CHAPTER 10
Weeks later, summer reasserted itself in the Shenandoah valley, baking the earth into hard patches of natural heaters that drained the energy and left everyone panting for relief. The young moped about listlessly, their games forgotten in favor of searching for a bit of shade. On healer's hall front porch, Molly sat slowly rocking waving a fan, watching her fellow pack mates wandering aimlessly. Shading her eyes against the dazzling glare, she recognized Cayson as he made his way across the commons and up the steps. “Morning, Molly,” he mumbled. “Do you know if Carson is in there?”
She shook her head and pointed to the empty chair next to her. “Nope, she and Chase went to town for some shopping. Come on and sit yourself down.”
He dropped into the chair causing the wood to groan. “Ah, crap. I really need to talk to her and get some advice.” He sighed and leaned back, stretching one lean leg out in front, crossing his fingers and resting them on his stomach.
“Well, now, I'm no Carson, but maybe I can help? I know I'm not as young as I used to be but I'm pretty sure I can remember enough about being young to at least give some advice,” she replied.
“It's about, um...,” he balked.
“Zandria?,” Molly finished. “Not like I ain't seen you watching her.”
He nodded. “Yeah, about that. Molly, you've been around a long time.” He winced but she didn't seem to be phased by his faux-pas. “Um, anyway. I was wondering. Why she doesn't talk but can sing.”
“Sings pretty too don't she?” Molly chuckled.
He grinned and nodded. “I hear her sometimes at the bakery when she's helping Ms. Aubrey and it's like listening to heaven. I just lose all track of time.”
She nodded and smacked at a buzzing fly with her fan. “And?”
He blew his breath out. “I don't know what to do. I know wolves and humans can't be mates, but I was hoping that maybe I could just, uh,” he grimaced, “maybe be her friend.”
There was a squeal and Molly snapped her attention to the commons. “Dylan, quit teasing Anna with that bug right this minute!” She stood up and shook her cane at him. “If you don't, I'm gonna drag you home by your ear and let you explain to your momma why.” She chuckled as he dropped the beetle and ran off in the opposite direction.
“Thank you Molly!” Anna ran up the porch and hugged her tightly.
“Fine, fine. How about a lime lollypop? Would that fix everything?” She laughed when the girl nodded, a huge grin on her face. Molly stepped aside. “On my table and only one. While you're at it, go ahead and get one for each of the other pups too.”
She squealed and disappeared into the hall. A moment later she shot out the door and off the porch with several green lollypops clutched in her fist. Molly watched her hand them out before pulling the cellophane off one and sticking it in her mouth.
“No running with them suckers in your mouths!” Molly shook her head and sat back in the rocker. “Now where were we? Oh yeah, our little human; you want to be a friend but ...?”
He sighed. “But she won't talk and when she sees me, she runs the other way. She hates me.”
“Now why do you think that? You're a nice, handsome young wolf. I'm betting she's just a bit shy.”
“I'm a freak, that's what I am. Between that whole thing with being some sort of crazed Amanda stalker and feeling every stupid emotion from every single person all the time, it's no wonder she runs away. I know I'll probably never find a mate, but I was hoping maybe a really good friend would be just as good.” He repositioned himself in the chair and tipped his head back staring up at the porch ceiling. “I think I'm just destined to be alone.”
Molly tutted and reached out touching his hand with her gnarled one. “Nature didn't intend for us to be alone, Cayson. There's a mate out there for everyone and that includes you. Maybe if you quit trying to force it so hard, it'll just come to you. But friendship? Well that's different. Friends take a little work and perseverance. You can't just sit back and wait for that to happen. You have to take the step and go after it yourself.“
He thought about what she said. Yeah, she was right and he knew it. But how? He shifted uncomfortably again, thinking about the pretty blonde that never ceased to catch his attention. Even now, he could envision her lovely round face, with the long fair lashes that framed her pale blue eyes. She had a sweet little nose perched just above a set of perfect lips. He remembered the faint scars that still sat upon her features but they didn't distract from her. He sighed. He couldn't even start to think about her body and the way those soft curves called to him, begging to be stroked. He shook his head angrily. Maybe Amanda was right. He must be some sort of freak the way he mooned over a girl he barely even knew.
Molly leaned over and whispered conspiratorially. “You know she's probably elbow deep in bread dough right about now.”
He startled. He had been so lost in thought, he forgot about the healer sitting there watching him expectantly. Indecision warred with him a moment before he gave in. “Thanks a lot, Molly. I really appreciate your advice. I'll keep it in mind.” Hopping up from the chair, he dusted his jeans off then jumped from the porch. Shoving his fingers into his pockets, he sauntered off towards home, only glancing a moment at the bakery as he passed.
.-~*~-.
