“Hell, no. It’s too much like hard work. I’ll keep to yoga and going on long walks, thank you very much.”
“That sounds like something you’d see on a dating site.”
“And what would a werewolf be doing on a dating site?” I asked mildly. “I wouldn’t have thought finding a lover to be all that hard.”
“It was research for a case.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Seriously.”
“Believing you.”
“I can tell.” His voice was dry. “However, given the implied urgency of the situation and the fact it’s going to take us forever to get back to the truck at this rate, do you mind greatly if I give you a hand?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He just scooped me up and held me close as he strode down the road at a much faster clip. I grinned and draped my arms around his neck. “I should protest that I’m not an invalid, but it feels rather nice to be held like this. And hey, who knows when I’ll get another chance to enjoy all this muscular warmth.”
“Indeed.” His amusement faded a little. “How dangerous is it going to be to enter Kastle’s place?”
“Very.” I wrinkled my nose. “It actually might be wise to get the RWA witch to meet us there. He’ll be more capable of handling whatever might still linger.”
“Do you know if he’s still at the café?”
“Hang on, and I’ll check with Belle.”
The words had barely left my mouth when she replied, He sure as hell is. He’s been drilling me on how we got the wild magic entwined in the protection spells.
We didn’t. Not deliberately, anyway. I suspected it was a result of me bolstering the spells so soon after the wild magic had interfered with my incantation at the cemetery—some leftover energy wisps must have been still clinging to me, and had wound up in the spell.
I told him that. He doesn’t believe me. He says there’s intent. Anyway, you want me to send him your way?
I gave her the address and then added, Tell him we’re dealing with an open Ouija board and the possibility of a soul eater.
Will do. She hesitated. Be careful.
With an official witch on the reservation, I’m not going anywhere near the place until it’s safe.
Yeah, you say that now, but curiosity will get the better of you, I just know it. Just remember what curiosity did to the goddamn cat.
I sent her a mental kiss, and then tuned out and glanced up at Aiden. “She’s going to ask the witch to meet us at the house.”
“Good. I’ll ask him about protecting the station, and Lance, too.”
Silence fell between us. I tried to ignore my growing awareness of his closeness—of the way his muscles played against my body with each and every movement, or how much better it would feel if we were both naked—and kept my gaze firmly locked on the path ahead. To do anything else might be ultimately dangerous to our need to get to Kastle’s house in a timely manner, especially if he was as affected by our closeness anywhere near as badly as me.
It didn’t take too long to reach his truck. He placed me back down, one hand lingering on my spine as he opened the door with the other. Once we were both seated, he reversed out and drove carefully back down the track and out of the reservation. He didn’t look at me until we were back on the main road to Castle Rock. Fifteen minutes might have passed, but the heat of desire still glowed in his eyes.
“We seriously have to make a concerted effort to find some time alone,” he said. “Because I’m not sure I can take this frustration much longer.”
I laughed, even though I very much agreed. “I’m sure you can take matters into your own hands if necessary.” I hesitated, but couldn’t help adding, “Why has it been over a year, Aiden? I know you were mourning your sister’s death, but cutting out sex seems an odd way of doing it.”
“I think we were all so intent on making her last few weeks happy that we forgot about ourselves.” He shrugged. “After she died, I was too consumed by the need for justice and revenge to think about a relationship.”
“You don’t have to have a relationship to have sex.”
“No, but you do at least have to be attracted to the person you’re planning to bed. Until now—until you—I just haven’t been.”
“Which is probably the nicest thing any man has ever said to me.”