33. Shane
Chapter 33
Shane
I ’m glad Kaycia rolls away from me after she secretly whispers that she loves me. Or at least thinks she does it in secret. That way she can’t see how hard I fight to hide the smile on my face, or hear the pounding of my heart. I’m fairly certain she would see it beating through my chest if she looked close enough.
Because I love her, too.
I already knew it but didn’t want to scare her off by confessing it to her so early in our relationship. After today I didn’t want to tell her because I didn’t want her to feel obligated to stick with me in the face of the destruction that’s chasing me down. But now I’m just a chicken shit for not opening my eyes and replying to her outright. I only held back because she whispered it so softly, obviously thinking I was asleep. If she’s not ready to tell me when I’m conscious, I don’t want to make her feel more vulnerable than she already does. Just knowing she feels the same way is enough for me.
After about twenty minutes, Kaycia quietly rolls off the bed, her bare footsteps are hardly audible as she tiptoes toward the bathroom. After about five more minutes she slips out of the bedroom and the sounds of pots and pans carefully being removed from the cabinet echo through the quiet of the cabin. Soon after, the scent of cooking drags me from the bed. Standing before the windows along the back wall, I stretch and smile as the sun sinks behind the tree line. Though Kaycia and I both love the stars, I can’t help but think of sunset as our time of day now. Slipping into a pair of jeans, I make my way to the kitchen to find Kaycia in my discarded tee and a pair of panties, stirring a pot of marinara while spaghetti boils.
Leaning against the pantry door I clear my throat with a smile. “Getting domestic for me?”
“Hey. Did I wear you out?” she teases, spinning to face me. “Nice little nap?”
“Probably the best of my life,” I murmur, wrapping her in my arms and burying my face in her loose hair. She grins against my shoulder but doesn’t realize that I’m referring to her whispered confession, not the sex beforehand. Chuckling, Kaycia pulls away and turns off the little kitchen timer.
“Grab us something to drink while I finish this up. I hope it’s okay that I snooped in the pantry and cooked whatever I could find.”
“Anything you do is fine with me, baby girl. I’ll have Max pick up some groceries on the way out, too. We can grill out while he’s here. Text me your list and I’ll have him bring it out.”
Sharing space in the small kitchen is a different kind of dance than I’ve performed before. I make a pitcher of iced tea, while Kaycia stirs the pasta and heats the sauce. The casual domesticity is its own kind of seduction. It’s the kind of thing a man dreams about, but doesn’t ever fully admit to wanting until the right woman comes along.
Each time I brush against her, moving between the cabinets, the fridge, and the table, sends little lightning bolts shooting through me. She smiles when I spill the tea, pouring it while distracted by her bending over to find a colander and I laugh in return while soaking it up with a dishtowel. We avoid the heavy topic of our damaged apartments, making small talk and flirting over our pasta.
“Did you use the entire container of parmesan?” she asks with mock horror.
“Hey, I am who I am, okay?”
“Of all the things I’ve learned about you, I never expected such a thing.”
I wink and reply, “I’m sure I still have surprises for you that will top this.” She blushes and smiles, but no further retort follows.
After our meal, I pile the dishes in the sink and pull out a box of boozy popsicles that were left after a long holiday weekend. Despite the slight freezer burn, I can’t deny the appeal of watching Kaycia enjoy hers. I kiss the sticky remnants from her mouth before we retire to the chairs around the fire pit. The weather is starting to offer the barest hint of autumn, turning cool in the evenings this far north of the city. Kaycia wraps herself in one of the quilts from the couch and stares into the fire.
“I want you to teach me how I can defend myself,” she finally says after long minutes of silence, surprising me with the topic.
“Kaycia, shifters are stronger than humans. Even if I taught you how to throw a punch, your best bet is to not be in their crosshairs at all.” I sigh, readying to remind her that she should get out of town instead of trying to fight back. “I can have Max bring you a bag. He can take you to the airport.”
“ Stop. ” Kaycia’s voice is harsher than I’ve ever heard, even when she was upset earlier. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving you. So, stop thinking you’re going to send me away or that I’m going to run. Even if that isn’t a good enough reason for you, which it should be, I still have the gallery to answer to. I’m not risking my reputation with Kelly or ruining my exhibition by disappearing. Plus, I’m broke. I can’t afford to just hop on a plane or check into a hotel for an extended vacation.” She pauses, taking a deep breath before meeting my eyes. “Look, I know I can’t physically overpower them, but I want you to help me improve my chances. Something.”
