Page 24 of Grey
“Welcome to the herd,” Avi said. “Have a good night, you two.”
They got into her car and Grey drove out to the dirt road and headed toward her cabin. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. The short ride ended with them walking hand-in-hand into the cabin and her offering him something to drink.
“I don’t need anything but you, sweetheart.”
Her breath hitched and before she could respond, he closed the distance between them and kissed her like he’d wanted to do since he’d returned to human. The kiss was slow and deep at first, but quickly morphed into more as they made their way to the bedroom, shedding clothes along the way and tumbling into bed.
Hours later, Tatum was curled against him, her head on his chest and his heart so freaking full of peace.
“Thank you for sharing your world with me,” she said.
“Thank you for accepting me.” He paused, and then said, “What would you think about coming to live at the farmhouse?”
She tilted her head and met his gaze. She didn’t answer him right away, so he said, “I know it’s a big ask and a lot to think about, but I want to wake up with you every day.”
“That’s really sweet,” she said. “But could we wait a little bit longer? I’m not ready to move in with you yet, even though I really adore being with you.”
He was a little disappointed, but he could wait. She was worth it. “I’ll wait as long as you need.”
“Thank you for being patient with me.”
He hugged her tighter, his heart full. “Always.”
In the quiet of the room, he told her about his family and his past, how he’d rebelled against the old ways of the alpha and had been shut out by his second-in-command father and older brother, who was ready to toe the line no matter what the alpha asked. He opened his heart to her the way that she’d opened her heart to him, and told her how he’d felt so abandoned and alonewhen he’d walked away from the herd, even though he’d known it was the right thing to do.
She’d suggested they were very similar, both choosing to strike out on their own to make a new life for themselves. He’d landed with Dexter and the herd, and she’d found her way to him eventually.
“Fate’s funny, isn’t it?” she asked before she yawned and snuggled closer.
“It is,” he said. “It brought us both here to Little River so we could find each other.”
“A stallion and a librarian,” she said with a chuckle. “It sounds like the premise of a fantasy romance novel.”
He grinned and kissed the top of her head. “I bet it’s got a happily ever after.”
“Definitely.”
As she drifted off to sleep in his arms, he pictured the life that he and Tatum would have together at the farm. She fit so easily into his life, and he knew it was because they were soulmates and made for each other. Her love of legends and myths had made it a bit easier for her to come to terms with the supernatural part of him and his life, and he was grateful for that.
At some point, she’d be ready to start their lives officially together, and he could ask her to join the herd and also be his wife, and then they could see where life took them. As long as they were together, he knew they’d be able to overcome anything life threw at them. They’d both proven they could make it through difficult trials, and together they’d be even better at it.
The stallion and the librarian.
What a great premise for a love that would last a lifetime.
The sound of the library’s front door opening broke through Tatum’s thoughts, and she quickly straightened in her chair. Mrs. Fielder walked in with a big, warm smile. “Good day to you, Tatum,” she said with an exaggerated bow.
“Hi, Mrs. Fielder. How was your night?”
Mrs. Fielder gave her a curious look and then smiled. “I think yours was better than mine, you’re positively glowing. I take it you had a good night with your man?”
Tatum’s cheeks heated and she couldn’t help the happy giggle. “I did. His friends were so sweet and kind to me, and I just felt like I belonged there. It was amazing.”
“I’m so glad for you,” she said, patting her hand.
She hurried off to the breakroom and Tatum turned her attention back to the computer where she was logging in the stack of books she’d collected from the drop box outside. When she was finished, she walked back outside to get the rest.
Her gaze stopped on a vehicle driving slowly down the street. The windows of the old green sedan were tinted, but she swore she could feel the driver watching her. And she was very sure she’d seen the sedan in the lot when she’d been outside earlier.
