Page 82 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

Tara’s lips turned up. “Who knows? I might answer again if you call in the future. But I won’t promise it. I don’t want to become predictable. That would getboring.”

“Oh, lovely Tara. Of all the things you could be, boring is not one of them. I look forward to getting a picture of you in yourdress.”

“I never said I was for sure sending you one,” she remindedhim.

“I know,” he said simply. “It’s been wonderful hearing your voice. Be safe tonight, allright?”

“Yeah. You, too.” shesaid.

“Bye,luv.”

“Bye.” She hit the End button and set the phone on the bathroom counter. Tara stared at herself in the mirror for several minutes, trying to process the fact she’d just had a phone conversation with Elias Creed. And that she’d promised him she wouldn’t slow dance with Tucker in exchange for answers to her questions. She laughed because she knew Shelly was going to get a kick out of the whole situation. And after the fact that Tara had been a bit of an ass about the whole prom, her BFFF deserved a kick of the good variety. Tara shook off the past half hour and focused on the task athand.

She cranked up her favorite playlist and began to fill the tub with steaming hot water. She added a capful of bubble bath and then undressed. Tara slipped down into the water until her ears were submerged. She loved it when all she could hear was just the muffled sound of her music, and the rest of the world was muted by the water. Peace flowed over her as she tuned everything else out. The only sound she heard other than the muted music was Elias’s deep voice agreeing to answer her questions. Wait. Her eyes snapped open and she sat halfway up out of the water. Did he ever agree? She thought back through their conversation. “Son of a monkey’s tit!” She hit the top of the water with her hand. He hadn’t agreed, not really. All he’d done was ask when the questions would begin. But, she thought as she lowered herself back into the water, he hadn’t disagreedeither.

Tara blew out a breath and resettled herself into her water cocoon. There was no point in trying to dissect his words. He either would answer any questions she asked or he wouldn’t. Life would go on, though it might be less exciting and intriguing if Elias didn’t answer hercuriosities.

It wasn’t long before she slipped off to sleep. Her mind was drifting peacefully until she woke with a start, her teeth beginning to chatter. The water had turned frigid. She pulled the plug and climbed quickly from the tub. After blow drying her hair, she was sweating and felt like she needed a cold shower to get clean again. Sometimes, being a chicksucked.

She went into her room, turned her ceiling fan on high, and then laid on her bed, letting the cool air caress her skin. Her phone chimed and Tara glanced at the screen. She swiped open the message fromShelly.

You’re not gettingcold feet areyou?

Tara rolledher eyes and responded.It’s a dance, not awedding.

Not the point.The point is that you don’t want togo.

You’re not wrong.But for you, Iwill.

Shelly senther a smiley face emoji followed by aheart.

Don’t go gettingall sentimental onme.

Right.My bad. Here.She added a hand emoji that was flipping her off and then a meme of a girl bowing and ‘You’re welcome’ written over herhead.

Tara grinned.That’s more like it. Now leave me alone so I can finish gettingready.

Fine.See you soon, you epidermis-selling woman of thenight.

Tara setthe phone back down and began applying her makeup. When she was done, she shrugged at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t going to win any beauty contests, but she didn’t look like a clown, so that had to count forsomething.

Her phone chimed again with a text from Carol telling her she had to work a double again. It seemed like Carol was working doubles more and more. Tara hated that Carol worked so much but also knew that she felt real responsibility toward her patients. If they said there wasn’t a nurse to come in and take care of them, then her foster mom would be the first in line to volunteer. That’s just the kind of person she was. It was why she had taken Tara, and so many other kids before her,in.

Tara sent a quick text toElias.

I’ll sendyou pics of me and Shelly in our dresses. Please be safe and have a goodnight.

When she glancedat the time on her phone, she realized it was already seven o’clock. Apparently, her little nap in the tub had been a bit longer than she’d firstthought.

Tossing the phone down, she headed for the closet and plucked the dress off the door. She removed it from the hanger and then slipped it over her head. Just as it had in the dressing room, it slipped down her body like a glove, molding to her form. The material was cool and instantly made her feel more feminine. Next, she pulled out her shoes and put them on. They made her two inches taller, but that was as ambitious as she dared to get with the height of the heels. The finishing touch was the earrings. They were simple diamond teardrops. She put them in her ears and then stepped in front of the full-length mirror hanging on the inside of her closet door. She’d left her hair down after blow drying it. The natural brown waves were shiny and flowed around her shoulders. Overall, the dress and her appearance were simple, but elegant. She liked it … alot.

She still had ten minutes until Shelly was due to arrive, so she figured she’d better get some food in her so she didn’t get cranky. Just as she finished the last bite of a sandwich, the front deadbolt turned. Tara headed for the front door and reached it just as Shelly pushed it open, key inhand.

“Could you at least holler through the door as you’re unlocking it so I know it’s you and not some person trying to pick the lock and breakin?”

“It’s Buffalo freaking Kentucky,” Shelly said. “Who’s going to break into your house and why? To read yourdiary?”

“No, I’m sure you’ve posted that all over social media. No one needs to break in here to get toit.”

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