SEVENTEEN
I showered quickly,fighting the urge to conjure up a mental image of Elliot naked and deal with the ache between my thighs myself. If I did it once, more would follow—the climax couldn’t actually end until we’d had sex for a couple days or survived until the hormones faded all the way on their own.
So I showered fast, then quickly threw on some clean clothes and tossed my wet hair up in a ponytail. As I said goodbye to Elliot, I fought the urge to give him another hug. My defensiveness won out, and I flashed him a small smile before stepping out to my car with my keys in my hand.
I knew the way to Char’s house by heart after my wolf drove it with Elliot a few times, so I headed over. Sab’s place had to be almost finished, which she undoubtedly had mixed feelings about. And I still needed to tell her that I was going to move in with Elliot permanently, but she knew me well enough that I was fairly confident she was just waiting for me to say it out loud.
When my hand reached the doorknob, I hesitated. It had been a long time since I was there, and I didn’t want to intrude or offend Char.
Deciding she probably wouldn’t mind, I reluctantly opened the door without knocking. Char never remembered to lock the thing, and Sab didn’t either—that job had always been left for my paranoid ass while Evan and I lived there—so the door opened easily.
Char glanced over her shoulder, and grinned when she saw me. Her cop show went on pause, and she slipped off the couch to come over and give me a quick hug. I hugged her back, a bit surprised by the gesture.
“It’s good to see you in skin again,” Char teased, making a show of looking me up and down. “We missed you.”
“I missed you guys too,” I admitted. “Is Sab here?”
“Yep, I think she’s reading.” Char tossed a hand toward Sab’s room before climbing over the back of the couch and plopping back down in her seat. “So are you moving out?” she called behind me.
I grimaced. “Yeah. Sorry I didn’t give much notice.”
Or any notice, really.
“Girl, you’ve got a werewolf mate. I expected this,” she teased. “And for the record, in your situation, I’d do exactly the same thing.”
My face heated a bit. “Thanks, I think.”
“You’re damn lucky!” she called after me as I walked the short distance to Sab’s room. After a quick knock, I twisted the doorknob and slipped inside.
Her face lit up when she saw me, and she jumped to her feet. “Hey!”
“Hey.” I threw my arms around her when she grabbed me for a fierce hug.
“You’re not allowed to leave me again,” she warned.
“I don’t think my wolf’s going to hunt a second time,” I countered.
“The bitch better not,” Sab shot back.
We pulled away from each other, grinning.
“Damn, I missed you.” She sighed, collapsing on her bed. “It’s been a long couple of weeks, Lizzy.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” We both sat down on her bed, with our backs to the simple gray fabric headboard and our feet stretched out in front of us.
“You’re moving in with him, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “I am.”
“I don’t blame you.” She sighed. “He’s gorgeous. And sweet, and dedicated to you. And the way he’s taken care of Evan like the kid’s his own, ever since they met… I can’t imagine anyone more perfect for you.”
“I can’t either,” I admitted.
“So have you kissed him?”
My face heated. “No. You know how I feel about relationships.”
“I know how you felt about SD, who was the only man you ever had anything near a relationship with,” she countered.