No Promises: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance by Michelle Love (20)

She turns to Ally. “It was really nice to see you, Mrs. Fontaine,” she says.

Ally speaks through clenched teeth, “It was nice to see you again too, Ms. Banks,”

Linda quickly pecks Eden on the cheek, then hurries out to her car, which I see is a rather expensive Mercedes.

“Nice car. She must make a lot of money,” Ally says.

“Oh, yes, the foundation pays her very well. She works really hard, you know,” Eden says.

“Oh, don’t I know that,” she says, and her teeth are still clenched.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Eden asks her as they walk up the staircase several steps in front of us.

She turns to look at him in astonishment. “It was excruciating, Eden!” she yells.

He pauses, looking into her eyes, then begins moving up the stairs again. “You’re getting better. I couldn’t tell you were jealous at all. Well, not about me anyway. When you found out that Kyle and Laura would be sleeping together, your feathers seemed to get a bit ruffled,” he tells her

I guess Eden thought we were far enough behind them that we couldn’t hear him. I glance up at Kyle and ask, “Is Ally mad?”

“She’s seeing red, but I’m not sure why,” he says and I bolt after her.

“Alyssa Shaylee Devlin Fontaine, I want to talk to you right now,” I say, sternly. “Sorry, Eden, I have to talk to my best friend for a minute or two,” I apologize to him as I take her by her arm and pull her to her bedroom. “I don’t want Eden to hear what I have to say to you.”

“What the hell, Laura?” she asks.

I usher her into her room and close the door behind us. “Ally, I’m tired of this thing you have for Kyle.”

“I don’t have a thing for Kyle, Laura. I’m a happily married woman now,” she says as she pulls back from me.

“The hell you don’t. What was that crap out there? I saw the look on your face, Ally. When he told you we wanted to stay together, you were pissed. You might as well admit it,” I fire at her.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it pissed. I would call it concerned. I don’t want you to rush into things and hurt each other. I’m just looking out for both of you,” she says.

“Rush into things? Really, Al?” I say as I gesture to her. “Look at you. Talk about rushing.”

“Eden and I are different. We can’t ever leave each other. If you tire of Kyle, you can leave him,” she tells me.

“What makes you think I’ll tire of Kyle?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” she says as she falls on her bed. “Crap, I don’t really think that, Laura. I have these little, petty jealousies. I can’t explain it. I was jealous about that lady who showed up. It got my jealousy juices flowing.”

“Why would you be jealous of her? She’s old enough to be Eden’s aunt or something. I thought they probably were related, the way they acted together, like they had known each other for a long time.”

She pulls a pillow up and wraps her arms around it. “It’s a long story, Laura.”

I need to hear her story if I’m about to believe it’s not Kyle she jealous about. “You better give it to me, because I need to get to the bottom of this.”

“I can’t believe you’re making me tell you this,” she says, then hesitates. “The lady was Eden’s touch tutor. She taught him how to kiss and touch me properly.”

What in the name of all that’s holy?

My mouth falls open. “OMG! You’re lying!”

“I wish I was. Eden never told me about her until we met her at our wedding. Then I saw it for myself as his mind replayed a time they had a practice session. You can ask Kyle about it. I showed him the memory and he agreed it was a hot encounter.”

“Sick. Did they really call them sessions?” I ask.

She nods and I see the sadness in her eyes. “I just can’t get over it. I keep trying, but it’s so damn hard when she touches him and acts all young and shit. He seems oblivious to her antics. Then she shows up over here and the fool invites her to join us for a quick dip. I mean, could he be that clueless?” she asks.

I nod. “I think he just might be. I’ve noticed he doesn’t act like any super-hot guy I’ve ever seen, not that I’ve seen that many. He’s just so crazy over you that he can’t see that other members of the female persuasion find him fascinating. It’s one of the things I like about him.”

“You like that about him?” she asks.

“Well, yeah, Al. I mean he doesn’t look at himself like he’s anything other than your husband. Either he’s clueless about other women, or he just doesn’t see them as a threat to you, because he’s hopelessly in love with you. You’re the world to him. No one could ever replace you. You know what I mean?”

“I think you’re telling me I have no reason to be jealous,” she says as she drops the pillow to her side. “Because he would never do anything with anyone else, and the women who fall all over themselves for him don’t have a shot in hell at taking him away from me.”

“That’s right Ally,” I tell her. “Now that we have that cleared up, let’s clear up this thing between us. I know this is a little bit hard for you. I can see it in your eyes every time Kyle and I touch each other in front of you.”

Ally drops her head. “I’ll get over this, Laura. I don’t want Kyle like that. I don’t know why I get a little pain in my chest when the two of you touch. Or a big pain in my chest when it’s thrown in my face that the two of you are doing what I could never do with him. I hate to say this, but a part of me wants to know what would’ve happened if Eden had never come along and if this bird thing never happened.”

