Pathetic.
I was fucking pathetic. I didn’t even make the damn three day rule. It was two days after I read the note, on a Thursday evening after work. I knew the Prodigies had some sort of function at King Hall and wouldn’t be dropping by unannounced, so I had dug Elder Merrick’s—what the hell was I doing?—number from my purse, and dialed from my apartment phone I rarely ever used. Holding it gripped tight in my fingers, listening to it ring, my heartbeat going crazy, even a fine sheen of sweat dotting my brow, I was second guessing myself with each new ring in my ear.
“Hello?” a gravelly voice over the line stated. Him, his voice, but I could hear multiple people in the background.
I sucked in a harsh breath, pausing for a long moment, wondering if I should just hang up, but then I blurted, “Can you talk?” Hopefully, he recognized my voice, like I did his.
There was an extended pause over the line, and then, “Give me a second.” I heard his voice muffled, as if he had placed his hand over the receiver, stating, “I’ll be back in a second, and no, I don’t agree with you. That action is too extreme.” Nibbling on my lip, I heard a slight uproar at his comment, and possibly someone saying “King Townsend”—the Shifter King in this day and age—meaning he was in some type of a meeting. The voices quieted a few moments later, and hearing what sounded like a few doors shut, he eventually stated, “I’m good to talk now.”
My mouth flapped a few times, now that I had called him, not quite sure what to say, but I eventually babbled, “I’m game for casual and discreet.” Although, in all honesty, I really didn’t even know what “casual” meant. Discreet, now that I could do.
“Alright,” he murmured, and it sounded like he was shuffling the phone around. “I don’t have your file with me,” I had an actual file now with them? “so I’ll need your number.”
“Oh…um.” I pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at the little slip of paper I had put there with the phone number I had been given under a tiny piece of plastic. I read it off to him, then put the phone back to my ear. “Did you get that?”
Distracted words. “You don’t even know your own phone number.” I really didn’t know what to say to that, so I kept quiet, abnormally nervous, but it sounded like he was shuffling the phone around again. “Yeah, I got it down.” The sound stopped shifting, so he must have quietened shuffling the phone, asking, “You work from eight to three-thirty, right?”
I didn’t even ask how he knew that. “Yes.”
“Okay, well I’m normally in a meeting until about five or six, and sporadically in the evenings.” He hummed quietly. “What did you have in mind?”
I blinked. Stared blankly at the refrigerator across from me. Blinked again, realizing he wanted some type of plan. Fucking on a schedule. Alright. Made sense, I guess, with his lifestyle. “Um,” I licked my lips, “I’m free tonight, and any other time this week. I have a feeling my weekends are going to be full. And I only have a couple of days out of the month were I have to stay late for inventory checks.”
I heard a light methodical tapping in the background. “How about Tuesdays and Thursdays around eight until either of us changes our mind?”
God, this was all very normal, like we were scheduling an appointment, but it worked I guess, that way no one was popping up unannounced. “Your place or mine?”
More of the tapping, like he was bopping a pencil on a desk as he thought before he stated candidly, “It has to be your place this week since I have some company in town, and it would be too much to get you in and out of here unseen.” A pause. “And depending on the individuals Elder Jacobs has watching you, I might be a few minutes late or early, to slip in during their switch.”
Yep. I had seen my tails a few times in the past two days. “That works for me.”
“I’ll see you around eight tonight.” And, he hung up.
“Bye,” I mumbled to dead air, hanging my own phone up, then rushed off to take a shower. An odd…girlie…feeling rustled around inside my belly. I was feeling a little off-balanced by my reaction to him, again, second guessing my actions, wondering if I shouldn’t be ignoring him as I had been doing in 2035, but that didn’t stop me from making sure my legs were shaved nice and neat under the hot spray.
My blinds were drawn, having done that even before I called him, I had debated a few outfits, then mentally shrugged and put on a pair of holey jeans and a t-shirt, not sure what to expect, and was brushing my teeth after dinner when a knock came at my door at 7.50. I quickly spat, wiping my mouth off, then hurried to the door, checking out the peephole. I breathed a bit shakily, but hurried to open the door with a steady hand.
Elder Merrick slipped inside quickly, a slight scowl on his face, his thick lashes dusting over his remarkable eyes as he quickly shut the door, stating, “Next time, leave it unlocked for me.”
“Alright,” I murmured, blinking at him a bit.
