Chapter 15
Declan
Honey’s scent changed. The apples and cinnamon rang sharper in my nose, layered with the scent of wet earth. The off tang of yesterday had lessened. I had a hard time not rolling around in our bed in my wolf form. I scrunched the sheets in my fist. Fuck it. She was still in the washroom.
My wet nose met her side of the bed as I rubbed my face into her part of the sheets, sneezing so I could inhale more.
Small grunts of pleasure might have accompanied a few feet kicks.
She was sweeter than the cake I made for her.
And sharp as a blade. Her questions told me I was running out of time to explain this situation. I needed something big to impress her.
Outside, the sun beat down with crystal clarity, sparkling across perfect, powdery snow.
It was one of those days where you thought you needed a coat, but by the time you got outside, a chunky sweater would do the trick, especially for the idea brewing in my mind.
My snout burrowed deeper into the blanket pile.
Her lessons had gone so well these past couple of days.
Surely, she had spare time to spend having fun.
“What are you doing?”
I shifted so quickly she didn’t have time to be embarrassed that I was naked again, rolling off the bed to pull on some clothes.
“I want to show you something, Honey.”
This had to work. She squeaked as I dragged her down the hall.
“I want to practice the cake before I have another lesson with Anise. I need to know how you got such simple ingredients to work together so well.”
And past the kitchen.
“Let me show you something else first,” I said.
Her protests fell on deaf ears. My heart beat picked up as I led her to the storage closet in the back of the house.
I knew this would be it. This would be the way I told Fallon she was my mate.
Extra winter coats, blankets and mittens piled everywhere.
Fallon picked up a wrap. My checked, threadbare scarf from childhood, actually.
I think I caught her inhaling, pressing it against her face.
My whole body grew tight, having her scent in such a close space.
“I hope it’s here.” I moved a few crates and found it wedged in the corner.
The wooden slats looked in good shape. The crossbar on which to rest your feet only showed a little wear and the Old Magic imbued into the red paint still held to make it run straight and true. Fallon touched the sled with such wistfulness that I knew I was on the right track.
“I want to take you on a date, Fallon. Get you out of the house and have a good time all day, with no responsibilities.”
“Like the temple?” Her voice came out so small.
I wasn’t sure if she meant the orgasms or the card game. I chose the safe route for now because our explosive chemistry was too new, but we could nurture and build upon our friendship.
“That was a kidnapping. So, no.” Maybe she wasn’t ready for more, but I would carry us the first step. “Like, I want you to have fun and spend time with me. Rest. In a fun way.”
Her hands smoothed down her dress as if she wiped them on an apron. “I haven't finished everything on my list.” She glanced back at the kitchen with a whisper of longing.
“I’m not…” Her fumbling for words would have been cute if she hadn’t looked so serious. “Not really a date kind of girl.”
I’d never been on a date either. It wasn’t something done here when you just fell in love with your mate and that was that. When Fate drew courtship in the stars, it didn’t require much effort.
“Rest isn’t a reward, Fallon. You don’t need to deserve it,” I said.
I was reasonably confident I would pull this off despite my inexperience.
While I had witnessed all manner of relationships in the outside Harrowlands, everyone tended toward torrid affairs, secret meetings, and high intrigue rather than a simple date.
Even some monks snuck in women and paid me to look the other way, if you counted extra food as pay.
Anything I came up with was better than that.
She stared at me as if struck dumb. I waited for her response. And idled some more as her mouth worked but nothing came out. No one had ever taken this woman on a date either? I clasped her hand.
“We can figure it out together. Make it whatever we want. Fun can’t be that hard.”
Her gaze softened. “We always have fun. There hasn’t been a day of your life you haven’t tried to make mine brighter.”
Because I love you. My courage faltered and I only said it to myself. It was such a big step and no matter how much I wanted her, there were so many ways this might end in disaster. I could be a disappointment to myself as long as I still got to have her today.
“Then this will be like looking into the face of the sun. Clementine never failed me in many winters here. I know just the hill too.”
She glanced toward the kitchen. “If you don’t think Anise will mind.”
My Momma wanted us in mated bliss with every fiber of her being.
