“Yeah.Life is funny sometimes.”
“Where would you have gone?”
She shrugs and stifles a yawn.“We didn’t have that part figured out.We were almost at our goal savings when everything went sideways.”
I stand, moving to her side.“Come on.I’ll show you to your room.You need your rest.”
“It’s hard to believe I’m tired when I feel like I’ve done nothing but sleep for weeks.”
I help her off the stool and lead her down the hallway to the guest room.My wolf whines as we pass our room.I wish I could put her in there, too, but I don’t think she’s ready for that.Not yet.
“Here you go.Let me know if you need anything.My room is right next door.”
“Thanks, Abe,” she says sincerely.
I smile.“Of course.Good night.”
“Night.”
She closes the door, and I sigh as I retreat to my room to get ready for bed.
I climb onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling long after the house goes dark.Every sound from next door makes my body coil tighter and tighter with need.My wolf paces inside me, and I groan.For the first time in my life, having patience feels like the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Sleep doesn’t come.
All I can think about is the woman next door.
And wishing that she’ll choose me.
EIGHT
Roxie
It’s been a few days,and things are finally back to normal.
Well, as normal as things can be when Fern and I are both shacked up with overprotective shifters.
“Any side effects still lingering?”Fern asks as she passes me a hot chocolate and curls up on the other end of the couch.
“Nope.I’m back to feeling 100 percent.Energy is back, appetite, everything is good.”
“Good.You had us all worried there for a bit.”
“I know.Me too, but the drugs are out of my system now.”
“Any, um… any nightmares?”she asks carefully.
“Yeah, sometimes.Some mornings, I wake up and don’t know where I am right away.Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, and I’m right back there in that motel or the car.”
“It was the same for me for a while.”
“Really?”
She sighs.“Yeah.It lasted for a few weeks.”
“What helped?”
“Jameson,” Fern says with a dreamy smile.“He was always there when I woke up.Just feeling his arms around me was comforting.He grounded me.I knew that nothing bad could happen to me when he was around.”