Read Online Warden (Elemental Paladins Book 1) by Montana Ash - Free Book Online

of being a good guest, had decided to keep it sheathed in her boot.
    Making her way towards the wonderful aroma wafting through the home, Max found herself awed once again by the sheer magnificence of the structure. Not only was the architecture beautiful but so was the décor. Deep rich earthy colours of greens and blues and browns made up the majority of the furnishings and the walls were dotted with a mixture of abstract and realism artworks. It all somehow worked to give the huge open spaces a feeling of warmth and welcome. She followed her nose to the kitchen and determined the wonderful smell was emanating from the stove top where Cali was cooking thick, fluffy pancakes. Max felt her stomach rumble. She hadn’t eaten since lunch time the day before. The other woman must have heard her yearning tummy for she turned and waved the spatula in greeting.
    “Good morning.”
    If she could have a plate of those pancakes then it would be a very good morning indeed, Max thought. So she smiled, “Morning.”
    Cali motioned to the coffee machine. “Help yourself. The boys will be in soon. They’re just finishing up their morning run.”
    Max didn’t really like coffee but she didn’t want to be rude so she thanked her and made a very weak, heavy on the milk and sugar, mug of the caffeinated beverage. Cali raised her eyebrows at the fourth teaspoon of sugar but didn’t comment. “So you’re in here cooking and doing the woman’s work while the big manly men are outside working on their muscle mass?”
    Cali chuckled and shook her head, “Not at all. We work on a roster system. Tuesday’s I do breakfast. Besides, I’ve already had my workout in the weights room.”
    Max had noticed the other woman’s incredible physique in what looked to be skin tight yoga shorts and a loose singlet top that had seen better days. Max sighed in envy. Her legs really were endless.
    “Are you checking me out?”
    Max raised her gaze and shrugged unapologetically, “Maybe.” The bawdy laugh that followed had Max’s own lips twitching. Cali clearly hadn’t taken any offense. She finished with the last of the batter and placed the final pancakes under a covered plate. She picked up her own coffee and tilted her head towards the window behind the sinks.
    “You want to check something out? Take a gander at that.”
    Max walked over and stood next to the blonde amazon. Her jaw unhinged. Outside were five half-naked, sweaty, panting Gods. All the men were dressed in either tracksuit pants or cotton shorts, running shoes … and nothing else. Clearly they had been exerting themselves as their chests were pumping up and down in a frenzied rhythm, beads of moisture running over corrugated abs only to disappear beneath damp waistbands.
    Then they started to stretch.
    “Do they do this every day?” She asked absently.
    “Yes. Every. Single. Day.” Cali answered, eyes also glued to the erotic show.
    “I bet you cook a lot of pancakes.” They looked at each other then and burst into shared laughter. It felt good to laugh and relax. Max had almost forgotten what it was like.
    Cali leaned against the sink companionably, “You know, sometimes they come inside like that. Just bypass the shower and sit right down at this table here, naked and sweaty.”
    Max held up her hands in a classic ‘I surrender’ gesture. “Please, enough! My heart can’t take anymore.” Cali continued to smile but began to eye her critically and Max had to stop herself from fidgeting under the knowing stare.
    “Rough night?” She asked.
    Max shrugged casually even though she felt anything but. She knew what Cali saw; too-pale cheeks under black-rimmed blood-shot eyes and a slightly swollen bottom lip. She had cringed when she saw her own reflection in the mirror earlier. The seizures often left her pale and listless for the first twenty-four hours or so. But she didn’t exactly carry an arsenal of make-up with her, it just wasn’t a priority, so there was