“But it did happen, Ally, and you’re happy with Eden,” I say as I take her hand.

“I was happy with Kyle,” she says as she runs her thumb over my knuckles. “When he touched me, it felt like a jolt of electricity ran through me. The night we finally got to go alone to the movies, we made out through the whole movie. I don’t even remember what the movie was because we were so caught up in each other. On the way home, he pulled the truck over and I almost gave into him. The only thing that stopped me was the promise I’d made my mother. I’m jealous of you, Laura. You get to experience more with him. I could have had that, but didn’t, and now I never will.”

“Ally, I had no idea you felt that way,” I say. “How selfish of me not to have thought you’d have issues about your unresolved feelings for him. I was foolish to think this could work.”

Ally’s brows draw together as she frowns. “No, please Laura, this can work. I need you, like you can’t know how much I need you. Look how you just helped me with my jealousy over Eden. You stopped me from getting into a big fight with him just now.”

“I did?”

“Yes, you did. I don’t have anyone to talk to about my own issues,” she says. “You’re the only one I can talk to like this and now you know everything about me. Do you know how hard it is to be a freaking bird and not tell anyone?”

I laugh. “I bet it is. Now I have to keep it a secret too. Do you think time will heal you, Ally? That’s what Eden thinks.”

Confusion fills her face. “You’ve talked to Eden about this?”

“Briefly, and only once,” I tell her. “We met at the top of the stairs one morning. The morning after we all went swimming at your parents’ house and Kyle and I took a little longer to get down there. I don’t know what happened between you and Eden. He must’ve gotten the idea you were a little jealous of what you must have guessed we were doing that held us up. I also confided in him that Kyle often tenses up when you and Eden are whispering to each other or touching each other.”

“He does?” she asks.

“Yes, he does,” I answer. “Eden’s sure the physical feelings you and Kyle had for each other are fading, that you are both getting back to the strong friendship you had before the physical stuff started to happen, and that time will fix this situation.”

Ally pats my hand. “So you have to deal with this crap from me and Kyle, then?”

“I pretty much knew that having a relationship with him so soon after you two broke up was going to be riddled with issues—mine, yours, and his,” I say. “He doesn’t talk as openly about your relationship as he did when I first started talking to him. I was trying to help him get past his obsession about getting you away from Eden and your parents. I don’t know if it’s because he’s talked it all out of his system or that he doesn’t want to hurt me. I can feel him tense up and see in his face at times that it hurts him to see you and Eden together.”

Ally turns away. “My poor Kyle.”

“Your happiness means more to him than anything else. Making sure you’re safe has always been his top priority. I can remember that from back when we were kids. Maybe he’s supposed to be your protector, Ally. Maybe I’m supposed to be that too. Whether it was pre-destined or not, that is what we are,” I say.

“Laura, I can’t thank you enough for being so understanding. Your heart is so pure,” Ally tells me. “I love you. You and Kyle have done so much for me. It’s time I stop being a selfish brat about him. To stop thinking of him as my Kyle and let the two of you have your life together, free from my petty jealousies. From this moment on, you’re going to see a new Ally. One who promotes this relationship of yours and encourages you as you’ve encouraged me.”

“I love you too,” I tell her as we hug. “I’m so glad we talked. Now let’s put this behind us.”

“I agree,” she says. “Now go get on your workout clothes, because we’re about to embark on a torturous journey that involves Satan himself. But don’t worry, because I have a jacuzzi we can soak in after the torture.”

“Ally, should I be afraid?” I ask in a fake scared voice.

“Be afraid, Laura, be very afraid. The self-defense session with him was nothing. Workouts with Beck are a whole different thing.” she tells me in a mock spooky voice as she leads me out to the living room and out the suite’s door. “See you in twenty minutes.”

CHAPTER 58

ALYSSA

The pilot’s voice tells us we’re about to land, so Eden and I go take our seats. “See, Alyssa, it’s not always horrible,” Eden tells me as we get into the car that’s taking us to Kyle and Laura’s new place.

He also showed me a bit about how Kyle liked both Laura and I when we were all fifteen. His best friend, Cody, got in his ear and told him once he’d kissed me the decision was made.

It made me see our whole relationship in a new light, one where he felt he’d messed up his chance with Laura, so he just stayed with me.

Not quite the love story I’ve always had in my head!

Eden had a dream about how Laura will be initiated into The Phoenix Foundation and we flew up to surprise them with what they’ve been given. I’m not happy about the drama of sneaking away and making them think we’re kidnapped to get them here.

We pull up to a large gate, quite a ways from the airport in Austin, Texas. The driver pushes a button and it opens. We drive up the long driveway, which is lined with tall pine trees. The house finally comes into view. It’s a huge, log-cabin-style house.

“Laura is going to lose it when she sees this place. I know Kyle will love it. It’s torture, the panic we’ve put them in, but I think they both will feel like it was well worth it when they see this,” I say.

