by Ava Benton
“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” I murmured.
“Please. Everything makes me cry right now. I found a cricket inside the cabin last night and stepped on it, then bawled my eyes out for an hour because I had killed a freaking cricket. I mean, come on.”
We giggled together, and I felt lighter than I had in a long time. I didn’t have to tell myself anymore that certain dreams weren’t meant to come true. It was too much to believe, but it was true. Maybe I would start believing it one day.
“I’ll miss this if I go,” I pointed out. “You and me.”
Her face fell. “Yeah. Me too.”
“Oh, jeez, don’t start bawling your eyes out on me. I won’t know what to do. I’ll probably start crying, too.”
She nodded hard and fast, and I could tell she was trying to control herself. Her chin wobbled, but then stopped. “I’ll be fine,” she breathed.
I nodded. Then, “Florida?” I asked, cringing. “What the heck is down there? Humidity. Bugs. Snakes. Hurricanes.”
“I heard they’re right outside Miami,” she offered. “Miami’s supposed to be pretty great. And there’s palm trees and great weather and beaches…”
“A beach I won’t have to live on,” I smiled.
“Exactly.” She took my hands again and squeezed. “You know, you’re talking about this like it’s really going to happen. You sound like you know what you’re going to decide.”
I winced, glancing out the window. “It’s still so early in the morning. I don’t know if he’s even up yet. I’ve given this almost no time to think over.”
“You can think about it all you want, you know. You can try to talk yourself out of it, too. But when push comes to shove, you know in your heart what the right choice is.” She leaned in, whispering, “Imagine him leaving today with Jace and Cord. You’ll never see him again. What do you think you would have wished you’d done different?”
I closed my eyes and imagined him kissing me goodbye. The pain in my chest was enough to make my eyes fly open again. “I wish I would’ve gone with him,” I said, awed.
“There you go, my friend.” Her chin wobbled dangerously hard. “God, I’m gonna miss you so much.”
“Oh, my Lord.” I grabbed her and held her tight as we both lost it. “I’ll miss being here while you’re pregnant! And I won’t be here when the baby’s born!”
We cried even harder.
“We don’t have to leave right away,” I sobbed into her shoulder.
“But you will, and that’s okay,” she wept. “I want you to be happy. That’s all that matters.”
“I hate this,” I admitted.
Sobs shook me until my shoulders and back were sore and I had hiccups.
Once we were finished, we stretched out on our backs across the foot of the bed. Every once in a while, one of us would let out a little shudder or gasp, but most of the emotion was gone.
“It feels like everything changed so fast,” she marveled as we both stared up at the ceiling. “One day it was the three of us and the group, going from place to place, and we had each other’s backs through everything. Now? I’m pregnant, Nia’s in Montana, and you’re going to Florida. And we’re all happy—that’s important to remember when we miss each other.”
“You’re happy. Nia’s happy. The jury’s still out on me.”
“You’ll be happy,” she promised, turning her head to look at me with a knowing grin. “I’ve been watching you two, and you’ll be happy. You’re like two peas in a pod. You were meant for each other. I guess one good thing came out of that nightmare at the lab.”
“I guess so,” I whispered. I hated thinking that I was finally happy thanks to his imprisonment. “I guess it was fate.”
“Oh, I’m sure something’s out there, guiding all of us. It guided you two together. You didn’t have one of those—what do you call them—meet-cutes, but you met anyway. And now, something happy can come out of all that horrible stuff he went through. That’s worth it, right?”
“You’re right. You’re always right. Sometimes it’s annoying,” I giggled.
“It’s easy to be right when you’re not talking about yourself. Remember, I’m the one who was three months pregnant when I decided to go on a secret mission in Washington, remember? Roughing it the way we did, hiking all those miles when I felt for sure that I was spew chunks all over the place.”
Oh, gross,” I laughed.
“And getting my silly ass caught. Not the queen of good decision making, my friend, but thanks for flattering me anyway.” She sat up with a groan. “I have packing to do. And I think there’s a man out there just waiting to know whether you’re coming home with him.”
My heart skipped a beat and I wondered how it was possible to feel so low, so dejected, and so completely joyful all at once. It was such an easy decision when Layla put it the way she’d put it. Of course, I would go to Florida and be happy with Grant. No other choice made sense. We belonged together.
I gave her one more hug before hurrying out of the cabin.
The rest of the camp was up at that point, walking past, waving good morning. They were excited about moving out soon, and I was glad for them.
I hoped they would all find happiness the way the girls and I had. I jogged over to Grant’s tent and whistled the whole way. Not much of a chance that he would still be in there, but I wanted to check there first.
“Grant?” I asked when I reached the tent.
No answer—but I did hear a sound from behind the tent.
Scratching. Twigs snapping.
“Grant?” I asked again, raising my voice. I
peeked around the side. Walking around to the back seemed like it might be a bad idea.
Dark brown fur. Grant’s fur was a beautiful golden color, like his hair.
“Who’s there?” I asked, my head whipping back and forth, trying to find somebody.
