Chapter 24
Gunnar was digging a deeper hole than he’d ever be able to get out of, but in the moment, he didn’t care.
Mattie did something to him that he couldn’t explain.
She created a desire in him not to be alone.
Part of him hated feeling that way. It made him vulnerable and unsure and desperate in a way that went against everything he’d ever believed about himself.
Another part of him thought that first part needed to shut up.
Her mouth was soft on his, the taste of her as honey-sweet as he’d imagined. As he let her go, he brushed a tear off her cheek with his thumb. “No more crying. You’re safe. Nothing is going to hurt you. Ever.”
Without knowing how, those words were as true as any he’d ever spoken.
She gazed up at him, eyes luminous in the dim interior of her home, and just looked at him. Finally, she gave a little nod. “You saved my life.”
His smile was gentle. “I don’t think that bear would have killed you. He just wanted the cake.”
“Who was that bear?”
“That was no one. That was an actual bear.”
He felt the shudder that ran through her. “A real bear?”
“Yes.”
Her hands were on his arms. Her grip tightened. “I’m so glad you didn’t go far.”
“I shouldn’t have left you in the first place, but I didn’t want to shift in front of you.”
“It’s okay. I get it. You really don’t have to apologize.”
He felt differently about that, but he let it go. “Did you find the imp?”
Her expression gave away her answer. “No. Glad you enjoyed the cake.” She tipped her head a touch. “Speaking of that, shouldn’t you be out in the woods doing bear stuff?”
“I did enough to get it out of my system.”
Her brows bent. “Really?”
Not really, but he’d manage. He’d been too worried about her after what had gone down in the parking lot not to check on her. He shrugged like it was no big deal. “We didn’t get to finish our pizza.”
That earned him a slight smile, but he could tell she wasn’t quite buying that. “You came back here for pizza.”
“And to see if the imp had turned up.” He hesitated. “And because I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“You’re kind of like Delaney’s truffles, aren’t you?”
She’d lost him. “In what way?”
She poked his chest gently with her finger. “Hard shell on the outside, soft and gooey in the middle.”
He frowned. “I am not soft and gooey in the middle.”
Her grin got a little bigger.
He changed the subject. “Why is it so dark in here? Did you forget to pay the light bill?”
“No. But since you asked, I was just lying on the couch in a fetal position feeling sorry for myself.” She turned toward the living room behind her. “That whole thing really shook me up.”
“I can imagine.” He wasn’t sure what her response would be to his next question, but he asked it anyway. “Do you want some company?”
She nodded right away. “I really don’t want to be alone. Even if you are just here for pizza.”
She was teasing him. That was a good sign. He smiled. “You want to watch an episode of Time Traveling Accountant? Take your mind off things?”
“Yeah, that sounds better than hiding under a blanket on the couch.” She grabbed his hand, holding tight. “Thank you for coming to check on me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I can throw that pizza in the oven and warm it up, won’t take long.”
“Sounds good. How about we put some lights on, too?”
“I can do that.” She went to the lamp on the side table next to her couch and reached under the shade. With a little click, it came to life.
“Better already,” he said.
She reached for the remote next and turned on the TV.
He came farther into the house. “Have you heard anything from the coven? Or anyone about how things are going?”
“To be honest, I haven’t looked at my phone in a while. Have you?”
“No.”
“I guess the sheriff is too busy running with his pack to be on his phone.”
Gunnar shook his head. “My guess is he and every other deputy did exactly what I did tonight. Shifted long enough to satisfy the urge, then returned to their human forms. Just in case they were needed.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.” She dug into her purse, which was on a small table by the door, and pulled out her phone. She brought the screen to life. “There’s a coven email.”
She tapped on the screen, the glow of it lighting up her eyes. “Witches have been dispatched all over town to keep an eye on things and counteract any problems with spells.”
“You sure you don’t want to join them?”
She put her phone down. “Wouldn’t help. Like I said, I’m not that kind of witch. My magic is very narrowly focused on the bees. That’s why I don’t really have much to do with the coven. I don’t have that level of skill.”
He could tell it bothered her. “Do any of them have the abilities you have with bees?”
