Each day following the revelation of how Richard had died, Michelle sank further into the fearful existence in which she’d lived when she arrived. She woke often at night, walking through her apartment to check windows and doors. During the day, she hovered over her brothers, unwilling to let them out of her sight.
Jim, Winifred, and I each tried to reassure her. Richard had died the month before, and it had been all over the news then. There was no reason for the mutt responsible to believe she was now safely hidden away with us. Our words did little good.
By Thursday morning, she was once again a pale shadow of herself. When she and the boys weren’t around to notice, I prowled my apartment in frustration. I hated the fear that ate at her and the haunted look in her eyes. But what more could I do to help her feel secure here?
She needed sleep. She needed peace and comfort.
By dinner, I couldn’t stand it anymore. She barely ate and didn’t say a word through the whole meal. The boys, thankfully, weren’t taking their cues from her and laughed through dessert, a lopsided cake Aden and Jim had baked. Jim and I worked hard every day so they would feel safe and loved and it seemed to be enough for them.
When Michelle drifted from the room, I went to catch her in the hallway.
She looked up at me with lost, sad eyes when I wrapped my hand around her arm to stop her from climbing the steps.
“I’ll sleep on the couch after the boys go to bed.” I didn’t ask; I told her. And, if me being on the couch didn’t help her sleep, then I’d lay on the bed next to her and hold her all night.
“Okay.”
Her simple acceptance told me just how bad it had gotten.
That night, I helped put the boys to bed and insisted she keep her apartment door open. As soon as the boys were breathing deeply, I let myself in and closed the door behind me. Michelle wasn’t in the living room. I found her already in bed, her eyes closed and her hand tucked under a cheek as she lay on her side.
“Michelle,” I said, gently running my fingers over her hair. “I’m here. Everything is locked up tight. Get some sleep.”
She nodded, keeping her eyes closed. It didn’t take long for her breathing to even out. I watched her for a while. When it looked like she would stay sleeping peacefully, I went to the couch.
The whole place smelled like her. I sat down and breathed deeply, letting myself relax.
* * * *
The typical slow brightening of the room was missing when I woke. I went to the window and eyed the dark skies.
Knowing it would be a full day of keeping the kids busy, I went to my place and quickly showered. It didn’t take more than a few minutes before I was back in her place, folding my blanket. The apartment stayed quiet for another hour. Then the sky rumbled. Liam and Aden were the first to stir. I went into their room and said a hushed good morning, then helped them quietly dress.
“Brush your teeth then go to Nana’s. She’ll make you breakfast,” I said as I opened the bedroom door for them. They ducked into the bathroom and brushed their teeth quietly.
Two hungry cubs coming your way, I warned Winifred on my way to the kitchen to see what I could make Michelle for breakfast.
The sky rumbled loudly just as the boys opened the bathroom door. I heard Michelle stir. The two boys must have, too, because they ran down the hall and out of the apartment. Michelle was out of bed and running, too.
I stepped into the hallway, ready to assure her the boys were fine. Instead, I caught her in my arms as she barreled into me. Spinning, I tried redirecting the force of her momentum. It didn’t quite work. Her face collided with my chest.
“Ow!” She pulled her head back and squinted at me with watering eyes.
The pale, shadowy Michelle of yesterday was gone. The woman in my arms was adorably disgruntled.
“I’m sorry.” I leaned forward to kiss her abused nose. Her breath caught, and her scent sweetened as I slowly closed the distance. Slowly, her eyes fluttered shut. The tempting sight of her lips almost redirected my aim. Patience, I reminded myself, gently brushing her nose.
Her eyes flew open.
“I wouldn’t have stepped in front of you if I’d known you’d get hurt.” I carefully moved a strand of hair that had fallen over her face during our collision.
“Uh. It’s okay.”
I inhaled slowly, noting it was anything but okay. She was anxious and confused.
“Just a minute.” She turned and closed herself in the bathroom.
I went back to what I’d been doing in the kitchen. Taking out the eggs, I started collecting what I needed to make her a small breakfast. When she reemerged, I had four eggs in the pan and bread in the toaster.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, looking her over. The brief whiff of anxiety and confusion before she left had me wondering if she was still feeling unsafe here.
