“You stop me from getting lonely.”
I studied him for a minute, thinking back to when I knew him in school. “You always struck me as a loner.”
“It was easier that way.”
“What do you mean, exactly?” I asked.
He plucked a sausage out of the can and chewed on it for a while. “You asked the other night if it’s about me wanting things I can’t have.”
“I was just…I don’t know. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you were right. When I was growing up, I wanted parents who went to the school on open-house night and gave a damn about my school projects. I wanted a father who would toss me a football instead of beating the crap out of me. When I became friends with someone, I’d see a lot of things that I wanted, things I knew I’d never have. Not material things, not gadgets, but things like eating supper at a table with all the family there.”
My chest tightened until I felt a painful knot in its center. I’d known that he hadn’t grown up in my world, but I’d never realized the full extent of our differences.
“You were the only one who never stared at me when I came to school with bruises or a black eye,” he said quietly.
“My parents always told me not to stare.” Although I seemed to have forgotten my manners, because lately I was staring at Rafe a lot. Now, as he was talking about his past, I wanted to do more than just watch him. I wanted to hold him, comfort him. “Your dad did that to you, didn’t he? He beat you.”
“Yeah. He spent a lot of his time drunk. I could never please him when he was like that. He used to take his fists to me. Sometimes I’d tell people I got into a fight. It was easier to pretend to be a bully than to let people know the truth: My dad hated my guts.”
“No!” I protested vehemently. “He was sick. No one could hate you, Rafe.”
Giving me a wry grin, he shook his head. “You know, when I was younger, I couldn’t wait until my first transformation, because then I’d have the ability to heal faster. People wouldn’t know how often he beat me. Then he died in that car accident and it was all moot. I was glad he was dead.” He paused. “Does that part of me frighten you?”
I held his gaze. “No, I never liked him either. He scared me.”
Rafe snapped to attention. “Did he do something to scare you? Did he ever hurt you?”
“No way. My dad would have taken him down if he did. He just looked so mean. He was always scowling, like he was mad at the world.”
“I’d never hurt you, Lindsey. I’m not like my dad.”
“I know.” And I did. Yes, Rafe scared me. But it was because of what I felt for him—something I’d never felt for anyone else. And tonight we’d be in this small cavern, snuggling against each other. Maybe we’d even kiss again. I’d spent a lot of time today thinking about what might happen tonight.
I got up and put the empty can into a plastic bag that we’d take with us. We were always careful not to trash our environment. “I’m going to the pool.”
Rafe looked at me intently, as though he was wondering if I was inviting him along. I wasn’t. I needed some time alone to let my nerves settle. I knew nothing would happen here that I didn’t want to happen. The problem was that I wasn’t exactly sure what I did want to happen.
I went over to a plastic crate where we stored extra clothes. I found a small pair of drawstring cotton pants and a long-sleeved cotton shirt that would hug my sleek body; my curves weren’t nearly as pronounced as Brittany’s. I bundled up everything I needed, including a big, square flashlight that shone a wide beam, and headed toward the back of the cavern. The passageway narrowed, and the light bounced off the walls. We’d created this haven inside the mountain, and because we kept the entrance blocked, I wasn’t afraid to be here by myself.
Around the corner, the passageway opened up into another cavern where the underground stream emptied into a pool. I knelt at the water’s edge and flicked off the flashlight. Giving my eyes a moment to adjust, it wasn’t long before I was able to see tiny fluorescent creatures moving through the stream. But the pool was completely clear. The constant supply of fresh water kept algae—and anything else that might have made me shudder—from growing.
Turning the light back on, I dipped a cloth into the water and began wiping the gritty dirt from my face. I imagined Rafe trailing kisses all over it. Even though the air surrounding me carried a definite chill, I suddenly grew hot. I stripped off my clothes and dove in. It wasn’t the first time I’d gone swimming here. The water was cold as usual, but it felt good.
I washed my hair and my body. Getting rid of two days of grit was exhilarating—until I climbed out of the pool and chill bumps erupted over my skin. Grabbing a towel, I briskly dried off and got dressed. I towel-dried my hair as much as possible before combing it out. I considered braiding it as usual, but Rafe had asked me not to, and I had this insane urge to make him smile and to feel his fingers running through my loose hair.
I glanced toward the passageway, wondering exactly what was waiting for me on the other side. Surely we would sleep in each other’s arms again. Tingles of anticipation cascaded through me. I wanted to be with him—almost desperately. I had never experienced that level of feeling with Connor: pure desire. Until I’d met Kayla, Connor had been my best friend, the one I did everything with. He was comfortable, but Rafe was…exciting.
I gathered everything together and strolled as calmly as I could through the passage. As I neared the entrance I heard voices.
Apparently we were no longer alone.
I immediately recognized one of the voices, and I realized with regret that I wouldn’t be sleeping with Rafe tonight. As a matter of fact, he might never hold me in his arms again.
Halting at the entrance to the main cavern, I saw Lucas and Connor practically cornering Rafe. Kayla was standing a short distance away, appearing very uncomfortable. I knew she’d witnessed a confrontation between Lucas and his brother—the one who’d betrayed us. Like me, she was well aware that the guys could be very intimidating when their testosterone levels peaked.
“What were you thinking bringing Lindsey with you?” Connor demanded of Rafe, and my heart slammed against my ribs with the fury I heard in his voice.
“I wanted to come,” I answered before Rafe could.