“In case you showed up, cutie,” Marge confirmed. “And every time, he left it on the table untouched. Never seen Fang carry a torch like that before.”
“Really? You think he..cares for me?”
Marge’s laugh boomed through the mostly empty dining room, making the few customers look our way. “Sugar, I think he’s done gone over you.” She winked and smiled. “Pretty sure you’ve had him wrapped around your little finger since he saw you all nervous in the doorway, looking scared out of your wits.”
Jeremy chose that moment to return to the table, glancing between me and Marge with a quizzical look. “Everything okay?”
“Right as rain,” Marge assured him, pulling her order pad free of her pocket. “Y’all ready to order or need another minute?”
Through the rest of lunch, I was distracted. So much so that Jeremy had asked me if I wanted to swing by the campus and have the nurse check me over. I’d assured him I was fine and then spent the rest of the afternoon curled up in my comfy chair, staring blankly at the dark television screen as I replayed every interaction I’d had with Roger in my mind. I was still sitting in the same spot in the darkened room hours later when I realized that there was no denying that Roger hadn’tleftme at all, that I had shoved him away.
I was still trying to come to terms with my realization, wondering if there was any way to restore our relationship, if there was any chance that Roger might be willing to give me another chance when a mournful howl on the bluff above my little cabin had snapped me out of my head, making me shiver before a strange peacefulness wrapped around me.
Roger had found me. Now all I had to do was find a way to ask him to stay.
ChapterTwenty-One
Roger
I was picking my way down the hillside more slowly than I’d scaled it, never as eager to leave my chosen mate and our child as I was to reach them when a light breeze brought Ari’s familiar scent to my nose. I raised my head, greedily drawing in a deeper breath, and was surprised by the strength of the scent. If I hadn’t known that he’d already returned to his cabin, I’d have thought he was just around the bend in the path.
Obviously thinking the same thing, my wolf walked a little faster, eager to see what awaited us ahead. I mentally rolled my eyes when he increased to a slow trot. Our paws padded silently on the path until he skidded to a sudden stop, sending a small spray of dirt and tiny rocks tumbling when the source of the scent became visible.
A dozen or so yards beneath me at the base of the hill, Ari leaned against an ancient Spanish oak tree, his eyes trained on me as I began walking again, my very nature drawing me closer to him. When I got within a dozen feet, I forced myself to stop, sitting in the center of the path as I regarded him. He’d never seen me in any form other than my human one – as far as I knew, anyway – so there was no reason to think he knew it was me. I could only assume that he’d heard the wolf howl and come out to catch a glimpse of the animal. Still, it seemed odd that he would simply stand and watch as a massive wolf approached him.
As the silence settled between us, I could hear the heartbeat of the child he carried and my own quickly matched the faster beat. I allowed myself a few moments to bask in their presence, drawing in deep breaths of the same scent I’d pined for earlier, assuring myself that they were both healthy and well, before forcing myself to rise and continue on my way, carefully starting a path that would arc around Ari to ensure I didn’t scare him by advancing.
My assumptions were promptly shattered when his soft voice broke the silence.
“Please don’t go, Roger.”
I froze, turning my head toward him.
“Please?” Ari asked, his voice unsteady. “I know I don’t have any right to ask but I’d really like it if we could talk?”
Talking would require me to shift. Shifting in public would leave me naked and exposed, not exactly a thought I was comfortable with, especially as my body was already responding predictably to having those soft eyes trained on me, but I couldn’t refuse Ari anything, it seemed.
Ari must have read my hesitation because he continued, “We can go inside?”
I sighed and nodded, turning to walk with him down the path that led to his cabin, then entering when he held the door for me.
“You’re beautiful like this,” Ari said quietly, reaching out as if he was going to pet me and then stopping himself. “Sorry, I shouldn’t assume.”
I stepped closer, ducking my head under his hand, unable to stifle my whimper when his gentle fingers stroked my head and rubbed the sensitive area behind my ears.
“You’re so soft.” Ari sounded surprised, running his other hand down my back.
I stepped back reluctantly, aware that I needed to shift soon so we had time to talk before I had to leave for my assignment.
“Do you want privacy?” Ari offered.
I shook my head. Shifting in front of an audience was nothing new to me. I watched the amazement in his face as my bones cracked and reformed, my fur, claws, and fangs receded, replaced by the human structure he was used to, leaving me kneeling on the ground in front of him, naked and aroused.
Ari’s eyes were wide and his lips were parted, his breaths were coming quicker than usual and a rosy flush stained his cheeks as he stared at me. I was the only one naked but not the only one aroused.
“Oh, God.” Ari reached for me again, not stopping this time as he cupped my face in his palms. “Roger, I’ve missed you so much.”
I turned my face into his touch, pressing my lips to his skin before I carefully pulled away, clearing my throat as I rose to my feet.