He ran a hand over his face, appearing a bit off-balanced himself, and then muttered, “I apologize. This,” he flicked a finger between the two of us, “is still new to me.”
“I understand,” I stated calmly, then glanced about my—clean—apartment, and ran my own hand over my face. “And this,” I flicked a finger between him and me, “is new to me, too. I’m honestly not sure what casual means, and what,” my hands fluttered a bit, my gaze peering anywhere but at him, already off kilter because his heat was wrapping around me again, “happens…when you’re casual. One night of fun and even a committed relationship, I know.” I shook my head. “But casual, I’m unfamiliar with.”
I peeked at his face, and saw his brows draw together before he asked, “You were in a committed relationship and you never had sex before?”
Oh. “I’m bi. It was a she. Sex without hardware penetration.”
“Ah.” He nodded once, staring at me, trapping me with his gaze. “Casual, is just that. We do as we please, but with respect for one another.” My breath caught when his hand lifted, gently placing his warm palm against my cheek. He stepped closer, bringing that heat with him and the smell of forests right before a rainfall with the slightest hint of spiced evergreen, the aroma beginning to override his subtle cologne as he brushed his thumb over my lips in a soft caress. “I don’t know what to call you.” My breathing hiccupped, my gut igniting with a warm kindling flame as his thumb brushed over my lips again, black spiral curls dangling roguishly around his face, shadowing it. “Your name’s not Sadie.”
“It is. One of them. So, you can call me that.” I licked my lips, panting a bit as he inhaled heavily, his scent spiking at whatever he smelled off me, navy eyes darkening. “Do…” Another brush of his thumb, making me tremble. “Do I call you Elder Merrick? Or just Merrick when it’s only us together?”
“My name’s Cain,” he whispered, a bit of his wolf in his tone as he started to bend, those eyes moving ever so closer. “Cain Alek Merrick.” His breath was sweet and warm, brushing over my trembling lips the closer he drew. “Call me whatever you wish when we’re alone.”
“Cain,” I whispered, trying the name on my tongue even as I rose on tiptoe, easing up to him gradually.
Wolf growling quietly inside his chest, his eyes dipped to my mouth, and he whispered, “Sadie.”
I couldn’t wait another second. My hands shaking in need, I lifted them, gripping his silk soft spirals, tugging, pulling his head down. He pulled back the barest bit, resisting with a small smile I had never seen before curving his lips—an intimate, gentle teasing smile—before he dipped, letting me pull his mouth to mine. And the last time our lips had met didn’t do his lips any justice, too much alcohol having been running through my system. No, this time, it was fucking perfect, his lips supple soft, seamlessly fitting to my own in a slow caress.
I sighed quietly, his unique scent flaring with even more spice even as I wrapped my arms around his neck slowly, and I felt it when his control snapped, our lips meshing together forcefully. His grip turned brutal, soft lips instantly becoming more demanding on mine, his strokes longer, more flavored with heat as he nibbled at my bottom lip, groaning quietly. His moist tongue dragged lightly where his teeth had been and I moaned, all the pent up sexual tension I had been suppressing for him in the past two days attacking my lower gut, warming me from the inside out as I pressed myself against him, his scent collecting in power around us. Something inside me lurched at him, for him, an animalistic sensual part of me, not able to be gentle, and sure as hell not able to stop. Digging my hands into his luxurious light, curly hair, I pressed against his lips feverishly, taking what I wanted from this man.
“Fuck,” he groaned, sliding his tongue past my lips, gliding it against my tongue. He growled deep in his throat, his wolf sounding harshly, pressing harder against my mouth, his grip fierce in my hair now, and as our tongues glided back and forth against each other, a smooth slide as if our mouths were welded to be together. His spiced forest scent skyrocketed, and not even sure how it happened, we were turned and I was lifting his cashmere shirt up over his stomach and chest as he grabbed my hips, walking me backward toward my bedroom, only taking his mouth away from mine when I ripped his shirt over his head, his mouth instantly back. Our clothes flew everywhere as we moved, fumbling and banging against walls, tripping out of our pants and underwear until we were fully naked against each other, falling on our sides onto my bed in a tangle of arms and limbs.