“Fine. No permanent damage,” she said, misunderstanding the question.
I didn’t clarify. If she wasn’t thinking about Blake or her stepfather, I didn’t want to remind her. I put a single egg and a slice of toast on a plate and set it before her. After plating up the other three eggs and remaining toast, I joined her at the island.
She ate a few bites then turned to look at me.
“What are we?”
I paused, afraid to hope I’d understood her question correctly. Turning, I finished my bite of food as I studied her. She sat there, calmly returning my gaze. Surely, if she was asking about our relationship, she wouldn’t be this calm. Every time I’d mentioned it in the past, she’d blushed or quickly found an excuse to leave the room. And, her talk about having no room for any distractions still rang in my mind, too.
“I’m not sure I understand the question,” I said warily.
She blushed and stood.
“I get this.”
She leaned forward and planted a light kiss on my nose.
“And I get this.”
She buried her face in my neck and inhaled, trailing her nose against my skin. I nearly lost it. She was so close. All she needed to do was open her mouth and plant her teeth into my skin and it would be done. She’d be mine. I closed my eyes and struggled to hold myself still.
“And I’m told—”
I shuddered at the feel of her breath on my skin. She quickly pulled back, and I wanted to howl.
Her eyes were wide as she looked at me. Did she know the animal she’d just stirred?
“I’m sorry,” she said, stepping away.
I rose, shadowing her retreat with an unwavering advance. “Don’t be. I’m fine. Finish your question.”
Tell me you’re ready, I pleaded silently.
She stopped moving backward. I didn’t stop advancing, though, until I stood within six inches of her, drowning in her unique scent.
“I, uh, was just going to say that…um.” She cleared her throat nervously. “You said I’m yours, and that biting equals an engagement. But, I don’t understand where that leaves us now. What are we?”
Excitement and anticipation filled me.
“As you asked, we are friends,” I said carefully. Then, I leaned in, covering her arms with my hands and holding her steady as I brought my mouth to her neck. Brushing my lips over her skin, I let myself dream of more. She helped my dreams by bringing her hands to my chest. They didn’t roam like the night on the bike, but lay lightly on my shirt, heating me further.
“But,” I said, letting my words raise bumps on her sensitive skin, “I hope we are friends who are working their way to dating.”
I brushed my lips against her skin again, waiting for her reaction. When she remained still, I pulled back slightly. “I’m not good at being friends. I struggle with the boundaries of friendship.”
She swallowed hard and withdrew her hands. “What boundaries?” The words were a bare whisper.
“Friends don’t get this close. They don’t touch each other like I just touched you. And, I really want to be that close.”
I could smell she wanted that, too.
“What else?” she said.
She was tempting me. Innocently, though.
“You’ll have to let me know,” I said, retreating for both our sakes. “You set the boundaries.”
I went back to the island but couldn’t sit right away. Closing my eyes, I took a few calming breaths. Not only was I completely turned on, but the change was clawing at me. While I struggled with myself, she quietly remained where she was.
As soon as I sat down, she joined me. We didn’t talk again, and her anxiety didn’t disappear. But the confusion was gone.
* * * *
She stayed up in her apartment, and I went down to check on the kids. Winifred was teaching them how to count to ten using little candies. It made me smile. Her methods were the same when we were cubs. Jim had taken a long time learning how to count to ten.
“Did you have a good breakfast?” Winifred asked without looking away from Aden’s counting.
“Yes. A good night’s sleep seemed to help.”
“Good. Perhaps you’d be willing to play a game with these two when we’re finished so I can talk to Michelle.”
I want to be sure she understands what we’ve put into motion and why we’re concerned that it’s been a month since Richard’s death. Perhaps, given that information, she’ll be willing to tell us more about Blake.
I nodded so Winifred knew I understood her.
“I’d be happy to play for a while.”
I helped Liam with his counting then entertained the kids while Winifred was upstairs. It didn’t surprise me when she returned not long afterward and told me there was no news to share.
