Chapter 7 - Rachel
I came down the steps and headed toward the door.
“Where are you headed?” Sam asked.
“I’m going on a hike with Emma and Liv,” I said.
“I’ll walk you there,” Sam said, getting to his feet. “It’s a nice day out.”
I did my best not to roll my eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
Sam frowned. “There’s a wraith on the loose along with who knows how many lesser demons,” he growled. “If I could stick you with a bodyguard twenty-four-seven, I would.”
My lips pursed, but one look at Sam told me that I wasn’t going to get any say in the matter. After an exhale of frustration, I gave a nod toward the door, and the two of us walked out together.
“This really isn’t necessary, you know,” I said after a few minutes. This sort of behavior wasn’t uncommon from him, but I still didn’t understand it. Ever since he had brought home the orchids, he had seemed to go out of his way to show he cared about me, that he wanted me safe. This included going with me wherever I went.
“I told you,” he replied. “The wraith is out there, as are other creatures. I’m not going to be able to concentrate on my own things unless I know you’re safe.”
“You don’t need to protect me, Sam,” I said. “Ignoring the fact that I’m not a target for anyone, you have other, more important things to do.”
He stopped and turned to me. “You’re mine,” he said, in a way that seemed to make my entire insides flare with need. “AndI’m not going to stop protecting you. There isn’t anything more important in my mind.”
Despite the heat rushing through me at his stare and the words, I forced myself not to fall for them.
“Years of us ignoring one another, of you barely giving me the time of day, and now you want to start being my protector?” I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I’ve just started?”
I couldn’t answer right away. His words were so sincere that they couldn’t be a lie. It was a sweet thought that almost made me smile. But it didn’t make any sense to me, either. If he had felt that way, he should have told me. He shouldn’t have rejected me in the first place.
“Right, because you can’t concentrate on anything unless you know I’m safe,” I said with a flat expression.
“Believe me, if I could stop thinking about you, I would,” he said.
The words stabbed deep into my gut, harder than I would have expected. My fingers curled as my jaw tightened.
“Glad to know that’s where you stand,” I shot back.
Without another word, I turned on my heels and sped ahead. Why did I even bother with him?
His hand wrapped around my wrist, and he tugged me back until I was facing him. Light shone on his sandy hair, making it look bronze, giving his skin a sun-kissed look. He stared down at me with an intensity that made my heart thunder, and all I could think about was his eyes and how badly my wolf wanted to clear those few inches to press up against him, to feel those muscles beneath my fingers.
His next words jolted me back to reality.
“I never stop thinking about you, Rachel,” he murmured. “To the point where half my mind is always fixated on you in some way. To the point where, if I have to fight for my life, I’m still going to be worrying about you if I don’t know you’re safe. It’s distracting, to say the least.”
I could barely breathe as I stared at him, that electricity coursing through me as he held onto me. For a moment, nothing mattered but the two of us.
“That seems…Dangerous,” I said, the words barely getting out of my throat.
He gave a low chuckle. “Trust me, it is.” His thumb ran along my wrist, sending shivers up my spine. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like keeping you safe.”
This close, I could barely breathe. I bit my lip unconsciously, only realizing what I was doing when I saw his gaze flick down to my lips and the hunger flare in his eyes, but by then, it was too late.
We stayed like that for a moment, his touch electrifying me as we looked at one another, both fighting the urges rushing through us from the mating bond. I knew without a doubt that if I stepped closer, filling that final gap and pressing my lips to his, I wouldn’t make that hike. My breathing hitched, going ragged as I stared at him, trying to fight that need I had always felt for him, that need that had only grown more acute since the mating ceremony. I fought it because even if I craved him, I wasn’t going to let myself fall into that trap, not after everything he had put me through. I wasn’t going to open myself up to that.
Then he released my hand, and the spell was broken. Still reeling, I didn’t move when he leaned down, his lips almost brushing my ear.