“I think she’ll make an exception for today.”
Her face lit up and then grew sly, as if we were getting away with something. “This girl really is a beauty. You’re going to have to show me how it works.”
I would show her anything, everything. My heart lit up with her smile. My hands itched to crush her curls, slant my mouth over hers. Only the fact that I would have her between my legs all day let me grab her hand and shout, “Let’s get ready!”
We dressed in light layers and my heart clenched that she still had my scarf in her hand. I looped it around her neck.
“This isn’t too little?” She pointed to the sweater over her dress and even flashed me a mouthwatering calf covered in wool.
“I’ll keep you warm, Honey.”
We laughed as we burst out of the house into the clear sunshine. The light made her features soft and dreamy. My hope that she would relax today grew into a living thing.
“You sure this will be okay?”
I took her hand. “Promise.”
“I trust you.” Her small smile squeezed my heart.
We trudged through the snow until we reached the outskirts of Nightfell.
The foothills of the mountains were perfect for sledding.
Not too dangerous, but steep enough to be fun.
Some of my happiest childhood memories were formed on these hills.
Even my father had enjoyed a race now and then before he had become bitter and reserved.
Our trudge up the hill slowed as a wildcat took off into the trees and I placed myself between it and Honey.
“Nothing’s going to think we’re a meal on skis, right?” she asked.
“Predators don’t like to hunt so close to town. All the really scary stuff lives in the Old Wood. We should be safe.”
I got her to the top of the hill and plunked Clementine into the fresh snow. We were lucky. We were the first here. A spin in virgin powder was always the best ride. I would make this good for her. Honey looked down the hill, her mittens twisting in her hands.
“This is higher than I had expected.”
I noted her nerves through the bond and I fully expected a safety checklist at any moment. Not that I would blame her for it. I was a bit nervous too.
“We cleared out boulders and stumps years ago. So less people die.” Not my smoothest reassurance ever.
“Less?!” She bared her teeth in a grimace.
Dates required not dying. That much I was sure of. I ducked my head. This wasn't exactly how I thought this would go. Fallon could overthink a bath.
I held out my hands. “No, no. No one dies sledding.”
Maybe there was a small chance, but that was going to drain all the joy right out of Honey’s face.
“The most that would happen is you would break an arm or a leg.”
She backed up a step. “Okay, that’s not better, Declan.”
“Well, it’s definitely better than dying, but I take your point. It’s not fun if it’s not a little bit dangerous. I promise I will break my leg before I let you break yours.”
She wavered as I watched her mind work in real time. She nodded and looked at the sled.
“What do I do?”
Her trust sent me straight into the air in a hop. My tail wagged furiously even though it sat trapped in my human form.
“Scooch forward on the sled and I will get behind you and steer.”
Honey lowered herself as if the sled was going to take off any second. I held in my laugh.
“Don't forget to breathe. That’s one of the important ones on the checklist.”
Her glare flattened my lips around a chuckle.
She gripped the edge of the sled. “My ass is too big. You won’t even be able to fit around it.”
All that juicy plumpness spilling off the sled wasn't helping me control my hard-on. “Really? Looks just right to me.”
I folded myself behind her, my thighs against her complaint, and savored the feel of her so close for only the second time. Cinching her ass to shoulders against my front, I arranged my feet on the front rail, keeping us steady with one hand on the ground.
“I've got you, beautiful girl.”
I let go and we slid forward. Fallon clutched me like I was her last meal, screaming as we picked up speed.
Her voice whipped away as the wind snapped at us.
All my strength went into gripping the rope to keep her weight forward so we wouldn't rock side to side.
We flew down the hill. Our speed felt ten times faster when we skated so close to the ground.
This was what I had been waiting for my entire life–Fallon raising her arms into the crisp air without a care in the world, the bond sparkling. Her laugh made everything plausible. I would win her to my side when I was able to give her this. We would face anything together.
Anything but Ned sitting calmly at the bottom of the hill as we barreled straight toward him.
“Turn, Dec,” she said.
She shook the arm banded around her. I knew how to maneuver but perhaps I would impress her a little. I used to get the sled to drift.
“Turn now!”