Frantic. I was damn frantic to feel him, my hands running over his sleek, hard muscles, built like the killing machine he was. I had imagined his muscles bunched tight, not getting the chance to touch him like this the other night, all that warm flesh bulging, my fingernails digging into his hard pecs as I ate at his mouth, his taste even better than his scent, like pure fucking ambrosia against my tongue, but spiced heated. I groaned, rocking against him as his hands slid just as frantically against my body, and he palmed one of my breasts, squeezing and caressing in yearning need as he groaned hard into my mouth, his breath running over my lips as he opened his mouth wider, his tongue owning mine in skilled talent, the battle fucking lost, his tongue diving in to curl against mine. He ordered brokenly, “Sadie…leg…” He groaned, his tongue sliding back in my mouth, and I pushed my hand down between our bodies, grabbing his cock, and I moaned, feeling how fucking massive he was, hard and heavy against my palm. He mumbled, “Aw, fuck…never mind.” He grabbed my thigh roughly, jerking my leg over his hip before that hand dove down between my legs, bumping my own hand, but we were both on a fucking mission, not giving a shit as our arms rubbed against each other, and I gripped his cock tight, not able in any way to wrap my fist completely around his silky smooth, rock hard cock, and started pumping him just as his hand landed over my core. He faltered, shouting against my mouth, instantly driving his hips into my touch, pumping with me, but he groaned, his fingers sliding through my soaking folds, and instantly pressed two fingers inside me, giving me what I needed, my core gripping him tight as I rocked my hips against his plunging and pumping hand. My own shout vibrated against his lips as his hold on my breast turned rougher, the beautiful point between pleasure and pain.
On fire for him, grinding against his hand, the sound of his wolf growling loudly from within his chest a subtle noise that had been growing stronger. His scent spiked unbelievably, making me dizzy with need. I moaned, “Cain…Cain…Cain…”
His own reply was a panting against my lips. “Huh?”
“Now, Cain.” I pounded on his chest with my free hand. “I…I,” I shouted when he pumped his hand faster, “I need you now.”
“Thank God.” He groaned deep, shoving me onto my back, his lips not leaving mine, his body rolling over mine, his weight massive on top of me as his hand fumbled for his pants. I heard the sound of a condom wrapper being ripped as he lifted off me a bit, allowing me to breathe more easily. Drinking feverishly from each other’s mouths, he swiftly put the condom on, and then his arms were moving up under my knees, opening me wide as he placed his hands on the bed next to my shoulders, holding me immobile. He groaned as my nails ran down his back, his hip tilting, the blunt tip of his cock sliding through my folds before he pressed my mouth open, driving his tongue against mine as he slammed his hips forward. I shouted as his cock slid in maybe a few inches, but he instantly retreated his hips then drove forward again, relentless, his actions just as furious to be inside me as I was for him. I arched against him, bowing a bit at the pained feeling of his enormous cock stretching me, and even as I was nodding vigorously for him to continue, his hips tilted back the barest bit, and then he slammed into me so fiercely I screamed, his cock ramming through my slick channel with brutal force, sliding all the way inside me, buried deep.
I choked on air, nails imbedded into his shoulders as he stilled for a moment over me, letting me adjust to him. “Christ, you’re so fucking tight.” Frozen stiff as a stone, jaw clenched so tight I wondered absently in my throbbing filled discomfort if it would snap. Seconds ticked by in the silence, only our breaths sounding in the room, but I held his penetrating stare as steadily as I could. And then, more seconds ticked by as his nostrils flared wide, desire still etching his face, frozen as it was, but ever so slowly his head cocked in an animalistic fashion. Pure wolf, black curls dangling around his face, navy eyes that had begun to dimly glow down on me were unwavering as his eyebrows rose, and he asked, “How old are you?”
Choked voice, my channel muscles still clenched around him, my own eyes glowing blue upon his face. “Twenty-three.” My smile was breathless. “And you?”
“Older,” he purred instantly. “Twenty-three is long time to wait to lose your virginity.” His arms relaxed a bit as he gently maneuvered them so my slightly shaking legs were released. “I’ll try to take it easy on you in the beginning.”
I inhaled heavily, lowering them against his unmoving hips, my body just starting to adjust to his size inside me, not hurting quite as badly. “I’ve had sex, but it’s been with women.” I inhaled heavily, his gaze quietly penetrating. “I’m not exactly what you would call green with either gender, having plenty of experience with both, but,” I shrugged my shoulders lightly, beginning to loosen my death grip on his shoulders, “I just hadn’t ever done the physical act of intercourse between a man and a woman before you.” Spelled did not count.
Softly, he rumbled, “Are you alright now?”
