replied, putting a steak on one plate and grilled salmon on the other. Another bonus to ordering out was being able to satisfy their unique dietary needs.

Strong hands gripped her hips and soft lips pressed against her neck. "I didn't say it was for food."

She twisted in his arms and kissed him. "Well too bad, because I've been smelling this for twenty minutes, and I am hungry." Hands moved from her lips to the swell of her butt, his fingers splayed so that a few dipped between her thighs. "Behave sir."

Her husky voice, and no doubt the desire he would be able to smell on her, undermined her attempt to be stern, but Raff complied. "Fine, but only because I need you to keep your strength up."

"Go wash up," she said. Something wet and cold on her calf startled her, and she squealed. "Aurora, you sweet girl. I would never forget you."

The wolf pup yipped and spun around, her bushy tail beating against the cabinets in the galley kitchen. All gangly legs and feet, the dark spots on her had softened and faded into softer grays and whites, making her almost indistinguishable from her mother. The plan had been to find someone to help them get her ready to return to the wild, but Aurora wanted no part of it. She'd stopped eating and bit anyone who came near her.

"Anything interesting happen today?" Raff asked as he exited the bedroom. He'd changed from the stiff button up he'd worn for business errands into a t-shirt that molded to every contour and curve of his muscles.

Working moisture back into her mouth, she stuttered, "No, not really." She thought of running into Mariah at the store and Thorne's misgivings, but she couldn't bring that up. She had nothing but a vague bad feeling and a lot of jealousy. "What about you?"

"Same as it's been for the last few weeks. I think we've finished the last of the housing for the returned pack members, and I've had two more ask to pledge loyalty."

Meribella set the dinner plates on the table along with a bottle of wine. Spots of red tinged her cheeks and her eyes glittered as she reached across and squeezed Raff's hands. "That's wonderful! I'm assuming they passed the compulsion?"