by K. R. Willis
His tongue darted into my mouth, exploring, tasting. I let mine twine and tangle with his, a dance of desire. The tips of his fangs touched my tongue as I explored, making me hesitate, but I forced myself to relax. He’d earned my trust repeatedly. I touched them again, gently, and a thrill raced through me. What would it be like to have him bite me. Would it be like in the movies? A shiver ran down my body, making little goosebumps pop up all over. That was dangerous territory that had to be avoided; he’d no longer be a vampire.
Leo broke from the kiss. Judging by the look of desire in his eyes, which had turned black as obsidian, his thoughts mirrored my own. His fangs were fully visible now. He closed his eyes for a moment, and they quickly disappeared. As soon as he had that part of his nature under control, he leaned toward me and trailed sweet kisses down my neck. My pulse quickened when he paused at my jugular for a single heartbeat before continuing toward my collarbone.
Excitement flooded my system. My fingers found his hair and I reveled in its softness. Leo kissed along the front dip of my blouse, but didn’t go any lower. I sighed, both thankful and frustrated. The thought of being with Leo, completely, awoke feelings in me I’d never experienced before, but it also terrified me enough to make me hesitate. I wasn’t a virgin, but having been with a couple of guys did not make me experienced. And they hadn’t made me feel anything like I felt when I was around Leo: cherished, special.
But Leo was over two-hundred years old. I didn’t even want to think of how many women he’d been with. Even after everything he’d confessed, that thought doused some of my desire.
Apparently, I’d paused too long, my fears creating indecision and the other thoughts creating doubt, because Leo stopped kissing me. “Is something wrong?” he asked. Some of the black faded from his eyes as he stared into mine, searching. “My apologies. I thought that, after our talk, we had moved past this.” He began to pull away, out of our embrace, but I tightened my grip, refusing to let go.
“Yes—I mean, no, nothing is wrong.” I blew out a breath of frustration. Why am I so bad at this? “What I mean is, we are past that, it’s just...” I exhaled. Time to woman up. “I want to be with you, but it’s a little intimidating.”
Leo stared at me, confusion plain as day on his face.
I tamped down the urge to scream at how stupid I felt. “You’re a vampire. You know, two-hundred years’ worth of experience...” I trailed off, pleading with my eyes that he would figure the rest out on his own. I swore if I had to spell it out, I would crawl under the table and die of embarrassment.
But thank goodness, understanding finally dawned and he said, “Ah. You are worried that since I have been around for so long, I have bed many women.” His eyes twinkled with amusement and he chuckled. “Let me assure you, I have been very selective in my choosing of mates. There have not been as many as you fear.” He caressed my face with his thumb, and I relaxed into his touch, able to breathe again.
“I hate to ask. I know it isn’t any of my business, but if we’re going to make a go at this, I can’t stand not knowing. To constantly wonder...” I couldn’t bring myself to finish the question.
“I have dated many, but have only been intimate with three,” he said, his face serious.
“How is that possible?” The disbelief in my words was hard to miss.
The rest of the black faded from Leo’s eyes. He slid his arm around me, and led me toward the Morgan. The mood had passed. I was angry with myself for letting my fears get between us, but also glad in a way. Glad I had more time. Maybe Leo’s confession would help put my fears to rest, and allow us to move forward.
“Because,” Leo said as he opened the passenger door and helped me in, “Unlike many of my counterparts, I believe that is something that should not be taken lightly, so I only allow things to progress that far with women I can see myself with for a very long time.” He paused for a second, searching my face.
“With women I can see myself falling in love with.”
Chapter 18
He left those words hanging in the air between us, and made his way to the other side of the car. After starting the Morgan, he pushed a button on the dash and the whir of tiny motors came to life, rolling the soft top back and tucking it inside a compartment near the trunk.
I sat there, stunned, letting his words replay over and over in my head. He only chose women he could see himself with for a long time, women he could see himself falling in love with. My heart somersaulted in my chest. He hadn’t said he loved me, but he’d hinted at the possibility. That he felt like he could.
And I realized, I felt the same. The possibility was there in the way he’d cared for me, protected me, come to my aid more than once. Butterflies took flight in my stomach as I leaned across the center console and kissed Leo on the cheek. His lips would have been better, but I couldn’t quite reach them from my current angle. The smile he rewarded me with made me weak in the knees. Thank goodness I was already seated.
His arm slid behind my back, holding me tight to him as I snuggled into the groove as best I could. Times like these, an old bench seat would be perfect, I thought. Too bad we hadn’t driven Old Red.
The wind played with our hair as we rode with the top down. I gazed at the stars as they flew past, and reveled in the feel of Leo as he held me. A quietness settled into my bones, something I hadn’t experienced much of lately. Melancholy momentarily hit me as I thought about how simple my life had been up until a few weeks ago. Leo and I could be going on our first date, no baggage attached. No worrying about the Council, the Evil One, or vengeful werewolves. Just two people enjoying a perfect evening.
But then again, Leo and I wouldn’t be where we were without those same events bringing us together.
The moonlit sky disappeared as Leo pulled into my guest parking spot. He put the car in park, but didn’t kill the engine.