“The decorators have almost finished their bedroom and it looks like everything has been done out by the pool. It should only be a few more hours, then they should be here. Dad told me they took off several hours ago in your car, right after they were told about the abduction,” Eden tells me.

“That’s the only thing I feel badly about. The lying doesn’t feel really right,” I say.

“I suppose it’s a test to see if they’re really capable of being our guardians. Maybe you could look at it like that, Alyssa,” he tells me.

“I’ll try,” I say.

The front door opens as Linda Banks comes in, followed by a bunch of people carrying boxes and bags. “Eden and Mrs. Fontaine, it’s so nice to see you again,” she calls out to us.

Eden takes my hand, leading me to her. I find it incredible that I feel fine about her now, since Laura helped me to see I don’t have any reason to be jealous.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Linda,” Eden tells her, then points up the stairs. “Their room is the door at the end of the hallway at the top of the stairs. You can have your staff take their things up there.”

I smile at her. “Hello again, Linda. Thank you so much for doing all of this for my friends. And call me Alyssa, please.”

“Well, it is my job, Alyssa. Besides that, I’m happy to do it.”

I can see she’s nothing but a professional in front of her staff. “Okay, we’ll I’ll let you get to work then.”

She hurries off to get working. I turn to look at Eden to find him beaming down at me. “What?”

“You’ve come a long way, baby,” he laughs, then kisses the top of my head.

“I told you Laura helped me get over the jealousy thing. Anyway, Linda acted very differently this time. Much more professional. She also kept her hands to herself, which I liked.”

Eden looks at me quizzically. “So if she had run up and hugged me, then you wouldn’t have taken that so well?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I really don’t know.”

He shakes his head back and forth slowly. “Alyssa, you are such a mystery. I never know what to expect from you.”

“That’s exactly how I like it,” I tell him as we walk out to the patio in the back of the house.

The sky is beginning to show signs of the sun setting. Oranges, reds, and yellows fill the sky. The air is beginning to cool. The pool looks beautiful and inviting. The waterfall adds a dramatic effect that I know Laura will love.

“Eden, do you really think they’ll like this place?”

“Uh, hell yes they will. Not only is it close to where Kyle’s going to go to college in the fall, but there are twenty acres for him to do whatever he wants with them. This place has everything. A pool, a giant back yard for the kids they will have someday, a game room, and even a recording studio in the basement. Not to mention the completely badass four-wheel-drive Ford truck and the Mercedes SUV in the four-car garage. It’s not really a gamble, Alyssa.”

“Okay, when you put it that way, I guess you’re right.”

The band that has set up on the temporary stage in the enormous back yard starts to do their sound check. The light is quickly fading away, making the lights that have been strung up everywhere begin to glow.

“It’s time, Alyssa. Are you ready to take our places?” Eden asks me.

“As I ever will be.”

We go into the living room, sit down in front of the television, and wait for Kyle and Laura to find us.

The front door opens slowly. Kyle’s head comes into view as he looks into the dark room. “Okay,” he whispers. “Come on. Follow me closely.”

He moves into the room cautiously as aura follows him. “How are we ever going to find them in here? This place is huge.” Laura whispers.

“Shh, look I can see a light just around the corner. Be really quiet. I have no idea who it could be,” he tells Laura.

Eden and I sit perfectly still on the sofa as we wait for them to come to us. Time ticks by slowly. I don’t hear anything else for what seems like an eternity. Then I feel Laura’s hand touching my shoulder. I turn my head to look at her. Her face lights up.

“Are you okay, Ally?” she asks me quietly.

I nod. “I am fine,” I say out loud.

“Shh,” Kyle says as he puts his finger up to his lips. “Let’s get out of here before whoever took you guys gets back or wakes up or whatever.”

Eden turns to look at him. “It’s okay.”

“How is it okay?” Kyle asks in a whisper.

Eden and I stand up. “Because no one’s here or coming back,” Eden tells him as he hits a button on the remote he’s holding, turning the lights up.

I see Laura and Kyle are completely dumbfounded. “What the hell is going on?” Kyle asks, finally not whispering anymore.

“Sorry about the abduction thing. It wasn’t true,” I say.

“What the hell do you mean it wasn’t true?” Laura practically yells at me.

“It’s not true. It was a test,” I tell her.

Laura lunges over the sofa, grabbing at me as she screams. “Alyssa Shaylee Fontaine, I am going to kill you. We were told that you both had been taken. We’ve driven like maniacs from New Orleans, freaking nonstop all the way to Austin to get to you. And it was all fake?” she yells at me.

Kyle looks confused, but grabs Laura, holding her back. “Hang on Laura. We can’t kill them, even though they are asses. I can’t believe you two would do this to us. I guess you think it’s funny or something. Maybe it’s just to see how far we’ll go for you, I don’t know. I do know it’s not cool at all,” Kyle tells us.

