The awkward silence is broken when Daddy yawns loudly.
We're gathered in the living room with Evan's parents on the plush rocking chairs, Evan and his sisters on the couch, and chairs from the kitchen table pulled in to provide seats for Daddy and me. Mama refuses to sit and instead stands between me and her husband in what can only be described as a protective stance. She's wearing her fluffy purple bathrobe around her simple cotton pajamas. Her face, free of makeup, is pulled into a deep frown that makes the bags under her eyes that much more prominent.
I always thought Mama looked fabulous, but seeing her now, I can see that time and stress has taken its toll on her. A twist of guilt constricts my heart. She should be in bed, not getting involved in our mess.
Marcus clears his throat. "We really do apologize for coming so late and unannounced."
Mama's arms are crossed in front of her, her frown deepening, while Daddy is struggling to stay awake.
"Let them stay the night, Vanessa," Daddy says as his mouth flies open for another yawn. "We'll discuss matters in the morning."
"You can go to bed whenever you want, but I need answers before I can even attempt to go to sleep," she snaps back at him.
Daddy shrugs and pulls himself up from his seat with a groan. "Suit yourself."
"We don't mean to be a burden," Tamara says as she watches Daddy leave the room. "We can leave at sunrise, if you wish."
Mama sighs, closing her eyes and massaging her forehead with the tips of her fingers. Her plucked eyebrows furrow at the internal battle she is having with herself. I can tell that she doesn't want to be the bad guy here and kick us out, but at the same time, she's uncomfortable.
"No, it's fine," she says finally.
She opens her tired eyes and they fall on me, scrutinizing me from head to toe. Her nose wrinkles a little. "Where did you get that get-up?"
The corners of my lips tug up in a nervous smirk. "Donation bin."
Her eyebrows arch up. "Should I ask?"
I purse my lips and shake my head. "Maybe in the morning?"
Exhaustion getting the best of her, she exhales and slumps forward a little. She grips the backrest of Daddy's former seat in her large hands, her three rings glinting in the faint lamplight. "Alright. But I expect answers in the morning. Baby, do you mind getting them all settled?"
Jumping to my feet, I put a reassuring hand on her arm. "I got it, Mama. Get some sleep, aight?"
She pulls me into a hug and sighs into my shoulder. "I'm so tired."
My eyes prickle as she releases me and heads for the stairs. I already know she's tired, but I can pick up the underlying message within her tone. She's been worrying about me. She's been worrying herself sick, and she's tired of worrying.
I wish she didn't have to go through all this. I know how hard it must be for her, and I don't blame her. Is it too much to ask for a normal child when she's incapable of having one herself?
I force back the growing lump in my throat. Looking away from her with even more gnawing guilt, I force a small smile on my face as I look back at Evan's family. The floorboards on the old staircase creak with each step she takes up. I wait until she's at the top before I speak in a lowered voice.
"Well, we don't have a lot of accommodations around here, but the couch is a sofa bed, so two of you can sleep on there. I'll get some blankets, sheets, and pillows."
Evan gets to his feet from the sofa and, forgetting about his over-sized shorts, almost loses them. He quickly catches them and blushes. "I'll help."
Shrugging, I turn and he follows me upstairs to the linen closet in the hallway across from the main bathroom.
"That went well," Evan whispers as I open the closet and stare at the crammed shelves.
I can't help but sigh. "Yeah, considering it's after midnight, we woke my dog-fearing mother up, requested shelter despite being... less than human... and we're barely dressed."
He peaks an eyebrow at me as I pull out an old cotton comforter and hand it to him. "Less than human?"
I hesitate, pressing my lips together as I dig for some sheets to put on the mattress, avoiding his gaze. "That's how she sees us, anyway."
He shrugs. "Could be worse."
"I guess."
"She could see us as monsters or... demons?" He doesn't sound too sure about that last bit.
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what she thinks of us. She doesn't like to talk about it, and I know her opinion is based off her religious beliefs and her fear of canines. Combined, she's right to consider us freaks of nature. The thought definitely crossed my mind when I first learned the truth and had to come to terms with it.
Arms full now, I close the door of the closet with my elbow and amble back to the staircase. "Make sure you don't lose your shorts on the stairs," I warn him.
