She wasn’t surprised by the question, knew that her friend deserved an answer. “That’s complicated, he’s my intern and everything, so we’re trying to keep it professional for now.”
“Trying?” Kendra asked, her voice perking up. “Does that mean something unprofessional happened? You know you can trust me; I won’t tell a soul.”
It took her a second to answer. “He kissed me,” she said, wondering why she was blushing when Kendra wasn’t even in the room. “The most amazing and wonderful kiss I’ve ever had, and I want him to do it again.”
“I knew it, I could tell there was something going on,” Kendra said. “It’s about time you met someone who turns you inside out. I don’t know why you’re waiting; you should just go for it. Life is too short for rules.”
“That’s easy for you to say, it’s not your reputation on the line,” she said, but she was laughing. “I think I’ll stick to my plan, but thanks for the advice.”
Cooper and Gilda were sitting at the kitchen table when she came back. “Is everything okay?” Cooper asked. “Are they going to be all right without you for another day?”
“Yeah, it’s snowing hard there too. Kendra is going to give everyone the day off tomorrow,” she said. “We’ll decide about the next day after the storm is over.”
“Well then, it looks like we’re all set for the night,” Gilda said, getting to her feet. “Let’s all go into the living room by the fire. It’s going to be a cold one tonight.”
CHAPTER 15
***COOPER***
Cooper stirred the fire, then added enough wood to burn for the next few hours. He watched until it was burning brightly, then sat down next to Stephanie on the couch. When she leaned into him, he took the chance and put his arm around her shoulders, breathing in her wonderful scent as he pulled her closer. Warmth spread through him when she looked up at him and their eyes locked. He could see the desire that was pulsing inside him mirrored in her eyes, but resisted the urge to kiss her.
“I brought hot tea and cookies to keep us warm,” his grandmother said, breaking the spell between them, and Stephanie pulled away with a guilty smile. “Oh, Cooper, that’s a nice fire, you always did have a way with the fireplace.”
He jumped up and took the tray from his grandmother. “There’s a science to it,” he said, setting it down on the table next to his grandmother’s chair. “But I won’t bore you with the details.”
“That’s a relief,” she said, but there was a smile on her face and she winked at Stephanie. “How about I tell a story instead?”
He joined Stephanie on the couch again. “Grandma tells the best stories,” he said. “And I bet you haven’t heard any of these.”
Stephanie looked skeptical. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve heard all the stories. I’ve spent months living on the reservation, I made it a point to learn them all,” she said, then looked over at Gilda. “I don’t mean to insult you. I would love to hear a story; there’s nothing better on a stormy night like this.”
After pouring them all a cup of tea, his grandmother handed them the plate of cookies, and they each took one. Then, satisfied, she sat back in her chair. For the next two hours, they listened to tales of honor and bravery, stories about triumph and tragedy, descriptions of villains and heroes. Then, his grandmother fell silent before draining the last of her tea and setting the cup back on the tray.
Stephanie was silent for so long that if he hadn’t been looking at the astonished look on her face, he might have thought she’d fallen asleep. “I’ve never heard…no one ever told those stories…” she finally stammered, then let out a long sigh. “I owe you an apology. I was acting like a know-it-all all, and I don’t know anything.”
“Does that mean you’re starting to believe?” he asked, trying to ignore the little spark of hope deep inside him. “I know it’s a lot to ask, a lot to wrap your head around, but you’ve seen the proof.”
“I’m not quite there yet, but I’m trying,” she said, looking up at him. “I need to see the mural again, maybe I even need a little more proof…I don’t know…I’m sorry…it’s just…”
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, smiling at her. “There’s no rush, you’ll get there when you’re ready, take your time.”
She studied him for a second. “Cooper, why is this so important to you?” she asked. “I mean, what difference does it make if I believe or not?”
“We have to protect that crypt, and that’s going to be a huge sacrifice for you. I just want you to understand what you’resacrifice means,” he said. “If people find out about shifters, our…I mean their lives will never be the same.”
“I suppose that you’re right,” Stephanie said, after thinking about it for a second, then shook her head. “My biggest find, if you believe this whole shifter thing, and I can’t even tell anyone about it.”
“That’s not entirely true,” he said. “But that’s a conversation for another time.”
“I agree,” his grandmother said. “I think it’s time for bed.”
After banking the fire for the night, he took the tea tray to the kitchen and cleaned it up, then climbed the stairs, smiling when he heard the two women laughing and talking. When he got to the top, they were standing in the middle of the hallway, Stephanie was holding up a long white nightgown up in front of her and his grandmother was beaming at her.
“What do you think, Cooper?” his grandmother asked. “Will it fit?”
He thought about Stephanie crawling into bed dressed only in the sheer white nightgown and his mouth went dry. After forcing himself to swallow down the desire that was suddenly overwhelming him, he managed to nod his head, but still couldn’t manage words for a few more minutes. If the two women noticed, neither said anything, but he was sure he saw a knowing look in his grandmother’s eyes.
“Well, I’ll just be off to bed then,” she said, grinning at him. “Cooper, get Stephanie an extra blanket before you go to your room. I don’t want her getting cold tonight.”