She paused. “Not that I know of.”
“So, technically, you’re the best bee witch in town. Probably even the whole state.” He gave a little nod. “Pretty impressive.”
She smirked. “Are you flattering me to make me feel better? I mean, it’s working, but are you doing it on purpose?”
He let out a little chuckle. “I’m just stating the truth. You have a unique set of skills. I don’t see that as being less than in any way. Look at me. All I can do is turn into a bear.”
“Yeah, like the biggest freaking bear I’ve ever seen. The car I had in high school was smaller.”
Now he really laughed. “I’m not that big.”
“You were at least twice the size of that black bear. What are you, some kind of mutant? I mean that in a good way.”
“No, I’m not a mutant.” He chuckled. She was honestly cracking him up. “I’m a Kodiak. My family comes from a small island off the coast of Alaska.”
“And you ended up in Nocturne Falls?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “What can I say? I got tired of the cold. And Chet had nothing but good to say about the place, so here I am.”
She walked closer to him, her expression changing. “I’m glad you’re here.” She stopped right in front of him. Her gaze narrowed. “Did you get that scratch fighting with that other bear?”
“What scratch?”
Her fingertips came up to touch his face, right below his eye. “Right here. Maybe before we worry about pizza, we should clean that up.”
“Sure, just point me to your bathroom.”
“No. You sit.” She gestured to the couch. “I’ll get what we need, and I’ll take care of it.”
She wanted to take care of him? He’d never had a woman do that before, outside of his mother. He nodded. “Okay.”
Her fingers lingered on his cheek a moment longer. “I’ll be right back.”
She went down the hall, and he sat.
While he waited, he looked around. Her house was cozier than his in some ways. In most ways, actually. Filled with more things. Pictures, pillows, books, flowers, little knickknacks.
Things that he might have described as clutter, but they were the kinds of things that a woman would have in her house. The kinds of things that made a house feel like a home.
Her place wasn’t fancy, but it was comfortable, warm, and inviting.
None of the furniture matched, although some of it had been repainted with the same soft whitewash in an attempt to do that.
He’d have thought the hodgepodge of styles would have driven him crazy.
Somehow, she’d put together a random mix of designs that made sense together.
Maybe her magic wasn’t restricted to bees.
She walked back in, her hands full of supplies. She used her elbow to flip a switch on the wall, turning on a few more lights. The room still had a soft glow.
“Was I supposed to put the channel on for the show? Because I didn’t,” he confessed.
“No, it’s okay. We’ll do that in a second.” She sat down next to him, depositing everything onto the coffee table. She organized it. “You know, it’s funny, but I really miss Blueberry. It’s amazing how much I’ve come to rely on his company.”
Gunnar nodded. “I can see that.”
She gave him a strange look. “Can you? I thought you were Mr. Solitary.”
“I am. But I think I’m moving past that. A little.”
“If you say so.” She ripped open the envelope holding a gauze pad and pulled it out, then unscrewed the lid from a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. She pressed the gauze to the top and tipped the bottle over, wetting the pad. “This shouldn’t hurt.”
She dabbed at the scratch, her touch gentle. He closed his eyes, soothed by her attention in a way he’d never imagined possible. It was almost hypnotic. He could feel himself drifting.
She stopped touching him, and he opened his eyes, surprised by how much blood was on the discarded pad. She was opening a squat jar made of brown glass.
“What’s that?”
“Healing salve. It’s made with honey.”
“You made it?”
“Yep. One of the many things my magic does work for.” She scooped up a small amount with her fingers, then dabbed it lightly on his face. “That should heal that up pretty quickly. Although … I suppose you already heal fast, don’t you?”
He couldn’t lie. “Yes. But this will speed things up even more.”
She screwed the lid back on the jar, a curious light in her eyes. “You were just humoring me, weren’t you?”
“No.” He caught her hand and held it in his. “No one’s ever … looked after me like that. I was humoring myself. My need to see what it might be like to be taken care of.”
Her expression softened. “What did you think?”
“I think I’ve been missing out on a lot. And I think … you might be magic in more ways than you realize.”