Page 56 of Cursed Touch
Her lips pulled into a tight line as she nodded. “I’m still processing, but I like being in your arms,” she admitted and pressed her cheek to his chest.
Carter wrapped an arm around her. “Not complaining at all.” He slid out his phone, and she watched him pull up his recent calls before pressing on Peter’s name. “Hey… No, she’s fine.” Carter kissed the top of her head, and she sighed with pleasure at the sweetness.
Closing her eyes, she listened to Carter’s voice rumble in his chest as he brought up Tyler. The sounds wrapped around her in a blanket of warmth and comfort. She never felt that from simply holding another human.
“Yeah, a few weeks ago, he’d been bitten by a lycan, and I healed him enough so he wouldn’t die. I just don’t know if his murder had anything to do with Vanessa or if it was random, you know?” Carter said. “All right, thanks. We appreciate it.”
“So?” she asked, tipping her head back when he ended the call.
“He heard about the murder but didn’t realize Tyler was a witch. Peter says he’ll send someone to look into it.”
Chapter 26
They had nothing.
No, that was not true. They had been able to determine Tyler’s death was related to the supernatural. No one knew who was behind it though, because it was covered up well. The person interested in Vanessa was still unknown to them too. The longer they remained shrouded in darkness, the more Carter worried. What were they waiting for? Had they changed their mind about Vanessa?
His family had already experienced two kidnappings, and while Claudia and Max had not been kidnapped themselves, technically a kidnapping situation was how they’d found her. She had been fleeing from her captor, with her child in tow.
Carter shook his head. Statistically speaking, for one family to have that many abductions was unheard of. He could not deny it as a possibility. What he worried most about if it did happen, was that Vanessa was a human and could not protect herself.
A week had passed since he told her the entire truth. He had finally come to terms with it, and deep dark thoughts be damned, he was ready to cement their connection. On the other hand, she had not brought it up again. Their physical intimacy had reverted to first base, and while his dick was supremely pissed off about that, he could not rush it.
Everyone was busy. Between their own lives and helping them search into who was a threat to Vanessa, they were not able to ask for more on the telepathic bond. But he planned on doing it soon at their family dinner.
Vanessa walked into the living room with her phone to her ear, her head tipped back with laughter. “Stop it. That did not happen!”
He fucking loved her.
The truth hit him out of nowhere. No, that was not true. It had crept up on him with each passing day, but in that moment, he realized he was done for.
Her smile, her laugh, her kindness… The woman was patient and intelligent, and he was head over heels in love with her. He even loved the way she softly snored.
He pushed to his feet, his heart hammering in his chest. Carter needed air. He forced a smile for her benefit and pulled open the door to the patio. The summer heat was in full swing, and it slapped him in the face. Sucking in a lungful of air, he tried not to hyperventilate at his realization.
“Holy shit, I fucking love her,” he mumbled and shut his eyes, taking in the warm rays of sunshine on his face. “I love her…”
As it settled in his mind and heart, his chest rumbled with laughter. Joy burst forth, consuming him at the beautiful feeling he felt for a human who was not family.
Love.
“Are you okay?” Vanessa asked, causing him to jump. She eyed him cautiously, the phone no longer to her ear.
He grinned, even as fear tried to affect his mood. “I’m great. Just uh… wanted some fresh air.” What would he do if she decided she would not accept him?
Carter pushed aside the negative thoughts finding their way in. He jogged to her side and picked her up in his arms and spun them. Vanessa’s squeal of delight stung his ear, but it never dampened his grin.
“How’s Georgia?” he asked, directing her attention from his odd behavior.
They stopped spinning, and when he did not release her, Vanessa wrapped her arms around his waist. “She’s good. Just got back into town and was telling me some crazy story about an elderly couple screwing in the woods.”
Carter paused before bursting into laughter. “Well, good for them.”
“Right? I hope we’re doing it when we’re old.” Her eyes rounded when she realized what she’d said.
“Thinking about us growing old together?” he asked, excited at the thought.
She shrugged before chewing on her lip. “Maybe.”
