There was nothing tying her to this place but me and her secrets.
I exhaled, the breath as sharp as my need. I needed to find a place for her within the pack before my instincts outpaced my patience. At least that way she’d be less likely to run, less likely to fade, less likely to leave me in the wreckage of another unfinished life.
But damn, I didn’t just want her to stay. I wanted everything. And it was tearing me apart.
I clenched the steering wheel, watching as her lights finally went out. The ghost of her smile haunted me through thedarkened glass, sweet and fleeting. The words she’d whispered as I shut her door, her certainty that she wasn’t afraid, cut through me like a blade with no mercy. I smiled to myself.“See you in my dreams tonight too, Red.”
The pieces fell into place, and I let the silence sink into my bones. I shifted gears and drove into the dark. Tomorrow was the first step in getting her settled into her new life.
There was a fresh and dangerous pull between us, even in the bright morning air. She opened the door before I knocked, breathless with surprise. Like I’d shattered every impression she’d ever formed. Like I’d given myself away in one sudden motion. Her face was alive with expectation as I crossed the threshold, knowing I’d claimed another part of her and not caring how fast the next followed. Not caring if it was her secrets or her body. Her fingers gripped the door, shock coiling through her, making her the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I kissed her forehead.
“Thought you’d guessed by now,” I said. Let her stare at the side of me she hadn’t seen before. Her in dark leggings, ankle boots, and a green sweater, every line as young and flawless as the curve of her parted lips. Me in a dark tailored business suit. The new dynamic hit us both hard. Even harder than I’d planned. I didn’t want to give her a chance to second-guess things, so I quickly got her in my truck and headed us into town.
We sat across from each other; the diner in town was the perfect place for breakfast and our discussion regarding what came next. “I knew you were complicated, but this is more than I imagined.” Her voice was full of wonder, the words taking form like she didn’t trust them yet. She lingered over her cup of coffee.
“I’m full of surprises,” I said, feeding the tension. Watched her eyes continue to study me. “One of them being I own one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country.”
She let out a small breath, not quite a laugh. I liked the way it sounded. Liked the way it brought her shoulders down, easy and natural. “Youarefull of surprises,” she said, teasing me with the lightness of it.
Then she gave me a sideways look, dark green eyes surrounded by thick lashes, the most seductive thing I’d ever seen. I wanted to reach across the table. Caress her flawless porcelain cheek just to break the distance between us. “And the other surprises?” She asked, voice tentative.
I smiled, slow and wide. “Confidential.” Her hair spilled around her, coiled and burning with intensity. Just like my need to have her. “I might let you in on ‘em.” The teasing came out darker than I'd planned. Rougher. She wasn’t backing down. She wouldn’t give in first. I waited. Let her make the move. Let her reach out with her vulnerability and test the waters.
It was her turn to surprise me. She held my gaze without flinching. “Mysteries can be fun to unravel, I guess.”
I laughed, the sound surprising us both. “Guess you’ll have to find out,” I said. Her frustration made her even more beautiful. I let it play across her face until I couldn’t stand the distance anymore.
“Guess I will.” Her coy smile only made her features more intriguing. But as much as I loved the flirtatious banter, I knew I had to steer us into more serious conversations. I reached for her hand across the table.
“Tell me what your plans are, Sawyer. For the future.” My voice was more of a demand than I’d meant it to be. Her breath caught slightly as she contemplated her answer. She had changed from the damaged woman I’d rescued those weeks ago. She’d been seeing Penny, our pack therapist, a few times a week. I hated to ask how that part of her life was progressing, but I had to know. “Are you ready to move forward? I know it’s not my business,really. But I can see how much you’ve changed since you’ve been seeing Penny. I thought maybe it was time for you to take the next step and integrate more into pack life. And I certainly don’t want to pressure you, but everyone in the pack who is able plays a part in keeping the community running. Do you have any skills or areas you’re passionate about where you think you might want to contribute?”
“I have a degree in teaching and music,” she said finally. She swallowed, the moment tightening. Breaking over us like a wave. “I’d like to teach or even give private piano lessons.”
The words opened the door for me, and I wasn’t going to let it close. Her dream was within my reach. “You want to teach?” I repeated. Her earnestness cracked me wide open. It was unexpected and perfect. “That’s amazing.” Her look of confusion made me smile.
“I thought that would be an unreachable goal there for a while,” she muttered as she got a faraway look on her face.
I knew she’d gone to a dark place. Fucking Harrison’s lab where she’d been tortured and abused. I squeezed her hand. “Hey, look at me, Sawyer.” She slowly came back to me. “You’re safe now,” I told her. “I swear to you. I will never let anyone hurt you again.”
The quiver of her lip as she smiled told me she wanted to believe that. The look in her eyes told me she didn’t quite think it was true. She immediately put on her signature Sawyer ‘happy face.’
“So, what’s so amazing about me wanting to teach?”
“What if I told you I had an opening?” The raw need in my voice gave away more than I’d planned. More than I cared to keep hidden.
“An opening?” Her confusion was sharp and sweet.
“For a teacher,” I said. “At the Pack school.”
She froze, an arrow in flight, an emotion I hadn’t expected freezing us both in place. Her questions. Her fears. Her bodyalive with uncertainty. Her expression transformed as she realized what I was offering her. Her hope filled every corner of the room, so bright it almost blinded me. Her green eyes. Her flushed skin. Her parted lips. The image was burned into my skull. Her voice was breathless. “A music teacher?”
I held the moment. Trapped it like an animal in my ribs. “Exactly.” Her desire hit me hard.
“Are you serious?” I bit back a smile.
“More serious than you know,” I said. Every word precise. Tactics honed in on what mattered. She believed me. Her face told me everything. Every shift, every crack in her hesitation. Every nuance of her willingness to step off this cliff with me.
“I don’t know what to say.” Her voice was music. Pure and clear and full of all the things I needed to hear. Her willingness to give this a shot. Her willingness to givemea shot.