Where had they all disappeared to? I heard voices coming from the lake, drifting over to me through the trees.
I sniffed the air. No blood.
Another sound, louder than ever, and the tent shook back and forth.
That shocked me into action and without a thought I shifted.
The sound of shredding fabric filled my ears before I roared and sprang around to the side of the tent.
My breaths came in heavy gasps as I snarled and growled.
Who was there? Who would dare?
A full-grown brown bear stood on its hind legs and stared down at me.
No. Not a bear. It didn’t smell like a real bear.
I felt its intelligence.
Who are you? I asked silently, glaring at it with my hackles up.
I was ready to pounce the second it made a wrong move. I thought about Jace and Cord, making sure their images were clear in my mind so he would see them.
Are you one of them? I asked.
He didn’t think anything clearly enough for me to feel it. All he did was stare at me with those eyes.
Red eyes. Crazy?
No, I didn’t sense that. Just silent. Sizing me up.
Get out of here, I thought with all my might. You’re not wanted here. Go! The others will come. Many others. Out! Now!
I could’ve sworn he smiled at me before turning and ambling away, crashing through the trees.
I waited until the darkness swallowed him up before taking a deep breath and relaxing a little.
“Hey!”
I turned around in time to see Grant walking up with Jace and Cord.
I started shaking all over and didn’t stop even when they reached me.
9
GRANT
“I don’t like this.” Cord examined the back of the tent again. “Whoever it was, they were trying to tear through the canvas.”
“Lovely,” I growled.
Daniela hadn’t spoken a word since she told us what happened just before we got back from our hunt.
I had wrapped her in a sheet when she shifted back, for modesty�
��s sake. Her ruined clothes were in a heap by her feet.
“They were trying to get in here. But why? And why couldn’t they have done it in human form?” Jace asked.
“Maybe they were afraid of being recognized?” Cord looked back at us from where he was crouched near the ground.
“By whom?” Daniela looked up at us with wide eyes. “We don’t know any bear shifters as far as I know.”
“Sure, you do,” Cord grinned.
She smiled faintly, looking a little sick. “You know what I mean. Anyone besides you.”
“Maybe it was us he was trying to avoid,” Jace muttered, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine who that would be, though.”
My heart stopped for a moment before it took off at double time.
What were the chances?
I exchanged looks with Daniela.
“What are the odds of a random shifter wandering into camp?” Cord asked.
“Maybe it was looking for one of its own, too,” Jace wondered. “But that wouldn’t explain the damage to the tent.” He looked at Daniela with his lips pursed.
He was thinking, doubting. I knew he was wondering about her. Was she telling the truth? Was she just panicked and didn’t actually see what she reported?
What he didn’t know about her was how good she was at reading other people.
She looked him straight in the eye. “You know what, maybe it was just a regular old bear. I could be wrong—it wouldn’t be the first time,” she said, shrugging.
“You said you could tell it wasn’t, though,” Cord reminded her with one eyebrow raised.
“Yeah, I know, but like I said… I might have freaked out too fast. It didn’t think anything, like I said.” She tapped the side of her head with one finger. “I mean, that’s sort of a giveaway right there, right? He wasn’t like us.”
“Or it was just deliberately hiding its thoughts,” Jace murmured.
“Yeah, I guess that’s possible, but I don’t know. It doesn’t seem likely. Much more likely that a bear wandered into camp—I’m sure it happens all the time.” She didn’t try too hard to change their minds or ease their questions.
I appreciated that.
Her smile wasn’t too bright, her voice wasn’t forced or strained.
The two Everglades exchanged looks.
“Maybe we should hang around for another day or two, make sure everything’s all right here,” Cord suggested.
I didn’t know whether or not I liked the idea. Part of me wanted them gone, wanted the source of my guilt as far away as possible. I kept checking on myself, making sure I didn’t slip up. It would be hard enough in Florida. I didn’t need it just then.
“I don’t think you need to—there are so many of us, it’s not like some random bear is going to rip us to shreds,” Daniela smiled. “But if it makes you feel better, I know the rest of the group would love it if you hung around for a while. Lance couldn’t stop asking you both questions last night. There’s probably a ton more he wants to know,” she added.
“Hmm. That’s true.” They exchanged another look.
What was Daniela playing at? Her face didn’t give anything away.
“All right. I’ll call the travel agent and see if we can shuffle things around. We should get back to the motel, too, and see if we can extend our reservation.” Jace smiled at the two of us before leaving, and Cord followed him.
I watched carefully as they walked away, down the path to one of the parking areas. Only when I heard the sound of a car’s engine turning over did I feel safe enough to speak.
“What the hell was that about?” I asked, turning to look at Daniela.
She fell onto the cot with a heavy sigh. “What was I supposed to do? What could either of us do? If we told them to go, they would know something fishy was up.”
“We don’t even know if anything fishy’s up,” I reminded her.
“You’re sure about that?” She raised one eyebrow, looking up at me from where she was lying on her back, still wrapped up. “You look like you’re about ready to jump out of your skin.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re such a liar.”
