Page 50 of Forget Me Not
Once the clearing was theirs alone, Bas watched Syve tiptoe over to a patch of wildflowers—the same flowers that were painted all over the door at her shop. He followed her movements as she ducked her head low, nosing the little blue petals. When she raised her head again, eyes closed as she faced the sun and looking like a giant brown sunflower, he was struck with an idea.
Bas whined to get her attention. When she looked his way, he gestured with a jerk of his head, asking her to follow him.
He led her through the flowers to an odd pile of both living and downed trees. At least four fallen trunks were propped up by one sturdy green pine, creating a natural lean-to that looked just large enough for two people to hide under. Various smaller logs and branches blocked off the opposite side, creating a perfect wall and further adding to its likeness to a tiny shelter.
She watched over his shoulder as he rooted around beneath one of the logs and pulled a simple brown backpack free. He turned around and dropped the bag on the ground. Hazel eyes followed the pack’s movement, then snapped back up to stare at him again. Bas raised his brows, glanced down at the pack, and when she continued to stare at him, he mentally shrugged, then shifted. What else he could possibly do with a backpack without thumbs, he wasn’t sure—she had to have realized he was going to shift back.
Oh well.
If shewantedto see him, he would let her.
Years of practice lead to a speedy transition and he was now standing right in front of her—very naked. A minor oversight, he realized, was that his human height compared to Syve’s deer form left her precisely eye level with his hips. With a startled bleat, she fell back, turning her head up and away.
“Tried to warn you, Bambi.” Bas chuckled as he crouched and dug around in the backpack. “I thought you might like to feel the sun on your skin. If you ask me, the fur dulls the warmth.” He pulled out a pair of black sweats and quickly pulled them on. “I’m decent. I have a shirt for you too—I’ll turn my back so you can shift. It’s the same concept as before, just in reverse. Oh, and you should do it under here, just in case.”
He stepped out from under the little tree shelter so she could take his place. Most people that went hiking around Timberfall did so south of town, closer to Yellowstone, but there was always a chance someone might be milling around the lake—he knew firsthand.
He shook his head to clear the thought.
Syve turned away from him, facing the rotting logs and he took that as his cue to do the same.
“I won’t look, but I’ll be right here if you need me,” he assured her and settled down in the dirt.
While he waited, he dug out the two shirts he had packed and the second set of sweats, pulling on one shirt and folding the remaining clothes over his shoulder.
A few quiet moments passed with Bastien sitting contentedly, watching the water ripple under the gentle breeze. The gentle touch of her fingers against his shoulder as they wrapped around the clothes startled him, and it took everything he had to keep his eyes forward.
“Awfully convenient stash of clothes you found,” her tone was suspicious and mocking.
“After last time, I decided I should be a little more prepared,” he teased, lacing his hands behind his head, a cocky smirk taking up residence on his face. “I’ve hidden a few caches in strategic places. Next time I have to carry you out of the woods, at least I won’t freeze my—”
“Okay, okay. First of all, who said there was going to be a next time?” She guffawed. “Secondly…that’s a pretty good idea—oh my god, Bastien! You’re bleeding!” He felt her grab onto his right arm, one hand at the shoulder, the other on his elbow.
“Bas! You might need stitches! How did you do this?!” she scolded.
Dropping his hands from his head, he twisted his neck to look at the back of his arm, a gash, easily five inches long, ran the length of his bicep.
“Oh, I must have caught it on a rogue branch.” He shrugged and she let go. “It’s really not that bad; it’ll heal pretty quick.” He placed his hands on his thighs, rolled forward to stand, then walked to the water where he crouched down and splashed his arm to clean the cut.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re using dirtylakewater to clean that? What if it gets infected?” She sounded close, like she had followed him to the water.
“Nah, it’ll heal fast enough—” He pivoted on his toes to face her, and the words died in his throat. Syve was standing there, in nothing but his shirt. The pants she had taken from him were hanging forgotten in one hand.
What was it about seeing a woman in his clothes? Some primal, claiming instinct? At least two sizes too big, the shirt hung nearly off one of her shoulders and down to the top of her thighs.
“Are you trying to tell me that you have super healing or something?” She gestured wildly with her empty hand, and it pulled the shirt higher up her legs.
Bas cleared his throat and stood abruptly, making every effort to keep his eyes on her face while also slipping a hand into his pocket to cover what would be a very embarrassing reaction to her attire.
“I wouldn’t call it super. But…accelerated?” He pursed his lips, brows furrowed. “Have you ever noticed—do you heal faster than expected?”
Stepping closer to him she said, “No, probably a downside to only being half…” She gestured vaguely at herself, which he noted from his peripherals because he was still doing his best not to look at her body again.
Especially now she was close enough that he could touch her, if he wanted to.
“I guess so, that’s unfortunate. It’s one of the better perks if you ask me,” he mused.
Suddenly her hands were on his face, pulling him down to look her right in the eyes.