“Okay, guys,” Eden says as he tries to calm them down. “Let’s just go outside and get some fresh air. We’ll explain it all to you.”

I take Eden’s hand and we lead them out of the house and into the dark backyard. Eden opens the door, revealing only the blackness of the moonless night. I’m surprised by the fact that it’s impossible to see anything.

“It’s pitch black out here,” Kyle says.

Suddenly the large yard is flooded with light as all the lights that have been strung up light up all at once. “Surprise!” everyone yells.

Kyle and Laura look at each other and then at me. “What’s going on, Al?” Laura asks me.

“This is your initiation into the society. This party is to welcome you and Kyle into it,” I tell her.

“Okay, that’s a little over the top,” Kyle mutters. “But really nice of everybody.”

Laura notices everyone is still looking at us. “Ally, who threw this party for us? We need to tell them thank you,” she says, almost under her breath.

“The entire society is throwing this party for you. You’ve been chosen to be our guardian, Laura. Your place in this society is second to Kyle’s. You both are very important.”

Kyle’s eyes go wide. “What are you talking about?”

Eden laughs. “She’s saying the two of you hold high positions and we’re here to celebrate that fact with you, in your home.”

Kyle and Laura turn to look at Eden. “What did you say?” Laura asks, always making sure she has everything right.

“This is your home. You and Kyle have been given this house and a couple of cars as well. This is a thank you from our foundation, for your service,” Eden tells them.

“Shut up!” Laura says loudly.

Everyone laughs. There are so many people it makes a thunderous sound, startling them both. Then the band starts to play, bringing the attention away from us, thankfully. The guests begin to dance.

I take Laura’s hand, then get Kyle’s and I pull them back into the house. “I’m so sorry for the false abduction thing. It’s an unfortunate side effect of initiations to add drama in some way. Anyway, let me show you your new home,” I tell them as I drag them away from the festivities for now.

“This is crazy,” Laura says.

“I know it is, but you’ll get used to it, I did. Come on, you two, I have so much to show you,” I tell them.

“Ally, there are four freaking bedrooms. We don’t need that many. This is all too much. We can’t accept it,” Laura tells me as we stand in front of the door that leads down to the basement and the recording studio.

Eden opens the door, then reaches in and turns on the light. The room is flooded with light. I hear Kyle’s breath being drawn in as he gasps.

Oh good, he is impressed.

“Is that what I think it is?” Kyle asks.

“If you think it’s a recording studio, then yes,” Eden tells him.

Kyle takes Laura’s hand, pulling her with him down the stairs. “We can accept it, Laura. Just go with it.”

Eden and I laugh as we follow them down the stairs. Kyle looks like he’s in heaven. He’s smiling like crazy as he turns to us.

“I don’t know how we can ever repay you,” he says.

“Don’t worry about that. Your service to our organization is worth every penny that was spent on these things,” Eden tells him.

“Ally, this is so nice and unbelievable, but we really can’t take it. We could never even afford the utility bills here. Kyle and I both would have to work three jobs to afford this place,” she says.

“Don’t be so silly, Laura. You don’t pay a thing here. As a matter of fact, we have something else to give you right now.”

I hold out my hand to Eden. He places a credit card in my hand. I turn and hand her the card.

“Kyle’s already been given his. This is for your expenses, food, gas for your cars—you know, whatever you might need or want,” I tell her.

Laura looks over the card, then puts it in her pocket. “This is nuts, you know.”

Eden takes out two sets of car keys hands the truck keys to Kyle and gives the SUV keys to Laura. “You might want to go check out your new rides in the garage.”

Laura looks at him in disbelief. “I think I’m going to pass out. This is all so much.”

“Laura, you’ll be fine. Go up to your room now and put on the clothes that have been left out for you. It’s time to fulfill some of the duties this position requires. Tonight’s job is a tough one,” I say.

Laura gets a frown on her face. “What are they going to make us do, Al?”

“Oh, it’s bad,” I tease. “You’ll have to dance your ass off, eat some delicious food, and hobnob with some of the best people on Earth.”

She smiles, then turns to grab me up in her arms, hugging me tightly. “I love you, Ally. Even if you never gave me a thing, I would still love you.”

She lets me go, only for Kyle to take up where she left off, his arms around me before I know it, rocking me back and forth. “Ally, this is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of,” he tells me, then kisses the top of my head before he lets me go.

“Scoot, you two. Go get ready,” I boss them as I slap Kyle on the butt, shooing them up the stairs.

He turns to look at me in surprise. “You are in rare form this evening, Mrs. Fontaine.”

I smile back at him. “Hurry up. I’m like, waiting already.”

CHAPTER 59

KYLE

Stars fill the night sky as we walk out the door. It’s all so surreal. And I’m used to some crazy shit!

The band stops playing as Laura and I emerge from the house. Eden and Ally have taken their places at an altar. Galchobar stands in between them. The altar has been set up across the yard from the stage the band is set up on.