I nodded once. “Yeah.” When he only continued to stare, I muttered the truth, “I think so, anyway.” My lips pursed, eyebrows furrowing. “You really are very…large.”
His lips twitched. “I’ll take that as a compliment even though your expression says otherwise.”
“Shut up,” I mumbled, slapping his shoulder absently. I tested wiggling my hips and found the movement somewhat enjoyable. “You know what I meant.”
“Yes, I did,” he murmured, gritting his teeth as I continued testing my discomfort. “I can’t stay still forever. Not with you doing that.” Glowing navy slid across my face. “Are you really alright now?”
Grinding up against him, his cock gliding the barest bit in and out of me, I sucked in a moaning breath, my eyes instantly hooding at the feel of our joining, being stretched full of his hard cock, and I nodded. “Yes.” It was breathless. “I’m fine.”
“Good, because I’m fairly positive I would have been pissed, not to mention hurting, if we had to stop now,” he stated honestly on a soft exhalation as he slowly tilted his hips back, making me shiver at the glide of his cock retreating inside my channel, before I gasped when he thrust his hips back against mine just as slowly, his cock filling me back up. “Yeah, I would have been pissed,” he mumbled on a groan, lowering to place his lips at my neck, kissing my vulnerable flesh softly. As he retreated and thrust again gently, his muscled body clenching over mine, he whispered against my skin, “Fuck, you feel perfect.”
“Likewise,” I muttered, eventually experimenting carefully by tilting my hips to his, meeting each of his slow thrusts, the fire beginning to ignite inside my lower stomach again at the friction of our bodies joining, only to retreat, then to meet again. Cain groaned deeply at the action, apparently enjoying what I was doing, too, as he nibbled along my slim shoulder, his warm palms skimming along my sides, lightly brushing the sides of my breasts pressed to his hard chest, the caresses tingling my flesh.
A little lost in the pleasure I finally realized I could touch him, too, my hands in range to touch him, unlike the other night. Tentatively as I panted, his mouth getting closer to my aching breasts swollen for his touch, I placed my hands on his back, feeling his muscles taut and quivering, and I slowly explored them, moaning when he tilted his hips differently, hitting a spot deep inside me that had me pressing closer to him for firmer contact.
I slid my hands along his sides down to his perfectly narrowed hips, and ran them over his ass, flexing like steel every time he drove his cock inside me. Groaning when his mouth finally landed on my right breast, flicking his tongue across my pebbled nipple, I arched for him, closer to him, yearning for harder touch. He moaned quietly, continuing to thrust into me slowly, his breath spanning my breast as he lifted one hand from the bed to palm my breast softly before squeezing gently, whispering against my nipple, “You’re so tiny.”
“Not a compliment,” I muttered, but it ended on a soft cry when he tilted his hips again, hitting that spot deep inside me with the crown of his cock, altering his thrust to rub it repeatedly, making me quiver under him as I gripped his ass hard before he changed the tempo back to the slow slide.
“That wasn’t what I meant,” he purred, sucking my nipple into his mouth…and then sucking hard, fiery pleasure shooting directly to my stomach, making me thrust my hips against his faster. His muscles trembled even more, his mouth made a popping noise against my flesh as he let my breast go, his eyes hooding at my faster movements as he peered up at me, his plump red lips swollen and parted as he panted, “I like your breasts very much.”
I blinked, seeing the truth in his dilated eyes, not just with his words, but with his actions, now understanding why he was trembling so badly. “Quit holding back.” I gripped his ass tighter, pulling him against me at a faster pace, the friction making both of us gasp. “I didn’t expect you to be gentle and I’m really fine now.” I thrust my hips hard up against him, and blinked heavily at the fleshly sensation, seeing his jaw clench. “I need more, Cain.”
His nostrils flared, his scent consuming me as his power spiked around us, and I realized in that instant, even at this age, he was extraordinarily more powerful than me. “You’re still new to this.”
I inhaled heavily, groaning quietly as I rocked against him, needing him so much my mind was fervent, my panting breaths a whirling mess, my body on fire for him. “I’m not a newbie to sexual relations. I don’t need to be coddled or protected on this.” I gripped his curls tightly, pulling his face up to mine, his own eyes narrowing at the demanding action. “I. Want. More.”
“You want me to fuck you?” he growled slowly, eyes hooding, but it didn’t hide the brutal erotic, dominating side of him peeking out, me giving him free rein. “Is that what you want, Sadie?”
