Page 69 of Wolves & Watercolors
“You need anything?”
She resumes snuggling against my chest and mutters, “Just you.”
XII . Goodbyes
Aurora
Laying in Cedar’s arms, I’ve never felt so safe in my entire life. He’s seen me vulnerable and raw. He watched me pour out my soul onto the canvas - I’ve never painted in front of someone like that before. And now, he nuzzles in my hair and makes me feel absolutely cherished.
“I wish I could stay like this forever,” I say, my thoughts escaping without filter.
Cedar kisses the shell of my ear. “Then stay.”
“I can’t.” Turning in his arms, reach up and I brush his hair off his forehead. “I’m not a shifter. This isn’t my home. I don’t belong here.”
“Your sister and niece are here,” he says, a solemn hope in his expression that hurts my heart.
“She’s a shifter like you, and I’m not.”I don’t belong anywhere now. I swallow down my melancholy thoughts and place a kiss on the tip of his nose.
Cedar clears his throat, his focus never wavering. “How much longer are you going to stay?”
The answer feels heavy. “Unless I want to start begging for money, I’ll need to leave in the next day or two.”
“I’ll pay your bills,” he says.
“I can’t let you do that,” I say, frowning. “Besides, you have no idea how much an apartment in Hollywood costs.”
“Enough you have to have a bunch of roommates,” he says softly, not condescending but concerned.
“I need to go back,” The words sound hollow to me now. Absently, I twirl my fingers through the caramel curls behind his ears.
“Not right now.”
Cedar tightens his hold, drawing me flush against his chest. It’s all too easy to sink into his warmth and pretend this is my life. Slowly, drowsiness creeps in, and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the steady beat of his heart lull me into a deep sleep.
Cedar is still sleeping when my internal clock wakes me. Pale sunlight filters through the blinds on his window. My small movements wake him. The sleepy smile on his face melts me. Knowing this is the only time I’ll ever wake in his arms feels like a knife in my heart. It’s entirely unfair that our lives are so far away. I’d give anything to keep him.
“Morning,” he murmurs, kissing my forehead.
Sighing, I snuggle closer. “No, it’s the middle of the night and we should go back to sleep.”
“Unfortunately, I’ve got a lot of work to do today. For some reason, my garden is growing out of control. I need to cut someplants back before they take over their neighbor’s spaces.” His dimples show when he grimaces, laughter dancing in his eyes.
After kissing me soundly, he crawls out of bed and begins to dress. A heaviness settles over me. It’s time. If I stay any longer, I’ll never recover from the heartbreak. Already, my heart is fracturing.
Clutching his blanket over my chest, I clear my throat. “I’m going home today.”
Cedar goes still, and a beat passes before he turns to face me with his brow creased. “I thought you had a few more days.”
A sense of wrongness washes over me. “Well, I’ve got control of the magic now, and if I wait too long, I won’t have time to earn enough money for rent.”
Standing in just sweats, he’s imposing. His arms cross and he frowns down at me.
“I know, I know, you can help, but I can’t accept that,” I say, crossing my own arms defiantly.
“Do youwantto leave?” he asks finally.
My heart and mind both screamNo!But that won’t help either of us. Taking a slow breath, I nod. “It’s time. I’m ready.”
