After the way Michelle had taken off and another restless night with my thoughts, I was looking forward to a new day. I shouldn’t have. Michelle never appeared. I tried to be patient while I scraped the paint from the exterior of the second and first floors, but, by three, I couldn’t stand it anymore. Had I done something wrong?
Setting my brush down, I walked through the new apartment and knocked on her door. I could hear the sounds of her steps as she backed away. There were no signs of panic or fear in her pulse or scent. Why was she avoiding me?
I went back outside and picked up my brush to do the trim around her kitchen windows, my not-so-discreet idea to catch her attention. Only, the apartment was empty.
It was only after I moved to the second floor that I heard her move down the steps to fetch her brothers. They were back upstairs within minutes, once again sequestered away, where they ate dinner quietly by themselves.
Impatient, I almost went up to knock again. But what would I say? She needed to talk to me? I didn’t think making demands would help my case or earn me some of her time and attention, which was all I really wanted.
Instead of racing upstairs and making a fool out of myself, I went for another run and considered what to do next to draw her back out. She seemed to like books. Maybe I could ask if she’d like to go to the library while Winifred worked with Liam and Aden. Having a plan, I turned myself around and went back to lay on Jim’s couch.
I caught a few hours of sleep then showered and was in the hall outside her door at first light. It took a while before I heard anyone move around. They were real quiet about it, which wasn’t usual.
As soon as Michelle opened the door, the boys bolted out and down the stairs. She caught sight of me and froze. Her wide-eyed shock and scent of panic confused me. It was like we were back where we’d started. Why, though?
Before I could say anything, she slammed the door shut, saying something about needing to shower.
I cocked my head and listened to her rapid steps, the slam of the bathroom door, and water running. I idly scratched my neck, frustrated and unsure.
Slowly, I walked to the apartment across the hall and stared at the walls as if they had the answer to what was going on with Michelle. Women needed owner’s manuals. Preferably with step-by-step instructions written in a language I could actually understand.
She’d been fine with me on the porch yesterday until I asked about Blake. If she didn’t want to talk about him, all she needed to do was say so. I would respect her wishes. Avoiding me was just an unnecessary punishment.
While I was standing in the apartment, I heard a noise on the porch. Quietly, I went to investigate and found Michelle outside, getting ready to read.
“Michelle?”
She jumped and turned to stare at me.
“I need to go into town for more paint soon. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and help pick out the color.”
She didn’t say anything, just kept staring. I tucked my hands into my pockets and waited.
“I’ll pass. I’m more comfortable here,” she said softly.
“Okay.” Disappointment didn’t cover what I felt.
I turned and walked back inside. She didn’t want to spend time with me. She’d made that clear. But I wouldn’t quit. If I talked to her a little here and there, she’d come around. So, I gave her an hour in the sun then decided she needed something to drink. When I stepped out onto the porch, she was on her knees, looking like she was just getting ready to run inside. I pretended not to notice.
“Thirsty?” I asked, holding out a sweating glass of water.
“No. I have to pee.” She stood quickly and was gone again.
A few moments later, I heard her race down the steps and Winifred’s voice as she greeted Michelle.
She could run, but I wasn’t going anywhere.
Taking a deep breath, I went back to work. I’d make this place a home she wouldn’t want to leave, and I’d treat her with respect and patience for as long as it took.
When lunch approached, I went into her apartment and fixed everyone sandwiches. If she didn’t want to spend time with me, fine. But I’d still show her I was here to take care of her.
The boys raced up the stairs and reached the apartment first.
“Emmitt!” Liam said excitedly. “Are you cooking lunch today?”
The boy made me smile despite hearing his sister dragging her feet in the hallway.
“Yep. I thought maybe I’d eat with you guys.”
When she stepped in, I made sure not to look at her.
“How about we carry these sandwiches downstairs and eat on the grass?” I handed each boy a sandwich, took one for myself, and left with the boys.
