Page 26 of Shadows of the Soul

“Condom?”

I pointed at my bag. “Side pocket.”

He arched a brow and dug around in my bag before pulling out a fresh box of condoms. Okay, so maybe, just maybe, I had bought a packet recently. Margret at the checkout had made a show of twisting the box and eyeballing the description before handing them to me. The perks of living in a small town. A foil packet rustled, then he climbed back onto the bed, grabbed my thighs and yanked me up to straddle his lap. His hand threaded into my hair and he pulled me in to kiss me senseless. A second later he pushed inside of me. I gasped at the stretch, sparks of pain mingling with pleasure. He grabbed my ass and urged me down further. Everything inside me clenched with need.

“Fuck,” he muttered against my lips, before increasing the pace. Every single thrust built my need, our mouths barely parted as we devoured each other. I couldn’t get enough as my nails raked down his back, causing him to growl into my mouth.

I needed a little more friction. He reached between us and his thumb brushed over my sensitive flesh. I arched my back and exploded around him. A ripple of pleasure shot down my spine, my body preparing to realign to make room for my beast I kept shackled. He collapsed on top of me, and with a deafening roar, found his own release.

He rolled to my left, then pulled me against his body. As the seconds passed, our breathing settled. I’d fucked up. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed my last thoughts? Cora Roberts - Master of Optimism.

He clutched me tighter. “You are safe with me.”

I squeezed my eyes tighter as my heart constricted. I wanted to believe him, to take that step off the cliff and be caught. I wanted the passion that blazed in his eyes to fill my life, the love that he offered to fill my every day with happiness. I wanted a partner, someone to enjoy the good times, and to stand by my side through the hard times. And now that he had exposed me to what it would be like, I no longer wanted it, I needed it. He waited in silence as my thoughts ran away from me. They whirled with the prospect of that life, to end the loneliness. But the threat he posed by being that close to me, to invading my life, to making me depend on him—could I take that risk?

“I–”

“Don’t,” he cut me off. “Don’t catastrophize our relationship. I haven’t given you any reason for the doubts you have. You have your secrets, and when you are ready to share, I’m here to listen. Until then, I am that partner you hope for.”

A tear slipped free and dripped down my cheek and onto his chest. His hand dug into my hair and pulled it back to stare into my eyes. “Trust me enough to take the risk, Cora. I won’t go looking for your secrets. We both have things we need to discuss when we are ready, but relationships don’t happen overnight. They call it falling in love, because that’s exactly what it is. A fall, but I will be here to catch you. Give us a chance.”

I looked in his eyes, that were still glazed with pleasure as silence stretched between us while my heart and mind warred. The world continued turning, but everything else fell away, leaving only us. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He pulled me up and kissed me with a gentleness I didn’t think he had in him. It was a promise to treat me this way, with tenderness and respect. He sealed my fate in that moment, as I had never felt more protected, safe, and at home than when I was in his arms, surrounded by the promise of a future filled with hope.

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

We are family.

We emerged into a different world than when we left. The storm shelter sat a hundred yards from an abandoned dilapidated cream farmhouse with several crumbling barns located amongst some sad trees that clung to existence by a thread. I’d ditched my ruined leather pants for the spare pair of leggings in my bag. My tank top and jacket had survived our adventure. The clear and bright cerulean blue sky lay in sharp contrast to the grassy landscape covered in white roses stained with crimson. The same roses that were growing on my property. These weren’t planted, they’d rained down and scattered along the floor, but the petals were glowing with life. Not one wilted bloom in sight.

Hudson scanned the distance as we walked, his thoughts clear as the sun, even if he wasn’t projecting them into my mind. I stayed quiet, letting him draw his own conclusions. Speaking at this point would incite his suspicious beast.

We’d trekked over a mile before the questions began. “Do you have any idea why the same creepy roses that are growing in your graveyard are here?”

“Blood magic.”

“I’d figured the wildies were focused on me. That it was part of some idiotic plot to take me out.”

I swallowed, because while the timing had been suspect, I had thought the same thing. Clearly, we were both incorrect. “Me too.”

“But all of this is linked. The roses, the wildies, your aunt’s kidnapping.”

“It appears that way.”

“The question is why would the perpetrators of the kidnapping be trying to prevent you from reaching your aunt, when that’s exactly what they have requested from you?”

“That is not so clear. Maybe it’s you they were trying to take out.”

“Hmm, perhaps.”

My mind disconnected from the future it had imagined. Not even twenty-four hours had passed, and he was going to leave me. Not that I could blame him, I carried more secrets than the Pentagon. His hand engulfed mine, and he pulled me to a stop. I spun to face him, his hazel eyes burning with promises of passion and partnership.

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