A tall man comes to us and ushers us to the altar. I’m wearing a black suit—the freaking thing is an Armani—with a royal blue silk shirt under the jacket, much like Eden’s. Laura is looking gorgeous in a silky, royal blue evening gown similar to Ally’s.

They take us up the stairs. Galchobar moves in front of us, motioning for us to stand on the other side of Ally. Laura reaches out for Ally’s hand. I realize we’re all holding hands, as Eden holds Ally’s and I holds Laura’s.

“We have a new member to welcome into our flock,” Galchobar’s thunderous voice booms into the night. “A new guardian has been chosen. The woman called Laura will be revered by our society, as she holds a very powerful position.”

Galchobar turns back to us. “Kyle, son of Joe, you have vowed to protect our Mistress. I will ask you if you are willing to take a vow to our Master. I will let you think on that for a moment while I ask Laura, daughter of Brent, about her vows.” Galchobar stands in front of Laura. “Do you, Laura, daughter of Brent, promise to protect the female mistress and male master who are now ours to take care of from this time until the end, both in human and bird forms?”

Laura leans forward and says quietly, “Who’s this Brent you’re calling me the daughter of?”

Galchobar’s white eyebrows raise in confusion. “Your mother has deceived you?”

“My father’s name is Stanley,” she says.

His head shakes. “Your father’s name is Brent. He was your mother’s first love in high school. She left her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas without telling him she was pregnant with you. Stanley was the man she married when she was five months pregnant with you.”

Laura looks at Ally with shock on her face. “My real father doesn’t know about me?”

Galchobar shakes his head again. “No.”

“Okay, go on with the ceremony,” she says.

Galchobar looks at Laura. “Laura, daughter of Brent, do you promise to protect the female mistress and male master who are now ours to take care of, from this time to the end, both in human and bird forms?” he asks her again.

“I do,” she answers.

“Great responsibility has been bestowed upon you. You will begin your journey now,” Galchobar says.

The old guy stands in front of me. I smile at him, but he just looks as stoic as ever. “Kyle, son of Joe, do you vow to take care of the male master as well as you would your female mistress, from this time to the end, in both human and bird forms?”

I look over at Eden. His eyes are on Ally. I know he loves her and I’d do anything for her. “I do.”

“Another great responsibility has been bestowed upon you.” Galchobar turns away. “I present your leaders,” Galchobar roars and the crowd bursts into applause.

I see Eden pulling Ally’s hand up to hold it over their heads, then I pull Laura’s hand up above our heads and she and Ally raise their clasped hands. The people of our society cheer so loudly that it’s almost deafening.

Eden lowers their hands. “Let us celebrate!” he yells out to the crowd, then takes Ally into his arms and the band begins to play.

I pull Laura into my arms and sway back and forth with her. “I love you!” I tell her.

She smiles at me, then brings her lips up to mine, gently kissing me. “I love you too, Kyle.”

The song is over much too soon, but another one starts almost immediately. Eden leads Ally over to us. Much to my surprise he takes Ally’s hand, which he’s been holding, and offers it to me as he offers his hand to Laura.

Switching partners, huh?

I release Laura and he dances away with her. I slide my arm around Ally’s waist, pulling her close to me. Her hair smells like jasmine and her body forms perfectly to mine. Something in me clicks, and I want her. I want all of her.

My lips move close to her ear. “This is how it’s supposed to be, Ally.”

I try to read her thoughts, but she’s either hiding them from me or she just doesn’t have any right now. She lays her small head on my shoulder, her face so close to mine. One small move and our lips would touch.

Just one little kiss. Who would even care?

“I love you, Kyle,” she says and I almost fall apart.

“I love you too, Ally. I always will,” I tell her as I squeeze her closer to me, as if that’s even possible.

Her light pink cheek is just too close for me to resist. I touch my lips to it and feel a warmth spread through to my lower regions. The damn song ends and I have to let her go. I allow her to move back a bit before I take her hand up to my lips, leaving a long kiss on the top of it.

Her eyelashes flutter as she smiles at me. “Thank you for the dance, my partisan.”

“Your new name for me, my princess?” I ask. “And what does it mean?”

“It means you have an emotional allegiance to me. I like the way it rolls off the tongue. So much better than primary guardian or protector, don’t you agree?” she asks.

‘I do,’ I send her.

Eden and Laura come to us. “Can I have my wife back, Kyle?”

“She is yours, Eden,” I say as I look into the deep sapphire blue of Ally’s eyes, then turn to smile at Eden. “I will want to borrow her again, though. She’s a really good dancer.”

“Let’s mingle,” Eden tells us all as he leads us off the altar and into the crowd of people.

Eden takes us to say hello to Linda Banks. Why he has to continue to push this woman in Ally’s face is a mystery to me. I tense up at first because she has on a little short dress with sky high heels and I see Ally is green with jealousy already. I look at Laura, who’s smiling at Ally.

