In Her Heat - Ainsley's Story

In Her Heat - Chapter Twenty Two (and a half)

After the kids left for the day, and we were setting up, I asked Athena about it.

âSo what was up with Luckas today? Was he just having a bad day?â

âLuckas? No, he was fine. Why?â Athena asked as she struggled to scrub crayon off the walls.

âHe didnât seem to like me very much.â

âWell I canât imagine why not. All the others seemed to love you.â

âIt just might have to do with the fact that heâs related to Ashton.â This from Gabe, who I was guessing had finished putting away all the supplies weâd used.

How tight knit was this community anyways, that everyone seemed to be related to everyone and everyone seemed to have a history? And why did they all connect to me?  

âBefore now, it seemed like only Ashton was the one in his family who didnât have a strong distaste for you. Their family was the only ones to see the last of your line leave this reserve all those years ago.â

âHold on,â I said, stopping in the process of wiping down a table. âHow exactly is Luckas related to Ashton?â

âTheyâre half-siblings,â Athena replied. âI guess that could be a reason. If it is, just give him time. Heâs a very loving boy, Iâm sure heâll warm up to you.â

I sighed. Everywhere I went I seemed to have at least one enemy. When would it ever end?

I finished cleaning in silence. All the while, I could feel Gabeâs eyes on me, watching me and trying to figure out what I was thinking. I did my best to ignore him and finish quickly. At this point, I just wanted to go home and relax.

âAs soon as youâre done, you guys can leave,â Athena called from the back. I put away the cleaning supplies and checked to make sure the placed was cleaning.

Poking my head into the back room where she sat with some paperwork, I said a quick goodbye. I quickly scanned the room for Gabe, but it seemed as though heâd left, with no goodbye.  I sighed again.

I headed through the front door to leave, and there he stood, waiting for me. The setting sun cast a golden glow over his skin, and when he looked up and met my eyes, I couldnât help but think: This is perfection.

We stood there a while, watching each other. His stance was still casual but prepared, his jacket slung over his shoulder in a sexy carelessness. How did the man do it?

âCan I walk you home?â He rumbled. At that point I would have walked with him anywhere. I was so lost.

I stumbled to find words.

âPlease,â he inquired. âYou look so beautiful, youâll break my heart if you say no.â How could I say no to that?

Like this: NO! N-O! No way! Not in this lifetime! My brain screamed the words at me. For some reason I felt like it would be cheating on Cade, but we werenât mated and the pull between me and Gabe was undeniable.

I smiled and took a step towards him. His mouth curved into a smile that should be illegal.

âHere.â He pulled his jacket off his shoulder and draped it across both of mine. As his sexy pine woods smell wafted into my nostrils, he said, âIn case it gets cold later.â We both knew it wouldnât, but I was not arguing.

âWould you mind if we took a detour?â He asked, wrapping one arm around my waist. His arm seared my skin, and I had to swallow against the wave of mating heat that overtook me. I stumbled. He looked down at me, concerned. âOr I could take a raincheck?â

âThat would be great,â I said, relieved heâd offered. If him putting his arm around me produced this effect, I donât know how long Iâd last before I sporadically combusted.

He walked me back to Reeseâs cabin, taking the long way. We didnât talk, and it was a comfortable silence, the kind established after years of familiarity.

When we reached my door, I turned to face him. His arm was still around my waist, and he added his other arm, so he held me in the circle of his arms. Then slowly, he tightened his grip, pulling me closer into his embrace until we were standing thigh to thigh, chest to chest, only a breath away.

My heart and sex pounded furiously, as he looked at me with hungry eyes, his intent clear. He bent down, slowly, leisurely, as if he were savouring every moment. I waited with bated breath for the moment when our lips - and maybe something more - would connect.

When his lips finally brushed mine, that was all it was. A soft brush. Not the hungry, sexy pillaging Iâd been expecting. It was a sensual promise that stroked my fires and my desire to know him better. He pulled away, lingering against my body.

The sun set, fiery purples, pinks and oranges that matched my burning passion. He stepped away, leaving me with the verbal promise of, âTomorrow.â And then he was gone.

I turned to open the door, but it swung open just as my fingertips grazed the doorknob. In the doorway stood a confused looking Reese and Kat.

Kat shook her head. âAinsley, Ainsley, Ainsley.â

I looked between the both of us. What was going on.

âWoman, what have you done now?â