her brain focused when she wanted to read more about Apollo and Medusa and possibly sneak a peek at the wolf tales.
As she yawned, the door opened and he was standing there, hidden beneath the heavy layers of his cloak. Standing abruptly, she knocked the chair down and cringed at the clanging sound it made. “Roman. I didn’t expect to see you again.”
His head turned towards the chair then back and she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. What must he think of her? Awkwardly, she bent down and straightened the upturned seat, waiting for him to say something, anything. When he remained silent, standing in the doorway, she started to blabber, “I’ve been studying… well, I meant to study but I started reading a book of myths and I probably wasted a good hour losing myself in the stories of love and loss and I was thinking about you and if I’d ever see you again but I didn’t expect to, not really, and now here you are.”
Her face was blistering from the heat of her embarrassment and she had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything else. Geez, she had already said way, way too much, probably confirming Roman’s opinion of her of being a complete scatter brain.
After a long, very uncomfortable silence, his gravel rough voice broke the quiet, “You thought about me?”
Her cheeks burned even hotter as she fell into the chair and nodded dumbly, “I did. I wanted to apologize for my behavior.”
He cocked his head to the side, “What behavior?”
With a slight frown, she blinked up at him, “On Friday?” she reminded him. When he remained silent, neither moving forward nor leaving, she added, “When I ran out on you?”
A rusty chuckle came from within the heavy material and he finally stepped into the room. Pulling out the chair across from her, he sat down, filling the small space with his presence. “Think nothing of it, Daisy. I have that effect on everyone.”
This time her frown was more pronounced, “I… it wasn’t because of you…. Well, it was but it wasn’t your appearance, it was your words.”
“My words?” He did that head cocking think again and she really wished she could see his face but he still managed to remain safely hidden in the shadows of his hood.
“Yes,” she said with a nod, keeping her eyes on the area she thought his face might be in the off chance the light hit him just right and illuminated his features. “You called me something I hadn’t heard for many years.”
“Forgive me.”
Reaching out her hand, she shook her head no, not wanting him to get the wrong impression. “No, it was just a reminder of someone near and dear to me who has been absent these past ten years.”
She held her breath as he slid his massive claw over hers, feeling it in her soul. The thrill that tripped down her spine almost made her miss his words as he asked, “Was it someone you lost in the Rapture?”
It took her a moment to remember what they were talking about. “Sort of? Not exactly?”
His deep chuckle on top of the feel of his hand on hers had turned her brain to tapioca. Clearing his throat, he murmured, “Forgive me again. I did not mean to laugh but you look utterly adorable when you’re stumped.”
She was fairly certain her face was on fire but she couldn’t stop the smile that curved her lips or the rush of pleasure when he called her adorable. It was obvious he wasn’t human so perhaps he wouldn’t freak out too much if she told him the truth. Squeezing his massive hand, not releasing her grip, she explained, “I’m a… wolf.”
When he didn’t freak out or scoff, she continued, “Well, I’m supposed to be a wolf but I offended her when I was a child and now she won’t acknowledge me. I mean, I’m still a wolf but I can’t shift.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said gruffly.
She offered a sad smile as she shrugged her shoulders, “I’ve lived most of my life without her council so I suppose I’m used to it. Besides,
As she yawned, the door opened and he was standing there, hidden beneath the heavy layers of his cloak. Standing abruptly, she knocked the chair down and cringed at the clanging sound it made. “Roman. I didn’t expect to see you again.”
His head turned towards the chair then back and she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. What must he think of her? Awkwardly, she bent down and straightened the upturned seat, waiting for him to say something, anything. When he remained silent, standing in the doorway, she started to blabber, “I’ve been studying… well, I meant to study but I started reading a book of myths and I probably wasted a good hour losing myself in the stories of love and loss and I was thinking about you and if I’d ever see you again but I didn’t expect to, not really, and now here you are.”
Her face was blistering from the heat of her embarrassment and she had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything else. Geez, she had already said way, way too much, probably confirming Roman’s opinion of her of being a complete scatter brain.
After a long, very uncomfortable silence, his gravel rough voice broke the quiet, “You thought about me?”
Her cheeks burned even hotter as she fell into the chair and nodded dumbly, “I did. I wanted to apologize for my behavior.”
He cocked his head to the side, “What behavior?”
With a slight frown, she blinked up at him, “On Friday?” she reminded him. When he remained silent, neither moving forward nor leaving, she added, “When I ran out on you?”
A rusty chuckle came from within the heavy material and he finally stepped into the room. Pulling out the chair across from her, he sat down, filling the small space with his presence. “Think nothing of it, Daisy. I have that effect on everyone.”
This time her frown was more pronounced, “I… it wasn’t because of you…. Well, it was but it wasn’t your appearance, it was your words.”
“My words?” He did that head cocking think again and she really wished she could see his face but he still managed to remain safely hidden in the shadows of his hood.
“Yes,” she said with a nod, keeping her eyes on the area she thought his face might be in the off chance the light hit him just right and illuminated his features. “You called me something I hadn’t heard for many years.”
“Forgive me.”
Reaching out her hand, she shook her head no, not wanting him to get the wrong impression. “No, it was just a reminder of someone near and dear to me who has been absent these past ten years.”
She held her breath as he slid his massive claw over hers, feeling it in her soul. The thrill that tripped down her spine almost made her miss his words as he asked, “Was it someone you lost in the Rapture?”
It took her a moment to remember what they were talking about. “Sort of? Not exactly?”
His deep chuckle on top of the feel of his hand on hers had turned her brain to tapioca. Clearing his throat, he murmured, “Forgive me again. I did not mean to laugh but you look utterly adorable when you’re stumped.”
She was fairly certain her face was on fire but she couldn’t stop the smile that curved her lips or the rush of pleasure when he called her adorable. It was obvious he wasn’t human so perhaps he wouldn’t freak out too much if she told him the truth. Squeezing his massive hand, not releasing her grip, she explained, “I’m a… wolf.”
When he didn’t freak out or scoff, she continued, “Well, I’m supposed to be a wolf but I offended her when I was a child and now she won’t acknowledge me. I mean, I’m still a wolf but I can’t shift.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said gruffly.
She offered a sad smile as she shrugged her shoulders, “I’ve lived most of my life without her council so I suppose I’m used to it. Besides,
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