I growled when what I really wanted to do was tear the tent down and maybe knock a few trees down while I was at it. “You made it up, didn’t you? When you said you thought you could be wrong about the bear being one of us.”
“Of course, I did. Because you looked so worried.” She rolled onto her side and leaned on one elbow. “You think it was one of them, don’t you? That other clan.”
“Are you psychic? I really want to know, because it seems like you read people too easily.”
“Does it freak you out?” she asked with a wink.
“Maybe a little.”
She shook her head, making her rainbow hair flow behind her. “Not that I know of. And don’t change the subject. You think they were in bear form so you wouldn’t recognize them. Who was it?”
“I honestly don’t know.” I sat on the edge of the cot with my head in my hands. “Honestly, not a clue. If the Eastwings were really defeated, why would one of them come here? I didn’t think there were hardly any of them still around, from the way Jace and Cord made it sound.”
“Maybe it wasn’t even one of them,” she said. “Maybe it was another Everglade. I wouldn’t know a Everglade if I tripped over one.”
“Could be, but they would still announce themselves.” I shook my head. “I don’t know, Daniela. I don’t like it, though.”
“Come here.” She held her arms out.
The stubborn part of me—a very big part—wanted to refuse her. Push her away. Tell her there were other things on my mind.
So why did I go to her? Why did I let her wrap her arms around me? Why did I take her face in my hands and cover her mouth with mine?
I needed to forget, at least for a little while. I wanted to let go of the guilt I had been struggling under for so long. I wanted to feel normal for the first time in so long.
When I was with her, holding her warm, soft body close to mine, I could forget for a little while. She gave me that. She gave me so much more than that.
She returned my kisses—eager, but tender. Looking into my eyes between kisses, stroking the back of my neck, running her fingers through my hair before letting them dance over the buttons of my shirt.
She unbuttoned me without looking, then spread the shirt open and kissed a slow, gentle trail down my chest, over my abs.
I groaned, eyes closed. Every inch she traveled, lower and lower, made it harder for me not to groan loud enough for the whole camp to hear.
She was getting closer to the growing, thickening cock under my belt and I lifted my hips a little, inviting her without meaning to. My body had a mind of its own.
Her hand slid over that bulge. I let my head fall back between my shoulder blades, absorbing the sensation of her tongue swirling just above the waistband of my shorts.
“Damn…” I muttered, running my fingers through her hair, moving it to the side so I could look down at what she was doing.
Her fingers traced the lines of my cock against the khaki.
I strained and twitched and went harder than ever. I thought I would break the zipper by the time she was finished teasing me.
She stopped teasing finally and worked at the belt, then opened my shorts. She couldn’t have unzipped them fast enough.
I raised my hips to let her slide them off.
She pressed my shoulders back, ordering me to lie down.
I stretched out on the cot while she knelt in front of me, then wrapped her fingers around my aching cock.
“Yeah…” I whispered when her tongue slid around the head. “Put it in your mouth.”
She closed her lips around me and plunged down until she reached the base.
I thought I might lose my mind. I couldn’t remember the last time a woman had me in her mouth. It was better than I remembered. I focused on holding on so it could last as long as possible. It wa
s too good to end too fast.
She dragged her tongue along the underside of the shaft, pressing a little harder on each upstroke.
I opened my eyes and looked down at her.
She was looking up at me with so much lust in her eyes, I almost lost it. Like there was nothing she wanted more in that moment than to suck on my cock.
My eyes closed again as everything built to a peak, and I couldn’t hold it off anymore. I didn’t want to. I wanted to come.
“Oh, God…” I grunted, gritting my teeth against anything else that might get attention.
She ran her hands over my chest and practically purred. Knowing that she liked doing it pushed me over the edge and I let go.
Fireworks went off behind my eyelids and I sank down on the cot.
“Mmm…” she murmured, still running her hands all over me. Slowly, gently, easing me back down.
It was perfect, the way I didn’t even know I wanted it to be until just then. Hardly the first blowjob I had ever gotten and not the most skillful, but the best because she was into it and cared whether or not I felt good.
Where the hell did girls like her come from, and how had I missed out for so long?
That thought made me sit up and take her by the arms.
She opened her eyes wide, surprised, as I lowered her to the ground. There was a sleeping bag there and I laid her down before sliding out of my shirt.
She sighed, arching her back as I lowered myself over her to kiss her neck, her chest, and more.
“What’s this?” she whispered, writhing a little, groaning in the back of her throat. That groan turned to a gasp when she felt my hand sliding up, over her ass.
“I always like to return a favor,” I whispered, then went back to work.
10
GRANT
I opened the tent as slowly and quietly as I could, watching her over my shoulder. She never flinched, and her breathing pattern never changed, tiny little snores filled the quiet. I was glad for those little snores just then. They gave me more confidence as I left the tent.
A handful of the others were playing basketball at one end of our section of the camp, and another handful were throwing horseshoes.
