When she laughed, she finally felt strong enough to enter her own home. She walked in. He closed the door and locked up behind them. Shivering, she began to brush the snow off her shoulders, but Connor took charge.
“Here,” he said. “Let me. You’re covered in the stuff. Another minute out there and I’d have to give you a carrot for a nose.” He proceeded to wipe the snow from her hood, her hair, and even gently swiped his thumbs over her wet eyelashes.
With her face cupped in his hands, he gazed at her. His gaze dropped to her mouth, just for a moment, before he let her go.
“Thanks.” She removed her jacket, suddenly hot in the face.
“No sweat.” Without looking her in the eye, he grabbed up their jackets and put them in the closet.
That look. Elaine recognized it, even though she hadn’t seen it in some time.
Hunger.
It might have been veiled in confusion, but it was still hunger.
Her bear, after having hibernated in its cave since Lloyd’s death, poked its head out and sniffed the air. It turned to Connor, its pupils dilated.
No, no. You’re imagining things. It’s been a long time since you felt good, and you’re just craving companionship, that’s all. Connor’s a friend, and it’s way too soon to start thinking about men in that way.Besides, he’s not your type.
The bear huffed in remonstrance.
What did her dumb bear know anyway?
Escaping to the kitchen, she grabbed a tin of cocoa and some milk and began to prepare a couple of hot chocolates. She spooned some cocoa into the warming milk, but the mixture looked pale so she added more. The color still didn’t look right to her. She liked her hot chocolate strong. As she stirred the liquid, she added more cocoa, comparing the color to Connor’s dark eyes, but it wasn’t possible. His eyes were almost black and more mysterious than a pot of hot chocolate could ever be.
He snuck up behind her. “Need help?”
“No,” she replied, almost jumping out of her skin. Why were her nerves so frayed? “You sit and relax. I’ll bring them right over.”
As she poured the cocoa into a couple of mugs, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrored toaster next to the stove. Her cheeks were on fire.
What the hell?
You’ve been hiding on your own for too long, girlie. You’ve forgotten how to talk to people. Get a grip.
She finished preparing the drinks and brought them over on a tray. Rather than sit across from Connor on the chair, she joined him on the couch out of habit. She almost jumped up again but stopped herself so she wouldn’t look like a psycho. Instead, she sat back, gripped her mug, and breathed in the sweet heat.
“So,” he said, “what did you want to say earlier?” His deep voice sounded higher than usual.
She was making him nervous with her behavior.Settle down. It’s just Connor, and you need to talk to him.
“Elaine?”
“Right.” She sipped her hot cocoa and set it down on the coffee table. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what might happen to me. Lloyd and I never got around to making arrangements.”
“What kind of arrangements?”
“You know. If I die, too.”
“What?” He put down his mug. “Jesus, Elaine. Where did that come from?”
“I’m only saying what everyone else is thinking. Do you…do you think I’ll die?”
“No, of course not.”
“We all know the death of a shifter can result in the death of his mate.”
“Yeah, but…”
