Heart : Animal Senses Series Book 1

Chapter 42

"Are you going to skulk around in the trees and watch me all the time, Devin?" She leaned on the cane and waited for him to decide what to do next. He took two hesitant steps before slowly walking over to her. When he stopped right in front of her, she realized how big he actually was. "Normal wolves aren't as large as you are, are they?" Rayne debated on reaching out and touching him but grasped the cane with both hands to keep them away from him. "I've only been alone for a few hours. You didn't need to check on me."

The grey eyes held hers. Now that she wasn't scared half out of her mind, she noticed that in those eyes there was the man. They had the same look of concern and worry that he'd had when he was looking after her. She sighed and glanced away, determined to look at the ground and not at him, but he came closer and rubbed against her leg. His fur was softer than she'd imagined it would be. She looked down to see the large wolf half-wrapped around her and the grey eyes watching carefully. "I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed right now." Without hesitation, Rayne reached down and ran her hand down over his head. He nudged her hand so it would slide back over his fur again. "Did you bring clothes?" She felt a bit odd talking to a wolf that didn't answer. He watched her without moving, something played through his eyes that looked like a smile. Leaning around, he ran his tongue up over the back of her knee and then turned and darted back into the trees.

Rayne was still standing there trying to figure out why she wasn't mad at him showing up after she'd asked to be alone when he stepped out of the trees. He had brought clothes, or at least jeans. His feet were bare as was his chest, the jeans rode low on his hips and it took her a heartbeat to pull her eyes from the hard muscles of his abdomen back up to his face. He held up a small bag.

"I brought your camera and some more bandages, in case you needed them."

The fact that she'd forgotten her camera was shocking, she never went anywhere without it. "Oh."

His lips moved into one of his lopsided smirks. "I thought I'd test the water before I barged in on you, in case you felt like throwing things again."

Her eyes jumped to the red welt on his forehead. "I'd apologize for that, but I think you deserved it."

Devin stopped right in front of her and looked down, regret in his eyes. "I did. I'm sorry, it wasn't the nicest way to show you."

"I don't think any way would have been less shocking..." She stopped when his knuckles glided over the scratch on her cheek. Her heart started beating in her throat when he leaned down slowly and placed a light kiss over it.

"I'm sorry, Rayne."

His deep whisper vibrated through her body and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and lose herself in his warmth. Rayne pulled her head back and looked up at him. "If you're trying to distract me from throwing things at you, it's not necessary."

"That wasn't the reason, but it's good to know." He glanced past her head and she could tell he was trying to decide something. "There's more I need to explain, but I don't..."

Putting a hand on his chest, she shook her head. "If it's not life threatening, I'd prefer not to have more things to wrap my brain around right now. I'm barely hanging on as it is. I'm sure at any moment it's all going to hit me and I'm going to turn into a hysterical woman that's suddenly found herself in a strange new world."

"I think you're handling all of it very well. Other than one shriek and a strong throwing arm, you've been very calm." He ran one finger down her bare arm and she tried not to notice the trail of tingling it caused. "I've never had someone find out and actually touch me afterwards, in wolf or human form."