Chapter 23
TWENTY THREE
Honey
As soon as my dad gets off the phone with the manager of the local motel, I can tell the news isn’t good. He shakes his head. “Says they’re full. All booked up for the Moonberry Festival.”
I feel terrible. If I’d just been honest with my parents they never would have flown home early without telling me. I know they did it because they’re worried about me, and that only makes it worse.
“I mean, the house is still fine. I’m sure we can sleep there even if there’s no power and no running water,” I say, trying to keep my tone bright.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” growls Gryff. We all turn to him in surprise.
I’m starting to understand him, though, and I get the feeling he’s not saying it to be rude.
“You’ll stay here.”
Mom’s mouth drops open. “Oh that’s very generous, Gryff, but where will we all sleep? I’m afraid I’m too old for sleeping on the floor these days!”
“You take my bed. Honey can have the pull out, and I’ll put up the tent. Plenty of space.” He folds his arms across his chest as if that settles it.
I have to hold in a giggle and then a blush when he turns his steely gaze on me and I start running over all the things he did to me this morning in my mind.
My parents look at each other and then back at him. “If it’s not too much trouble, Gryff, we’d really appreciate it. Honestly, you’re the best neighbor anyone could ask for.”
Gryff turns away suddenly and mutters under his breath, “I’m not.” Out loud, to my parents, he says, “I’ll fix the bed.” He strides toward the bedroom, and I flush wondering if there’s any evidence left of the sweaty tangle we made there only hours ago.
“I’ll help you,” I say quickly, scurrying after him.
I don’t realize Mom is following until we get to the doorway and she lets out an, “Oh!” of surprise. “Gryff, I didn’t picture you as the pink type!”
To be fair, it’s exactly what I thought the first time I saw his beautiful pink canopy and all the cushions, but I round on Mom. “Mom, men are allowed to like pink too—”
“I’m not.” Gryff’s gruff tone cuts me off. He coughs. “I just thought it might help Honey be more comfortable while she was staying. Since I was sleeping on the couch anyway,” he adds with a little too much emphasis.
I’m trying to keep my blush from making me turn completely red, but I can tell from the heat in my cheeks, I’m failing. Standing here in this room with Gryff it’s pretty hard not to let the flashbacks overtake me.
Mom tries to catch my eye, but I stay busy, focusing on the task.
We make quick work of stripping the sheets, and I gather them quickly to my chest before Mom can smell exactly what might have happened here.
The scent is incredibly obvious to me, filling the room and making my mouth—and other parts—water. “I’ll put these in the wash.”
Mom gives me a funny look. “Honey, do you need some alone time?” She says this pointedly, in the tone I know means she’s thinking about my powers, and I squirm.
I’ve always been pretty open with my parents. I couldn’t help but be once all my troubles started. But somehow with Gryff here it all feels different. I can feel his eyes boring into the side of my head even without looking around.
“Um, you know what? Yeah. That’s exactly what I need. I’m going to go for a walk after I deal with these.”
Gryff’s eyes bug out of his head so far it looks like his brain might actually be exploding. “You can’t be serious?”
“Honey, he might be right. If you need alone time, wouldn’t it be better to do it here? We can clear out…”
“Not that sort of alone time, Mom.”
Gryff glares daggers at me over her head, and I ignore him. “I’m just going to walk up to the store and get us all something for dinner.”
“Not without me!” Gryff shifts uncomfortably when Mom turns to stare at him.
“I mean, y’all are staying with me, so I’ll organize dinner.
In fact, you could probably stay here, Honey.
” He gives me a pointed look, and I know he’s thinking about the fact that I’m still technically in heat, but I do feel much better.
Besides, if I stay here alone with my parents I’m bound to let something slip about what’s been going on between me and Gryff, and I’m not ready for them to know I’ve been taking advantage of our neighbor’s generosity the way I have.
“Oh that’s OK. I could use the walk.”
His low growl rumbles down my spine and threatens to make the need for alone time all too real. I press my thighs together hoping Mom doesn’t notice the way my cheeks are flaming.
“Fine. You can come with me.” huffs Gryff, and then he freezes. We stare at each other across the room, and my cheeks might have actually caught fire.
“Well thanks again for letting us stay here,” says Mom into the awkward silence.
“Don’t mention it.”
I practically run from the room just to get to the safety of the laundry where I let the nervous giggle that’s building up inside me explode into the bundle of washing.
How am I going to keep it together for the time it takes to get the house repaired? I shove the washing into the machine and turn it on, eventually locating Gryff’s detergent. Then I stuff my phone in my pocket, finding him waiting for me by the front door.
He leans close as we shut the door behind us and growls, “Just for the record, this is a really bad fucking idea, but staying here is probably just as bad.”