“I had a wonderful time,” I said, crawling back across the console to my side of the car. My side ached where I’d laid on the hard surface.
“As did I.” Leo stepped out, then opened my door a second later. He held his arm out, letting me use it to pull myself out of the low seat. We stood face to face for a heartbeat before Leo leaned toward me and whispered in my ear. “I very much look forward to our next one.” He kissed me softly. It didn’t hold the same fiery passion as the one he’d given earlier, but it still spoke of desire and whispered promises of things to come.
“Goodnight, Leo. Thank you for the wonderful evening.”
Leo tilted his head to the side in a mini bow. “It was my pleasure. I shall see you soon.” He ran his hand across my cheek in a gentle caress, then retreated, climbing into the still-running car. I watched as he backed out, and disappeared into the night.
My fingers touched my lips, remembering how he’d kissed me, replaying the events of the night over and over in my head. A happy sort of giddiness ignited in my veins, spreading through me like wildfire. Now if I could just get the rest of my life to go as well as tonight had.
∞∞∞
I slept for about six hours before getting up and driving to Sally’s. The excitement over my date with Leo must have chased away even the nightmares because they never came. Six hours of dreamless sleep and the night I’d had with Leo had put a little pep in my step when that wasn’t normally the case. Sally, on the other hand, was generally an early riser, so I wasn’t surprised to find the lights on in her apartment when I arrived. She answered almost as soon as I knocked.
“How’s our patient?” I asked. Sally, fresh from the shower in her pink bathrobe, led the way into the kitchen and poured us both a cup of coffee.
“I’m fine,” George said. I whirled around at the unexpected sound of his voice, my heart in my throat. He limped into the kitchen, but waved me away when I made a move to help him. His face looked strained, yet determined. He took a seat on one of Sally’s barstools, the wood creaking as he did so. It wasn’t accustomed to someone so big sitting on it. None of her furnit
ure was.
George looked much better. His color had taken on that warm glow it had prior to being poisoned, and the bluish gray color had completely vanished. His cheeks had filled out, no longer sunk in. Everything about him screamed “healthy” once again, except for the limp I’d noticed when he entered the kitchen.
“Stubborn wolf won’t follow orders and stay in bed as you can see,” Sally harrumphed. She glared at him over her shoulder before pouring him a cup of coffee and passing it to him. He smiled, a glint of something in his eyes. Mischief maybe.
“Someone is just being overprotective of her patient,” he said. He smiled at Sally, the look happy and content. She smiled back, but quickly turned away when she caught me watching.
“Sally told me what you had to do to save my life,” George said. His eyes met mine, all traces of humor gone. “If ever there is something you need, you need but ask, and I will be there.”
“You’re welcome, and thank you,” I said. I didn’t really like having people indebted to me, but with the way things had been going lately, it might come in handy. “How did you end up there anyway?” My coffee had cooled enough so I took a sip and waited for his answer.
George’s eyes darkened. “Some bitch claiming she’s Jeremy’s sister came in and took over the pack. She’s tough as hell, and even meaner, and managed to fight for her right to lead. After ruthlessly killing two members who challenged her, everyone backed down. No one stood against her when she sold me to that vampire, or whipped a friend of mine almost to death.” Amber flared in his eyes, the wolf just as angry as the man.
My heart sank. It really had been my fault he was there.
You rescued him, and procured the Aqua Vitae for him from the Council, Rya chimed in. You have nothing to feel guilty about.
Yeah, except he never would have had those problems if not for me. The old ache, which I thought I’d buried for good, bloomed in my chest. Everything bad that happened, especially here lately, seemed to circle back to me.
“What will you do now?” I asked George. Obviously, he couldn’t go back to the pack.
He shook his head. “To be honest, I’m not sure yet. I really didn’t think I would have the chance to do something else. I figured I would die in the fights, and that would be that. Now that I’m free, I’m at a loss.” His face fell as he thought of something. “The first thing the pack would have done is clear out my apartment, and give it to another pack member. All my things...” He slammed a fur-covered fist down on the counter, making me and our coffee cups jump. “I’ll have to start over.” The words were partially growled as his mouth elongated into the beginnings of a snout. His anger was bringing his wolf closer to the surface.
Sally placed her hand on top of his. “George,” she said, her voice calm. He locked eyes with her. I was about to tell her to look away, to stop challenging his wolf, but before I could form the words, he visibly relaxed. George closed his eyes and breathed in and out for several breaths. When he opened them again, they were no longer amber. His snout shifted, the muscles contracting until it was once again human, and the fur on his hand disappeared.
She calms him, Rya offered. Almost like an Omega wolf calms the pack.
Interesting.
“Good,” she said, patting his hand. “I’m not using the spare bedroom for anything, so you can stay here as long as you like.” She seemed to think of something because the look she suddenly gave George was mischievous and playful. “But no drooling on the furniture, and no shedding.”
The stunned look on George’s face was priceless, as though he couldn’t believe she’d even suggested such a thing. I worried she might have offended him, but then he smiled, and we all burst out laughing.
“It’s good to see the two of you are getting on so well. I’ll let Leo know you made it,” I told him as I stood. “I really do need to get to work and open the shop.” Sally hugged me, and George walked me to the door.