Laura leans forward to tell her something in her ear. “Be good, Ally. He only loves you.”

I smile at Laura, happy she’s being such a good friend to Ally.

Trying to reign in her jealousies, Ally looks at me and smiles as I send her, ‘That old lady ain’t nothing compared to you, doll.’

Eden has to go and make it really freaking hard. He lets go of Ally’s hand to hug Linda, then holds her back, taking a look at her.

Dumb move, dude! It would really help him if he and I could communicate telepathically. I could save him an ass chewing!

“You’re looking sexy tonight, Linda,” he tells her.

I close my eyes at his words and see my Ally’s mind go red with anger, tinged with the green of jealousy.

It’s a nasty color. Yuk!

Laura’s hand slips out of mine. I watch her walk away from me, going up to Eden and the poor woman my Ally would like to see dangling from a branch up high in one of the giant oaks in this backyard.

My Ally would fight dirty if she was given the chance.

I send to her, ‘My princess, control that temper. That’s not fighting fair.’

Ally’s eyes don’t leave Eden as she sends back, ‘Wouldn’t she deserve it, though?’

Linda wraps her arms around Eden’s waist, pressing her body into his. “Thank you, Eden. You look delicious as well.”

You’re fucked, dude!

Laura eases in between them, almost gracefully. “Hi, Linda. I want to thank you for picking out all of the beautiful things for us. I hate to shop, as does Alyssa. Having you and your exquisite taste is a dream come true for us.”

I laugh and send Ally, ‘She’s a smooth one, isn’t she?’

Laura takes Linda by the arm gently. “Can I get you to come help me at the buffet table? I want your opinion on something,” Laura tells her as she moves her away from Eden.

Eden turns to look at Ally. “How nice. Laura and Linda look like they’ll get along just fine.”

Ally and I look at each other and laugh. Eden looks confused. “You really are clueless, aren’t you, sweetheart?” Ally asks him.

Eden narrows his eyes at her. “I thought you had those jealousies under control?”

“Oh, I do. I really do,” she tells him.

She turns to me. “Let’s go find something to eat,” she tells me as she takes my hand and Eden’s, pulling us to a table away from the sexy Linda Banks and her short dress.

We take a table close to the stage. It’s quiet right now as the band is on a break. I welcome the peace and quiet.

“I’ll go get us something from the buffet. You two stay here,” Eden directs us.

I hold out a chair for my Ally to sit in, then sit down next to her. “How do you like the house, Kyle?”

Her hair is shiny. Light reflects off it and I find it mesmerizing. I take a lock and twirl it with my finger as I answer, “Are you kidding, Ally? I love it. How could I not love it?”

She smiles. “Good, I’m glad to hear that.”

Her dress fits her just right for a flowy dress, hugging her breasts, then flowing out. I sigh and say, “You have to stay here with us for a while. I’m not ready to let you go yet.”

“We can stay for a while, I guess. You know we aren’t running you off from our house, right?”

I look into her gorgeous eyes. “You aren’t?”

“Not at all. We just wanted you to have a place in Austin for when you start school. You’re always welcome, wherever I am.”

Even in your bed? Stop it, boy!

“I am?”

“Yes, of course. You are a guardian, after all,” she says.

Is that all I am to her?

I take her hand and place it on my thigh, lightly running my fingertips over the top of it. “You know, the only reason I’m okay with you being with someone other than myself is because he treats you so well. I want you to let me know if he doesn’t, because I’ll set him straight.”

She rolls her eyes. “God, Kyle, you are intense this evening.”

I take her by the chin and make her look at me. “Maybe it’s the ceremony or something. This is our second one, you know. When the wizard guy asked if I would take care of you to the end, it made me feel different this time. I don’t know what it is. I made a commitment to you for the rest of my life before. It’s a commitment I can’t ever go back on, not that I want to. It feels permanent, unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. We’ll be together through it all, you and I. In the end, we will leave this world together.”

Ally stares deep into my eyes. “You are also committed to my husband. Don’t forget that part too.”

Oh yeah, him!

I move her hand back to her own lap. “I know that, Alyssa. I won’t let anything happen to him either. Galchobar told us if one of you dies, the other will follow within a day. He said that most likely I’ll follow quickly after you. If something happens to him, then it will be the end of us all.”

Her eyes dance and she says, “I hope someday you decide to make a commitment to Laura as well.”

I look back up at her. “I don’t have to marry her. Do I, Ally?”

Her dark brows furrow as she frowns. “Kyle, do you not love her?”

“I do, but we haven’t been together long enough for me to know if I want to live the rest of my life with her,” I say. “She’s great. Please don’t get me wrong, Al. I just don’t know yet, especially with this happening. I don’t want her to feel like we have to be together, like that, just because of our positions with you guys.”