Near lunch, I excused myself from their sandwich-making fun to plan a special moment for Michelle. She’d stayed up in her apartment the whole morning, and I didn’t want her to withdraw from me again.
Up in the rafters of the garage, a small patio table and two chairs waited from before I’d left. I pulled them from storage, dusted them off, and carried them up to the third floor. The rain fell softly as I set two places out on the porch. I kept things simple with sandwiches and tea, then went to knock on her door. Through the glass I saw her sitting in the kitchen, her head bowed over her tablet.
I knocked on the door, and she looked up in surprise. There was no fear in her eyes, though. I smiled and motioned for her to come out onto the porch. When she stood and winced, I was glad I’d thought to make lunch for her.
“Hungry?” I asked as she looked at the table behind me. She nodded, and I went to hold out a chair for her. “I heard what Nana said about trying to find Blake.”
“I have premonitions.”
I finished pushing in her chair then sat across from her. My first thought was that my mother wasn’t alone. My second thought was to wonder what she had seen that had her telling me now.
“Did you see what happens if we go to your old address?”
She glanced down at her sandwich before answering.
“No, I don’t have those kinds of premonitions. Mine are about the stock market.”
Stock market? I couldn’t hide my surprise.
“I know,” she said. “Not very interesting. But think of what you could gain by controlling someone with my ability. The money. Power.”
“I don’t want money or power. Just you.”
She blushed and picked a bit of meat from her sandwich.
“Blake’s tasted that power. If your laws can’t control him, what makes you think finding him will help? All it does is expose us. He will go straight for Liam and Aden. Through them, he can control me again.”
Are you listening to this? I sent Winifred.
I am. We need to find Blake. But we won’t involve her any further.
“Nana won’t ask again,” I promised. Then, to lighten the mood, I grinned and said, “Want to spike your tea?”
Winifred yelled at me from the first floor, and I chuckled. Michelle smiled slightly, too, and picked up her sandwich, finally taking a bite. It was only a few minutes before another question started bugging me.
“Why did you tell Sam which stock to invest in? Why not just keep it to yourself?”
She set her sandwich down slowly.
“I don’t have a choice. The information comes to me every seven days. It plays in my head like a market ticker but with just one stock on repeat. If I don’t share the information, it makes me twitchy. The longer I hold it, the more painful it becomes until I’m a mess. Blake figured that out. It became another way for him to control me. I have to share the information with someone. As soon as I do, the countdown to the next premonition resets.”
The headache the first week she was here and her weird reaction on the porch when she’d overheard Winifred speaking to Sam made more sense now.
“And that’s why you didn’t want to tell me.”
The premonitions didn’t just provide wealth, they provided a way to physically control her through her own pain. How had Blake prevented her from sharing the information? A gag? Tied hands? I wanted his blood.
Keeping my expression calm, I nudged her glass. “Drink.”
She barely managed a sip before she set the glass aside.
“There’s more,” she said. “I told you a little about what Blake said the night before I ran. That he wanted me to bite one of his men. Before that, he talked about evolving my abilities. When you asked if I saw what would happen, I meant it. I don’t have those kinds of visions. But since coming here, something has changed. I’ve gotten glimpses of people. Girls like me, mostly. I don’t know why. Those visions don’t work like the stock ones. They don’t repeat.”
I wanted to be angry. To shake with rage. But her anxious expression kept it all in check. I reached for her and wrapped my hand around hers.
“We’ll figure this out. Please, let some of the worry go. Trust us to keep you and your brothers safe.”
She nodded, squeezed my hand before letting go, then picked up her sandwich.
* * * *
For the rest of the afternoon, I kept an eye on Michelle. She didn’t withdraw into her apartment again. Instead, she went to Winifred’s and joined in on the number fun. When Jim came home, Michelle helped cook dinner and hung around for some cards afterward. The three were relaxed when she finally said it was time to get to bed. I didn’t suggest I sleep on her couch again, although I really wanted to. I could see that she didn’t need it, and I didn’t want to push my welcome.