“Like I said, if you need any help, just ask.” He handed me a small piece of paper with his phone number on it. I slipped it into my pocket and promised I would.
The early morning sun shone brightly as I walked toward Old Red. Leo and I had a great first date, the nightmares had stayed away last night, and George was recovering. Things were looking up.
Chapter 19
Two days later
“So where are we going?” I asked Jamie as we headed out of town in her red Toyota Celica. Things had been quiet for the last two days—Leo and I talked nightly, the nightmares had finally taken a break, and George had made a complete recovery—so when she dropped by the shop and asked once again for us to have a girl’s day out, I finally accepted.
She turned toward me and smiled impatiently. “I told you we were going hiking,” she said, her tone of voice crisp, with a slight edge to it.
I felt a little guilty since it wasn’t the first time I’d asked her. More like the fourth. Or fifth. But all she’d told me was to wear clothes suitable for hiking. She hadn’t given me any more details, and that bugged me for some reason. Leo had surprised me the other night when he took me out, and that had been exciting, but I didn’t know Jamie so when she did it, it just irritated me.
Don’t be a spoilsport, Rya said. She’s just trying to impress you. Sam really seems to like her and vice versa, so give her a shot. She was quiet in my mind, but watchful.
I sighed. “Fine.”
She smiled for real this time, then turned back toward the highway, her ponytail brushing the tops of her shoulders. I watched her for a few minutes as she drove. She was attractive, but not in a supermodel kind of way. Her makeup was impeccably done, with just the right amount to accent her natural skin tone without being gaudy. Fit, muscular, but at the same time feminine. It was clear why Sam liked her so much.
Maybe I should try harder to be nice to her.
We pulled into a parking spot at Giant Springs State Park. A large rocky outcropping rose before us in the distance. A ranger’s station sat off to our right, but no trucks remained in the lot. They must have been out on their rounds. Oceans of grass swayed in the wind around us, the occasional copse of trees joining in the dance. I’d never been here before, and I scolded myself for that now. It was beautiful and serene, a perfect spot to go hiking.
Jamie smiled at me knowingly and climbed out of the car without saying a word. I followed, unwilling to tell her she’d picked a great spot or admit to the nice surprise. Rya snickered in my mind, the words “I told you so” just under the surface.
“Do you come here often?” I asked her instead. She began warming up her calf muscles by picking her foot up by the toe and bending it up to touch her heel to her rear. She traded off doing that and squatting several times, while I went through my normal warm-up routine I did with Sam.
“Not until recently,” she said in between stretching, “but now I come here all the time.” She did one more set, then stretched the muscles in her neck. “Ready?” she asked.
Since I worked out so much with Sam, it didn’t take much for me to get limbered up. I nodded. Excitement over doing something different, something outdoors, ran through me. The woods around my father’s lodge had been my sanctuary as a child, and I realized how much I’d missed it. She took off at a steady jog, me hot on her heels.
We settled into a comfortable jog, each of us keeping pace with the other. The pristine landscape moved past us at a steady speed. The smell of pine trees assaulted my nose, making me fight the urge to sneeze. Water rushed over the rocks from the stream nearby, and birds chirped happily in the canopy above us. It really was a nice place.
Jamie suddenly sighed, breaking the peaceful silence that surrounded us. She stopped abruptly and tugged my arm, pulling me to a halt. “Look,” she said. “I have to get this off my chest. I really like Sam. He’s a great guy. You’re a huge part of his life, and I want us to be friends. Or at least not hate each other.” She walked off a couple of paces. “Every time I’m around you I get the feeling I’m ste
pping on your toes or something, but Sam assures me the two of you are just friends.” She got quiet for a second, her back toward me. “Is there something else there, between the two of you? Is that why you don’t like me?”
My mouth hung open, and I didn’t respond for several moments, too stunned to answer. Was there something romantic between Sam and me? My stomach rebelled at the thought. I loved Sam, with all my heart, but as my brother. Anything more than that would just seem wrong.
“You’re right,” I told her. “I do love Sam.” Her shoulders stiffened. “But as a brother,” I quickly added. “Nothing more.” She visibly relaxed.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
I tried to imagine Sam kissing me the way Leo had, and I just couldn’t. I’d never thought of him that way. “I’m absolutely positive,” I assured her.
She heaved a huge sigh of relief. “Good,” she said as she spun around and shoved her hands on her hips. “Then can you at least give me a chance?” She tried to stare me down, but the effect was lost because she couldn’t quit smiling.
Dammit, I couldn’t help but smile back. Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all. “Okay, fine. But if you hurt Sam, you’ll have to answer to me. And trust me, I’ve faced far worse than you and lived to tell about it.”
Her smile grew. “Got it.” She nodded. Her ponytail swished, reminding me of I Dream of Jeannie, but with brown hair instead of blond.
I nodded back, a sort of truce.
With that out of the way, we resumed our hike. She asked me questions, and I answered the ones I was willing to share. She talked about her life and Sam, and I found myself actually enjoying her company. It took us roughly two hours to make our way around the park trail. It was late afternoon by the time we headed out.
