Davis, Liz - Under His Spell (Siren Publishing Classic) (11 page)

“You like that, do you?” he asked with a smile.

“Maybe I do.”

“Mmm, well there’s a lot more where that came from,” he purred in response.

“Promise?” she asked, with a voice full of hope.

Offering a wide grin, Takoda held tightly onto her as he walked them into the bathroom.

Lynn took a seat on the edge of the bathtub as Takoda turned the water on, filling the tub with hot water. He added a few squirts of scented oil into the water, and then he adjusted the dimmer lights so that the atmosphere became more romantic.

Once the tub was filled with water he climbed inside and Lynn got in after him, positioning herself between his legs so that her body could recline against his. She gave a sigh of contentment as Takoda wrapped his hands around her waist, and she found herself wishing that she could freeze-frame time so that the moment would last forever.

Sweeping her hair over her shoulder, Takoda put his strong hands to use, massaging her neck as he tried to loosen the stiffness in her muscles. His touch was firm yet gentle, expertly working out the kinks which had been building up for days.

“Mmmm,” she purred, “That feels nice.”

She could hear the smile in his voice as he asked, “So, when are you going to tell me more about yourself?”

Lynn realized it had been nearly a week since they’d first met, and they still didn’t know much about each other at all. She’d spent the majority of the week trying to avoid him, so they hadn’t even gotten the chance to talk and get to know one another.

“You already marked me as your mate and
now
you wanna know more about who I am?

She felt his breath against her neck as he expelled a little chuckle. “I know it seems a bit late for me to be asking questions about you, but I never would have marked you if I wasn’t completely sure about us.”

Running his hands along the underside of her neck, he lifted her chin upward so he could place a kiss upon her neck. As his lips pressed against his skin, she felt a delicious shiver go up her spine. The tenderness with which he touched her made her feel as if she were some sort of precious jewel.

“So did you grow up out here?” Grabbing a sponge from the side of the tub, he squeezed a glob of bodywash onto it and began rubbing it over her skin.

“No, I grew up in Minnesota, but once I finished high school I moved to Seattle for college. I lived out there for eight years before deciding to relocate to Oregon.”

“You have any brothers or sisters?”

“Nope, I’m an only child.”

“And what about your parents? Where are they?”

“I was adopted, so I have no idea where my birth parents are. The people who raised me are the only parents I’ve ever known, and they still live in Minnesota. I talk to them regularly, so we’re pretty close.”

“Well, that’s good. Having your parents around is a blessing.”

“Yes, it is. So what about you? Are you close to your mom and dad?”

“My parents aren’t around anymore. They passed away years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

A moment of silence fell between them for a few moments before Takoda began to speak.

“So why did you move away from Seattle?”

“I had a job offer out here in Oregon, so I decided to take it. Plus, I just felt like I needed a change of pace. I liked living in Seattle, but things were just becoming too complicated out there.”

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Unsure of just how she wanted to answer his question, she hesitated, trying to work out a way to explain things to him.
 
She really did want to be open with him, but she just wasn’t completely ready to reveal her past.

Releasing a small sigh, she said, “Well, it’s kind of a long story. I’ll tell you later, okay?”

“Oh, okay.”

She could hear the disappointment in his voice and she knew he was wondering why she was being so secretive about her past. Lynn wanted to share more of herself with him, but there were still some wounds there that had yet to heal.

Wanting to break the stillness between them, she asked, “So where did you grow up?”

“In South Dakota, but I moved states after I finished college. Once I arrived in Oregon, I ended up meeting Joe, and we became good friends. He’s the one I share the painting business with.”

“So that’s why you have such nice, toned arms. From painting all those houses, huh?” Grabbing hold of his bicep, she gave it an admiring squeeze.

With a smile in his voice, he said, “I guess it could be that. Or maybe I’m just blessed with good genes from my parents.”

Sliding the sponge over her chest, Takoda made small, soapy circles as he covered every area of her torso. As the sponge reached the point just above her left breast, he paused for a moment, curiously eyeing the small, circular scar.

She tensed beneath his touch as he stroked it with his finger, visibly growing uncomfortable with his curiosity about the mark.

“Why do you get so uncomfortable when I touch you there?”

“I don’t know. I don’t,” she lied.

“This isn’t a birthmark, is it?”

He waited for her to answer, but she didn’t. Her silence spoke volumes.

“So what happened? Are you ever going to tell me or just leave me guessing?”

“Why are you so interested in it? It’s just a scar.”

“Because I can tell it really bothers you. You can stay quiet all you want, but I can feel it, you know. Your thoughts can’t be hidden.”

“I thought you said you couldn’t read my mind?”

“I can’t, but I can sense things.”

Remaining quiet, Lynn focused upon her hands, fidgeting them nervously in her lap.

“So how did you get it?”

“I got into a car accident back in Seattle. Another car slammed into the one I was travelling in, and during the crash a sharp piece of metal pierced my skin and entered my chest. I ended up having to get stitches to close up the wound.”

Stroking her hair softly, he asked, “So why were you afraid to tell me?”

Giving a shrug, she responded, “I don’t know. I was trying to avoid bad memories, I guess.”

Embracing her tighter, Takoda grabbed her hand so that their fingers laced together.

“Sorry I pressed you about it.”

“It’s okay.”

“So were you driving, or was it somebody else?”

“My ex-boyfriend was driving. He got drunk and ended up driving off of the road and slamming into a tree.”

His voice was laced with concern as he said, “I’m sorry that happened to you. You didn’t have any other major injuries, did you?”

