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“Damn it, I want to watch,” River whines and stomps his foot.
“Jesus, can I borrow a shirt? Let's get this done,” Bishop scolds.
“I’ll get it,” Kerian says.
River kisses me like he’s going off to war before Kerian and I stand on the porch, watching them leave.
“I want to show you something.” Kerian turns to me.
“Alright.”
I follow him into the house and out the back door. We walk in silence across the backyard and into the trees. Kerian holds my wrist, guiding me through the woods. It’s calming being out here. The only sounds are the birds and our breathing. Everything is so lush and green; it’s like another world. I understand why they love to live here. Their wolves have miles to run and play. Do wolves play? I know if I were one, I would.
I hear water rushing before I see it in front of us. We come to a small clearing with a waterfall cascading down. It’s beautiful. Kerian sits on a large rock at the edge of the stream.
“I come here to think. To get away from responsibilities and to remember my mom and dad.” He tugs on my wrist, encouraging me to sit.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. I sit close, leaning against him.
“I wish I could go back sometimes, back to that day. But my conflict is which outcome I would prefer. Would I stay with Harmony at that church? Would that have prevented their deaths? My mom didn’t tell me it was my grandfather that scared her, so what if I had gone to him? So many different outcomes. I have to choose to believe it worked out how it was supposed to, or I would go crazy thinking about it. I did lose myself for a while, letting my guilt drown me. When I saw you, everything became clear. I was waiting for you. I had another purpose. That’s why I survived and had to go through the pain and betrayal. So when I met you, I would know the value of love.”
“Kerian,” I say softly. He takes my hand, tracing my fingers.
“As much as it pains me, I would let you go if you make that decision. River would, too, even though he’ll deny it. He knows what it’s like to have your will taken away. We wouldn’t want to, and we would be miserable, but we would do anything to make you happy. When you meet your mate, everything revolves around her. I just want you to know our intentions are pure.” He stares at my hand.
“I know, Kerian,” I say. “I feel it. I may not understand the process and how it feels to be a wolf, but I have no doubts about your motivations.”
“Good,” he sighs. “We all know what it’s like to lose parents. The universe knew we would take care of each other and build our own family together.”
He’s knocking down all my defenses. Why would I push away such a gift?
“Kerian, you are an amazing man.”
He smiles. “Should we swim?”
“Is it warm enough?” I eye the water.
“I’ll keep you warm. We run hot,” he grins cockily.
“We don’t have a suit.”
“We don’t need them. Or are you scared?”
“I’m not scared, wolf boy.” I stand up and take off my shirt.
He joins me quickly, doing the same.
When we are naked, the sun bathing our bodies, we wade slowly in the water. Kerian reaches for me, tugging me after him.
The water is chilly, but he’s right; he runs hot. His hands land on my waist, the heat from his skin burning me.
We play like little kids, splashing and pushing each other. I swim towards the waterfall, knowing he will chase me. I squeal when he catches me by the waist, taking me under the falling water.
We are shielded from the outside world by a wall of water. A rock ledge is a table of wet rock a few inches above the water. My laughter is cut off as he turns me and wraps my legs around his waist. He runs his hand down my hair, palming the side of my head.
“You are so beautiful in every way,” he says reverently. “I am honored to hold such beauty in my hands.”
Fuck, the things this man says. I am confident in my skin, but he makes me feel like I am the only woman in the world.
