The grin on my face grew wider. “Free parking. That’s considered a good perk for city folk, isn’t it?”
“I’d pay everything I own for this parking space.”
“You can pay me with food.”
“Deal. What do you want? The choice is limited though.”
“Can we have pancakes?” I asked with a grin.
“I might have some pancake mix left, but it’s almost certainly out of date.”
“I’ll risk it, if you will.”
“You do know that there might only be two flushes left in that toilet until the snow thaws off a bit.”
I laughed, but I wouldn’t give up on the pancakes.
I wrapped up in his toweling robe and we went into the kitchen and made breakfast together. Well, I made the batter and Kit cooked the pancakes. We brought the food into the living room and ate in front of the fire. He sucked the melted butter and maple syrup off my fingers.
Afterwards, I could barely wait to get dressed and go outside to meet with the wolves again. I hoped Lobo would seek me out once more and show me more affection. I loved the idea that he chose me to be his human!
The air was crisp and frosty, and I stood very still while the wolves milled around Kit. Then, to my delight, a cold nose touched the back of my hand. I caught my breath. Yes, yes, Lobo had come to greet me. He was a big boy. His back came almost to my hips. Very slowly, I reached to the side of him and stroked his pelt. It was thick and dusted with snow.
“Hello, Lobo,” I said, crouching down.
Very gently I petted him, and he licked my face. His breath was hot and his tongue rough, and I laughed with the simple joy of having a wild animal lick me. I appreciated that he was feral, but even untamed things have hearts and emotions and know how to love and care. The trust he was showing was sincere. There was no ulterior motive behind it.
Why he picked me, I would never know, perhaps because he accepted me as Kit’s mate. I was grateful that he did, and already I loved him. I knew I would treasure him more and more with each passing day.
After a few minutes it seemed he’d had enough of me, and after a final lick, he moved away.
Kit came towards me. “Happy?”
I nodded.
He took my hand and hauled me up so our bodies were touching. “They are your family, aren’t they?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I understood that simple answer perfectly. There was such a strong bond of uncomplicated love and deep trust that I had never felt the same level while dealing with other humans with their hidden thought processes.
“Is everything covered in snow?” I asked.
“Completely.”
“Will you tell me what you see?”
“The whole place is under at least two feet of snow. The wolves are playing on the freshly fallen snow, and leaving their funny little trails. Oh, and there’s an eagle in the sky now.”
“An eagle,” I cried eagerly.
“Yeah, I think he has a nest in a tree very near here, because he seems to hang around a lot. Sometimes he perches right up at the top of the tallest pine on your left. He is so big and solid he looks like his weight could bend the branches over, but in fact, he sits so lightly up there he doesn’t even shake the snow off. He always looks as if he’s poised to dive down on the next big air current.
“Sometimes he will spread his wings very slowly. If you were a fool you’d think he was lazy, but if you had a spoonful of wits about you, you’d know, he’s a cunning old buzzard, and you’d be right too. I’ve seen him bend his wings all the way back, then before I could blink he’d plunged towards the ground, so damn fast it was like someone shot him out of that tree.
“There was a sudden panic and chaos on the ground, then I was watching the strength in his back as he swooped away with some small creature so terrified and shocked it was frozen.”
“What’s he doing now?”
“He’s sitting perfectly still and looking right back at us.”
The rest of the day was a dream. We went back inside and made love by the fire. Then I waited inside while Kit shoveled snow and freed the pickup.
That evening I cooked rabbit stew. It was great food for a cold night. We just talked for hours. Kit wanted to know everything about me. I learned that there are some parts of Kit that made him clam up. Then the atmosphere would change, become tense and sometimes even sad.
I told myself I would heal him. One day I would heal him.
Twenty-nine
Lara
“Where were you yesterday and this morning?” Elaine demanded fiercely. “I called, and called, but there was no reply.”
I grinned. “At Kit’s.”
“What do you mean at Kit’s?”
“We did it, Elaine,” I whispered.
“What?” she yelled.
“Shhh …” crusty old Mister Sullivan scolded, flapping his loose lips together.
“Oh! Shhh yourself,” Elaine exclaimed rudely, before turning to me and whispering urgently, “You didn’t?”
“I sure did,” I confirmed firmly.
“No,” she gasped in her most scandalized voice.
I nodded.
“You can’t have. I don’t believe it.”
I nodded more vigorously. “It’s just like you said, Elaine. Out of this world. I thought I was falling into a void. It was just so amazing.”
Elaine leaned forward. “Oh! My! God! You’re serious, aren’t you? You got your V card punched!”
I grinned happily. “I think I’m in love.”
“Stop being so sappy. You are not in love. It’s just sex. You’ll get over it.”
“It’s not just the sex. I just feel something here.” I touched the area over my heart.
“Like how you felt about Sawyer?” she asked sarcastically.
I frowned and shook my head. “No, not like that. That was just a childish crush. I was a girl then. What I feel for Kit is totally different.”
“Really? What do you feel?” Her voice bristled with naked curiosity.
“When he touches me, it feels as if I’ll go up in flames.”
Elaine laughed. “That’s called lust, honey.”
“Shhh …” Mister Sullivan hissed again.
“Oh, for crying out loud. Have you not gone home yet?” she asked, completely irritated.
“I’m trying to read the paper here,” he grumbled.
“Well, switch off your hearing aids and get on with it then,” she snapped.
“It’s not lust,” I insisted. “I feel … connected to him. As if I belong to him and he to me. It’s like I’ve been looking for him all my life.”
Elaine stiffened suddenly.
“What?” I asked.
“You’ll never believe who just walked in here.”
“Who?” I whispered, my own back tensed and straight.
She didn’t need to speak. I k
new exactly who was behind me. Citrus and rosemary cologne filled my nostrils. I turned around. “Hello, Sawyer.”
“Hello, Lara. Elaine.”
“Hey, Sawyer. How are things going?” Elaine asked in her fake saccharine voice.
“Great, thanks.”
“How’s Kayleigh?”
“Yeah, she’s fine.” His voice was tight and strained. Oh, mistake, mistake. Elaine could scent a good gossip from miles away.
“The wedding is soon, isn’t it?” Elaine asked, switching to her you-can-tell-me-anything-cause-I’m-your-good-friend voice.
“July.” His voice was as clipped as his answer.
“I bet Kayleigh must be right busy with all the preparations,” she said so innocently, you’d swear butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
“She is.”
“Where is she now, anyway?”
“New York.”
“Kleinfeld?” she guessed, her voice riding a few octaves higher.
“Yes.”
“Oh my, how exciting! Has she already picked out her dress?”
“Err … no … I mean. I’m not sure if she’s decided yet.” He cleared his throat. “Can I have a word, Lara?”
I smiled even though I was furious with him. How dare he approach me here in the library? He knew this place was crawling with gossipers so I’d be forced to talk to him, or risk being labeled as the Scarlet woman trying to break up the most anticipated wedding of the century.
“Of course. Did you want help with the wedding?” I asked politely.
“Outside, please.”
I frowned. He wasn’t even attempting to pretend. “Right. If you lead the way.” I turned to face Elaine and said loudly enough for Mister Sullivan to hear. I notice that he had stopped asking us to Shhh. “This shouldn’t take long, Elaine. I’m just helping Sawyer with the present for the bride.”
We went outside with me walking, stiff as a board, behind him. I heard the door close. A gust of cold wind blew into my face. “What do you want?” I demanded frostily.
“I know you stayed at his house during the blizzard,” he accused as if he had the right.