Page 38 of Dead Air
“It’s been a lot but Dr. Curn has been great,” Niall said, beaming up at him.
Cenn hummed in agreement and smiled serenely at Shelby. “I’m just glad I was here to keep an eye on Niall and make sure he’s safe.”
“He hasn’t left my side since the shooting,” Niall confirmed but winced. “Chance did go back and get our gear but he couldn’t have been gone for more than half an hour.”
“It was more like an hour. You were sleeping when I left you but it took me a little longer to climb down and back up,” Cenn said as he kissed Niall’s temple again.
Shelby humphed dubiously. “Other than that, he’s been here the whole time?”
“I helped him pack up his site a few days ago and we brought it all up here.” Niall nodded at the bins and crates Cenn had neatly stacked on the porch in case Shelby or one of the other rangers came poking around.
“Well, I’ll get out of your way, then,” Shelby replied but his gaze lingered on Cenn before he finally offered Niall a salute and headed back the way he had come.
Cenn held up a finger, signaling for Niall to wait until Shelby was too far away to hear them. “You handled that well,” he said to Niall. Not well enough to fool MacIlwraith and Oglethorpe if Cenn wasn’t there to keep him calm. No amount of enchanting or airing out would fool them so Cenn would have to come up with a different plan.
“What did you do to me?” Niall asked, pulling away from Cenn with a suspicious look.
“I just relieved you of some of your anxiety.”
“Don’t tamper with my emotions like that when I’m with others. I want to bemewhen I’m talking to people, Cenn.”
“He was already suspicious. He knows I’m not right and I’m up to something,” Cenn muttered as he monitored Shelby’s progress down the trail.
There was a sarcastic snort from Niall and he was frustrated as he stomped off, heading towards his secret spot to think. Cenn went after him, not wanting Niall to stew and stay angry.
“Don’t be mad at me, Niall.” Cenn was invisible, speaking in his ear.
“Why do I get the feeling you planned that back there and that you’re behind whatever happened to Shelby?” Niall’s footsteps were heavy and fast as he stomped into the forest, paying little mind to the trail .
“He’s still in love with you and the sooner he accepts that you’re mine, the better.”
Niall paused, his face twisting as he waved to clear the air around him. “That’s awful, Cenn, and it stops now. Don’t play anymore games with Shelby, do you understand me? He’s agoodman and he’s just doing his job.”
“A little too well. He will figure out that I’m a fraud.”
“We’ll deal with that when it happens. No more games with Shelby,” Niall ground out, his fists swinging angrily at his side.
He was so adorable and so noble, with his pure, indomitable, irate soul. Cenn wanted to eat it right up. “Alright, no more games with Shelby. But all he has to do is fall in love with someone else and most of it will clear right up.”
The frown that furrowed Niall’s brow and tugged at his lips was priceless. “That’s not fair! He can’t help how he feels and how is he going to meet someone new around here?”
“How indeed, when he’s so fixated on you?”
“Let’s hope he’s over me after what you just pulled. Leave Shelby alone from now on.”
“Very well. I will leave Shelby alone from now on.”
Everything prior to now didn’t count and Niall had no idea how peeved Shelby’s superiors were about those emails.
“You know, I thought about it with Shelby,” Niall eventually blurted. He fell back against a tree, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I know.”
“I really like him and he’s pretty easy to look at. I was too scared he’d find out about me dying and I was worried he’d figure out that it had something to do with Andy.”
“He very well might have. He’s smart and he’d find that there have been numerous complaints about Willoughby since you died.”
“Really?” Niall didn’t sound very surprised and he wasn’t all that bothered. He was too preoccupied with Shelby’s hurt feelings.