“Have you ever shot a gun before?”
“I have. Not in a long time, but I shot BB guns and pistols when I was a kid at my grandpa’s farm.”
With a deep pull on my beer, I relent. “I’ll teach you how to use the shotgun I keep here and see how you do with one of my pistols. I’ll ask Quel to come out with Max. She’s strong because she’s a shifter, but she’s also lived alone as a woman in the city for a long time. She can give you some tips on how to get out of trouble if it comes down to it and you don’t have a weapon. Especially if they send another of their human buddies.”
“Thank you,” she whispers. Her tone pulls my attention from the fire to her face where I find tears welling in her eyes.
Shit .
“Kaycia, what’s wrong?”
“I…” She takes a steadying breath and wipes at her eyes. “I’m just really glad we met and…well, I’m just a little scared. Are they going to hurt you?”
“Come here,” I whisper, pulling her from her seat to join me in my lap. “I’m glad we met too. If they hurt me, it won’t be anything that I can’t handle, okay? But I’ll be damned if they hurt you.”
Kaycia tucks her head against my chest and I hold her close. “Shane…” she whispers again, hesitating as her heart rate increases subtly and her scent shifts enough to tell me she’s anxious.
“Yeah?”
“I…well…I...” She toys with the hem of my shirt, not meeting my eyes.
“I know, baby girl.” With a squeeze I sit back so I can see her face before I continue, “I love you, too.”
Now, with the tension broken, her tears are accompanied by a smile. I chuckle as she playfully smacks me on the chest. “You weren’t sleeping earlier, were you? You sneak!”
“No, I was not. But I do love you, Kaycia. I will give my life to protect you, even if loving me is what puts you in danger in the first place. Do you understand? They’re not going to hurt you.”
“I love you, Shane. Even if you turn into a fur ball and have brought more drama to my world in the last month than in my entire life.”
“Living in the city will do that, huh? Never a dull moment.”
“Ha. Ha. Let’s go inside now?”
I brush a soft kiss across her brow, tilt her chin up with my index finger before placing a soft one on her mouth to match, then let her pull me to my feet and lead me back into the cabin.
* * *
T wo days later, Max and Raquel roll into the driveway, Max’s truck loaded up with canvases, an assortment of paints and brushes, and various art supplies, along with bags of groceries. Kaycia skips off the front deck and wraps each of them in a hug before helping to carry some of the bags into the house.
“How’s playing house in the woods going?” Max teases, handing me a couple of canvases to carry up the stairs.
“Just fine. Any news?” I question.
I’ve had him monitoring our apartment building, but the likelihood they would return, especially with his scent lingering is slim. Max’s keen falcon eyesight makes him the best for spying, and I appreciate his willingness to help, but I can’t keep asking him to miss deadlines for work because of my past coming back to haunt me. The best thing would be for me to track them down and end this myself, but I can’t bring myself to abandon Kaycia.
“Nah. Except the lady on the first floor threw her boyfriend out. Other than that, no one’s been around. I went in yesterday and the doors are repaired, except for the claw marks. When I peeked through the windows nothing else had been messed with.” Max’s affable nature still shines, even when discussing possible threats. He gives a slow smile as he looks between Kaycia standing on the deck with Raquel, then to me. “Sure does seem like things are working out between you and your girl, though.”
“I can’t complain about the time together, but I wish it were under different circumstances. Thanks for making the drive out.”
“No problem, man. Kaycia’s a doll, none of us want anything bad to happen to either of you.”
“Hey, Shane!” Raquel calls from the deck. “You ready to do this or what?” She’s tagged along to show Kaycia some self-defense tactics like I’d promised. In a tight black sports bra and leggings under her black leather jacket, Raquel looks like a goth yoga instructor next to Kaycia’s ripped jeans and loose tee.
“Yeah, you two go on out behind the house. Max and I will be out once we get the groceries unloaded.”
“You sure that’s a good idea? To let Quel loose without supervision?” Max goads while grabbing the final three grocery bags and slamming his truck door.
“She’ll be good,” I answer confidently.
When the groceries are unpacked, Max and I head around back and I eat my words.