At some point, in a natural progression, my lips wander away from hers, pressing against the curve of her cheekbone, then trailing up to her forehead, where I bury my nose in her loose, damp hair.Breathing her in relaxes me more than any drug ever could.
This is more than attraction.
Which is why I had to fight off a wave of angry fear when I found her hiding in that tree.
When Zoey said the growling might have come from a wolf, I was instantly alert.There aren’t any wolf packs near Pine Falls.The pure wolves scent us.They know this is our territory.
Which means the only wolf that could have been nipping at her heels was a werewolf.
And I don’t know what that means.The mystery agitates my inner beast.
There’s no reason for any of our pack to harass a human.Sure, we maintain an air of intimidation in town.But we don’t come after people in our animal forms.That’s just begging for wary acceptance to morph into a mortal versus supernatural civil war.
Roderick would be furious.
I remind myself it might not have been a wolf.Zoey said the animal could’ve been a bear, and there are plenty of those in the woods around here.Wolves and bears don’t really discuss property lines.
Normally, I’d be able to figure out the culprit with little effort.That’s the beauty of heightened senses.But the rain washed away any scent trail or tracks, and I couldn’t even hear Zoey’s panicked panting when I found her hiding up in that tree.I almost missed her completely.
What would have happened if I hadn’t come along?
She’s strong and resourceful, but that doesn’t mean she can fight off a bear.
Zoey settles deeper into my arms, and I realize she’s dozed off.She buries her face into my neck as if she’s seeking warmth from me.I’ll give it to her.Every ounce that she needs.The memory of her lips, trembling and turning blue with cold, has my heart pounding heavy and panicked.I tighten my hold and adjust the blanket thrown over us so it sits just beneath her chin.
And I take comfort in the fact that her lips are flushed red now.Warmed to life by lazy kisses.
19
ZOEY
I slipone of the cassette tapes into the stereo, hit play, and gaze around the cabin as my mom’s voice fills the room.The glimpse into her past along with her superior music taste, makes each new tape an enjoyable surprise.I savor them, only putting one on when I’m doing something productive.
Now, I just need to figure out exactly what my productive activity will be.
The rocking chairs I’ve been working on are out in the front yard, their new coat of stain needing some time to dry.Minnie’s closet is only half cleared, so there’s that option.
But that task sets off an ache in my chest, and I shy away from the potential emotions paired with touching her personal items.When I decided to come to Pine Falls, I thought cleaning out the cabin would be a mind-numbing task.I figured as my hands kept busy, I could ponder my relationship with my family and what future I saw for myself.
Hoping I could discover the balance between what I wanted, what I needed, and what I was capable of.
But Minnie’s presence is everywhere, and I’m having trouble separating myself from thoughts of her.
After yesterday’s interaction with Warner, I’m hoping for less emotion, not more.
After we stopped kissing, I drifted off to sleep.He might have, too, but by the time I woke back up, Warner was staring down at me with a secret smile.
Also, the rain had stopped.
In the moment, I had multiple routes.I could have drawn his face down to mine and started up another round of making out.Or I could have taken advantage of his almost-naked state to move the interaction to the next level.Instead, I declared that his clothes were probably dry and asked if he wanted me to get them.
Warner smirked down at me and said, “Whether I want them or not, it’s probably better if I put them on.”
When he was dressed, we stood quietly in the kitchen for some time.He watched me, and I tried to think straight with his entire focus trained my way.
“Are you looking for a hookup?”Maybe I could be the type of woman who allowed herself pleasure without diving into deep emotions.
His eyes widened.
