Page 8 of Shadow of Spring (Wild Haven 2)

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Archer

I’m early when I get to Lena’s apartment, but I was too antsy to sit still. I’ve been ready for the last hour, and it was pointless to keep pacing around my living room. It’s Sunday, so instead of my typical suit and tie, I’ve taken it down a few notches with a more casual look. Dark jeans, a blue plaid button-down and a dark blue sweater.

I adjust the sleeves, tugging them down gently to cover up my tattoos. I don’t like anyone seeing them unless I give them permission. Running out of my house this morning in sweats is highly unusual for me, but Lena scared me half to death. When I saw her father in the clearing with her, I nearly lost it. That waste of oxygen deserves to be buried in the woods and forgotten forever. One of these days I’m going to beat the ever-loving shit out of him, but this morning was not the time or the place.

Lena’s already outside her apartment when I arrive, locking up her door. I scrub a hand over my face to keep from groaning. It’s not like she’s wearing anything revealing, but she looks incredible. Honestly, I don’t think it matters what she has on, because she always looks fantastic. Today she’s wearing a dark green dress that’s straight out of the forties. It’s fitted at the waist with a slim brown leather belt and a skirt that hugs her hips and ass, but flares out before it hits just above her knees. Her long legs are bare, and she’s wearing a pair of two-tone Mary Jane heels that aren’t supposed to be sexy as fuck, but Jesus.

“Do you pick a character out of a book and that’s how you dress each day?”

Lena looks down at her outfit and then raises an arched black brow at me. “No. What character do you think I look like today?”

Her eyes drop to the steps as she walks down them, each footfall perfectly displaying trim ankles, toned legs. I need to lift my eyes and stop drooling over her, but I’m not having much success. She looks so damn perfect.

“Today you’re straight out of a Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett book.”

Lena and I are very similar in the way we dress. Not necessarily style-wise, but the way we both use our clothing as armor. Our clothes hide everything we don’t want to reveal to the rest of the world. I don’t know when I figured out I was doing it, but it wasn’t long after that I realized Lena did as well. She’s always perfectly pulled together, and I understand the need to keep up those appearances. It’s not because we think we’re perfect; it’s because it helps keep the mess inside.

I finally manage to lift my gaze as she steps onto the sidewalk in front of me.

“Does that mean we’re a crime solving duo?”

“You’re the femme fatale, baby. I should watch my back.”

“Hardly.” Lena makes an amused sound. “You’re early.”

“I was bored sitting at home.”

“Well, I’m glad I can relieve some of your boredom.” Lena’s wearing her glasses today. There’s a fifty-fifty chance she’ll be wearing them on any given day. I like her both ways, but there’s something about being a librarian with a pair of glasses sliding down her nose as she stares at me over the top of the frames… Fuck. Where did that come from? I clear my throat and wrangle my wayward thoughts. Thank God Lena has no idea the direction my head just went in.

There is way more pedestrian traffic today than I would’ve expected on Aspen Street. Considering a dead body was just found near here yesterday, the tourists are still out in full force. Apparently, they’re not bothered by brutally disfigured bodies.

Lena stops walking, her eyes caught on a group of laughing people near Pixie Treats, the chocolate shop. She squints and pushes her glasses up to pinch the bridge of her nose, then rubs her eyes.

“Is everything okay?” I look back at the group, not noticing anything particularly interesting about them. There’s three men and one woman of various ages. Two of the men look like they’re in their forties, and the other two appear closer to my age. If anything is odd about them, it’s how attractive they are. Perfect bone structure, lithe, shapely bodies. It’s not a crime to be good looking. I shrug it off and turn back to Lena.

“Yeah, I’m fine. My eyes are just bothering me. I wore my contacts for too long yesterday, and I swear I’m paying for it today.”

“Ah, so that’s why the glasses today, hmm.” My eyes skate over her face, taking in the gorgeous and unique color of her eyes, the slope of her nose, the perfect part of her lips. Lena lowers her glasses back down and I grin at her.

“Well, I like the glasses. Makes me want to be an unruly patron. You can be the sexy librarian who spanks me with a ruler.”

Holy shit. Fuck. What the hell did I just say? I don’t even know how I allowed those words to come out of my mouth. I gape down at Lena, ready to apologize or explain myself. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but they won’t come out. It’s as if there’s a phantom force choking the apology off, refusing to let me speak it out loud. Because, maybe, I want to see what she’ll say.

We stare at each other. Neither one of us moves, except for our breaths, which grow more rapid with every passing second.

“You want to be spanked?” There’s a spark of mischief in Lena’s eyes as she peers up at me. The look I give her back is pure fire, and I can see she knows it from the way her cheeks heat.

“Normally, I’m the one who likes to do the spanking. But I might make an exception for you.” Again—what the hell is up with the words coming out of my mouth?

There’s a look in Lena’s eyes that has me pausing. Her pulse is pounding so hard I can see the vein in her throat jumping with each beat. The scent of spring, of flowers in bloom, wraps around me, and every muscle in my body tightens. Lena’s scent. I want to strike. I’m a predator, with his prey in sight. She’s in my claws and I want to devour her.

Lifting my hand, I trail my fingers over her jaw and down the curve of her neck to feel her pulse for myself. She swallows, and I capture the motion as my hand coils around her throat. Not in a threatening way. Never. Because I will never hurt Lena, not if I can help it. No, this is about control, about claiming.

Lena’s lips part as she looks up at me with complete trust. There isn’t just the belief that I won’t harm her in her eyes, it’s so much more. I shouldn’t put a name to it. We’re already playing on the precipice of a dangerous cliff. Friends don’t have these feelings toward one another.

Shadows creep into the edges of my vision like they did last night, shocking me back into reality. I blink a few times and release Lena’s neck. My hand drifts back down as I try to calm the raging storm that’s churning beneath my skin. Skin that’s too hot, too sensitive.

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