Chapter 28
Simon
Time crawls. I don't know how many times I've wished for a few hours to myself. Only a few. A break. Some breathing room. But now I don't know what to do with myself.
I vacuum, put on some laundry, measure out some rice to go with the stew Boris made, but as darkness falls outside, I do nothing but wander from room to room.
Where are they?
I could call Boris to ask, but what if he's driving?
I give it another half hour, then I grab my phone. If he's driving, it'll connect to the car, right? He called Zahrah from the car when we went to Beantopia.
I hit call and wait as the signals go through.
"Honey?" Boris' voice is low and sultry.
"You can't answer with honey."
A chuckle. "But I saw your name on the screen."
I ignore him. "How's it going?"
"Ah...it's going well. We're still at Beantopia."
"You're still...When will you be heading home?"
Boris is silent for a few seconds, and I can hear voices in the background.
"We'll be on our way in a moment."
Ira's protests are loud from somewhere nearby. What are they doing? "Good. It's getting late."
"Yes, sorry. It's only...everyone wants to meet Ira, you know."
No, I don't know. Why would anyone want to meet Ira? "Who is everyone?"
"Zahrah, Oswald, Conan, Luna, Elora, and a few others. I'll get us going. Promise."
I'm quiet for a moment. "Okay, good. Let me know when you're on your way, so I can time the rice to your arrival."
"Will do." He lowers his voice. "See you soon."
I close my eyes. "Yeah, see you soon. Drive carefully."
And then the waiting game starts again. I try watching TV, but nothing holds my attention.
When I get a text saying it's time to put on the rice, I rush to the kitchen, relieved at having something to do. I stand there and watch it boil until headlights caress the windowpane before Boris turns into his driveway.
I watch them exit the car. Boris is carrying the booster seat in one hand and is gesturing with the other. Ira has a big grin on his face, and my heart clenches. Fuck.
When they open the front door, I go to meet them. "Hi." I smile and try to sound as if I haven't been counting down the seconds to their arrival.
"Hi." Boris' voice is husky, and I focus on Ira, so I don't have to deal with it.
"How did it go?"
"Zahrah has new photos up at Beantopia. There is one of the wolf who is her best friend when he's stalking through the forest."
"Her best friend, you say?" A little light goes off in my mind. Boris has said it a few times, hasn't he? The wolf who is Zahrah's best friend. I look at him, and he shrugs.
"It's amazing what kind of photos you can get when you have a good connection with an animal."
I roll my eyes at the grin he gives me, but I feel a bit stupid. If the whole shifter thing is true, and I've seen it a couple of times now, so it has to be, right? Then there was never any danger. Boris is the wolf in the photos.
Fuck, what did he look like? I try to remember the photos, but all that pops up in my mind is how I threw rocks at it. At him.
I shake my head before looking at Boris again. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
He tilts his head to the side, a small smile teasing his lips. "You know I do."
To save myself from having to reply, I hurry off into the kitchen and grab a third plate.
Ira is practically dancing around, happily prattling on about what this and that person said, and how Conan allowed him to taste several different cookies, and how Zahrah got him hot chocolate.
I mock glare at Boris. "You've corrupted my son."
"I never said I'd play fair."
I shake my head and put the food on the table. I don't know how we would've survived without Boris these last couple of weeks. I've applied for several jobs but have heard nothing back.
The mood is relaxed as we eat, and when we're done, I clear the table and serve the apple pie Boris made. "How many orders did you manage today?"
"About half." Boris cuts Ira a piece of pie, then he does the same for me, before serving himself.
"Unless he has any homework or something he needs to do, we can go again tomorrow."
"Yes!" Ira is bouncing with excitement. Such a difference from how he's been these last couple of weeks. Different from how he usually is. He's always so reserved.
I meet Boris' gaze. "We'll...eh...have to see--"
"No, I want to go." Ira pouts, and I wonder if the day is starting to catch up with him. Maybe he's overly tired. He's not normally a kid who pouts.
Boris says nothing, and I shrug.
"You can come too, Simon." Boris' voice is warm.
"We'll see." Maybe I should. Being home alone wasn't what it's cracked up to be. Or maybe I need to get used to it again. I always loved to be alone before.
We finish eating, and I tell Ira to get ready for bed. When Boris starts putting the dishes in the dishwasher, I stare at him.
I walk closer. "Boris, you don't have to--"
Before I can finish the sentence, he has me pressed up against the counter. "Fuck, you smell good." He buries his nose in the crook of my neck, and I stand there, unsure of what to do.
When lips caress my skin, I let out a strangled sound.
"I miss you." His breath is a hot caress when he speaks, and I melt a fraction. It has him stepping closer still. His feet are on the outside of mine, which makes him about the same height, though he gives the impression of being a lot bigger than I am. Stronger.
A shiver goes through me. Big guys have never been my type, though to be honest, I'm not sure I have a type. It's been ages since I so much as looked at a man.
"I don't know if this is a good idea." But I don't move.
Boris hums. His hands are resting on my hips, only to travel up my waist and ribs. Then he kisses a spot behind my ear that sets off another shiver.
"Simon." It's a whispered plea, but I don't know how to respond.
"I need to put Ira to bed. Maybe we should...eh...We'll go deliver the cookies tomorrow. All of us."
He leans back a fraction and meets my gaze. "Yeah? You'll come with us to Mom's?"
Shit. To his mom? Nerves dance in my gut, and Boris coos. "She'll love you."
"No, she won't. She doesn't know me, and I'm--"
Boris snorts. "She'll love you because you're mine. She'll love Ira because he's mine. She's always wanted grandkids."
Oh, God. My stomach threatens to turn. I've done everything I can to keep Ira's grandparents away from him, but how will I protect him from a werewolf, from a pack of werewolves?
Boris wraps his arms around me. "Whatever you're thinking right now, don't. They'll die before they let anything happen to Ira. You have nothing to fear. Kids are precious, and you should've seen everyone doting on him today."
"But he's not a werewolf kid." Was it the right term to use?
"He's pack. Kids are few and far between in the pack, and no, he might not ever turn into a wolf, he might not come run with us on Saturdays, but he's still pack."
Running on Saturdays. I look into his eyes.
He'd all but told me from the beginning what he was, but I didn't understand what he meant.
Of course not. He went running as a wolf on Saturdays.
It was how he'd gotten everyone to buy cookies.
He'd taken the cookie sheet to the pack, and they'd bought cookies from a child they'd never met because Boris told them to.
Boris brushes his lips over mine and it halts the spiraling in my mind.
"You're safe, and you're cared for. Never worry, love. We have your back." He kisses me one more time before he lets me go. I do nothing but stare as he lets himself out of the house and crosses the street to go to his house.
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