Page 17 of Secrets and S'mores
“I like how you say my name,” he purrs.
I know it’s not genuine, but his silky words still affect me. Scoffing, I grip the doorknob at the small of my back and twist. Without breaking eye contact, I step back into his sister’s room.
“Good night, Onyx.” His tormenting grin is the last thing I see before I close the door between us.
My skin is tingly and hot. Does he enjoy making me uncomfortable? Though from what I can tell, he still hasn’t told a soul about our encounter at the party.
Heart racing, I trade my clothes for a nightshirt and slip into the bed. The cool pillowcase soothes my heated cheeks. Eyes squeezed shut, I try to think of anything except the wolf sleeping across the hall.
5 Looking a Little Stabby
Onyx
“Feeling good, honey?” Mom asks, sliding a plate of banana french toast across the table toward me.
“Yeah.” I take a deep breath. The soft floral scent of Ember lingers in the kitchen and the image of her tongue swiping her fingertips as she licks marshmallow from her skin flashes through my head. In one day, she’s thoroughly under my skin.
I thought she was a dangerous flirtation, just a thrill. But the vulnerability she showed last night, all my protective instincts rose up, demandingthat I care for her. Sometimes the wolf part of me can be such a simp.
With a rough sigh, I shove my fingers through my tangled hair. I need to pull myself together. She’s not mine to protect. In fact, I’m quite sure she’d be furious if she knew what was going on inside my head.
“Good morning, Ember,” my mother chimes, causing me to startle.
The girl stands on the edge of the hallway, the arch framing her curves. With emerald waves streaming down her back, face scrubbed clean of makeup, and oversized sweatshirt draping over one shoulder, she looks like a goddess.
“Good morning, Clove,” she responds politely. Hips swaying, she drops into a chair as far away from me as possible. Could I move seats? No, that would be weird.
“French toast? I’ve got bananas and strawberries.”
“Banana sounds good, thanks.”
My mother catches my eye, a pleased curve to her mouth as she hands our guest a plate loaded with sliced bananas over brown sugar custard brioche.
We eat in silence, and my stomach clenches each time I catch her peeking at me through her lashes.
Finally, she breaks the silence. “So what’s on the agenda today?”
Sipping my coffee, I regard her, enjoying the dimple in her cheek as she purses her lips impatiently.
“No plan.”
Her lips pout as she frowns. In that moment, she looks so much like Slate, I have to cover my grin by taking another drink.
“I can’t just sit here all day staring at you,” she says with a scowl.
“Sounds like a fantastic day to me.”
She huffs and slouches back. “You can’t be serious.”
“Well, what would you like to do?” I can feel my mother’s eyes on us.
“I don’t know, Onyx,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “But I’ve gotta do something.” She takes one look at my smirk. “Shut up.”
“I wasn’t saying anything.”
Her cutting glare could have murdered me.
“Look, it’s Saturday and normally we train on Saturdays. Want to head to the training building and check things out?” Hopefully my dad won’t mind a guest.