Rocky Bluff, Virginia was a tiny town with a population of less than 1000 humans and the best thing the Sapphire Lake had for shopping not counting the city of Roanoke another hour away. The roads were narrow, lined on both sides with boutiques, shops and quaint cafes separated by sidewalks made of hand chiseled paving stones from the town's founding in the early 1800s. Each of the locally owned businesses possessed character as individual as the owners who ran them.
Chase handed Carson a waffle cone packed with hand churned vanilla ice cream covered in a healthy dollop of warm caramel and topped with a mountain of whipped cream. She took it while he paid the vendor then picked up the bags and resumed walking down sidewalk towards the little dress shop that was one of her favorites. They shared the cold confection, making short work of it in the sweltering heat until there was little left but a soggy bit of cone filled with melted cream. They stopped outside the entrance of a door with In Her Dreams hand painted on the rose tinted glass. “This is it,” she smiled then sucked melted cream from the bottom of the cone.
His heart skipped a beat and he groaned at her. “You little minx. Do you know what you are doing to me? ”
Looking straight in his eyes, she slowly extended her tongue and dragged it over the remainder of the cone before pulling it back in with a grin. “Having problems, Dr. Blackston?” She lowered her voice seductively.
He narrowed his eyes and leaned in, licking her lips. “Just please don't do that anymore.” He growled softly and nipped her lip, running his tongue around the seam of her mouth. His hand slipped around her hips and splayed against her back. Even though she was wearing a light tank top and shorts, the heat coming off the pavement made rivers of sweat run down her spine.
That heat was nothing compared to the inferno of his touch.
The cone fell to the pavement forgotten as his lips captured hers, gently nibbling on them before sucking the bottom one into his mouth. His hand went up under the back of her shirt causing her to shiver despite the heat. Electricity jumped through her nerves where he stroked her skin with his fingers. “Why Dr. Blackston, what are you doing?” she asked throatily.
“Tasting ice cream,” he growled back. His lips trailed down her chin and moved around to her neck. She locked her fingers into the muscles of his biceps, pressing herself against him. Her head tipped back and he pulled her ponytail free, spreading her hair through his fingers. “I love your hair down and free. It looks like a river under the moon, full of shadows and bits of light,” he murmured against her neck.
She shivered and moaned, heat burning through her body. Close by
a door opened and she heard a voice.
“Ahem.”
He sighed and dropped his hands, taking a step back, he turned to face the door. A plump little middle aged woman stood in the doorway with a smile on her face.
“Carson. How have you been? Why, honey, you haven't been here in ages!” She looked Chase over and raised her eyebrow. “And who is this tall succulent hunk of male flesh nibbling on your face?”
She turned a bright pink. “Mrs. Patterson, this is my fiancé, Dr. Chase Blackston.”
She smiled brightly and held out her hand shaking his firmly. “Fiancé? Oh my gracious sweetie, congratulations!” She let his go and grabbed Carson's pulling her inside the shop. “Come in. Come in. Land's sake it's a hundred degrees out there, I'm surprised I don't have to mop you up with a rag.”
She pulled them inside and to a pair of overstuffed chairs sitting in the corner near the dressing room. “Sit. I'll get you something cold. Soda? Ice tea? How about some ice cream?”
They looked at each other and burst into laughs. “No ice cream, please. That's what started what you just stopped.” His eyes sparkled with humor. “Ice tea would be great please.”
“Same for me.” Carson waited for him to sit then slid into his lap, setting her shopping bags on the floor. Mrs. Patterson returned with the drinks then settled herself into the second chair. “Now what brings you here on such a miserable day?”
Carson smiled softly at her. “I'm looking for a dress,” she looked in Chase's eyes a moment. “A very special dress.”
Mrs. Patterson reached over and patted her knee. “I believe I can help you out with that. When is the ceremony? What colors are you using? Outside or inside? Tell me everything.”
Two hours later, they left the shop with another bag. “The dress is perfect. I knew she would have what I wanted.” Carson gushed.
“I'm glad you found what you wanted. Personally, I don't care what you wear – you won't be wearing it long.”
The sun had begun its descent and a weak breeze wound its way through the roads. They made their way back to the public parking lot to Chase's pickup truck where he opened the door for her. “Your chariot, my lady.”
She rose on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Thank you Sir Knight,” she responded, then tucked the bags into the second seat, carefully hanged the dress bag on the hook. Satisfied it was safe, she climbed in and buckled her seat belt.
Closing the door, he went around and climbed in. Quickly, he buckled himself in, cranked the truck and pulled back onto the road towards home. They were only on the road a few minutes when he glanced over at her and saw she was curled up against the seat, eyes closed and breathing deep. It was only late afternoon but they had been shopping all day and she was clearly exhausted from the intolerable heat wave that had gripped the area. It was miserable and he thought about the pups back at the compound looking so drained. Well, he couldn't do anything about the heat but maybe he could do something about how they handled it. Slowing down, he turned into the parking lot of the department store on the outskirts of town and parked. Carson was still asleep so he left the truck running with the air on and slipped out, locking it behind him. Ten minutes he returned, tossing the box into the bed of the truck and climbed into the seat.
