He smiled at me, a warm promise in his eyes. I felt butterflies dancing in my stomach. But they were of excitement, not fear.
Well, maybe a little bit of fear.
Not fear of him. I was afraid that I would let him down. I didn't really have a clue what I was doing with boys. And he wasn't just a boy.
He was something else, something special.
And I was pretty sure I was in love with him.
He held out his hand and I took it, sitting on the blanket beside him. He brushed my hair back and kissed my neck. He smiled at me, pretending to mull something over.
"Apple turnover."
He kissed the other side, his breath fanning my ear.
"Cinnamon."
Then he kissed my forehead.
"Vanilla."
He smiled at me.
"I don't smell a whiff of french fries."
I laughed nervously.
"I was on dessert duty most of my shift.”
He scooted closer, angling his body so that it pressed against mine. He put his hand on my back and guided me down until I was flat on the blanket, with him poised above me.
"Krista... you're always on dessert duty."
He kissed me then, his mouth open and hungry. His hands ran over my body, seeking and finding sensitive spots. My wrists. My sides. His hands skimmed my chest and he let out an animalistic growl. He rolled so he was on top of me.
I could feel his body pushing intimately against me. He slid his hand underneath my shirt, reaching for my breasts. I lifted my hands, placing them on his shoulders. He stopped immediately, breathing heavily.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just-"
He stared at me, his eyes worried.
"You said you wanted to be with me."
"I do."
I sat up, pulling my shirt back down.
“It’s just too fast, Dean. It's my first time for all of this, remember?"
He nodded solemnly.
"Okay. We don't have to do anything."
Then he kissed me again. It was less urgent this time. But still more passionate than any kisses we'd shared before. He touched me again but steered clear of anything too intimate.
I found myself regretting my words. I was arching against him, wanting more. But I was definitely not ready to lose my virginity, especially not in the woods. I wasn’t sure I wanted to lose it at all.
Dean understood that and respected it.
It was an hour later when he carried me back through the woods to campus. He set me on my feet when we reached civilization. I walked beside him the rest of the way to my dorm.
He stared down at me, taking my hand. I shivered as he brushed his thumb over my palm.
"Come away with me this weekend."
“Where?”
He smiled at me sweetly.
“It’s a surprise.”
“I don’t do so great with surprises, Dean.”
“You’ll like this one. I promise.”
“I don’t know… I have a lot of work to do.”
“Bring it with you. I promise to help you study.”
I chewed my lip, staring up at him while I thought it over.
“So will you? Come?”
His other hand cupped my cheek and I turned my face towards it, pressing a kiss into his palm.
"Yes."
Chapter 9
Dean
"You alright?"
I glanced at Krista then shifted my eyes back to the road. It was raining and the roads were extra slick with wet leaves. I could protect her from almost anything. Except a car crash.
Actually, I knew I would just throw myself in front of her then too.
"I'm fine, Dean.”
"I can turn the heat up."
I reached for the thermostat and adjusted it, sending warm air streaming throughout the SUV's interior.
I smiled and reached for her hand. Her fingers were cold as my hand enveloped hers. She wasn't saying much but that was alright. I could read my girl like a book.
My girl.
That's what she was now. Now that she'd finally stopped fighting. Finally stopped running. Now that she was mine.
I could feel it down to my bones. I wasn't alone anymore. I never would be again.
And tonight, I would make it real.
I had rented a cabin for a couple of days. It had been almost a week since she'd sent the text telling me I had won. A week that had gone by torturously slow for me. She belonged with me now, but there was no place for us to be together with any degree of privacy.
I couldn't bring her back to the suite without my roommates embarrassing her. Thankfully, I'd been able to convince her to take a few days off from her work study. And since my parents had brought my car up the month before, we were going to have a little adventure. A romantic one, I hoped.
We were finally going to be alone.
I felt my gut tighten at the thought of having her all to myself for an entire weekend.
"In fifty feet, take the next left onto Fulsome Creek Road."
There was no one driving on these back roads from what I could tell, but I flipped the turn signal on anyway. It was dark out and who knew what kind of drivers there were out here in the middle of nowhere.
I turned onto the unpaved road and we started climbing. The new road was narrow and winding, so I found myself leaning forward over the wheel. I was concentrating deeply, my focus entirely on keeping Krista safe. My reflexes might be preternaturally fast, but I had precious cargo on board.
After about ten minutes, we came to a clearing at the top of the hill. A small cabin sat there. It was well-kept, with dark wood and a covered front porch. This was it.
Our little hideaway.
"Come on."
I climbed out of the car and looked around. It was perfect. Secluded didn't begin to cover it. Other than the car lights and the stars, there was complete darkness.
I walked up the porch stairs and fished the key out of my pocket. It slid into the lock and I pushed the door open. I reached back and pulled Krista into the cabin, making her squeal. Then I turned the light on.
