Page 61 of Touched By Moonlight
Chapter 17
Nicolas askedme to accompany him on a hike through the pack’s extensive property after our love play session in the cottage. He admitted he had work, but wanted to spend more time withme.
Sensing this was the second step in our relationship, I agreed. Besides, I was too excited to be back in the mountains and my beloved forest. Forests refreshed my weary spirit, cleansed the exhaust of motor vehicles from my pores, and allowed me to purge stress and tension in a way sex couldnot.
Grayson stocked plenty of clothing in my room. Most of it natural fiber, the clothing felt wonderful against my bare skin in a way my second-hand clothing did not. For so long, I had accustomed myself to feeling restricted by my clothing, it was a welcoming change to slip into silk panties, all-cotton navy pants and a powder blue cotton sleeveless tank top for ourhike.
Nicolas wore jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and hiking boots. He helped me pick out a spare pair of boots, warning parts of the trail wererugged.
Little did he know I was as fleet-footed as a mountaingoat.
A spare backpack on my shoulders, I joined him as we trudged up a hillside along a narrow dirt pathway. Jagged mountains peeked down upon us, and the air was redolent with wildflowers, meadow grass and pine. Insects buzzed among the flowers and birds sang from the nearby treelimbs.
For the first time since leaving the Fae, I felt happy. Hopeful. Peaceful. No further threats followed me and this area was hidden, as I hid myself from theworld.
Hated to admit it as well, but I had been lonely for years, not daring to form any kind of lasting relationships. Being here amongst the shifters and socializing with them fed my need to be with others. Fae, more than most paranormal creatures, enjoy solitude. However, they immerse themselves in that solitude surrounded by trees and mountains or water, not by concrete andsteel.
The property line stretched into the forest and partly up the mountain. Nicolas pointed out the areas where the pack enjoyed running with the moon and hunting smallprey.
Curiosity filled me. “What’s your wolf like? Gray? Large orsmall?”
Shrugging off his pack, he spread his arms wide and shifted faster than I could blink. Seconds later a medium-sized black wolf stood before me. He playfully head-butted me, nosing my hand as if searching for a treat. I rubbed behind his ears and he gave a huge wolfishgrin.
“So your wolf is like your balls. Big and hairy,” Iteased.
He nipped at my hand and gave a mockgrowl.
“Just don’t eat me, k? Well, not the way the big bad wolf eats Little Red Riding Hood,” I patted his head. “Where did your clothinggo?”
He lifted a paw and pointed to his pack. I unzipped it and saw. “Huh. Good trick. I suppose you could summon the magick to put it back on if you shiftback.”
Zipping it back, I added. “Or stay naked. You’re very cute withoutclothing.”
If wolves could blush, Nicolas would. Instead, his tongue lolledout.
“It’s so peaceful here.” I sighed. “I wish I could stay hereforever.”
He sat on his haunches, tilted his head. I sensed Nicolas felt more comfortable in wolfskin the way I did in natural fiberclothing.
It was a lovely summer day, the sun warming my bare shoulders and only a few puffy clouds drifting across the sharp blue sky. Not wanting to waste it, I picked up his backpack. “Don’t shift back. Let’s head for the river and goswimming.”
He blinked. Shook his head andshivered.
“Yeah, I know it’s cold. Worried aboutshrinkage?”
Hegrowled.
I laughed and stroked his furry head again. “Just pushing your buttons. Let’sgo.”
Leaves cluttered the pathway as we headed into the woods flanking the river. Ponderosa pine and spruce stretched out their majestic limbs as we navigated the path. Maples grew hearty and tall amongst the chokeberry and wild rose shrubs. The trail here was narrow, twisting and turning. I began pointing out the various trees and identifying the birds singing on their branches. It felt more like a nature walk, except for the wolf, ever vigilant, at myside.
My senses naturally sharpened, I smelled the pleasing scent of earth and fresh water, along with something else not so refreshing in thedistance.
At a grove of white quaking aspen, trees that would turn a brilliant shade of yellow in the fall, the scent grew stronger. It smelled like cedar and pine, but laced with a distinctnote.
Nicolas loped over to one tree,sniffed.
Joining him, I realized the smell emanated from this very aspen. I touched thetree.