But, come first light, I let myself into their place just to check on them. They were all sleeping peacefully. The boys woke before she did. Not unexpected. She was probably still catching up on sleep. I left a bowl of cereal on the counter for her and took the kids downstairs.
When she finally joined us, we were already on our third board game of the morning. She smiled and sat on the floor by Winifred’s coffee table. We spent the rest of the morning, and most of the afternoon, there having fun.
Yet even as we laughed and played, I was thinking ahead. Michelle had told me she had two secrets. One would test my loyalty and one would give me power over her. She’d shared both with me. There were no secrets standing between us anymore. No reason we couldn’t move beyond friends.
Will you watch the boys tonight? I sent Winifred.
Of course. Do you think she’ll agree to go?
I glanced at Michelle. She grinned at Liam and asked for a four. She loved her brothers as much as any mother would. And leaving them was just as hard for her.
Jim caught my eye and winked a second before he groaned and his stomach rumbled.
“Aden ate half my lunch. Can I have a snack, Michelle?”
Aden giggled and shook his head in denial.
“I’ll see what I can find,” she said, standing.
“There should be chips at my place,” Jim said with a grin.
I followed her to Jim’s kitchen and watched her open several of Jim’s cabinets before pulling her away from her search. She turned in my arms, smiling up at me. I loved that face. Gently, I set my hands on her cheeks, feathering my thumbs over her skin and lips.
“Do you know you’ve been here a month?”
Her smiled faded with each swipe of my thumb, and her scent sweetened.
“Let me take you to dinner tonight. Please.”
Her pulse skipped and she slowly nodded.
“Wear the dress,” I said, stepping back to open a nearby cupboard. The chips were right inside. I took them and waited for Michelle to walk with me.
Her steps were slow as she followed me.
“I’ll watch the boys,” Winifred said for Michelle’s benefit. I began to doubt Michelle even heard, until she nodded.
“Could we leave in an hour?” I asked her while handing Jim his chips.
Michelle frowned slightly. “Sure.” She began backing away, then turn and ran up the stairs.
I glanced at Winifred.
“Nerves most likely. Probably because of the dress.”
“Why?” Jim asked, beating me to it.
“It’s more daring than I would have picked for her.”
“Daring how?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself.”
Jim stretched and patted Aden’s head.
“Be right back.”
He was out the door before I could catch him. We raced up the stairs and I caught him by the ankle. We fell a few steps, and we each wrestled for our own purpose. His was to get away. Mine was to reach the landing first.
“Boys! I suggest you both stop, or you will lose dessert.”
The warning in Winifred’s tone had me delivering one last punch to Jim’s thigh. He bit me in return.
“Damn it,” I said quietly. “Go find something else to do.”
“No way. Annoying you is more fun. Come on. Let’s see what fancy clothes you brought home with you.”
He followed me into my living room, leaving the door open behind him. We could both hear Michelle moving around in her apartment, mumbling under her breath. Jim grinned at me.
“You going to shower first?”
“And leave you without supervision? No.” I shoved him toward my room just to ensure he didn’t go bother Michelle.
“What if she needs help with a zipper or something?”
“Then I’ll help her. Not you. If you want to be useful, call the restaurant for a reservation.”
He pulled out his cell phone. While he spoke to someone, I opened my closet where the only nice clothes I had were hanging. Dark dress pants, a sport coats and a thin grey V-neck sweater. I took the sweater from the closet.
“You’re going to sweat in that thing,” Jim said when he hung up.
“Nope. It’s one of those thin ones, not the kind Mom tried making us wear during the holidays.”
I tugged my current shirt off and put on a clean white tee, then the sweater. Jim sat on my bed and waited as I finished changing.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“Yes and no.”
“Want me to give you a pep talk?”
“Depends on your idea of a pep talk.”
“Don’t stare at her chest, and if you do, put a protective hand over your baby maker.”
“I should have said no.”
He clapped me on my back as he stood. “Let’s go see how she’s doing. Ten bucks says she tries to back out.”
As soon as I reached the hall, I knew Jim might be right. The sound of her rapid pulse filled my ears even through the closed doors.