Not that I needed it to see. My night vision was insanely good. Just like my hearing. Just like my sense of smell.
I turned the gas fireplace on with a switch on the wall.
Yeah, I’d done my homework on the amenities.
I grinned at Krista as she stared around the cabin with her big, beautiful eyes. She looked a little nervous. That didn't surprise me. After all, she was really inexperienced just being in the situation, never mind what the night hopefully had in store. She’d told me she never even had a boyfriend. It was hard to believe, looking the way that she did. Apparently she’d kept to herself in high school.
But she trusted me. Trusted me to keep her safe, no matter what.
I pulled her into my arms for a lingering kiss.
I’d waited years to be alone with her. And now, it was finally happening. I couldn’t stop smiling, even as I kissed her.
The night I'd waited so long for had finally begun.
Chapter 10
Krista
One bed.
There was only one bed.
The reality hit me like a ton of bricks. This was happening. This was happening tonight.
Dean expected me to share a bed with him.
Of course, I had expected to fool around with him. I wanted to fool around with him. A little bit anyway. Sleeping in his arms seemed like a dream.
But the fact that there was only one bed made it seem so... final.
I rubbed my arms briskly, feeling the chill.
I was just a little bit nervous, that's all. Dean dropped another bag on the floor, making me jump in the air like a cat. Okay, maybe I was more than a little nervous.
A lot.
I was a lot nervous.
I wasn't sure if I should unpack, or take a shower, or... actually I had no idea what to do. Those were my only two options at the moment. Then I realiz
ed I could sit, and see what Dean had in mind.
I sat down gingerly on the dark brown couch that looked like it was from the 1980’s. Thankfully, it was more comfortable than it looked. Dean came back in with a few bags of groceries. I started to stand but he waved me off.
"You relax. I got this."
I sat down again, not telling him that giving me something to do would help me relax. But there was no need to let him know what a freak I was. What girl was afraid of hooking up with an Adonis?
A sweet, sexy, loyal, cursed Adonis?
He held up each item as he unpacked it.
"Steak. Eggs. Milk. Orange juice. Cold cuts. Um... whole grain bread."
I giggled nervously.
"Pasta... tomato sauce... aaand... what do we have here?"
He pulled out a bottle of red wine and wiggled his eyebrows at me. I felt myself instantly relaxing. Dean knew what to do. We would just hang out. He wasn't going to pounce on me or do anything I didn’t like. When he pulled out a second bottle I giggled even more.
"I like to call these Friday and Saturday." He pulled out one more bottle. “This is backup, just in case you get too wild and I need to simmer you down.”
I watched as he put the groceries away and uncorked the wine. He was so strong. So graceful. There was something so self-assured about the way he moved. I envied that about him as much as I admired it.
No one would ever call him a little mouse.
Or redneck Barbie.
He was so perfect, most people just stared.
Dean poured two glasses and carried them over to the sofa.
He sat beside me and handed me a glass. He raised his glass to mine and clinked it dramatically. I took a sip, trying to get into the spirit of things.
"What are we drinking to?"
"To you."
I blushed and glanced away.
"Uh uh. Must make eye contact when making a toast."
I inhaled and looked into his teasing eyes. He bumped his glass against mine again and we both drank, the savory taste of the wine warming me more than the fire.
But not as much as the heated look in his eyes.
God, he was beautiful.
Men weren't supposed to be beautiful but Dean was. Everything about him fit together perfectly. He made sense to my eyes.
He made sense deep inside my heart.
He was perfect.
I still didn't understand what a guy like Dean would want with a girl like me. I was a shy little nothing. He was... what he was. He could have had anyone. And he chose me.
Then again, who was I to argue against my own good fortune? Gran would say I was looking a gift horse in the mouth. I knew I had my good points. Maybe he was right, and I was the one who was seeing myself through a cracked mirror…
He really wanted to be with me, that much was obvious. And I wanted the same thing. It was more than our otherworldly connection. It was more than just the magnetic attraction we both seemed to feel. It was something bigger than either one of us.
What was the worst that could happen?
Chapter 11
Dean
There was something in the air.
Thankfully, the cabin was clean, so I knew it wasn’t mouse poop.
Maybe it was just anticipation.
I sipped my wine, watching Krista over the rim of my glass. As usual, she looked like a little bird who was seriously considering taking flight. I didn't blame her.
After what she'd seen, I wouldn't be surprised if she slept with a crucifix under her bed. But as far I knew, they didn’t do squat against werewolves.
Hopefully, after tonight I'd be able to set her mind at ease once and for all.
She'd know that I would never hurt her. Not for anything. Or anyone.
I would protect her with my life if I had to. But first I wanted to enjoy her. As much as possible.
"Are you hungry? We could eat now.”
She shook her head. I felt the tightness in my stomach ease up. I didn't want to eat either.