He chuckles lightly as we head down the steps. He pauses five steps down and looks over his shoulder at me. "I'm still sleeping with you tonight, right?"
"Uh..." I'm not too sure that's a good idea. I'm positive my parents would frown at that. Soul mates or not, two months dating to humans is too soon to be sleeping together.
He gives me those big puppy-dog eyes and pouts, making me scowl out of frustration between wanting to kiss him and smack him. "Please? I had a gun pointed in my face today and I almost lost you."
I cringe at the memory, not needing to be reminded of it. "I guess so..."
If his lip could stick out any further, I'm sure it would have at this point. "What? Do I smell?"
I roll my eyes at him. "Fine already. Just go!"
He grins broadly and continues his march downstairs, somehow managing to keep his humility intact.
We work together to pull out the sofa bed and put the sheets on. I spend a few minutes hunting for pillows for everyone and they all get settled. Tamara and Marcus take the bed while Leah and Brianna camp out around it on the carpeted floor.
"This would be a lot more comfortable if I was a wolf," Brianna grumbles.
"We don't want to be rude and freak Mrs... Mrs..." Leah starts, looking at me to finish.
"Grant," I finish.
"Right. Mrs Grant would not be happy if she woke up to find wolves in her living room."
I nod in agreement. "How's your leg?" I ask Brianna.
She shrugs. "I could use a few stitches if you have a needle and thread around."
I hesitate, but tell her that I think we do somewhere. I look around for the sewing kit and find one in the old chesterfield. Tamara takes it from me once I find it.
"I'll get this, dear. You go on and get some rest," Tamara says. "If you can bring me a first aid kit as well, or some fresh cloth bandages, that would be good."
I nod at the opportunity to avoid seeing Brianna get stitched back up and go into the powder room just off of the kitchen for the first aid kit under the sink. I give it to Tamara as she threads a needle, and hurry upstairs to my room with Evan in tow.
We throw our over-sized clothes from our bodies into a heap at the foot of my double bed and crawl under the sheets. Evan holds me to him, my back against his chest as we snuggle in for the night. His soothing scent eases my mind, and keeps all the bad dreams of Ryan, blood, and guns away.
---
A gentle rapping on the door wakes me from my slumber.
I open my eyes and squint at the door as Mama pokes her head in. "Is it safe to go downstairs?"
If I hadn't been half asleep, I probably would have laughed. A fear of canines seems like the least of my concerns these days.
"Yeah, should be fine," I grumble, snuggling back in.
"You better be clothed under there," Mama says before the door creaks closed.
My eyes fly open then as it hits me. Oh man. My mother caught me naked in bed with Evan!
I pull away from Evan, who groans in protest, and get to my feet. Looking back at him, I place my hands on my hips as I stifle a yawn.
"Hey, get up."
Groan. "Why?"
"You don't want to be rude, do you?"
"No, but I want more sleep."
"Too bad. Get up."
I pull the sheet from the bed, exposing his delicious nakedness in all his sleeping glory. If it had been sunny outside instead of overcast, the sunlight would be filtering through the sheer curtains of my window and casting a golden glow against his bronze tanned skin. Tanned boys really are gorgeous in the sunlight. Especially with that cute little tush he has.
Feeling devious, I lean over and quickly swat one of his butt cheeks, fully expecting him to jump up.
Instead, he moans. "Harder."
My jaw drops as he looks over his shoulder with a sleepy, sly grin. I just stare at him longer, trying to wrap my head around his reaction.
"Well? I'm waiting."
Clamping my jaw shut, I smack his butt harder.
He closes his eyes, clearly enjoying this for some unfathomable reason. "Oh yeah. One more, even harder this time."
I raise an eyebrow at him, folding my arms across my bare breasts. "I don't think so. You're not supposed to be enjoying this, so I'm with-holding the next smack-which you totally deserve."
"Aww, come on," he says turning over onto his back with his hands behind his head. "You're no fun."
Cheeks growing hot, I turn away and hurry to my dresser to pull out some clothes to put on.
Once dressed, I search for clothes that Brianna and Leah might want to change into. I know I don't have much that would fit them, and wind up giving up. When I turn around, Evan's still lying there on his back, in all his naked glory, and watching me with his golden eyes and a smirk playing on his face.