My eyes widen. Is that an acknowledgment that he’s finding it as hard as I am to keep his thoughts out of the gutter?
He steps closer, dropping his voice to a low rumble. “While you’re in heat, it affects me too.”
Oh my god. My heart pounds in my chest, and the tips of my fingers tingle. Was I right? Is he having feelings too?
“An alpha who is near an omega in heat goes into a rut. A state where he is primed to meet their needs for as long as it takes.”
“So it’s just a biological reaction?” I try and fail to avoid sounding disappointed.
Gryff opens his mouth to respond, but Mom opens the door and waves at us. “Honey?”
Burning with curiosity about what Gryff was about to say, I wave back. “Coming.”
“You should go see what she wants.” Gryff turns away, and I get the impression he’s not going to answer any more of my questions.
With a sigh I run back up to the house. “What’s up, Mom?”
“Oh, I forgot to say could you get me some extra-minty toothpaste while you’re at the store?”
“Sure. Toothpaste. Got it.”
“The extra minty. Don’t forget extra minty. Your dad got the mild stuff, but my teeth don’t feel clean unless I feel like the mint has scoured them properly.”
“You got it.” I go to leave, but then something occurs to me. Dropping my voice low and hoping Gryff’s supernatural hearing won’t pick up my words, I say, “Mom, did my biological mother ever say anything about what to expect as I got older?”
Mom frowns. “Precious little. Why? Is something worrying you?”
I chew my lip. I don’t want to make her worry and don’t want to give away too much, but I’m curious. “She didn’t mention anything about alphas and omegas and heats?”
“No, darling, I think that’s just a shifter thing.”
“Ha. Yeah. Probably silly to worry about it then.” I’m not sure anyone believes me right now, not even me, but Mom just smiles and waves me off.
When I head back outside, Gryff is waiting with his arms folded across his chest. “Let’s be quick. I’m liable to gore anyone who looks at you the wrong way right now, so I’ll need you to stay close. Got it?”
I shouldn’t like that as much as I do, but the words send a warm, melty feeling all down my spine, and I step closer so that our hands almost brush as we walk side by side.
I know it’s just the rut and his natural instincts like he explained, and it has nothing to do with me or the intense sense of connection I feel whenever we’re together, but it’s nice to dream for a moment.
As we walk in silence along the sidewalk past the neatly painted houses and well-kept lawns of the neighboring houses, I let myself imagine what it would really be like if Gryff was my boyfriend.
Safe. That’s the first thought that comes to mind.
Wherever I’m with him I feel safer than I’ve felt since I was a little kid tucked up in bed.
Until he looks at me that is, or commands me to do something in that rough, gravelly voice; then all my nerves light up and my heartrate jumps and I get tingly all over.
I duck my head to hide the grin that spreads over my face.
“Honey…” Gryff’s voice doesn’t do anything to stop that breathless excited feeling. “Do we need to find somewhere?”
Oh right. He can smell when I’m getting turned on. I cough, making an effort to redirect my thoughts to something safe, only that’s really hard with him right next to me. “No. I’m fine. Let’s keep going.”
He grunts, but a moment later he lifts his arm and wraps it around me, tugging me against his side. That low purr vibrates through my bones, and I press my ear against his chest until I feel like floating along. I could really get used to this.
I’m so distracted I almost miss Mr. McFarland, the old kelpie shifter, wave to me from number 453.
“Oh hi, Mr. McFarland,” I call belatedly. “How are your roses this year?” Wow, he looks exactly the same as he used to look when I was a kid. I mean all the kids in school used to joke that he was born looking like he was a hundred and three, but I always thought he was nice.
“Ah, good thanks, lass. Got some lovely pink flowers that have come up nice and early. Would you like some?”
“Can’t stop,” says Gryff, before I can answer. “We’re in a rush.”
“Oh!” Mr. McFarland’s dark brows shoot up toward his mop of wild gray hair. “Right you are. Maybe another time.”
Gryff propels me along down the street before I can say more.
Under his breath, he mutters, “Has he gone back inside?”
I peek over my shoulder. “Yeah.”
I feel him relax next to me.
Wow. So being Gryff’s real girlfriend would be tense I guess.
Gryff sighs. “I’m sorry. The pheromones are getting the better of me this time.”
“I’m sorry, Gryff.”
He shakes his head. “Nothing to be sorry for, Honey. I’m old enough and ugly enough that I should be able to handle this. I’m just out of practice is all.”
I don’t think he’s ugly or old, but I’m worried if I point that out he’ll think I’m crushing on him. I mean I am, aren’t I? It’s just too embarrassing for him to know given how he doesn’t think about me the same way.
I put my head down the rest of the way to the store and try to enjoy the feel of his strong arm around me and the soothing rumble of his purr.