“No other injuries, but I ended up having a miscarriage.”

Takoda stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. Now I feel bad about asking.”

“No need to feel bad about it, I needed to tell you. I don’t like keeping secrets from you, so I feel better now that I’ve told you.”

Lifting her hand up to his mouth, Takoda placed a soft kiss upon it. “Well thank you for telling me. I know it wasn’t easy for you to share, so I appreciate it.”

Grasping the sponge in his free hand, he rubbed it across her shoulders and down her back, making sure that every area of her skin was covered. Releasing a sigh of contentment, Lynn relaxed her body against his, feeling blissfully content beneath his pampering touch.

As her head rested against his strong chest, the memory of the dream she’d had last night suddenly came back to her. She didn’t know why she’d chosen to recall it now, but began to wonder if she’d somehow managed to tap into his dream. He’d told her that unusual things could happen as a result of him marking her, so she had to find out the importance and the meaning behind it.

“Takoda?”

“Yeah?”

“Who’s Ehawee?”

As the name passed her lips, she felt Takoda’s body shift uncomfortably against her.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“I had a dream last night, and you were in it.”

“Go on.”

“Well, in the dream you were kneeling over this dead wolf. Apparently something had attacked it, and I remember you crying because it was dead. Then you started calling out the name ‘Ehawee,’ so I guess that was the name of the wolf.”

Remaining quiet, he continued to rub the sponge against her back.

Lynn’s voice continued to fill the silence as she asked, “So I was just wondering, since you said we’re so closely connected now, and since I bear your mark, did I somehow manage to enter one of your dreams? Because it was really unusual, unlike any other dream I’ve ever had before.”

Takoda leaned his head back against the tile surrounding the bathtub, then gave a dry swallow.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” His voice was so low that she barely heard him.

Expelling a heavy sigh, he began to once again speak.

“Ehawee used to be my mate. She died five years ago.”

As he grew quiet behind her, she felt a sharp pang of sadness sweep through her heart. It was so strong it nearly felt like it was piercing her, and she suddenly realized that this emotion she was experiencing wasn’t coming from her, but from Takoda.

The mark he’d given her was allowing her to feel everything that he felt. The sadness he felt went deep, and it was obviously something he’d been carrying in his heart for a very long time. She strongly sensed how much love he’d had for Ehawee and the tender closeness that they had shared.

On one hand it made her feel more connected to him, being able to feel what he did, but the feelings he was holding inside of himself were also torturous. By bringing the dream up, she’d managed to unbury these strong feeling inside of him, and she suddenly regretted bringing the subject up at all.

“I’m sorry. Now I feel weird about sharing that dream with you.”

“No need to feel weird about it. It will happen from time to time, so don’t be worried.”

“Do you know what attacked her?”

“Two wolves that travelled in the pack we were in. They turned against us, and I tried to protect her, but they teamed up against me and pinned me down. Eventually I ended up killing the both of them, but as I was fighting them off, a third wolf joined in and attacked Ehawee.”

“What made them do such a thing?” she asked.

Giving a shrug, Takoda answered, “I’m not sure exactly, but I think a few of the other wolves were jealous that I had Ehawee. There was also a rumor going around that they didn’t like me being alpha wolf. They didn’t seem to turn against any of the other wolves in the pack, though, only me. It all happened in the blink of an eye. One minute she was there by my side, and then she was gone. By the time I found her, she was already dead. I made a grave mistake in not watching over her as closely as I should have. I’ll always regret that.”

Holding his hand tightly in hers she gave it a firm squeeze, silently expressing her sympathy.

As Takoda began to speak once again, she noticed that his voice had taken on a dangerous edge. “If anyone were to ever threaten your life, I’d go after them without a moment’s hesitation. I hope you know that you’ll always be protected.”

“Of course,” she softly replied.

“I also want you to know that you are everything I need and all that I want. I’ll always have a place in my heart for Ehawee, but you are the one with whom I share my life. You’re my mate, Lynn.”

Placing his hand beneath her chin, he tilted her head upwards so they could share a deep, passionate kiss. Once their lips parted, she turned her body around so that she was facing him and shifted into a kneeling position.

Grabbing the sponge from his hands she slid it along his wide shoulders and strong chest, moving it further down until it reached his groin. As it bumped against the space between his legs, his penis instantly grew hard, eagerly awaiting the bare touch of her hand.

Grabbing hold of the sponge, he tossed it aside and placed her hand upon him.

“Stroke me.” He spoke in a voice which was deepened by arousal.

Giving a seductive smile, she responded, “My pleasure.”

* * * *

The sound of Lynn’s heels echoed as she made her way through the lobby. She waved good-bye to the security guard at the front desk and then exited the building. As she swung the glass doors open, she was greeted by the pleasant evening air. After spending a whole day cooped up in the office, it felt nice to be out in the fresh air once again. The clouds were tinted pink from the setting sun, and a light breeze was blowing through the air.

As she approached her car, she pushed the button on her keyless remote and unlocked the doors. Once she was inside the car she turned the key in the ignition and started the car up, driving out of the parking lot and onto the main road which would take her home. As she was approaching the first stoplight, she decided to take an alternate route and turn off of the street she was currently travelling on.

As her car turned onto a less-used back road, she found herself admiring the tree-lined road. She preferred taking this quiet stretch of highway and found it to be far less stressful than driving along the busy streets with all of their stoplights. It gave her time to think and just enjoy the beauty of nature. As she drove along the road, Lynn found that her thoughts were constantly drawn to Takoda.