Page 56 of Wolf's Chance

I was and she didn’t have wolf sight, and the less she knew, the better.

The blanket was tossed to the floor, and after another conversation with herself, she pulled the covers back and got into bed. She tossed and turned for a good five minutes, and I was ready to put her back in the truck when she seemed to finally settle down, curled on her side, with her back to me.

“Comfy?”

Willow’s yelp of alarm made me smile, followed by a strong curse word. “I’ll talk to you in the morning,” she muttered. Her threat, like her, was clawless. “I’m going to sleep.”

“Mm-hmm.” Closing my eyes, I settled in for a few more hours of sleep.

I woke up in the morning with Willow snuggled into my side. I had barely moved during the night, but her side looked like a tornado had wrecked it. Her head was on my chest, her arm across my lower stomach, and her thigh was hooked over mine.

Her warm body was comfortable next to mine, but I was a shifter, and we ran at higher temperatures, so adding her body heat to mine was not pleasant. Given that I knew she wouldn’t appreciate waking up in this position, I contemplated fucking with her and waking her up. As I lay there, she pressed closer into me, murmuring as she slept. Watching her, I wondered ifshe was having one of her dreams or if she was just in a deep sleep.

Listening to her breathing and hearing her heart rate was slow and steady, I relaxed slightly. Moving her off me, I got up and out of the bed. She snuggled deeper into the pillow, a soft sigh escaping her. I watched her for a moment longer, trying to figure her out. She looked like she was resting, properly resting. Not the slumber of before where her body was replacing what it missed when she’d been starved of energy. No, this looked like she was enjoying a good sleep.

I went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Coming out of the shower and back into the room, I saw she was still asleep, and I used the opportunity to change my shirt.

“You have a strong back,” Willow murmured from the bed. “So clean and defined. I’d love to draw it.”

As I looked over my shoulder, she saw my surprise at the compliment, and she shrugged before stretching. “I’m an artist; I can appreciate the human body and not be a pervert, you know.”

Pulling on a clean navy T-shirt, I turned to face her. “Sleep well?”

Willow nodded, a yawn stealing her reply. “So good.” Pushing the covers off, she got out of bed. “I need ten minutes and then we can go.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Happy, rested Willow was so much easier to deal with. I made a note to keep her rested for the remainder of the journey. By the time she was ready to leave, wearing a fresh change of clothes, I’d repacked the truck.

Willow stopped in the walkway, her head turned, her nose sniffing the air. She looked at me with expectancy. “Bacon!”

“Already got us a table. You go ahead if you want.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. Her eagerness for her breakfast made me smile. When I joined her, she was already prepping a teapot, and there was a steaming cup of coffee waiting for me.

“I got us drinks, but the menu’s there.” She indicated to the menu on the side of the booth.

“Thanks.”

We both ordered breakfast with all the works, and while she ate slower than I did, she still cleared her plate.

Sitting back, Willow patted her flat belly. “I feel good,” she declared. “I always know, when I wake up hungry and the smell of food doesn’t make me nauseous, that I’m going to have a good day.”

“That’s good.” Was it? I had no idea, but she seemed happy, and who was I to ruin that for her when I’d already caused such upset to her normal routine?

“How much longer before we get to your friend of a friend’s place?”

“A few hours.” I finished my coffee, sitting back and waiting for her next questions. There were bound to be some.

“I know you said he’s a friend of a friend, but have you met him before?”

“No.”

Willow glanced away and I saw her uncertainty. “How do you know he’s going to be any help?”

“I don’t,” I admitted. “But it’s worth a shot.” I looked at my empty coffee cup and back up at her. “What doyou have to lose?” When she went to speak, I cut her off. “Do not say your life; you’re better than that.”

She blushed but her eyes crinkled with humor. “Didn’t know I was so predictable…”

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