Chapter 7
chapter
seven
Atticus
I don’t realize I actually slept—like really slept—until I wake up not realizing completely where I am. The plump body pressed against mine floods all the memories back.
Vivian.
“Heartbeat,” I whisper.
I want to pull her closer to me, but my arm is already wrapped around her waist, my hand cradling the swell of her stomach. And my dick is hard, so that hasn’t gone away. I want to press into her, rock myself against the lushness of her ass, but in truth, I don’t know where we stand.
Yes, she let me fuck her yesterday and she asked me to stay in here with her last night, but that was all in the name of protecting her from the mothman.
Today, she might be ready to go back to her cabin or perhaps stay at the hotel in town.
Maybe she’s even ready to leave Screaming Woods all together.
The thought of her leaving and me never seeing her again feels like a kick to my stomach.
That’s pain, maybe mixed with some regret.
I was never particularly good at understanding how to express my feelings back before I was changed, now having not felt any for two decades, it’s even more challenging.
So how would I even begin to ask her to stay without truly having anything to offer her? I can’t promise to love her if I’m not even sure I know how to do that.
She makes a sleepy noise, then rolls over onto her back and peers up at me. Her pretty eyes are shy this morning as is her smile. “Morning,” she says.
“Did you sleep well?” I ask.
“I did. Thank you.”
I roll out of the bed and stand. “I’m going to go check on a few things and let you get yourself ready.”
She gives me a weak smile and I leave the room. I immediately go outside into my yard to check and see if our bug friend has finally left. The minute I am standing on my sloped yard though I have my answer, when he squawks at me from the roof.
I shade my eyes against the bright sun and inspect the situation. Not only has he not left, but he is either building some sort of nest or cocoon.
“Fantastic,” I mutter. “What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”
“What’s the matter?” Vivian asks from the yard as she approaches. Then she gives a small scream. “Oh no, he’s still here. But I thought you said if he smelled you on me, he would leave.”
“Yes, well, I thought that would be enough. Perhaps we need to parade ourselves about town and the other monsters will let him know.”
“Oh, like spreading our combined scent,” she says. “Yes, I’ve read about that in books.”
I turn and look at her. “What kinds of books?”
Her cheeks fill with pink as embarrassment spreads across her face. “Romance novels if you must know. That kind of thing is very popular in science fiction romance where other alien breeds need to be able to smell if a woman has been mated. Sometimes in paranormal shifter books too.”
“Fascinating.”
“Does this mean I get to go into town and meet more of the monsters? Uh, townspeople?” she asks.
“It’s okay, Vivian. We know we’re monsters.”
She grabs my hand. “I don’t think of you as a monster. Not at all. You’re the nicest man I’ve ever gone out with. I mean not that we’re dating or anything, but you know what I mean.”
“I do. We can go into town together. Share a meal, walk around and be seen, and smelled,” I say with a chuckle I realize isn’t completely forced.
“Will it be safe for me in the town?”
A growl rumbles up my throat. “No one will hurt you if I’m by your side. I won’t allow it.”
“Oh wow,” she breathes.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She clears her throat. “I should probably go get myself ready.”
“Vivian, it doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t want it to be a date,” I say.
“I’d like it to be, if that’s all right with you.”
I merely nod because, at the moment, words jam my throat. I want to scale the side of my house and rip that bug’s head clean off his segmented body. If he even looks at Vivian again, I’m going to figure out a way to hurt him.
Maybe that means I’m in love with her, but I don’t know. I know I don’t want her to leave and I don’t want her to get hurt. I know I want to touch her again. And again.
Every day. Forever.