Light the Fire (Jackson's Hollow #1)

Chapter 28

She shoved his head away from her, but he only laughed as he leaned back again, one arm lazily circling her waist. She glanced up at the darkening sky, where some of the stars were already starting to peep out--they'd spent pretty much the whole day together. A crazy, eventful day. Jo blew out a sigh. "A girl's gotta have some secrets."

"I hate secrets," Ryker grumbled.

"There's the Ryker I first met," Jo said, laughing. She turned her head slightly to look at him. "You should respect the need for secrets, Mr. Wolf Boy."

"Wolf man, thank you very much," Ryker muttered, half-growling.

"Wait, hold up a sec!" Jo turned and sat on her knees, grinning widely at him in delight. "That growl thing you do sometimes--is that your wolfy side?"

Ryker groaned and covered his face with his free hand. "Wolfy, really?" He lowered his hand and shot her a glare, although there was no real menace to it. "I'm a giant, wild, dangerous predator, babe."

Jo snorted, leaning her elbow on his knee again. "And I'm a living bonfire."

"I have a whole pack of me's."

"That doesn't sound egotistical at all." They both laughed and Ryker hugged her to his chest.

"You're impossible," he sighed.

"Yup." No denying that. He brushed the lightest of kisses across her temple, which reminded Jo...

"Did you kiss me before you transformed because you were afraid I'd freak out and leave?" she asked, tilting her head to look up at him. The sunent was giving his hazel eyes a golden glow that reminded her of the wolf side of him all over again.

Ryker grimaced like she'd brought up an unpleasant thought. "Yeah, kind of."

Kind of?

He looked down at her. "I don't think I ever, in my wildest dreams, imagined you'd tell me you were totally cool with me being a wolf."

Jo was in a teasing mood. "But you did imagine me bursting into flames?"

He chuckled, his tone suddenly getting husky. "Never in a literal sense."

"Oh?" Jo managed, her voice suddenly a lot breathier than it should have been. She was suddenly very, very warm, and very, very aware of the way he was practically wrapped all around her, sheltering from the rapidly cooling evening air.

"Mhmmm." He leaned forward, his eyes watching hers for a moment as if checking to make sure she wanted what he was about to do. Oh, she most definitely did. Not one to play games, Jo leaned forward the rest of the way, her hand tangling in his hair as their lips met. His arm wrapped tightly around her, pulling her impossibly close as he met her with equal passion.

She had no idea how long they were out there, teasing each other with stupid jokes and breathless kisses, but it was almost pitch black when Ryker suggested they should get her back home. Reluctantly, Jo agreed, because as easy as it apparently was to get caught up in Ryker, she knew she needed time to herself to process everything. It was really difficult to think clearly with him in front of her right now.

The drive back down the mountain was quiet, but comfortable. Ryker's hand tangled with hers as he drove, his thumb occasionally rubbing circles across the back of her hand. It was soothing, and Jo found herself blinking sleepily by the time they pulled up to her house. One moment they were driving, the next, Ryker had her door open and was gently tugging her out.

"C'mere, sleepy girl," he said, chuckling.

"How'd you get over here?" Jo muttered, half tripping out of the car as her brain worked on catching up with her feet. Ryker caught her, of course.

"I believe they call it walking."

Jo smiled and shook her head as he tugged her up the porch steps. She was slowly waking up, but she doubted it would last for long. She was finally coming down from today's adrenaline rush.

"Don't forget to lock that door after you get in, Josephine Scott," Ryker said sternly as Jo unlocked the front door.

Jo laughed at the use of her full name. Good thing he didn't know her middle name yet. "Did you not see what I can do?"

"Did you see what I can do?" Ryker retorted. "Not all the werewolves around here are in my pack."

Jo blinked at him. She hadn't even thought...."Duncan?" she asked softly.

Ryker's lips thinned, but he nodded.

"I'll lock the door," she promised. She really wasn't too worried, but it didn't hurt, and it would make Ryker feel better. And as if her words were magic, he breathed a sigh of relief that seemed to let go of some of his tension at the same time.

"Thank you," he said quietly. He leaned forward and kissed her again, his hand lingering a moment longer to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll text you tomorrow, k?" She nodded. "Goodnight, Jo."

"Goodnight," she said, smiling at him before heading in. Jo waved at him through the screen door before closing and locking the main door. Then she rested her back against the door and slid down it until she was sitting on the floor in her front hallway.

Well then.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! This story will update in one week! :)