“Ready or not.” I rinsed the toothpaste out of my mouth, stuck my tongue out at myself, and exited the bathroom.
When I stepped into the bedroom, Drew was already in bed with the blanket pulled up to his waist. Looking sexy as Hades--the god and the place, both. My heart rate kicked up again and my flesh heated. I sure hoped he had shorts on under that blanket. If he was naked, I was so running away to sleep on the pull-out with my son.
"I have shorts on," he said with a grin. How had he known? It was like he’d read my mind. Maybe it was my face. I tended to wear my emotions all over it. Half the time it was some version of resting bitch face.
But his face… Oh, gods, that grin was wicked and full of temptation.
Once his words sank in, I started moving toward the bed. I had to stop standing there like an idiot. This was no big deal.
Shrugging, I tried to play it cool. "I wasn't worried. We're adults. There is no harm in us sleeping together.” Oh, no. That sounded wrong. It sounded like sex. “Erm, I mean sleeping in the same bed...beside each other...um, actually sleeping."
I was an idiot. A total idiot. Why did my brain not work? It sent stupid words to come out of my mouth.
He pulled the blanket back, and I caught a glimpse of his black shorts against the creamy white sheets. "Come on Ava. I promise to keep my hands to myself."
That made one of us that would behave at least. I was so not going to say that out loud. Pushing myself forward, I made it to the bed and under the covers without hyperventilating. Yay, me. Why the heck was I so nervous? Besides the obvious and the fact that Clay had been my first and only lover.
We laid in silence for a few minutes with Drew’s body heat seeping toward me before Drew asked, "Hang on. Charles was the captain of the dance team?"
Drew's question broke through my nervous thoughts and made me laugh. "Yes. I'm surprised Sam hadn't told you."
He shook his head and chuckled. "It never came up."
I rolled to my side to face him. Instantly, he did the same. "Charles used to be a great dancer. He might still be, I don't know. Haven't talked to him since I've been back." He’d been so popular in high school that nobody had even teased him for being such a good dancer.
That didn’t mean there weren’t a few chuckles, but they were generally good-natured. Not bully-ish.
“Somehow, I can see that he is. Not in a bad way.” Drew paused and reached out to brush a stray hair from my face. My pulse jumped and heat pooled in my belly. "What’s with the stepdad thing?"
I laughed then snorted, which made both of us laugh. I told him about what Wallie said to Hailey when she stopped by. "Now Clay refers to you as a stepdad or his replacement."
"I've been called worse." Drew reached over and ran his knuckles down my cheek.
I sighed and leaned into his touch. Then I frowned. "Does it bother you that he’s here? I mean, it’s got to be awkward for you."
"No. But I have wondered why he is here. Is he stuck?"
"Yes, and it's my fault." I averted my gaze to stare at the window.
He furrowed his brow. "How is it your fault?"
I shrugged and met Drew’s stare. "He says I'm holding him here, but I can't think of how. He says I just need to let go. But somehow I think there is more to it."
Drew took my hand and tugged as he rolled to his back, making me scoot closer to him. A few seconds later, I was snuggled into his side. It felt great. And I was so turned on. "What is the one thing you haven't done yet?"
"I'm not sure. Other than the promise I made to not grieve him for long and to move on with my life. But I'm doing that now." I didn't think the semi-broken promise was holding him there. It had to be something else. "Oh, his ashes. I couldn't bring myself to spread them, especially when I wasn't sure where I'd end up."
The house had been mine and Clay's. I hadn’t seen me starting over without him there. Yet, I left the ashes here when I went to Shipton because I hadn't planned at the time to stay in Maine. I wasn’t sure where I’d end up.
But now, I was sure. I was starting over in Shipton with Winston and my new extended, partially undead family.
"I think you may be right. Ask him where he wants them to be spread, then do it. Say goodbye, get your closure." Drew traced his fingers down my arm in feather-like touches that calmed me.
He was right. "I already know where he'd want them." I glanced up at Drew, then kissed him lightly on the lips. "Thank you."
I snuggled into him more and wondered how I’d gotten so lucky to find a man that I could possibly spend the second half of my life with.
Wait! Where the heck had that come from?
Chapter Ten
For the second time in a week, I woke up before anyone else. My mind wouldn't let me sleep any longer. I’d dreamed that we found Wade dead and after that, I couldn’t get back to sleep.
While making coffee and warming up leftover Mexican food for breakfast, I paced the kitchen. Every car that drove by, every person that walked in front of the house, and pretty much every sound from outside had me running to the front window, peeking out to see if it was Wade. Of course, it was never him. I must’ve messaged him a hundred more times since I got up this morning. Typing on my phone, I made it a hundred and one.
Not long after my breakfast and first cup of coffee were done, Olivia joined me in the kitchen. Drew wasn’t far behind her. Sam came stumbling in a few minutes later looking like he hadn’t slept a wink.
I tapped my foot and sent off another message, then put the phone to my ear to call again.
“Stay calm,” Drew said. “He’s a grown man and has run his own life all this time without you.”
I rolled my eyes and poured another cup of coffee. The three of them could tell I was ready to bolt out of the house and head straight to Wade’s. I’d already toyed with the idea of calling Dana and Rick Johnson to see they knew a shifter who was a tracker to hunt down Wade. Maybe they had connections in the area.
Dana and Rick were ferret shifters and became my liaison for the shifters. Their oldest son died in the same fighting ring Zoey had. I’d saved their youngest son by finding and taking down the whole thing. I’d managed to bring Zoey back, animate her, at least, but the rest of the shifter kids had been too far gone to save long-term.
Drew sat in the chair beside me, pulling me from my plots of searching for and saving Wade. I met his gaze and smiled. He smelled good and was a sexy distraction, but he didn’t smile back. He just leaned forward, cupped my cheeks, and claimed my mouth like he was making all kinds of promises of pleasure.
Moaning deep in my throat, I scooted closer in my seat and returned the kiss. Tingles skittered over my skin. He tasted of toothpaste and spice. Mmm, I could’ve kissed him all day.
When he broke the kiss, he sat back in his chair and held up his cup. “I just need one cup, then we’ll go to Wade’s.”
I nodded, unable to take my eyes off him. We’d kissed before, but not like that. That wasn’t just a kiss. It was a claiming. Drew was marking his territory. Or maybe I was going insane and hanging out with shifters too much recently.