It seemed to do the trick. She came downstairs and ate in the shade of the porch. She didn’t talk to us, but she didn’t run either…until I stood to go inside.
She’ll come around, Emmitt. Give her time.
I knew Winifred was right, but knowing didn’t make the wait any easier.
* * * *
The next day, it rained in the early morning. The rising heat and humidity made painting the exterior impossible, so while the kids ran through the sprinkler, I went outside to do some yard work.
Michelle was already on her blanket on the lower porch. Not wanting her to run, I kept walking to the garage. The weed eater leaned in the corner. From the looks of the yard, Jim didn’t use it often. Thinking of the kids, I grabbed it and walked out.
“Liam, save some water for me,” I said as I walked past the boys. He tried splashing me, and I grinned. He was a different boy from just a few weeks ago.
At the tree line, I gave the starter a pull and got to work. By the time I managed half of the back side of the yard, sweat was trickling down my spine. I pulled off my shirt and tucked it into the waistband of my shorts, letting the lazy breeze dry my skin. It didn’t help much.
When I finished the back section, I killed the motor and moved to start the long side.
“Emmitt, I think the water’s almost gone,” Aden shouted with a giggle.
I glanced at them, seriously thinking about running with them for just a few minutes, when I caught sight of Michelle. She was sitting on the porch, staring at me with the cutest blush. When she saw me looking, she lifted her book to hide her face.
Confusing.
When I finished, Winifred already had lunch made. We all ate together on the porch, Michelle keeping her distance from me. The boys talked about what they wanted to do when Jim came home. More sprinkler time and possibly some races.
As soon as they were back in the water, I borrowed Winifred’s keys and went to town. Michelle said blue was her favorite color, and I needed a gallon for her bedroom.
While I was in town, I spent some time looking at furniture and ordered a few pieces to pick up at a later date. I hoped she’d like everything and feel at home when I was done. By the time I had what I needed, the sun hung low in the sky.
When I got back, Winifred sat on the porch with the kids. Both were eating a cookie, but Aden didn’t look happy about it.
“What’s up, little man?” I said, ruffling his hair.
“Jim’s not home.”
I glanced at Winifred.
Any concern?
Yes. Quite a bit. Michelle is missing, too. When I asked Jim, he said she’s with him but won’t say where.
I struggled for control. Jim was my brother. I trusted him with my life. There had to be an explanation for why he’d taken Michelle off on his own.
“I’m sure he’ll be home soon.” I sat next to the boys. “Got any big plans for tomorrow?”
They talked through some ideas until Aden was smiling again.
I think I should go look for them.
I agree. I’ll keep the little ones company.
“Would you two like to watch a movie with me?” she asked Liam and Aden.
While they went inside to watch a movie, I quickly cleaned up and changed. Outside, I went to the garage and pulled out my bike. At least Jim had the sense to take the truck.
It wasn’t hard to find them. The black marks out of the driveway told the direction. From there, I followed the faded scent of the truck’s exhaust to the bar Michelle had visited once before.
I was going to kill Jim.
Cars crowded the parking lot and music blasted inside. My ears hurt, and I was still fifty feet away. Rolling my shoulders, I pocketed the bike key and went inside.
Jim wasn’t hard to spot. It worried me, though, that the stool next to him was vacant and there was no sign of Michelle.
“Where is she?” I asked when I stood behind him.
“Finally!” He turned to me. “You took forever. She’s avoiding you because being with you makes her want to share her secrets. Secrets she thinks will give you control over her. But, she’s promised to stop running away from you.” He grinned at me. “You’re welcome.”
I just stared at him for a moment. Of course he’d noticed she was avoiding me. And in typical Jim fashion, he’d taken it upon himself to “fix” the problem. It would have been easier to stay mad at him if he didn’t always deliver a solution, like the key to Michelle’s avoidance. I sighed, completely understanding how he could annoy Winifred so well.
“Where is she, Jim?”
“Bathroom,” he said, nodding toward the door.