She looks away. “I see. I don’t want you to feel forced together either. I love you guys. I would never want you to be unhappy in any way. No matter what happens, you will both be in my life for a very long time.”

I see Eden walking to the table with a large platter of all types of different foods. Laura’s following him with a bottle of wine and four glasses.

“Look who I found,” Eden says.

Ally smiles at Laura. “Did you make a new friend, Laura?”

“Yes, I did, Ally. She said to tell you goodbye. She had to leave the party early. She needs to get up really early tomorrow to head back to New Orleans.”

My eyes narrow as I glance at Eden. His fascination with the drab woman makes me tingle inside. I’m not pleased with it one bit. His focus should only be Ally. “Did you get to tell her bye, Eden?” I ask.

The slightest hint of a frown takes the corners of his lips down. “No, I didn’t. I guess she was in a rush to leave.”

Laura looks at Eden and smiles. “So am I going to see the birds tonight or what?”

Eden taps the top of her hand, which lies on the table top. “I told you that you were. I always keep my promises.”

The music starts back up and Laura stands up. “Come on, Eden,” she looks back and calls out to him. Ally looks surprised. “It’s okay, isn’t it, Ally?”

The look of surprise leaves her face, leaving it as angelic as it usually is. “Yes, of course it is.”

Eden gets up to go out to the temporary dancefloor with Laura. The band plays a country song that’s slow. I find Ally watching them intently as her husband holds her best friend close to him.

I stand up, taking her hand and pulling her up. “Come on, Ally. We can’t let them have all the fun.”

I pull her in close to me as I take her arms and place them both around my neck, moving mine around her tiny waist. I press my forehead to hers. “Are you ready for this, Ally?”

She smiles. “Yeah, it’s just a dance, Kyle.”

“Not are you ready to dance, Ally,” I say as I start swaying us with the music. “Are you ready for this? For us being so close all the time. Do you think you can you handle it?”

“Eden showed me something on the jet ride over here, Kyle,” she says as she pulls her head from mine and looks at me. “I’ve seen the past from your point of view. I’m aware you had a difficult time choosing between me and Laura. I know you were more physically attracted to Laura. You felt like the tiny, almost non-existent kiss we had that one night would cost you both of us if you didn’t choose me.”

“Wow, you know that, huh?”

Leave it to Eden to find that tidbit of information in the cosmos and share it with her!

She nods. “If you would’ve told me you liked Laura, which would have been fine, it wouldn’t have stopped our friendship, and I would never have developed an inappropriate relationship with you.”

“Inappropriate?” I ask and stop our dance. “There wasn’t a whole lot of inappropriate going on, Ally.”

She looks at me and begins moving us again. “What is that supposed to mean?”

I pull her closer, our bodies touching in the old, familiar way they used to. “Just that more could have happened, but you wouldn’t let it and now it never can.”

“You can blame me if you want to, Kyle,” she says as she pulls away from me a bit. “But the fact we didn’t go any further than we did is a blessing.”

I search her eyes and try to see what she’s thinking. She’s closing her mind off to me and that tells me loads. “If it was such a blessing, then why do I feel like something is missing?”

She shifts her eyes, letting them roam over the guests. “You didn’t feel like this yesterday.”

“I kind of did,” I say. “I’ve always wanted you like that. Hell, you know that. When I told you I’d wait forever for you, I didn’t think I would actually have to. Now you and I are together, in a way, forever, but we can never be together like that. It’s a lot to take in.”

The song ends, but I don’t let her go. “Kyle, the song is over. We should go back to the table.”

“I know that, Ally,” I say, but I can’t seem to make myself let her go.

“We can get through this, Kyle. My husband and Laura know our past is a hitch in this situation. All of our feelings are important to each other. We can all work through this together. We are all supposed to be together. I saw that,” she tells me, then pulls away from me, leading me back to the table.

Eden and Laura are sitting at the table as we walk up. “You have a wonderful wife, Eden,” I say as I pull her chair out for her and place a kiss on top of her head after she sits down.

Eden smiles at me. “I am aware of that fact, Kyle. You’re a lucky man yourself. Laura is a special woman,” Eden says as he stands up to take Ally back out to the dance floor.

He’s right. I am a lucky man. A very confused man, but a lucky, confused man.

I look down at Laura. “I know I’m lucky. Come dance with me, baby.”

The band plays another slow song. I wrap myself around Laura and try hard to think about her and only her.

She’s fantastic. Any guy would be glad to have her. She’s kind and funny, with a smoking hot body. The whole enchilada, so to speak. I do love her and I know she loves me.

So why can’t I get Ally out of my mind?

CHAPTER 60

ALYSSA

Eden and I dance around the small floor as Kyle dances with Laura. Something is going on in his head and he’s having a hard time putting his feelings into the proper categories. He needs to put me in the category of a friend he protects, not a lover.

