Jayce stood just outside the door. He’d removed his shirt and shoes and now stood before her in nothing but his dress pants. He took her breath away. His chiseled chest made her mouth water.
He smiled as he turned her toward one of the sinks. Standing behind her, he crowded her against the vanity, turned on the water, pushed some liquid soap onto his palm, and proceeded to wash her hands with his. It was so intimate that she couldn’tbreathe as she watched their fingers thread together over and over.
He took his time, seemingly as mesmerized as she was. “Your fingers are so tiny,” he murmured. “You’re like a little doll next to me.”
She felt the same. He could engulf both her hands in one of his. He was that big, and she found she liked the idea of being so petite next to him. She’d never felt small in the valley. She’d always been average-sized. But with Jayce…
By the time he turned off the water and grabbed a towel, she’d lifted her gaze to look at his face in the mirror. He was more than a head taller than her. He surrounded her with his broad chest and arms. And his biceps were huge. No wonder he so easily carried her around, including cradling her without getting winded as he’d climbed up the mountain.
Jayce tossed the towel on the counter before pulling out the chair and sitting. He set his hands on her hips and held her between his legs.
She liked when he did this. It put them at eye level. Plus, she felt protected by the ring of his arms as he slid them around to her back. She found herself leaning into him, yet again, her hands splaying on his bare chest.
He gripped her hips, his breaths coming quicker.
Neither of them spoke. They stared at each other, not blinking.
Her heart raced. She could hear her blood pumping through her body, and she started to tremble.
Suddenly she was sucked into a vision. It hadn’t happened since she’d arrived, but it was happening now and so fast that she had no way to warn him.
Her eyesight blurred as she went somewhere else. It always felt like she left her body and popped into another location. Shewas never physically at the new place. No one could see her. She wasn’t actually there. Just watching. Observing. Hovering.
This time, she wasn’t in someone’s house. No one was eating dinner or coloring or playing games. She was in the woods somewhere on the mountain. For a moment, she was alone and confused. Why would the vision take her somewhere alone?
And then a bear leapt in front of her, scaring her to death. It was so huge. Ten times bigger than her. She was certain she was going to die before remembering that she wasn’t really present, and the bear couldn’t see her. He paid no attention to her appearance. Of course. She was an apparition.
When he tipped his head back and roared, the trees shook. Small animals scampered away. Birds flew out of the trees. And then silence as the bear bared his teeth, growling at something she could not see.
He wasn’t facing her directly, thank heavens. If he had been, she might have peed herself. It was hard to remind herself she was not there. It was like watching a horror movie—which she never did. Even though it wasn’t actually happening, it felt so very real. She thought if she reached out, she could touch the bear. He was that close.
She wanted to turn and run, but her legs wouldn’t obey her. She’d never had the ability to exit a vision. Every time she’d been thrust into a scene, she’d been forced to stand there until the vision seemingly kicked her out.
This vision was no different, except it was. This was the first time she’d been so scared. The first time she found herself outside. The first time she felt another being’s intense emotions. The bear was furious.
He roared yet again, and Sienna screamed. Suddenly, he jerked his gaze in her direction and looked directly at her. He even stepped closer, cocking his head to one side, examining her. Scaring the life out of her.
A shimmer surrounded him, making her realize he was definitely a shifter. In a second, he would stand in front of her in human form.
Except that was the moment she was yanked out of the vision and found herself back in her new home, surrounded by her mate.
Jayce was calling her name. “Sienna… Sienna… Sienna…”
She opened her eyes and met his gaze, panting, shaking so violently she would have collapsed if he hadn’t been holding her up by the waist.
“Sienna?”
She swallowed and nodded. “I’m back.”
“You scared me to death. Did you have a vision?” His eyes were narrowed with concern.
She nodded. “I was so frightened.” Her voice quivered.
He lifted one hand to cup her face. “You screamed.”
“I did?”
“Yes, Baby girl. I’ve never been so fucking terrified. Are you okay?”
