23. ~Celine~
Chapter 23
~Celine~
I finished typing up my last few notes on my new client and shut my laptop on my desk. Smiling, I reached over to the teacup and turned it a little so the dragon faced me, thinking about the family dinner a few days ago. Ronan was such a good sport. And brave as hell to meet the whole damn family like that.
I wished he didn’t live on the Westbank. It wasn’t terribly far away, but too far for my liking. The truth was, I wanted to be with him every second I wasn’t working.
Wondering if that was an unhealthy state of mind or simply the normal effect of falling in love, I locked up my office, knowing Dr. Theriot and Michael were long gone. Then I set the alarm and locked the front door as I left. Before I was down the front walkway, someone whistled at me.
Frowning, I glanced to my right, my pulse leaping with instant joy. Ronan sat astride a motorcycle with a helmet propped on one thigh under his arm .
“What in the world?” I asked, walking straight for him. “Come take a ride with me, beautiful.”
“Is this the community bike from the shop?”
“Yeah. I wanted to see my girl and take her for a ride with me.”
My entire soul puddled into mush. I glanced down. “Good thing I wore pants today.”
He swung off the motorcycle and gestured for me to come closer. When I closed the distance, looping the thin strap of my small bag over my neck and across my chest so the purse sat on my hip, he lifted the helmet gently over my head.
He took his time adjusting the strap, his gaze intense and serious until he was done.
“How do I look?” I giggled.
“Perfect.” He leaned in and swept a brief kiss over my lips. “As always.”
I rolled my eyes, but then he took my hand and tugged me to the bike. After he put his helmet on and swung his leg over, I took a minute to slide in behind him. The seat was long and wide, and seemed to be made for more than one person.
“Where do I put my feet?” I asked.
“Right here.” He reached down and lifted one foot to the little rest.
I found the one on the other side, then wiggled closer and wrapped my arms around his waist. He grunted as he rubbed a hand along one arm and gave me a squeeze. Then he started her up and slowly pulled out onto the street.
It was late afternoon—evening really since it was nearly seven—but there was still sunlight this time of summer. The press of the wind and the sensation of spooning Ronan’s strong body while we cruised through the Lower Garden District was heavenly.
I wasn’t surprised when he headed into City Park, turning toward the area where towering, century-old oak trees created an ethereal canopy for visitors. Pale sunlight dappled through the leaves onto the street and onto us. It was lovely.
Ronan slowed and pulled the bike to a stop in a parking spot along the street. Reluctantly, I slid off and unbuckled my helmet. Ronan stowed them both on hooks attached to the back of the bike.
“Come on. I want to show you something.”
He took my hand and led me along the walkway that wound deeper into the park, away from the street. We walked hand in hand, content simply to be together.
We came to a small pond and a walking bridge. He pulled us to a stop in the middle and leaned on the banister.
“Look right over there.” He pointed to a weeping willow, its leaves draping into the pond.
“What am I looking for?”
“You’ll see. Just keep watching.”
He shifted behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. The wispy leaves of the weeping willow moved. Or rather, something moved behind them. Then three little ducklings swam out of the leaves and into the open pond, the mother duck right behind them.
“Oh my goodness. Look at them,” I gushed on a laugh.
He squeezed my waist tighter and pressed a kiss to my temple. “I thought you’d like seeing them. ”
“Since when do you wander in the park looking for little ducklings to woo your girlfriend?”
He chuckled. “I wasn’t. I actually had to run an errand for Uncle Shane. Had to pick up a small part he needed in the city. He told me to take the bike, so I did. Then I decided since I was here, I might as well wait until you got off. So I wandered over here this afternoon and waited around.”
“When was that?”
“About three hours ago?”
“Ronan.” I turned in his arms. “Won’t your uncle get pissed he sent you on an errand and you ditched for the day?”
“Nah.” He nuzzled me closer, hands at my waist. “He didn’t need it back today. And I needed to see you.”
Nervous, I asked, “What about?”
He laughed, the deep, rich sound finding its way directly to my heart. “Nothing bad. I always need to see you.”
“We’re both ridiculous,” I admitted. “I’ve barely been able to concentrate at work. My poor clients aren’t getting their full hour’s worth, because my brain sidetracks to you every couple minutes.”
“Maybe we should just both quit work and run away to a cabin in the mountains and live off the land together.”
“Could we?” I asked excitedly.
He grinned, then pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “You say the word, and I’ll make it happen.”
Then I was distracted by his mouth, his lips, and his tongue, sweetly coaxing me to open up and let him in. I did. He slid his hands to my backside and pulled me tightly against him while we kissed in the twilight, the sound of chirping ducklings behind us .
When we came up for air, he whispered, “Maybe we can just take a trip like that together. Whenever we both get the time.”
That daring girl inside me, the one who’d been making herself known since the day I met Ronan, said, “Maybe we can do that for our honeymoon one day.”
His eyes flared a bright, pale blue, his wolf liking what I said. “Oh, baby,” he growled against my lips, “I’ll make that happen, don’t you worry.”