Well, not food anyway. The truth was, I wanted to gobble her up.
Now that I could touch her sooner rather than later.
Much sooner.
"Here, have some more wine."
I refilled both our glasses and grinned at her. She looked even more nervous now. Crap, I must have looked a little overeager. I leaned back casually and she visibly relaxed.
Okay, so I was going to have to go slow...
I sipped my wine and stared into the fire. Eventually, I closed my eyes, letting my body get heavy. I was anything but relaxed. I was poised and ready to jump her bones. But I didn't want her to know that.
A muffled giggle brought me back to the moment.
"Are you... sleeping?"
I looked at her sideways. She was laughing at me. She looked so adorably mischievous that my heart did a little flip flop.
"No, just relaxing. You should try it. Here, lean against me."
I took our glasses and set them on the coffee table. Then I eased her into the crook of my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her, letting my fingertips graze her forearm. I deliberately did nothing for a while, just made lazy whorls on her impossibly silky skin.
I grimaced at the feeling of blood rushing through my body. I couldn't help it. Just having her body pressed against my side was doing crazy things to me.
I let my fingertips start to wander. Up and down her arm at first. Then along her neck. She sighed deeply. Yes, it was definitely working.
I shifted slightly, angling my body towards hers. Now my other hand could touch her leg. Again, I started with the lightest of touches, turning my head into her neck and breathing softly.
I smiled against her neck and started kissing her there. I trailed little kisses up to her jaw and then to her lips.
She whimpered a bit as my lips closed over hers.
It was the sexiest damn sound I'd heard in my entire life.
"Hmmmm... my God Krista... I want you so bad."
“Dean…”
I pushed her backwards, so we could get closer. But she sat up again.
“What’s wrong?”
She just stared at me, her big eyes worried.
“Don’t be mad.”
I reached out for her, running my hands up and down her arms.
“I won’t be mad.”
“I can’t sleep with you.”
I leaned backwards, staring at her. A cold feeling was settling in the pit of my stomach.
“I thought you wanted to be with me.”
“I do. But this is too fast.” She bit her full bottom lip. “I didn’t expect… all this.”
“Okay, it’s fine. Let’s just eat then.”
“You’re not mad?”
I shook my head. I was upset, but I wasn’t mad. She’d never had a boyfriend before. She had no idea what being near her was doing to me.
“No.”
“You are.”
“I swear Krista, I’m not. I’m disappointed.” I slid closer, pulling her against me. She seemed to melt into me. She felt so right. “I was looking forward to waking up with you.”
She jerked as if I’d scalded her.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you.”
I stared as she disappeared into the bedroom in the back of the cabin and shut the door.
Chapter 12
Krista
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
I was sitting on the bed when the noises started. I was hunched over, holding my knees against me. How had I managed to screw things up so completely?
Again.
THUMP
THUMP
THUMP
I stood up, suddenly worried that Dean was hurt. Maybe he was chopping wood. Or throwing things.
But that didn’t seem like something Dean would do.
“Dean?”
His voice came from right outside the door.
“Are you okay, Krista?”
I nodded, then r
ealized he couldn’t see me.
“Do you hear that?”
“Yes.”
The doorknob turned and I realized I had locked it behind me. I hurried over and undid the lock, opening the door.
“You locked it? Really?”
I shook my head.
“Force of habit.”
“Are you sure? Maybe you don’t trust me.”
“No. I do.” I reached out towards him but he made no move to take my hand. “I do trust you or I wouldn’t be here.”
THUMP
We both jumped, looking around for the source of the sound.
“What is that?”
A crash sounded right behind us. Dean ran to the window, thrusting the curtains open.
One of the panes was cracked.
In another second we saw why.
A bird had flown into it. That’s what the sounds were. Birds.
And they were killing themselves.
“Oh my God, Dean… what is happening?”
He looked at me, his handsome face a mask of worry.
“I don’t know.”
We ran from the room as more birds flew into the window. They seemed to follow us, hitting the front of the house as we emerged from the hallway.
“There are so many. Make them stop!”
He shook his head, his handsome face a mask of worry.
“I’ve heard of this happening. It’s something magnetic.”
I jumped as a bird crashed into the kitchen window to my left. Dean grabbed my hand and squeezed.
“It’s okay. I got you, Krista.”
I nodded, but I wasn’t reassured. The birds were still dive bombing the cabin. I could hear them hitting the roof.
Dean looked around the room. I knew he was trying to fix the problem. But how could he?
We couldn’t fight an endless flock of suicidal birds.
We stared at each other. We came to the same conclusion at the exact same moment. But Dean said it out loud first.
“Maybe we should just get out of here.”
“Definitely.”
He swung open the door and we both jumped back as a dark shape nosedived into the porch floor, inches away.
Moon Bound (Dreamshifters Book 2) Page 4