by Lori King
Luke laughed. “Yeah you are, Dad. You just haven’t had much practice lately.”
“I’m sure glad you stopped by, Luke.”
A lump of emotion sat in his throat but he managed to nod and accept the hug his father gave him at the front door. “Thanks, Dad. I promise it won’t be another year before I come visit.”
“Better not be. I want to meet this angel who stole my boy’s heart,” Dawson said with a wink. “And my future granddaughter.”
By sunset Tavi’s head was pounding and her chest was tight. Probably coming down with a cold, she thought as she washed dishes from dinner. Her body felt oddly heavy, and Luke’s words kept running through her brain. She knew it was ridiculous but an odd feeling of foreboding stayed with her all day long, and now she was emotionally wrung out and exhausted.
“Mom, can I stay up to watch Jealousy tonight? It’s on at nine, and Jackie gets to watch it every week. She says I have to see it.”
Handing her daughter another plate, she frowned. “Isn’t that show like a soap opera for adults? Why would Jackie’s mom let her watch that?”
Sonny’s cheeks turned pink and she looked away. “Umm, I’m not sure…”
“Really? Maybe I should give her mom a quick call and get her input on the show—”
Immediately Sonny’s demeanor changed and she shook her head. “No, Mom! I mean, well… Jackie has a TV in her room, so she can watch it without her mom knowing.”
Tavi drained the sink in silence as she let her daughter stew for a moment. She knew Jackie wasn’t very well supervised, but hearing that she was encouraging Sonny into bad behavior was concerning.
“You know, just because someone can do something, doesn’t mean they should. To answer your first question, no, you can’t watch the show, and as for Jackie… Well, I think maybe we should stop having sleepovers at her house for a while if she’s doing things that you know I wouldn’t approve of.”
Sonny’s eyes filled with tears. “Okay. I’m sorry, mom.”
Wrapping one arm around Sonny, she kissed her blonde hair. “I know you want to grow up, sweetie, but I’m not quite ready for it yet, so give your mom a break, huh?”
Giggling, Sonny nodded, and then hugged her back. The pressure around her middle made her dizzy and she gasped. “Mom? What’s wrong?”
Stumbling a bit, Tavi managed to make her way to a chair and plop down heavily. “Nothing, I think I’m coming down with a virus or a cold. I’m just not feeling very well tonight.”
“Should I call Mrs. Codger’s cell phone? I’m sure she’ll come home from Oren’s if you need her. Do you have a fever?” Sonny’s small hand was pressed against her forehead.
“No we don’t need to interrupt Mrs. Codger’s evening, but I do think I’d better get to bed early. I have a long day tomorrow,” she said, forcing a weak smile to her lips. “You do, too, don’t you have a science project to present?”
“No, that was last week, but tomorrow is our first day in the computer lab, and I can’t wait.” The bright smile on her daughter’s face made her feel slightly better.
“Good, then let’s get in our PJ’s and you can come snuggle with me while I watch Fairytale’s Revisited before we fall asleep, deal?”
“Deal!” Sonny nearly shouted, barreling off down the hallway toward her room leaving Tavi grinning after her. It was amazing how short that girl’s attention span actually was.
Chapter 14
Taking the day off on a whim, Luke decided to make another attempt to talk with Tavi. He figured Sonny would be at school and maybe Tavi would be more willing to discuss the situation without her around. Arriving at her house late in the morning with a dozen donuts and three hot chocolates he felt his wolf nervously prancing inside of him. He’d never imagined that when he actually found his mate he’d feel so much pressure or be faced with having to make her fall in love with him.
He knew he faced an uphill battle, and not only because Tavi was human, but because she’d been hurt before. As of now he didn’t know the details, but he was determined to find them out and then spend all of his energy on reassuring her that he wouldn’t pull a stunt like this weekend’s ever again. Hell, he was lucky she’d even opened the door yesterday to him. He’d be even luckier if she did it again today.