I turned and looked across the crowded room. People had gathered in the space between the pool table and bar to dance to country rock. However, they didn’t block my view of the bathroom door as it opened.
Michelle moved into the main room and stood on her toes, looking my way. Our eyes met. She blinked slowly, a slight frown pulling at her dark brows. Before I could motion to her, someone stepped in the way, blocking her view.
Not far from her, a man caught sight of her and smiled. I felt the sharp edge of my teeth. Using a strong hand and empty, politely worded excuses, I pushed my way through the crowd, keeping an eye on Michelle. She made very little progress as she tried to move around the perimeter of the room. I saw the moment she changed directions to try to cut through the dancers. So did the man who’d been watching her.
Not happening. I moved to cut him off. When he saw me shake my head, he held his hands up good-naturedly and went another direction. I turned and came up behind Michelle. Fear and worry were completely absent. Actually, there wasn’t any emotion coloring her natural scent. Man, she smelled so good like that.
I caught her around the waist to stop her progress since talking would be useless. She looked toward Jim before turning to face me.
Even with all the noise, I heard her heart skip a beat when she saw me. This time, she didn’t look away or try to run. Instead, her scent changed slightly. It grew sweeter, more welcoming. Unable to resist, I leaned in and inhaled near her hair.
“Hi,” she whispered.
Encouraged, I wrapped my arms around her and turned her to the rhythm of the music.
“You had me worried,” I said softly.
“My driving’s not that bad,” she said, pulling back slightly.
Driving? That explained the black marks.
I smiled and shook my head. “When you stopped talking to me, I thought you wanted to leave. Then, you did. With Jim.”
“Oh.”
She looked up at me, her baby blues apologetic. Then, she reached up and curled her fingers in my shirt. Her eyes lost all apology. Instead, they were begging.
I couldn’t refuse her anything, but did she really know what she was asking? How much had she had to drink? Pulling her close, I lowered my head, slowly closing the distance. Her pulse leapt, and her natural sweetness intensified, as if trying to cover up the smell of beer. Her lashes fluttered closed, and she lifted her lips to me. I wanted to groan.
“Please stop,” I begged.
Her eyes opened. “What?”
Her exhale brushed my lips. Mere inches separated us. She saw it, too. She pressed against me and started going up on her toes.
Moving quickly, I nudged her head to the side and buried my face in the curve of her neck. My lips skimmed her skin as I inhaled deeply. This time, I did groan.
“Driving me crazy,” I said, answering her question.
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, and I held tight.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“If you’ll let me, I’ll explain in the morning. When you’re more lucid.” Please still want to talk to me tomorrow, I thought.
The song ended, and I reluctantly let her go to lead her back to Jim. She wobbled on her feet a bit, but it gave me a chance to hold her hand to keep her steady.
“You found her,” Jim said with a grin. “Good.”
He handed me the truck keys and held out his hand. I gave over the bike key.
“Not a scratch.”
He continued to grin.
“You two have fun.” He sat back on his stool and began to speak to the woman on his right.
He knew Winifred was upset with him. If he was smart, he’d face the music tonight. But, as he pointed out, he didn’t want to seem too smart.
I shook my head and tugged Michelle toward the exit.
I have her. They were at the bar.
Is Jim with you?
No, ma’am. We’ll be home in a bit.
Is she drunk?
Michelle took that moment to trip on the gravel. I scooped her up into my arms, and she settled with a sigh against my chest.
I believe she might be a little tipsy.
It might be better if you take your time. It wouldn’t do for her brothers to see her like that.
Helping Michelle into the truck, I noticed her sandal-clad feet. Particularly her toes. I never thought of myself as a foot person. Feet or paws got us where we needed to go. But seeing her pink little toes as she smiled dreamily at me stirred something deep. A need I couldn’t exactly pin. I wanted to keep her safe and be part of her life. I wanted to love her until our dying day. I wanted to be the father of her cubs and the man she smiled at every morning. I wanted to be her everything.
Just like she was my everything.
“Thank you, Emmitt,” she said, as I brushed back a stray bit of hair from her cheek.