He angled his mouth over mine and stole my breath, delving deep and pressing me back into the banister of the bridge. I whimpered, taking whatever he was giving me, and still wanted more. I always wanted more when it came to Ronan.
After a languorously long kiss, he eased back, sliding his hands to my waist and giving me a squeeze. His expression became pensive as he stared at me.
“What?” I asked.
“I did have a thought today.”
“I hope you have thoughts every day.”
He reached behind me and pinched my ass.
“Ow!” I squirmed, laughing, but he kept me corralled to the bridge between his arms.
“What I meant was, while I was waiting for you, I wished I could check on you at the office to make sure you were still there and hadn’t gone home early. When I went to your office, I saw your car so I just waited.”
“You could’ve texted.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t want to bother you if you were with a client. And sometimes I want to check on you. Make sure you’re home safe. I was thinking we could follow each other on the Life360 app. ”
I knew the app, because I was connected to my family for safety reasons. But the thought of giving it to Ronan suddenly sent a spike of panic through my body, my heart racing faster.
“Hey, hey. What’s going on?” He eased back, concern pinching his brow.
“I don’t know.” But sweat began to break out all over.
“You’re scared,” he said. “I can hear your heart racing.”
“Um, I don’t know why, but—”
“I do. Fuck, I’m sorry.” He cupped my face. “You’re getting anxiety because I want to be able to know where you are. Forget I asked.” He pulled me close and hugged me. “I’m sorry I asked.”
“Why am I reacting this way?” Now I was angry at myself. “I completely trust you.”
Didn’t I? If so, then why was my body suddenly in panic mode at the thought of us following each other on a tracking app?
“Don’t worry about it. It was just a thought. I’m a little obsessive about checking on you and making sure you’re safe. I guess it’s a wolf thing, I don’t know.”
I huffed a little laugh into his chest. “No, it’s a protective instinct, I think. It’s normal. It’s my overreaction that isn’t normal.” I heard my voice crack, but I refused to cry over something so stupid. “What is wrong with me?”
He eased back and smiled down at me. “ Nothing is wrong with you. It’s fine. Forget I said anything at all. Let’s just watch some cute baby ducks together.”
That finally made me smile and eased the tension stiffening my spine. Biting my lip, I simply nodded .
So we did. We stayed and watched the mother duck and her babies swim in and out of the weeping willow leaves until it started to get dark. By then, my near panic attack had subsided, and I was calm again.
We walked back to the motorcycle. Ronan leisurely drove me back to my car at the office. When he helped me with my helmet, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“Of course I am.” I gave him one more kiss before I said, “Thank you for ditching work and taking me for a ride.”
“Anytime.” His smile was soft and tender. “Text me when you get home.”
“I will.”
He made sure I got into my car safely before he pulled away from the curb.
All the way home, I sensed this agitation building inside me. It took me a few minutes, but by the time I pulled my car into my driveway, I figured it out.
I think I expected Ronan to react with anger when I rejected the idea of following each other on the app. I seemed to be waiting for him to blow up at me for not trusting him. But he didn’t do that. He did the opposite.
Because he was Ronan, my soulmate. He wanted only the best for me, to make sure I was happy and whole. Which meant if following each other on an app scared me, then he certainly wasn’t going to push me.
When I went inside, I texted Ronan that I’d made it home safely. I seemed to go through the rest of the night in robotic motions. I ate dinner with my parents, not contributing much to the conversation and excusing myself early with a headache, then headed to bed.
But I didn’t have a headache. I was anxious, but not for the reasons I was at the park. After a hot shower, I crawled into bed. Then I tossed and turned and sighed, frustrated with myself.
After trying to go to sleep for over an hour, I shot up in bed and flipped on my bedside lamp. Huffing in frustration, I took my phone off the charger and opened the Life360 app. Without hesitation, I punched in Ronan’s cell number to add him to my circle to connect with. It was only ten thirty, so I figured he’d be up. I stared at the app, waiting for him to accept the connection.
Then my phone buzzed in my hand with a text.
Ronan: You don’t have to link with me on the app.
Me: Just accept my damn invitation.
There was a pause where I could swear he was laughing at me in his house on the Westbank.
Ronan: Damn. I think I like bossy witch. Can you do that next time we’re alone?
I snuggled down into the covers, grinning.
Me: I’ll do whatever you want if you accept my invitation on the app.
There was another brief pause, then a notification from Life360 informed me that I had a new connection in my family circle—Ronan Reed.
Ronan: Just remember. You said whatever I want.
I sent him a kiss emoji and told him good night.
Ronan: Goodnight, baby. Sleep tight.
I put my phone back on the charger and switched off my light, then sank down into my covers. Sighing deeply, all the tension simply vanished. Gone in an instant. And I knew, right then, that I was truly healed from the old anxiety as I so often called it. The one that gripped me sometimes when I was afraid I was being followed or watched.
Ronan didn’t heal me, but he allowed me to heal myself. I don’t think he could ever understand how important that was or how much I appreciated him in this moment.
He told me to sleep tight, and I did. That night, I don’t think I had ever slept so good.