Before he could juggle his armful to knock the front door swung open and Este let out a startled sound. She was wearing her coat, and gloves and carrying her purse. “Oh! Luke, it’s lovely to see you again. I’m just on my way out. Are you here to see Octavia?”
“Yes, ma’am. I brought you a hot chocolate. I wasn’t sure what kind of coffee you liked, but everyone likes hot chocolate, right?” He was rambling, but he couldn’t make himself stop. The anxiety he was feeling was crushing.
“Well aren’t you a charmer. I love hot chocolate, and so does Octavia, but she’s actually not feeling herself today.” The concerned looked on Este’s face made his heart skip a beat.
“What do you mean?”
Este glanced over her shoulder as though Tavi might be standing behind her. “Well, last night she was already in bed when I returned home, and this morning she asked me to see Sonny to the bus stop so that she could go back to bed. I can’t remember the last time that happened. I’m assuming she must be feeling ill.” She paused, and then smiled. “Would you be a dear and keep an eye on her today? I have a meeting at the church, and then my knitting club is getting together this afternoon.”
Luke grinned at the woman’s obvious matchmaking. “Absolutely. I’ll take good care of her. How was your evening with Oren last night?”
A pink glow filled Este’s cheeks, and she smiled secretively. “It was very nice. He’s a special man.”
“You know, I think you’re right. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Here’s your hot chocolate.” He passed her the to-go cup and then tipped his head to her. “Thank you, Este.”
“You’re welcome, dear. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t nudge her in the right direction?” With that the older woman bustled out the door and into her car, zipping out of the driveway like she was on her way to a fire. He chuckled at the mental image. Something told him that Este Codger would have made a damn fine fire fighter in her day. She just had the grit for it.
Tavi’s bedroom door was open just a few inches, but the light was off. Pushing the door open the sunshine from the living room windows spilled over her bed illuminating her sleeping form. Her red hair was pulled up in a high ponytail on top of her head, and she’d kicked the blankets to the side, leaving her covered only by a thin sheet. The tops of her creamy shoulders were bare to his view, and his eyes followed the thin string of her top down over her shoulder, until it disappeared under the sheet. Suddenly his mouth felt dry, and his throat felt like it was closing off.
If he’d had any doubt before, then there was no doubt now as his wolf nearly took over in an overwhelming physical push to reach its mates side. He wanted—no, he needed to touch her.
Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he set the box of donuts and the two cups on her bedside table and lifted one trembling hand to her cheek. Her skin was pale, and as soft as satin under his fingertips. He trailed them across her cheekbone to her full lips, tracing the edges before she shifted in her sleep and whimpered. A tiny frown line appeared between her eyebrows, and his heart tripped.
What was she dreaming about, and why did it upset her so? The sudden urge to conquer all of her demons hit him, and he had to force it aside and focus on easing her into this.
“Tavi. Baby, wake up,” he murmured softly, stroking his hand down her thin arm, and then sweeping a stray lock of hair from her forehead.
She let out a sigh, and shifted again, this time rolling her body toward him, curling and seeking his warmth. He would have loved to crawl under the sheet with her and wrap her in his arms, but he knew that wasn’t the best way to handle her right now, so he shook her shoulder gently until her pretty eyes cracked open.
Blinking several t
imes, she frowned, and then glanced at her watch. “Luke? What are you…Why are you in my bedroom?”
“Este let me in. She was on her way out and she was concerned about you. She said you’re sick.” He gave her a meaningful look, but her eyes darted away.
“I’m fine. Just recovering from the chaotic weekend I suppose. I haven’t been unemployed in fourteen years, so I figured I was entitled to a morning of sleeping in,” Tavi said defiantly, moving to sit up. She clutched the sheet to her chest as though he hadn’t already seen and tasted her lovely breasts, but he resisted mentioning it.
“I’m sorry about your job, but Owen is a great lawyer. If he says he can fight it, then I know he can make things happen for you.”
She nodded, but her eyes remained sad. After a moment of silence she cleared her throat and asked again, “What are you doing here, Luke?”
