“I…don’t know how you want me to answer that.”
My pulse skips. “Honestly.”
“It might frighten you.”
“Try me.”
There’s a long pause, and I’m starting to wonder if he fell asleep when he finally answers. “I didn’t think itwaspossible, until I met you.”
I close my eyes, willing my pulse to slow because I know he can hear it, hear the way I’m breathing. Hell, he can sense me crying.
“I can’t make you any promises, Dex, except that I’ll try. I’m scared.”
“I know, love. All I ask is a chance.”
“I’m trying.”
“I know. And I appreciate it.” I hear him moving around inside the closet. “I’m going to settle in. Please, try to get some sleep.”
“Sleep tight.”
“You, too.”
I look down and spy a couple of his hairs on my dress. It’s silly, but I smile and pluck them off, carrying them over to the windowsill, where I carefully lay them. At least part of him can experience the sun.
The sun hasn’t quite peeped over the top of the mountains yet when my cell phone rings.
Amber.
“Hey, chica,” I answer. I know why she’s calling this insanely early.
“Soooo? How’d things go last night?”
“Long story.” I don’t want to admit he’s in my closet. I know shifters can scent him, but why possibly invite trouble? He has Garrett’s permission to be here. That’s all that matters. “Wasverypromising. We’re getting together again tonight at the club.”
“Excellent. Did he upgrade your ride?”
“What do you mean? Besides the tires?”
“No, silly. The Audi.”
My face heats. “It’s a rental. He asked me to drive it today.” None of that,technically, is a lie. “How’d you know about the Audi?”
“I wanted to cook breakfast. Garrett ran out to buy us eggs because I fumbled the dang carton getting it out of the fridge and dropped and broke them all. He saw it parked out there.”
Well, scented it, is more likely. He probably picked up Dex’s scent in the elevator or lobby and tracked it back to the vehicle. “Things are going well between me and Dex.” I remember he’s in the closet, and I don’t know if he’s still awake or not and can hear me. “Anything else about my father?”
Okay, that’s playing dirty, distracting her like that, and I know it.
She goes quiet for a moment. “No, sorry. I justknowhe’s alive.”
Greeting the sunrise is something I’ve done frequently since living here. I glance down just as the sun peeks over the…well, peaks to the east. As the brilliant orange rays cascade into my apartment and over my skin, my focus is on the hairs.
Which promptly incinerate with soft, audiblepoofsas the light hits them, making me gasp.
“Connie? Are you all right?”
“I-I’m fine, sorry.” My pulse pounds. “Just heard a door shut across the hall, and it startled me, that’s all. I’m tired.” There are two fine lines of ash, barely dust, where the hairs were.
