Page 48 of Wolf's Whisper

As the waiter leaves the table, I smile at Onyx. We both go to speak simultaneously, which makes us laugh.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous.” Onyx touches the silverware, trying to keep her hands busy.

“We can pretend that we’re at the safe house. We’ve never been at a loss for words there.” I tell her. She smiles back at me.

“You are right.” I search my jacket pockets for my cell phone.

Pulling up the record app, I slide the phone over to her side of the table, “Could you please repeat that so when we argue and think I’m in the wrong, I can play this for you?” I tease her. She picks up my phone, licking her lips before opening her mouth to speak.

“Janelle Pierce, you are right, and I am wrong. Don’t use this unless you’re ready for the consequences.” The husky way she says consequences has me clutching my thighs together. I swallow hard. The waiter interrupts my thoughts to bring us our salad and refill our drinks. I ask for water so I’m not tipsy on the bike.

The conversation started to flow once we relaxed, and I realized we were friends first.

Chapter Eighteen

Wolf

My heart races through dinner because the more time I spend with Janelle, the more I know she’s my future.Dinner has been great, and the conversation is flowing. There has been no lull since we initially laughed about our nervousness. I love hearing about the kids, her dreams, and talking about my dad. Janelle knows about my military days and my PTSD. She’s gentle about it and asks questions to understand how my mind works.

I paid for dinner and held my hand to her and we left the restaurant hand in hand. “Let’s walk before we head home.” The city is silent as we walk downtown, even with people walking around us and cars driving by.

“This city is beautiful during Christmas. The kids love the lights and all of the fun activities.”

“We always do some fun activities as a club to raise awareness of what we do. It’s always a fun time.” There’s a bookshop where we stop because we notice a few books the kids would like. As we walk through the aisles together, we pick up some books to read for Chloe at bedtime, adventure books for Abel, and history books for Dillon. Janelle and I browse some books for ourselves as well. We read the back of the books; some are quite steamy. I lean into her, “Maybe we can reenact some of the scenes in the books.” Janelle does something that completely shocks me; she turns to face me and kisses me right there in the romance aisle. It’s a deep and heated kiss. “We need to buy these and get home. Right now.” I grab her hand, dragging her toward the register and making Janelle laugh. I am on high alert and must feel Janelle’s body near me. I need to taste her, feeling her writhing under me.

The ride back to Janelle’s place on the bike seems to take forever. The way her body pressed against mine, her arms squeezing my waist, and feeling her chest rise and fall against my back has me very aware of Janelle. Pulling into the driveway, I shut off the bike and helped Janelle off the bike. We grab the books and walk up the sidewalk to the house.

Once we’re inside, we remove our shoes by the door. I grab her hand, taking her to the couch. We sit close, and I place her hair behind her ear. “You’re so fucking beautiful.” Her cheeks pink with my compliment. I lean in to kiss her, and she meets me halfway. My hand wraps around the back of her neck pulling me closer to me if that is even possible. The little moans she makes as I deepen the kiss has me squeezing my thighs. I want this woman so fucking bad.

Her hands find their way to my jacket, tugging it off my shoulders with a sense of urgency that makes my pulse race even more. I let it fall to the floor without a second thought. My fingers thread through her hair, tilting her head so I can deepen the kiss. She tastes like wine and something sweeter—something distinctly Janelle.

“Are you sure?” I ask breathlessly when we finally break apart for air. My forehead rests against hers, and I’m doing everything I can to keep myself from diving back in. “I don’t want to rush you.”

She cups my face, her eyes searching mine with an intensity that makes my chest tighten. “Onyx,” she says softly, her voice trembling just enough to make me pause. “I’ve never been surer of anything.”

That’s all the confirmation I need.

I stand, pulling her up with me as we make our way down the hallway toward her bedroom. The house is quiet, the faint creak of the floorboards beneath our footsteps the only sound accompanying us. I can feel her fingers gripping mine tightly, a mixture of anticipation and trust in her touch. My heartbeat pounds louder with every step, echoing in my ears like a drum.

When we reach the bedroom door, she hesitates for just a moment before pushing it open, revealing a warm and inviting space that feels distinctly hers. There are small touches everywhere—photos of the kids on the dresser, a soft blanketdraped over the bedframe, and a faint scent of lavender lingering in the air.

I pause at the threshold, suddenly overwhelmed by how intimate this moment feels. It’s not just the physical pull between us; it’s everything—the laughter we’ve shared, the trust we’ve built, and the quiet strength she’s shown me time and time again. I realize that being here with her means more than I ever thought it could.

Janelle turns to face me, her lips curving into a reassuring smile that makes my knees feel unsteady. “You okay, Onyx?” she asks, her voice carrying a playful lilt that contrasts the tenderness in her eyes.

I nod, swallowing hard as I step into the room. “Yeah,” I manage to say, though my voice comes out a little rough. “I just—this feels big, you know?”

Her smile widens, and she takes my hands in hers, guiding me further inside until we’re standing at the foot of the bed. “It is big. But it’s also just us,” she says softly. “And I trust you.”

Those three words do something to me—like they’ve unlocked a part of my heart I didn’t even realize I’d closed off. My fingers tighten around hers as I take a deep breath and let myself sink into the moment.

“Okay,” I whisper back. “Just us.”

She steps closer, her hands sliding up to rest on my shoulders as she leans in. She steps closer, her hands sliding up to rest on my shoulders as she leans in for another kiss. This one is softer, slower—like she’s savoring every second of it. My hands find her waist, pulling her flush against me, and I can feel the steady thrum of her heartbeat against my chest. It’s grounding in a way I didn’t expect, calming the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

Her fingers trail from my shoulders down to the hem of my shirt, hesitating there for just a moment. When she looks up atme, her eyes searching mine for permission, I nod. She lifts it over my head and lets it fall to the floor. The cool air hits my skin, but all I can focus on is the warmth of her touch as her hands explore the scars on my back.

She presses a kiss to one of them—a small gesture that makes my throat tighten and my eyes sting. I want to tell her how much that means to me, how much she means to me, but I can’t seem to find the words. “You’re incredible,” she whispers, her lips brushing against my skin as she speaks. “Every part of you, Onyx. Every scar, every story… it’s all a part of who you are, and I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

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