“Any time.” I reached over her and buckled her in. “Winifred said she’ll put the boys to bed. Would you like to take a drive with me?”
She shook her head. “I’ve been gone too long. I wanted to go home earlier, but Jim wouldn’t let me drive back.”
“All right.”
So I drove slowly.
By the time we reached the house, the lights were out.
“I think the beer’s wearing off,” Michelle said, reaching for the door. I moved fast to get there before she could step out. Good thing, too, because she almost fell out of the door.
“Or maybe not,” she said. “How could Jim drink so much and still be fine? I think I had maybe three beers.”
“Werewolf metabolism,” I said with a smile.
To keep her steady, I wrapped my fingers around hers. She leaned into my arm as we walked toward the house. The stars distracted her, and she stopped for a minute. Her profile, as she looked up, captivated me.
A sigh escaped her, and she turned and caught me studying her.
“They’re pretty,” she said, looking up again. “I wonder how many people actually stop to look at them each night.”
“Not enough,” I said.
“They don’t realize what they’re missing.” She started walking again. I led her up the steps then held the door for her. The house was still humid and warm from the day, so I kept the front door open.
Michelle stood in the entry, staring up at the steps. She had one hand on the wall to keep steady.
“There sure are a lot of stairs,” she said.
“Sure are,” I said, turning to look at them with her. “Want me to car—”
“Piggyback ride.”
That was all the warning I got before she launched herself at me. I turned and caught her, but her momentum brought us to the floor, with me on the bottom. She lay across me with loose limbs and an angel’s smile.
I laughed, and she did too.
“I think it would be wise to see her upstairs,” Winifred said from her open door.
Her look wasn’t playful.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Michelle, your brothers are both sleeping. They weren’t any trouble to watch, but they did wonder where you’d gone. We should talk in the morning.”
Michelle’s scent clouded with guilt as Winifred closed her door. It pissed me off.
Winifred.
What she did was wrong.
You sure about that?
I picked Michelle up and carried her upstairs. She didn’t look at me the whole way up. When I set her on her feet, she moved to go inside.
“Wait,” I said.
She turned to look at me.
“Do you promise you’ll talk to me tomorrow? About whatever you want; just so you talk to me.”
A slight smile lifted her lips.
“I promise.”
* * * *
I was already across the hall when I heard the boys. Not bothering to knock, I opened the door and called to them.
They stuck their heads into the hall, their hair standing up at all angles.
“If you get dressed without waking your sister, you can help me make her a surprise breakfast.”
They both grinned and disappeared again. A minute later, they reappeared in swim trunks and no shirts. That’s about all they’d worn since the heat wave struck.
“She’s still sleeping,” Liam said quietly.
They followed me across the hall where I had paper ready for them.
“I need you two to draw some arrows so she knows to come over here. While you do that, I’ll make you some breakfast.”
They got to work, happily swinging their feet under the stools I’d brought upstairs for them. When they finished, they ran off to place the drawings in the apartment, then came back to eat.
“Is Jim home today?” Aden asked with the hope in his gaze.
“Yeah, but I think Nana Wini’s having breakfast with him first.”
Jim had come home close to three a.m. Winifred hadn’t opened her door, and he’d winked at me on his way past the couch. Despite coming in so late, he’d still woken up at six with a loud yawn, all the warning I’d needed to beat him to the shower. When I’d gotten out, I’d heard Winifred lecturing Jim in her apartment. I doubted she’d be done with him any time soon.
“They’re having a grown-up talk that would make you bored in three seconds.”
“But Jim isn’t bored?” Aden asked.
“Probably to tears.”
“Can we go outside and play when we’re done?”
“You bet. Just stay in the back where it’s mowed.”
They both nodded and hurried to finish.
As soon as they raced out, I cleaned up their mess and started on breakfast for Michelle. My gut was tight with anticipation. She’d been tipsy last night, but not so much that she wouldn’t remember her promise. Would she keep it?