Instead of jumping into a serious conversation he decided to try another lighter route. “I brought you breakfast. Do you like chocolate frosted or glazed?” He lifted the box of donuts into her view and that wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows again, a clear sign that she wasn’t going to let him sugar coat their issues.
“You brought donuts?” she asked. “Okay, am I still sleeping? I’m dreaming this whole encounter right?”
A grin stretched across his face, and he got an idea. “Sure, baby. Tell me again, what was I doing to you in your dreams?”
Tavi’s cheeks turned bright pink and her eyes grew darker. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just trying to figure out why you’ve made yourself at home in my life. I already explained to you—”
“Well see, here’s the problem with your explanation, it was lacking in a few major points.” He turned so that his back was to the headboard and his shoulder pressed against hers, stretching his legs out on the bed, conscious of the fact that she was sparsely clothed under the thin sheet. “First, you never let me explain my big reveal. In fact, you didn’t react to it like I expected at all.”
“You mean your fictional belief that you’re a werewolf? Gee, I can’t imagine why I didn’t believe you.” She rolled her eyes and tried to scoot over a couple of inches on the bed. Unfortunately for her, the sheet was twisted around her, and tightly tucked under Luke’s ass.
“We’ll come back to that. The second point you failed to explain properly is why you’re unwilling to forgive me for my mistake. I’m only a man, Tavi. As much as I want to be perfect, even I have flaws.”
Her mouth dropped open and she feigned shock. “You? You have flaws, Luke Gray? No way!”
“Clearly you’re feverish. Perhaps I should crawl under the covers with you and warm you up. We can continue this conversation later,” he said as he reached for her.
She giggled, and slapped his hands away. “Not a chance, buster. Now are those your only two questions for me?”
He shook his head.
“Well then, what else?” she asked with a huff.
“The biggest problem I have with your refusal to talk to me is that you want me as much as I want you. I can’t let anything happen to you, Tavi. I screwed up when I bit you the other night, and there will be ramifications. We have to talk about them.”
Tavi remained silent for a moment, her arms crossed over her chest. She was chewing on her bottom lip, and he realized it was a sign of her own turbulent emotions.
“You’re right, we have to talk about what happened. We didn’t use a condom, and I’m not on birth control.” She said it nonchalantly, but it hit him like a sucker punch. It was a whole new consequence that he hadn’t even considered after their night together. “I could call the clinic about the morning after pill…”
Luke heard himself growl in response and she froze next to him. “No. I don’t want that. If we created a child, I want it.”
She seemed stunned by his response, and he rushed to reassure her.
“Children are a blessing, and even though I don’t know much about them, I would love to see a little blonde-haired baby in your arms, Tavi.”
“Luke…”
“Please, don’t do anything rash. It’s only been a day, and we have a lot of things to talk about. Just…just promise you won’t do anything yet,” he pleaded, reaching for her hand, and tugging it to his chest. He pressed his lips to her tiny knuckles and breathed in her sweet jasmine scent. It soothed his wolf more than he cared to admit.
He heard her swallow hard, and then she nodded. “Okay.”
Tavi didn’t know what possessed her to agree to his request, but she couldn’t deny the appeal of the image he presented. She’d always wanted more children, but after having Sonny she figured she was destined to only have one. It would be tough to care for a second, but she didn’t like the alternatives either. After a few moments of quiet tension between them it dawned on her that she was thinking of it as a done deal. As if she was already pregnant.
“You do realize that it’s a slim chance,” she murmured softly.
Luke nodded. “For your sake I hope you’re not pregnant yet. I think you’ll need some time to adjust to this new life. Being a werewolf isn’t easy.”
Just like that the spell was broken, and all of the tender feelings she’d been having moments ago were gone. “Seriously? We’re back to that? How dumb do you think I am, Luke?”
He looked confused. “I don’t think you’re dumb at all.”
“Then why are you still trying to make me believe you’re a fictitious creature? Are you schizophrenic? Do you need medication?”
“No! I’m not crazy, damn it. Would you believe me if I showed you?” He looked offended, and hopeful all at once, and she shrugged.
“Show me what?”
