“And I honestly thought, you know, the cops were going to get called and we’d have to scatter, or worse, get arrested.” Tegan shoveled more eggs into her mouth, still trying to talk though. I smiled, and watched in fascination as she painted a situation from her teenage years.
“-he was massive! I couldn’t get out of the way fast enough, what? Is something on my face?” she quickly put the fork down and wiped around her mouth, she had caught me staring. I smirked as I looked away, not allowing any embarrassment to show on my face.
“I was just admiring. How’d the party go?” I started putting more food on her plate, she came over right at seven. Alcohol seemed to be her choice of perfume today. Though it did nothing to calm the fire my thirst ignited. She flashed me a grateful smile and dove right in to telling me that I had missed out. Her friends would have loved me, she had apparently raved about me to them. I was this amazing landlord, who was quiet yet very authoritative.
The sparkle in her eyes were hypnotizing to me, capturing my attention right away. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted too. I felt like a lovesick pup when in her presence, I started to hate it. But I also loved it.
She cleared her throat, “Um actually, Sara, I was wondering...I guess, I want to know more about you. You know somethings about me.”
Nodding, glancing away as if to fetch some facts , “Yes, you are 25 years of age, you were raised by your father, who you now resent a great deal, and you work part-time in a pharmacy.” I slid onto the stool next to her, easily looking into her light brown eyes.
“Yeah, see. You know stuff about me.”
“Well then, ask away. I’m an open book with fine print.” I took a drink of my tea and picked at my food.
“What was your childhood like? Did both of your parents raise you? Do you have siblings? Where were you born?”
I laughed with my head thrown back, “Dear lord, Tegan. Slower next time.” I nudged her with my shoulder, it was odd how relaxed her presence made me feel.
“My childhood...it was way different from the sound of yours. Both of my parents were in my brother and I’s life. And...I’m a few years older than you.” Nostalgia hit me painfully in the gut at the mention of my brother. I felt physically sick all of a sudden.
“You have a brother? What’s his name? Does he live here?” Excitement was evident in her voice, she was getting what she wanted but at the price of my pain.
A forced laugh vibrated my throat, “Yes, he was a few years older than me. My parents basically worshipped him. Then I came along and...my brother worshipped me. I was his little sister, he loved me dearly.” I glanced at her, she smiled and nodded for me to continue, “I wasn’t anything like him. From what I can remember. His name was Jeremy and he died after an animal stumbled into our home. He was eleven.” He wasn’t even a century old and he felt he could rule a pack of his own. He had challenged our father, who thought it was just pure fun at the time. And when he gathered a few other males to back it up, my father had no say when the pack turned on them. An alpha can only do so much when the pack thinks for itself.
“Sara, I’m so sorry.” She reached for my hand, I watched as she gripped my fingers in the only way she thought she could soothe me. But I had buried these feelings and memories so far away and deep in my mind that it had opened a massive floodgate. And it being with my blood-bond, it made it a lot worse and harder to stop.
Slipping off the chair, I gave her a weak smile. “It was a long time ago, I was rather young. Don’t worry about it.” The quiver in my voice contradicted my statement. I was an emotional human around her!
“You know, I’m kind of great at listening and not judging.” She followed me to the couches, the food forgotten. I sat with my knees to my chest, chin resting comfortably on them. I watched her settle not a cushion away from me, concern and sincerity prominent in her eyes.
I looked at her and all I could see was who she was in the past. All I could feel was our connection re-emerging. I didn’t know how to feel about it this time.
“You don’t mind that I rehash memories of my deceased sibling?” An eyebrow raised was met with an eager shake of her head. Tightening my hold on my legs, “Well, he was the only loving person in my life. My parents often used us to get at each other. My father had kids with other women, as men do.”
I started and I couldn’t stop.
-
I had fallen asleep an hour or so after we started talking. I had stretched out and rested my legs on her lap. She had scooted closer to me, hands resting on my thighs. I woke up and she was laying on me with her arms wrapped around my waist.
I felt so warm and relaxed, the chill in the apartment didn’t bother me.
Then her heart skipped a beat. And then another. My eyes shot open and I looked down at her, sitting up slightly and in turn moving her down. I looked at her, her face was slightly twisted in pain. I rubbed her arm, deciding whether or not I should wake her.
“Ow, I just had the weirdest dream. Like I got punched in the chest by something. And something about a pony.” A giggle tickled its way out of my throat, causing her to glance up at me. “I didn’t mean to cuddle you or like...fall asleep. On you.” She sat up and rubbed a hand over her chest.
“It’s fine, we were tired and I had bored you with my life story.” I leaned against the armrest, trying desperately to hide my concern.
She reached for me and my breath stilled, her fingers brushed my cheek as she tucked my fringe behind my ear, and out of old habit, I leaned into her touch. “I wasn’t bored by it. Sara...I don’t think you realize how fascinating you are. I get so flustered when your attention is on me. Sometimes, I can’t believe you even talk to me.” She let her arm drop, and looked away out of embarrassment.
A smile twitched on my lips and I looked the opposite way. The silence that settled between us was slightly tense, but nothing too uncomfortable. She was in deep thought or so it seemed, biting her lip and squinting slightly. I was just reveling in her company.
Suddenly sitting up straight, she looked frantically around her, hands scouring the cushions and patting herself. I sat up and swung my legs off the couch. I saw she was sitting on a black rectangle, probably what she was looking for. I reached and swiftly pulled it out, “It was under your ass.” holding it out on my palm, I watched as she looked relieved.
“Thanks, I should actually get going, don’t tease me!” Her voice was whiny, but the smile was playful. She grabbed my forearm and yanked me forward but my body reacted instinctively and jerked back. She fell into me and her face met my neck.
My breathing stopped and I heard her gasp. And just like that everything intensified. The feel of her skin on mine. The weight pressing into my ribs were her crossed arms. The heavy thump of her heart vibrating my own chest. Her warm breath heating my neck. The heat of her lips, not inches from my skin.
I wanted her so badly. I wanted her to make the first move, to show dominance. Then completely unravel when I take over.
I moved so her arms uncrossed, and my legs shifted her hips so she was slightly straddling me. Dropping her phone, I reached for her and watched her eyes close slowly.
A shock went through me as I felt everything collide. With my hand on her neck, and our bodies aligned, the mental connection was made. I heard thoughts she screamed in her mind, I felt the erratic pulse shocking her system, and I felt the heat throb through our cores.
Well, there goes the first step in making her mine.