Read Midnight Surrender (A Paranormal Romance Anthology) Page 29

  ****

  “That’s Brad’s car!” Nora exclaimed when I yanked open the passenger side door of the jeep.

  “I’ll bring it back,” I added, “He doesn’t need it right now.”

  The thing was parked a little before Wickety Bridge. I personally would have picked the lime-green Ninja 250, but, as much as I wanted Nora to put her arms around me and cradle me between her thighs, I just didn’t trust myself not to change my mind, not to throw her over my shoulder and take her back into the woods where she belonged.

  “He has the keys,” she said, folding her arms over her stomach and shifting from foot-to-foot.

  “Your doubt wounds me.” I waved a hand to the seat. “Will ya get in?”

  The war raged behind her eyes as she darted glances between me and the open door. I knew the moment I had her when her nose wrinkled and her lips pursed in aggravation.

  “If we get pulled over, I’m telling the cop you kidnapped me and forced me into the car.”

  I laughed. “Deal.”

  She slipped past me and climbed into the seat. I closed the door behind her and rounded the hood to the driver’s side. It took less than a second to hotwire the car. I claimed the wheel and turned to face town, all the while feeling Nora’s gaze on me.

  I could have made her stay. I could have drawn her deeper into the woods where the pull was stronger. I could have had her that very night, but the game wasn’t over. Letting the ancient magic do the work for me, to tempt her, lure her… forcing her home wasn’t the way I wanted her. When she joined me, it would be because she had finally accepted the bond and me. She would come home because she could no longer stand being away. I would wait.

  I pulled up alongside a rusted Camaro and parked. In the next seat, Nora shifted. Her slim fingers twisted in the material of her skirt. Her hesitation told me the sway of the forest still held her. The intensity would eventually calm, but would never go away. She was mine and the forest knew it. It would continue to tempt her to come back, to come home. It was the way of the Fay. We were bound to nature and when we found our mate, they too would be bound to the earth. By right, I could have taken her home, made her forget her human life, her friends and family. I could have let her transcend into her Fay skin which would no longer crave that world, but I didn’t want her like that. I didn’t want to take away her one request—to be with her father. Even if as a Fay she would forgive me, I wanted her to accept her new life her way. I had no doubt she would. It was as much a part of her now as I was. I just had to wait.

  Our footsteps broke the quiet as I walked her to the door. She watched her feet the way a mountain climber watches each foothold on a steep cliff. I watched her from the corner of my eyes, her emotions rolling off her, crashing into me through the bond. I felt the swell of nerves, confusion… worry. The later perked my curiosity.

  “Thanks for the ride… in a stolen car.” She mumbled the last part so I was certain I wasn’t supposed to hear it.

  I felt my lips twitch. “My pleasure.”

  Her teeth caught her bottom lip, and I took a step back, resisting the temptation to pry it free and claim it myself.

  She took several steps towards the door, hand reaching for the knob. She paused, looked at me, that worry blistering in her eyes. “Will I…?” She stopped, closed her eyes and shook her head. “Never mind. I’ll see you around.”

  I waited until the door closed behind her before letting myself answer, “Oh you will indeed.”