I didn’t hesitate to let myself into her apartment and follow the sound. Stopping outside the bathroom door, I listened to Michelle’s shallow breathing and the slight rustle of clothes.
“You should go,” I said to Jim.
“Not a chance. I want to see the dress.”
“She might not even be dressed yet.”
“Then I’m definitely staying.”
His words didn’t bother me because I knew what he was doing. Michelle and I were both nervous. Jim was our comic relief. It was a role he’d filled many times in our lives.
When the door suddenly opened, I was glad he was still there. I forgot to breathe at the sight of Michelle in a sleeveless little black dress. The front scooped very low, drawing my gaze. Her chest rose and fell with each breath.
Jim gave a wolf whistle, jarring me from her spell. Her, too. She jumped a little, and I noticed she was holding a bra. My gaze drifted to her chest again. No bra? I swallowed hard.
“What are you doing here?” she said. Panic pitched her words.
“You sounded upset.” Although I was paying attention to Michelle, it wasn’t with eye contact. I couldn’t stop studying the way the dress hugged her.
Jim nudged me lightly.
“Okay, you saw,” I said. “Now go away.”
With a laugh, Jim left.
“Saw what?” she asked.
“He wanted to see how you looked in the dress.”
“Could we maybe go somewhere casual enough for jean shorts?”
Not a chance.
“I can smell your nervousness. You look lovely. Please wear it,” I said, finally meeting her eyes. “Do you need a jacket?”
She shook her head, and I hoped it meant she didn’t need a jacket, rather than a rejection of my request. Her shoes waited in the hallway. Pretty heels with thin straps. The story of Cinderella popped into my head as I bent down to pick up the shoes. I wanted to help her put them on.
While I was going for the shoes, she quickly threw the bra over her shoulder and turned off the bathroom light. I kept my head down so she wouldn’t see my grin, then straightened and motioned for her to lead the way.
The back of her dress dipped just as low as the front. I wanted to taste her skin.
When she paused at the door, I squatted before her and held out a shoe. With just a light touch on my shoulder, she lifted one delicate foot. I slipped the shoe on, fighting the urge to kiss her calf. Where my lips couldn’t yet go, my fingers did. She quivered in response to my hand first on one calf, then the next. I took my time securing the straps, and when I stood, her stunned expression made me smile. It wasn’t shock that I’d touched her. No, based on her scent, she’d finally realized just how much she wanted me.
Unable to resist, I stepped closer and slowly moved her hair off her shoulder. I was giving her time to move away or say no. But she didn’t. The pulse in her neck thrummed at a speed to match mine. Sliding my hands over her arms, I leaned in and inhaled. Want and need were weak words for what I felt for her. I tracked my way up to the spot just below her ear. Her breathing changed to a short, shallow pant. If I didn’t stop, we’d never leave.
“Thank you for saying yes,” I said, pulling back.
Her expression didn’t clear until I led her from the apartment. Even then, she seemed unsteady. The stairs worried me, so I wrapped her hand around my arm and held her as we descended. There was a good amount of male pride coursing through me when we finally reached the bottom. I’d done that to her. I’d made her want me enough to forget everything.
She seemed to come to the same conclusion because she stopped walking and looked at me. Her gaze beckoned me, begging for more. I gave in and crowded her for a second time. She tilted her head, giving me better access.
“You smell wonderful,” I said. Scenting her was heaven, but I desperately wanted a taste. How much longer would I need to wait?
She turned her head slightly and pressed her cheek to mine. I groaned. Not much longer.
It took a strong amount of will to straighten away from her so we could say good-bye to her brothers. She held my arm as we left. The rain had stopped, leaving the air cooler and the ground spongy.
She smiled at me when I opened the truck door for her.
“Where are we going?” she asked as I offered her a hand to get in. I should have asked Winifred to use her car. I hadn’t been thinking. Michelle didn’t seem to mind, though. Honestly, I didn’t either. The effort of getting into the higher truck had hiked her skirt up an extra few inches. Nope, I didn’t mind at all.
“A steak and seafood place just outside of town,” I said.
After one last glance at her smooth legs, I closed her door and walked around the front of the truck. Her scent had already filled the cab when I opened the door. Her pulse skipped as I got in. She was sweetly nervous.