I scowl at him. "You really should cover yourself up before Mama walks in."
The humor in his eyes vanishes and is immediately replaced with alarm. "Oh shoot. You're right. We're not alone in this shin-dig."
I roll my eyes at him. "Duh!"
Walking over to his shorts on the floor, I pick them up and toss them at him. He gets up and pulls them on. He makes a face at the extra inches around the waist. "Got a belt or something?"
I turn to my closet, which is more like a shoebox crammed full of my stuff-the joys of living in an older house. "Yeah, I should."
After digging around for a few minutes, I pull out an adjustable faded black belt with a heavy metal buckle and red flames.
He stares at it as I hold it out to him. He looks up at me. "Seriously?"
I peak an eyebrow at him. "What? Don't judge Mr My-pants-are-hanging-down-to-my-knees. Your tush is pretty cute, but I'm sure my parents would prefer to see it covered up."
He snatches the belt from my hands. "Fine."
Playfully, I smile and slap his exposed behind before it's covered up.
Tilting his head back, his eyes close as he groans. Opening them, lust flashes in his golden irises as they catch mine, making me swallow and my heart skip a beat.
He wraps an arm around my waist and abruptly pulls me to him, his shorts falling to his ankles.
Growling, he captures my mouth with his as I gasp in surprise. His lips, hungry and demanding, mould into mine in rough, sweeping caresses.
My heart starts to race, pounding fervently against my chest. Leaning into him, I moan my pleasure as I wrap my arms around his torso, my fingers digging lightly into the taunt muscles in his lean back.
His skin grows hot under my touch as desire fills my senses, rolling off his body and crashing into mine.
Little sparks of electricity tingle my scalp as he runs his hand through my dreadlocks to the back of my head.
The creaking of the floorboards outside my door rips us apart, breathing hard.
In two steps, I rush to the door and lean against it in case someone tries to come in. I bite down on my swollen bottom lip, still feeling the throbbing urge to kiss him again as my head starts to spin.
Quickly, he pulls his shorts back up to his hips and fumbles with the belt, all hot and bothered. I can't help but grin, blushing, as I watch him struggle.
The footsteps pause outside and there's another rapping on the door. "Are you going to come downstairs soon, princess?"
Still feeling lightheaded, I purse my lips as I catch Evan's eyes again. "Yeah, just give us a few minutes, Daddy."
An idea hits me and I struggle to spit out the words before he leaves. "Ah! D-Do you have any of your old shirts still?"
He hums on the other side. "I might. I only have a few minutes, but I'll have a look."
Once I hear Daddy walk away, the air I had been holding comes out in a rush.
I press the back of my hand to my forehead as I inhale and exhale, my heart rate starting to slow to a normal pace.
Evan's chest is still heaving as he fights with the belt. Apparently, he's so flustered that he can't get his hands to work properly.
Not that his hands had any problems only moments before.
Holding back a laugh, I step up to him and take the belt in my hands, adjusting the length while he holds up his shorts.
Buckling it up, I look up into his bemused gaze and red cheeks, still blushing myself. "There you go, big boy."
"Thanks, Mom."
Recoiling, I groan in protest and roll my eyes. "Not cool."
Total mood-killer.
"Hey, you started it," he says pointedly, the pink in his cheeks starting to fade now.
Scoffing at him, I take another second to inhale and exhale before I turn to the door and pull it open.
The hallway is dark as we step out, with only the faint gray morning light from the open bedroom doors and the window at the top of the stairs to illuminate it. Another dull and dreary day in Portland, from the looks of it.
Daddy is searching through his dresser and upon our arrival, looks up and smiles. "I think I've found something here."
He holds up a wrinkly, old, faded black T-shirt, and while it may still be an extra large during Daddy's slimmer days, Evan will still swim in it. It's better than nothing.
"Thanks, Daddy," I say, taking it from his outstretched hands.
As I turn to Evan behind me to give it to him, Daddy clears his throat. I lower my gaze as I turn back to face my father. Expecting him to say something about last night, or Evan walking around shirtless with his pants falling down, I'm surprised when he hands a brown file folder out to me instead.
My forehead wrinkles in confusion as I take it. "What's this?" I ask as I open it up.
He smiles, but it's one of sadness. "Your adoption papers. I thought you might like to have them."