Page 116 of Silent Heart

“Harley! I was just thinking about you,” Grandma’s cheery voice sent a burst of encouragement through me.

“I figured I would touch base about Thanksgiving,” I hedged. “I still plan on cooking with you, but I won’t be able to drive up until the morning of.”

“Well, that’s just fine, honey.” My grandma paused to listen to whatever my grandfather was saying. “No, Rodger, she has class Wednesday after all.”

“I could skip it. My attendance is perfect—” I began.

“Don’t you dare!” Grandma interrupted.

“And we don’t want her driving after dark either,” Grandpa called loud enough for me to hear.

“Right, we don’t want you driving back in the dark. We’ll see you Thursday morning. How’s it’s going?” Grandma asked.

I squeezed my eyes closed and let the situation tumble out. “Kole Williams is back in my life. We picked up where we left off, and things are good.”

Silence crackled through the line.

I pulled the phone away, looked at the screen, and then placed it back on my ear. “Gran?”

“What’d she say?” Grandpa boomed.

“She’s seeing that nice young fellow again,” Grandma said, voice thick with emotion. “Is it serious?”

Very. I’m crazy about him.“We have a few details to work out, but we’re committed to sorting through things. Kole won’t be coming with me to Thanksgiving, I’d rather not have the family pounce on him the first time I bring him home, but I wanted you both to know.”

One thing we would have to decide on was if we ever revealed Kolya’s real name. But that was a minor detail in the grand scheme of things.

“What’s she saying? Put that speakerphone feature on,” Grandpa puttered.

“It sounds like—”beep“—he’s really important to you, honey,” my grandma observed, voice becoming a fishbowl as she clicked the device to the speaker setting.

“I like him. Don’t know why you two split, but I liked that one,” Grandpa added. “But you tell him that if he isn’t serious this time, he’ll have to answer to me.”

Moisture pooled in my eyes. “Thanks, you guys, I’m glad you’re happy about this.”

Grandpa’s voice was full of caution. “Just take it slow.”

“Yes, what he said. You don’t need to rush,” Grandma added. “You’ll have him come visit first thing in December?”

I looked around the space I was living in. Time was fleeting; we’d moved in together pretty quickly out of necessity, but it felt right. Explaining that to my grandparents, however, could wait for a future conversation.

“Yeah, I’ll bring him for a visit,” I agreed.

“Good, now if that’s all, you get back to those books,” Grandma insisted.

We said our goodbyes, and after I hung up, I snuggled deeper into the couch and promptly fell asleep.

It felt like hours later when I startled awake. Someone was holding me. A sharp intake of air filled my lungs.

Arms squeezed reflexively around my waist. His voice was rough and gravelly as it rumbled against my ear. “Sshhh, go back to sleep, Harley.”

I snuggled into Kolya’s frame. “It’s a good thing you bought a wide couch.”

A deep chuckle vibrated through his chest. “Why do you think I chose it?”

Pressed tight between his front and the couch, I wriggled so that I could see his face. He was beautiful like this, relaxed and body still. A thrill ran through me. I was the one lucky enough to see him without his guard in place. It was one thing to know he was a beautiful, dangerous predator. But to have him atmymercy, to have him tame for only me, was a sense of profound joy.

I pressed my lips to his throat, sucking gently at the skin. His dark growl rattled around us.

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