“A swimming pool?”
He saw she was awake and was looking at the box in the truck bed.
He coughed. “Well I thought about the kids...,” he started.
She unbuckled her seat belt and scooted over next to him, turning his face to hers and kissed him. “One of the many things I love about you is you are always thinking about others.”
“Just one of the things? How about a list?” He grinned at her “Or better yet, just show me.” His eyebrows wiggled suggestively.
She smirked. “In thirty seven days, I'll show you in painfully excruciating detail just exactly how much I love you.” She reached over and dragged one nail over his knee.
He groaned. “I'm adding that to the 'not before we bond' list; no halter tops, no sucking ice cream cones and no suggestive comments. Thirty seven days? I'm not going to make it.”
She chuckled and moved back refastening her belt. “Sure you will. There's no way that we waited all this time just to die before we can get our freak on.”
He looked at her quizzically. “Get our freak on. That sounds so... “
“Nasty?” she provided helpfully.
“Exactly. Nasty, and you aren't nasty.” He put the truck in gear and pulled back out into the road.
She pulled her tank top off leaving her wearing just shorts and sports bra. “I can be nasty,” she whispered huskily. Slowly she ran a finger over her lips and slid it into her mouth as she watched him through half lidded eyes. Pulling her wet finger out she dragged it over her chin, tipping her head back and sliding it down her throat, leaving a damp trail behind.
He saw her out of the corner of his eyes. Gritting his teeth his voice lowered to a rumble. “Carson, put your shirt on and don't tempt my wolf. He's about to shred my insides as it is.” He swallowed, causing his Adam's apple to bob and looked at her with pain in his eyes. “Please, Baby.”
She stopped and grabbed her top, pulling it back on. “Sorry,” she mumbled, her head lowered and a bright flush painting her cheeks.
“It's okay, Love. By the way, you still aren't 'nasty' but the things I want to do to you...” He sighed heavily. “That's completely different.”
She gave him a brilliant smile. “Thirty-seven days.”
He groaned.
.-~*~-.
With the sun finally sinking behind the tree line in the west, the oppressing heat reluctantly began to dissipate. The trees in their little valley looked parched and wilted, bowing under the weight of late summer heat. Even the normal sunset sky above seemed to be suffering, looking bleached out and tired, the normally brilliant colors muted and dim.
The new pool was greeted with much excitement and enthusiasm. Chase had placed it in Cayson's hands to put together. In less than an hour, Cayson assembled the ten foot round pool and began to fill it. Even before it was half filled, the first pups jumped in and began to splash around. Their happy squeals and yells pulled many of the adults out to sit and watch, smiles on their faces. By the time the pool was declared full, it was packed with children and a couple of the more brave adults. No sooner did he get the hose turned off and removed when several of the pup grabbed his hands and he was pulled into the midst of them. He played with them, laughing, tickling and dunking them under the tepid water until one by one they were called home by their parents and it emptied. When the last one disappeared, dripping water on the hard packed dirt, he climbed out and grabbed a towel, drying his hair and hanging it around his shoulders. He chuckled. The pool was a big hit.
Taking one last look at the commons, he noticed everything calm and the air seemed to be less heavy. Smiling he began to whistle, making his way towards home. Chase and Carson were sitting on the porch swing, snuggled up together, softly talking about future plans and oblivious to the rest of the world. Cayson sighed softly looking back over the commons again, his eyes falling on Zandria's cottage. He hadn't gotten the courage together to follow Molly's advice and talk to her. Maybe tomorrow? He turned back and ran up the steps mumbling a hasty greeting to them before disappearing inside.
Across the commons, the curtain fell back in place from where Zandria had been watching Cayson for most of the evening. Even with her limited eyesight, she could pick out his form amongst the others that filled the commons. She smiled as he took time to play with the younger ones and realized he would make a fabulous father some day. Every time she saw him, something deep inside twisted into a knot. Every time she felt his eyes fasten on her she could hear music. Each time she felt the compulsion to go to him and tell him everything, that gaping black hole of misery stopped her. Sh
e hated it and she hated herself but there wasn't anything she could do about it, no matter that she knew who and what he was. He was a tall handsome Adonis of werewolf flesh – gorgeous, sexy and perfect. She was short, dumpy and most of all, a freak. Maybe if things were different, if she had met him before, then maybe...
She felt tears burn hotly in her eyes and angrily wiped at them. Pity was getting her nowhere and no matter how badly she may wish otherwise, circumstances remained the same. Sliding down the wall to the floor, she closed her eyes and laid her head back against the wall. How much longer could she keep this up? It was exhausting to keep her defenses solid so he couldn't slip in via his empathic gifts. Time and again, he had tried to talk to her and each time, she ignored him. Steeling her resolve, she took a deep breath. She had to stay away from him no matter what, for her own good, and more importantly, his.