Page 58 of Gone Hunting

Her long hair falls to flutter against my shoulder and worry puckers her brow. Her eyes,man, I can look at those beauties forever.

“Aric,” she says, her voice a gentle purr that strokes my skin in a lazy caress. “I’m so sorry. I had no ideawerescould be injured like this from just a fall.” She lifts my hand, clutching it between her breasts.

The warmth spreads between us and my eyes open and goodgawd, why didn’t I try this sooner?

Her gorgeous face consumes me. I’m barely able to form a single thought beyond kissing her. But then she bites down on her plump bottom lip and I know I’m done for.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she stammers. I don’t think she’s embarrassed. I think she’s speechless, like I am.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, either,” I rasp. I motion behind her. “That push was supposed to be a love tap.”

“A love tap?”

I groan. Way to ruin a moment.

“I meant tap. Just tap—a nudge.” I groan, frustrated. “I was trying to be affectionate.”

The corners of her mouth lift and she shakes her head like I’m the most pathetic male in the world, maybe because right now, I am. Around her, I’m clumsy and can barely string more than a few words together.

And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“There are other ways to show affection,” she says, her sweet words stalling my heart.

She’s close enough for me to lift up and kiss her. I think it’s what she wants. I lick my lips, tilt my head to the side and . . . completely lose my nerve.

Instead, I playfully swipe mud on the tip of her nose. “You mean like this?”

She crinkles her nose in the cutest way possible and wipes her nose clean. “Or like this.”

I’m too taken with Celia to see her hand coming at me. I make a face when she smears mud across my right cheek. “Aw, man,” I say, laughing. “I’m going to get you for that one.”

She’s already on her feet, backing away. “You’re going to have to catch me first, wolf.”

Celia takes off with me in close pursuit. She’s not as fast as she was earlier, the strain of battle slowing her down. But she’s still faster than me. Thing is, I’m determined to catch this little feline and sometimes that’s all the incentive a wolf needs.

She sprints up the incline toward the house, running between the trees instead of taking the path. I should be telling her to slow down and to take it easy, or at least remind her that it’s been a rough day and we need to rest and replenish our calories.

Instead, I run faster, encouraging her to quicken her speed. She thinks she knows where she’s going, but she doesn’t know this land like I do.

I cut right and then left at the barn, snagging Celia by the waist and spinning her. Her arms wrap around my neck and the world as I know it slows.

“No fair,” she says, pretending to pout.

Her hair flows behind her and the bits of sunlight that remain cast a shimmer across her eyes. I smile. “Totally fair,” I say.

I stop spinning and lift Celia into my arms. She kicks her feet as I walk to the back of the house and hop up the steps leading to the terrace. Given how strong she is, she could easily break free. I’m only holding her enough that she doesn’t fall.

I carefully set her down when we reach the top. She smiles up at me, taking my hand and allowing me to lead her to the edge. I get my wish and watch the sunset with Celia wrapped in my arms.

The last streaks of red and orange vanish into the mountains, the sky proclaiming the day is done. Darkness encases us and the first few stars blink before we speak again. I should have taken her inside long before this, offered her a hot meal to beat back the cold the night brings, and water to settle the thirst making my voice sound raw. But these moments with Celia mean everything to me, and for the time being, the only peace I can offer.

My attention falls to our carefully clasped hands. It doesn’t matter that we come from different worlds. We fit as easily as the moon among the stars.

“There’s a dance at the end of the month to celebrate the Harvest Moon.” I pause. “It’s kind of a big deal around here. I think humans would refer to it as prom. We dress up and celebrate in the big hall.” I look at her then. “Will you go with me?”

There are skinwalkers prowling our borders and natural disasters awoken by dark powers. We fought off a supernatural spell that sent scorpions to sprout from the ground like cabbage.

Bottom line. I’m a young male, holding a pretty girl close enough to kiss. Evil be damned. All I can think about is kissing Celia and taking her to prom.

---