Page 85 of Enspelled

Have I put that thought in her head?

I yank her toward me until she bumps against my chest. “Get that stupid thought out of your head, right fucking now.”

Her arms come around me, and I feel her smile against my chest. “You know, that’s not how you comfort someone.”

Bending my head, I inhale the fragrance of her hair. “And how do you comfort someone?”

“I don’t know, but there’s usually less snarling and swearing.”

“Well, that’s how I do it.”

We stay that way for several minutes, just holding each other. “It’s nice to be with someone who understands,” she admits.

I don’t ask her what she means. I know.

“Not many people lose everything in one night.”

She sighs. “I turn twenty-two next week, and it will be my first birthday with no family at all. Before, I had Aunt Mel, but now I have—”

“A surprisingly vindictive friend who likes to throw spells at my head,” I say.

She chokes out a laugh. The happy sound makes warmth spread through me. “No, she doesn’t.”

“She does. And you have a wolf whose leg you like to hump.”

Choked laughter turns into giggles. “Shut up.”

I peel my head from hers and lean back a little so I can see her face.

She grins up at me. Eyes watery, but smiling. Beautiful. “You might have.”

“You told Bodie there was no leg-humping incident.”

I tell myself not to touch her, but like a moth to a flame, I stroke back loose strands of hair from her face. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time a girl has humped my leg.”

Laughing, she punches me lightly on the chest. “Now I know that isn’t true, so—” her face stills.

My smile fades. “Briar?”

She doesn’t respond. All she does is stare over my shoulder. I spin around, placing my body in front of hers. But there’s no one there.

I turn back around to find Briar is still staring at the same spot as if she sees something. “Briar?”

Her attention snaps back to me. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

She gazes up at me for several seconds before shaking her head. “It’s nothing. I need to pee.”

I raise my eyebrow. “That’sthe reason for the weird stare?”

She pats my chest lightly. “You have your strange quirks, and I have mine.”

As she steps around me, I grip her hips. “Don’t wander far.”

“I won’t, as long as you shut off those big wolf ears. I don’t want you listening.”

“I won’t listen.” Before she can leave, I tug her close and kiss her. “But don’t wander far. Just because Liam seems to want us to leave, doesn’t mean the rest of his pack or even Georgia Calla aren’t out there hunting us.”

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