“Hell, yes,” I muttered breathlessly, his driving rhythm already starting to increase. I nodded quickly, leaning up to kiss his lips quickly…then nibbled at his bottom lip for a moment…stroked his lips once more…before dropping my head back to the bed. “Absolutely certain.”
Staring at my lips, he swiftly dipped his head, driving his tongue inside my mouth. I groaned as he grabbed either side of my face, sliding his tongue across mine, eating at my mouth ravenously before he drove his cock into me so viciously I bowed against him, crying out into his mouth. He added his own sharp, booming shout, his body rock solid over me as he lifted his hips away and drove back into me with bruising force, his mouth and tongue plundering my own as I groaned long and hard, my brain dizzy with pleasure, and body heating with craving, a craving for more of this, more from him, this beautiful, fierce man over me.
And he gave it. Pounding into me brutally, ruthlessly taking what he wanted even as he pressed his cock deep inside me, continuing to hit the spot deep inside as we both shouted and groaned, his mouth leaving mine to kiss, and suck and bite at my throat and shoulders, lifting my hands as he drove into me repeatedly, slamming them next to my head, holding them there, intertwining our fingers together as he lifted his head to stare down at me, ordering gruffly on a pant, “Lift your legs.”
I nodded jerkily, utterly breathless, doing as he said, lifting my legs further up his flexing sides.
“Get ready to scream for me,” he murmured, Shifter power swirling around us while his jaw clenched and…I did scream his name, bowing under him as he started a pounding rhythm inside me, his hips thumping against mine like a bulldozer, slamming me down into the mattress in quick succession with each of his swift, frenzied thrusts.
Passion stole my breath as I choked in pleasure, never having expected something this erotically satisfying, the other night a pale comparison, just as his mouth had been with alcohol dulling the senses. I whispered blindly, “Cain…Cain…Cain…”
I whimpered when he half faltered, staring down between our bodies, and he growled breathlessly before pounding into me brutally, gazing at where our bodies were repetitively joining. “You’re fucking spelled there, too.”
Yeah, I was. “Normally white.” My head shook distractedly as the head of his cock continually thrust, bumping my cervix and sliding even deeper. “My fucking God, Cain.”
“And this,” he slammed into me, “is fucking heaven.” His wolf growled, before he rumbled with a lengthy groan, his power and scent churning chaotically, his eyes closing briefly as I nodded inattentively, a cry of urging tearing past my lips as he started rotating his hips, my insides sweltering in absolute desire.
Cain’s head dropped back, his throat muscles clenched as he shouted a deep pleasure filled groan, his pec and stomach flexing with each drive, his thick cock continually filling me past full, his fingers intertwined with mine holding tight as he inhaled sharply, dipping his head back down to stare me in the eyes, his lips parted, face painted with erotic intensity, harshly dominating.
I moaned at his continual driving thrusts, his pace relentless and merciless, his eyes beautiful, glowing, a stunning navy blue, just as mine were glowing a crystal blue, a fierce light against his face, something neither of us could control with the intensity of our pairing, the splendor of his gaze perfect, potent and rough all at once.
Gazes steadfast on one another as our hips continued to meet, skin slapping erotically, sweat glistened on our bodies. His quietly panting groans and breathes began to change, and his jaw clenched, eyes hooding even more, and he instantly altered his thrust, immediately grinding his pelvis against my clit with each drive. My jaw slowly fell open on a keening cry, my body instantly tightening under him, and he pressed harder, gaze savage as he stared down at me, nostrils flaring.
Blissful warmth stole through my limbs, making me tremble…and he hit the spot deep inside me simultaneously grinding against my clit. I jerked against him, and unwaveringly, he did it again, repeatedly hitting my spots. I choked, my body constricting in agonizing pleasure, and he began thrusting unbelievably faster, whispering breathlessly, “Fall, Sadie. Fall for me.”
My Core flared to life all on its own, feeling protected inside his massive amounts of power, my body glowed bright white as I bowed, and I felt him falter for a moment, hearing his quick intake of breath of shock, and tiny, brilliant stars shot off my body, flying into a chaos around us in a dome, my Elemental power manifesting, but not a beat later, he shoved into me hard, just right, my head flying back as I slipped over the edge, screaming, “Cain!” My mind flew into the stratosphere of twinkling paradise, floating on a haze of heated pleasure, my limbs not my own, suffused with their own heavenly warmth, as I convulsed under him, my channel squeezing his cock insistently in tight pulses, trying to keep him inside me where he felt perfect.