I reached over and brushed back a strand of her hair. She gave me a slight smile and folded her hands primly in her lap. Taking her cue, I focused on backing up the truck and pulling out of the driveway.
My mind kept circling back to the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra as I struggled to think of what topics were safe first date topics.
“You’ve never mentioned any family other than your mom and Richard.”
“No family as far as I know on either side. It’s just us, now.”
Wrong topic.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long to get to the restaurant. She smiled at the sight of the white Christmas lights wound along the fence that surrounded the rustic building. In the dusk, the light bulbs cast a soft glow over the parking lot.
While she was distracted, I got out and opened her door. She leaned forward to gauge the distance to the ground. The move gave me an irresistible view of her neckline. She caught the direction of my gaze and blushed. There was no censure in her scent, though.
I held the door for her as we entered and gave our name to the man standing at the podium just inside.
“Your table will be ready in just a few moments. Please make yourself comfortable in our lounge.”
Why did fancy restaurants try to use another name for bar?
I ordered us both a glass of wine and held out a heavily padded stool for her. It was nice that it had a low backrest. It didn’t block the view of her back. My fingers drifted along her exposed skin, and she shivered.
The bartender noticed her dress too, though, as he set our drinks before us. I scowled at the man, and he quickly left. Michelle took a sip of her wine and glanced around the room. I honestly couldn’t think of anything to say. My head was racing ahead to the end of the night. What would Michelle expect? What would she accept? I absently rubbed at the tightness growing in my chest.
By the time the maître d’ came to seat us at our table, I was ready to forget the meal and just take her to the beach and see what a night under the moonlight would bring.
Michelle followed the man, and I followed her. This time, he helped her with her chair. I sat across from her and debated asking her if she’d rather leave. When she caught me watching her instead of looking at the menu, she picked up my menu and handed it to me.
Okay. That answered my question. A moonlit night on the beach was out.
After ordering, I started telling her about my time in the military. Human rules said that you should let your date talk, but I knew Michelle well enough by now that she’d rather not talk about herself. I kept my stories light and entertaining until the food arrived.
By the time we finished eating and left the restaurant, my hands were itching with the need to touch Michelle again. Her relaxed, content scent called to me. But each time I glanced at her on the drive home, she was looking out the window.
I wanted to know what she was thinking. Had it been a successful first date? Would she consider going out with me again? Was she burning with the need to touch me, like I was for her?
The light of the house at the end of the driveway was a beacon. As soon as I parked I got out, opened her door for her, and offered my hand. Her fingers were warm within my grasp, but quickly withdrawn when she was safely on the ground.
“Did you enjoy yourself?” I asked, closing the door.
She considered me a moment.
“I think it will take a while before I’m comfortable leaving my brothers.”
So she hadn’t enjoyed herself. My hope and anticipation for more of her time yet tonight evaporated.
She remained quiet as we walked inside and up the stairs. When I opened the door for her, anxiety flavored her scent. Not wanting her to worry that I’d push for more than she was ready to give, I stayed in the hall as she stepped inside.
She turned back to look at me.
“Thank you for tonight. Let me know if you want to go shopping with Nana again. You have amazing taste.” I couldn’t help taking in the teasing dress once more. I loved that thing.
“I think I’ll be fine for a while. Besides, I prefer shorts and t-shirts. Your t-shirts are the best.”
Damn. Blood boiling, I handed her my jacket and pulled off my sweater and t-shirt. Her mouth dropped open and her scent sweetened. I almost grinned as I handed the white shirt to her. The loose hold she had on my jacket helped affirm how much she liked having my shirt.
I stepped close. “I’ll give you my shirt whenever you ask.”
Her pulse stuttered, and I grinned slightly, hoping that was a good sign.
“So there’s no misunderstanding, we’re officially in the dating phase of our relationship.”
She nodded woodenly but remained where she was. Why was she so hard to read? I’d thought she’d give me a sign that she was ready for more, maybe lean forward or tilt her head to the side again. But, she didn’t do anything. Was she waiting for me?
