Page 46 of Hollyhocks

He unlaces his boots and then kicks them off. Each one thuds against the wall before falling to the floor. “I’ll be right back. Hold onto that thought. I need to get out of these wet clothes. Actually, do you want some dry clothes too?”

I gasp, jumping off the couch. A huge wet spot is on the cushion. “I’m so sorry, Fitz. I wasn’t even thinking. I ruined your couch.” What was I thinking? I know better than to plop on someone’s sofa soaking wet.

It’s been too long since I’ve been around people. I’ve forgotten how to act. Even now, I feel odd pretending I give a fuck about the couch. I’ll destroy this couch. It means nothing to me but it might mean something to Fitz. If it’s important to him, then it is to me.

That’s how I’ll be living my life or everyone and everything will be at my mercy.

“I don’t care about the couch, Wildflower.”

The unexpected closeness of his voice has me gasping and spinning around. He’s so close, that I smack against his chest.

“Sorry,” I chirp, cursing myself internally for how I’m behaving. How am I becoming such a mess around him? I’m the one always in control.

The connection between us is different. Our bond, our claim grows stronger the more time we spend together, and I didn’t expect for us to spend any time together while he was conscious. A man like Fitz could only ever love a woman like me in his dreams.

I’m not the kind of woman for him to bring home to his mother. Although, lucky me, he doesn’t seem to have a good relationship with her.

“What’s wrong, Holly?” He puts distance between us by taking a step back. “I didn’t mean to make you nervous. I won’t hurt you.”

“No, I don’t think you would. You…you do make me nervous but not in a bad way, Fitz.”

He holds out his hand with that charming smile. “Come on. I’ll give you some clothes and I’ll pour us a glass of wine.”

I need to run out of this house and away from him. Being around him is too difficult to keep my human cloak. Any moment, my hair could turn blue, my scales or fins could show, or my tail could decide to have a mind of its own.

And yet, I slip my palm across his because I’m not strong enough to run away from my mate. “That sounds perfect.”

“Follow me.” He tugs me behind him, following him up the staircase next to the front door.

I stare at a few pictures lining the wall. “These pictures are great. Who is this?” I point to him and a woman. His arm is around her.

I’m going to kill her.

“That’s my sister.”

Damn it. I can’t kill her.

“You two look happy.”

When he gets to the top of the stairs, he leans against the wall and crosses his arms. “We were. Things were simpler then.”

I don’t like the tone of his voice. It’s resigned as if things aren’t as simple now. “What changed? Has something happened?”

“That story requires wine and dry clothes.” The sadness from his face is gone. He cocks his head in the direction we need to go. “Come on. I’m freezing in these clothes.”

“How many bedrooms is your house?”

He swings open his bedroom door, flipping on the light. I want to brag about how I’ve been in this room and on his bed.

“Five. I know it’s just me, but I always wanted a big family. I figured I might as well get a house that, hopefully, can hold that dream. Heck, two rooms are about to be taken.”

The drawer to his dresser grinds as Fitz opens it. He plucks a black shirt from the top. “I hope you don’t mind an old garage shirt.”

“Are you kidding? You’ll be lucky to even get it back.” I snatch it from him before he can take it back. I bring the shirt to my nose and inhale. “Smells like you.”

He grabs a shirt too, pushing the drawer shut while laughing. “Well, according to my friends, that’s a bad thing. They said, and I quote, “I reek today.”’

I step into his space, pressing my nose into the middle of his chest. Lifting my eyes to his, I can’t help the possessive growl that rolls in my chest for him. My beasts are all too happy to be this close.

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