“Aw…shit!” Cain shouted in pleasure, a resounding amount of creative curses ringing in my ears as he pounded into me with a frenzied rhythm before slamming into me so hard I choked, and heard as he growled low, “Sadie…” Fingers digging into my glowing hands, my flesh only just starting to dim, his grip unbreakable as his body jerked over mine, his cock pulsating inside me, and I groaned softly at the feel deep within me, his strong muscled, damp body quivering, jerking over my own sweaty small frame. “Sadie…ah…ah, fucking hell…perfect.” Floating down from the warmth, I shuddered as he lowered himself on a guttural groan, resting his shuddering, heavy frame on top of me as he floated in his own bliss. His face was buried in the crook of my neck as his faltering hot breaths puffed against my flesh, our heartbeats pounding madly against each other’s chests, and he groaned quietly against my flesh, “I’m so fucking happy I left that note.”
“So am I,” I chuckled breathlessly, blinking open blurry eyes, but feeling damn near cross-eyed, I gave up on attempting to focus, and tilted my head and rested my cheek on his, closing my eyes again in exhaustion, hardly able to breathe and utterly light-headed…but I had never felt better, exactly where I wanted to be.
Having slipped out from under Cain after waking from the light doze I had fallen into, Cain breathing even in his own peaceful sleep, I made my way to the bathroom, feeling a wonderful type of ache between my legs. Still a little nervous for what I had just done, inviting, truly inviting this man into my life, the ramifications of having sex with him hitting me hard…but…at the same time, I couldn’t wipe the damn grin from my face, because I would do it again in a heartbeat. Feeling an odd pull to this man I had never felt before, a natural connection when we touched, or hell, even when I stared into his eyes.
Pulling my robe over my body after finishing in the bathroom, I went to the kitchen, bent, picking out a water bottle from the fridge. I stilled when I heard the front door close, but a second later huge, warm hands rested on my hips, gripping me firmly, and Cain’s strong, sturdy frame bent over me to whisper against my ear, “I’m not anywhere near done with you.”
Not even realizing he had snuck outside while I was in the restroom, a shaky exhale escaped at his gruff, seductive tone. “Why’d you go outside…and you’re not?”
“I moved my car so it wouldn’t be towed since I’m staying the night.” He chuckled quietly, tilting his head to place his soft lips at my throat, caressing them gently against my flesh, making me shiver as I dropped the bottle onto the ground. “And not a chance.” He nibbled softly up to my ear. “I want you back in bed.” A hard nip. “Now.”
I moaned, tilting my head for his demanding strokes. “I’d like that.”
And…I more than liked it after he twirled me, lifting me straight off my feet as I squealed, his red lips lifting at the edges with glowing eyes full of desire, and took me back to bed. Where we didn’t leave for the rest of the night before we passed out in complete physical exhaustion. All else forgotten as we consumed one another.
Waking sleepily, I mumbled a groan when the bed wobbled, my eyes slitting open to see it wasn’t even six in the morning yet. I rolled, rubbing my eyes, seeing Cain’s back to me as he sat on my bed, fully clothed, while he put on his socks and shoes. “Leavin’ a’ready?”
His head nodded as he tied his dress shoe, his curls in complete disarray about his head, his tone more business than intimate, focused on what he was doing. “I have a meeting at eight-thirty.” He lifted his other shoe, putting it on. “If I want to make it in time, I need to leave,” a glance at his watch, “about two minutes ago.”
“Alright,” I murmured, a bit more awake with the return of Elder Merrick, not the man, Cain, I had been with last night. “There’s Coke in the fridge if you need the caffeine.”
“Already downed one,” he muttered, his voice growly, jerking his head at the night stand, “and I stole another.”
“That’s fine,” I stated evenly, pulling the blanket up to my chin, the room a bit chilled without him in bed with me, even if this man, Elder Merrick, was a bit brusquer. He stood, peeking out one of the blinds, staring for a few moments before he raised it completely, opened the window, and popped the screen off as I stared wide-eyed.
“You might as well keep that off,” he rumbled, tossing it behind the bed in the crack. He grabbed the Coke from the nightstand, put it in his pocket before calmly lifting on the window—all kinds of limber as he maneuvered—and slipping his legs outside it. Glancing at my shocked expression, he stated lightly, “I’ll see you on Tuesday.” Then…on the side of the building, he just dropped out the window.