“My wolf.”
She very nearly laughed in his face, but the pleading look he gave her made her nod in agreement. “Fine. Show me whatcha got, wolf-boy. But I’m warning you. If your beast isn’t housebroken there will be hell to pay.”
He shot off the bed, and began stripping his clothes, carelessly dropping them on the floor. Golden skin and rippled muscle appeared, and her mouth watered. She squeezed her thighs together, unwilling to admit to him that his physical beauty turned her on this much. Her nipples grew tight as his half-hard cock came into view, and he lifted his head to wink at her. His nostrils flared and he inhaled deeply, smiling.
“You smell so delicious when you’re hot for me, baby. Give me a minute to do this, and then I’ll take care of you.” Without giving her a chance to respond, he stood to his full height, and…
She screamed, and threw herself across the bed toward the closet. In a flurry of tangled clothes and crashing hangers she managed to secure herself behind the levered bi-fold doors. Trembling in shock and fright, she held onto the small doorknobs tightly and prayed that the enormous creature in her bedroom was a figment of her feverish hallucinations.
There was no way that the man she’d slept with two nights ago had just grown fur and a snout. It wasn’t logical. Werewolves weren’t real.
“Tavi, baby?”
She felt a tug on the door handles, and she whimpered.
“Shit. I tried to tell you! Damn it, I didn’t want to scare you.”
He was pacing outside the closet doors, but Tavi wasn’t willing to release her grip and peek to see if the wolf was still there as well. Her heart was racing, and her bladder was suddenly full to the brim. Twisting her legs together, she fought the urge to start crying.
“Please, Tavi, open the door. I shifted back, and I promise I won’t turn into my wolf again unless you ask me to.”
He waited for her to respond, but she just concentrated on remaining as silent as possible. In the back of her mind she recalled reading somewhere that playing dead could make some wild animals retreat, so she was hoping it would work with this wolf. She’d never been this close to one, and she never wanted to be again. It was insane that Luke thought this charade was funny. He was clearly some kind of magician.
“Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I’m going to call
a friend of mine to come and talk to you about this. She’s been in your shoes, so she’ll know what you’re going through. Just don’t be scared of me, baby. I would never hurt you.”
She heard him pulling his clothes on, and retreating down the hallway. It was impossible to know how long she hid in the closet, but it seemed like hours to her. She wasn’t a fan of confined spaces, and her need to use the facilities became overpowering.
Taking a chance that he’d drawn the wolf away with him, she cracked the door open slightly, and surveyed her bedroom. The sheets from the bed were strewn across the floor toward the closet she stood in, and the box of donuts was missing from the bedside table. She’d probably knocked it to the floor in her panic, too.
The throbbing in her bladder was enough to force her from her hidey hole, and she crept across the room to the bathroom, determined to reach the locking door before Luke or the wolf reappeared. Just as she reached the cold tile floor of the bathroom she heard footsteps in the hallway, and panic set in again. Slamming the bathroom door behind her she skidded on the floor in an attempt to turn the lock as fast as she could and she banged her head on the bathroom vanity.
Stars flashed behind her eyelids and she cursed loudly as she crumpled to the floor. A heartbeat later the bathroom door slammed open and she heard a loud roar in her ears that she was hoping was just an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to squeeze her eyelids shut fast enough to shut out the vision of Luke storming into the room toward her, with glowing eyes and a heaving chest. His body seemed enormous from her position on the floor, and she felt tears break free and flow down her cheeks and she buried her face in her knees and covered her head protectively.
Luke was relieved when he got ahold of Tina on the first try, but knowing she was a good half hour away nearly killed him. He paced the front of the house, afraid to go back into the bedroom and frighten Tavi more. When his wolf hearing picked up the sound of the wheels turning on the closet door, he quietly made his way back down the hall hoping that she’d calmed down. Instead, all he saw was a flash of red hair and bare legs as she flew into the bathroom. Then he’d heard a slam and a crash followed by the click of the lock, and finally the scent of fresh blood on the air. Tavi’s blood.