As we dance near Kyle and Laura, he holds her close to him. Until our eyes meet and he pulls back from her.

I close my eyes, hoping he’ll pull her close to him again. I hate that this situation has caused him so much confusion. I know he loves her. I know he wants her. He and I can never be together like that.

Eden nuzzles my ear. “You about ready?”

I turn my face on his shoulder, still laying my head on it. “Ready for what?”

He does this deep chuckle thing he does on occasion. It makes his chest shake and I find it adorable. “Your mind is elsewhere, I know. Laura—you do remember her, right? I made her a promise to do the bird thing.”

“Oh, yeah, that. We mustn’t let Laura down.”

He stops dancing and pulls me away, leading me into the house and out the front door to the side of the house. It's pitch black, so we feel along the wall as we go. Eden stops abruptly. I feel his hand turn over in mine as he moves his body in front of mine.

His heart is beating hard as he presses up against me. Soft lips find mine, but turn hard and hungry as he pushes his tongue past my lips. A low groan from him sends me into the same state of desire which has overcome him.

Leaving my lips, his warm breath blows gently into mine. I inhale him and he fills me, as if our souls combine inside me.

He lifts my dress, pulling it up over my head and off. The cool breeze brings goosebumps to my skin.

“Eden?”

His hands begin to caress my almost naked body. I kick off my sandals. His hands reach up, unclasping my bra. With haste, I push the jacket off his shoulders, then unbutton his shirt.

My hands graze his rock-hard abs as I take his shirt off, letting it fall to the ground. I unbutton and unzip his pants. They fall to the ground. I feel him step out of them as he takes his shoes off.

He reaches down to take off his boxers and his socks, pulling my panties off before he comes back up. The heat of his mouth grazes me as he moves back up my body.

Completely naked, I’m shaking with excitement. My back is against the cool wood of the wall. I feel Eden’s hands move up my arms. One of his hands goes to my throat, not choking me, but holding me back against the wall. I feel his breath near my ear.

My toes barely touch the ground as the heat of his words fill my ear. “Alyssa, I want you. Can I take you?”

He’s acting so differently, so savage in a way, yet still he asks me if it’s okay. My body is shaking with excitement. I can’t say no.

“Yes,” I manage just before his mouth covers mine and he forces his breath into my mouth. His tongue follows it in, covering every space, claiming it all as his.

Though he holds me to the wall with one hand, his other takes my ass, lifting me higher off the ground. Wrapping my legs around him, I slide onto his large erection.

“Oh, God, Eden!” I say before I realize it’s coming out of my mouth.

He moves our bodies as one up against the wall over and over again. “Baby. Alyssa. Tell me you love me,” Eden says breathlessly as I feel his fingers begin to dig into my backside.

“I love you. I love you, Eden.”

The feeling I have is beyond any I’ve ever felt. I can’t even think. I feel like I’m floating as I ride the wave of the ultra-hard orgasm. I want to scream, but I hold it in as our guests may be close enough to hear me.

My legs quake around his body as he stiffens and pulses inside me. His body is hard against mine, filling me like never before. He holds me like that until my walls stop squeezing at him to give me all he has.

Soft kisses flow over my shoulders and down my neck. “I love you, baby. I love you,” Eden says as he kisses me all over. “I love you, Alyssa.”

Practically out of breath, I say, “I love you, too, Eden.”

Strong arms lay me on the ground with such gentleness it feels as if I’m lying on a cloud. “What was that, Eden?”

He draws tiny trails down my chest with his fingertips, encircling my stomach. “I don’t know, Alyssa. I felt a sudden urge. You were irresistible to me. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

I giggle a little. “No, Eden, I’m not hurt at all. Quite the opposite.”

His lips touch my ear. “Don’t giggle, Alyssa, or I may go savage again. I really don’t know why I did that.”

“You didn’t turn savage. Really, you need to stop being so hard on yourself. I find you very exciting, Eden. Don’t apologize about something which was so intense and satisfying.”

“Okay, Alyssa. I’ll let it go, then. It was rather intense, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was. I’m a little weak from just how intense it was,” I confess.

I hear him sigh deeply, then he takes my hand in his. In an instant, I feel myself change into the bird and the sound of thunder rings in my ears. Eden flies straight up into the darkness. I follow him closely. With the bird’s eyes, I can see a lot better than I did with my human eyes.

We move fast, high up into the air. I hear Eden’s voice in my head. ‘Follow me, Alyssa.’ A loud screech is all anyone else can hear.

I look down to see all the people have looked up to try and see us, now that they’ve been alerted to our presence by Eden’s screech. I look back up at Eden to see that he’s stopped flying up and now is circling just above me. I follow behind him, then look down to see Galchobar escorting Kyle and Laura to the altar.

Eden starts to fly down. I follow him slowly. Eden touches down next to Laura and I touch down next to Kyle. I feel really weird, like we’re on display or something. I see Laura reach up and touch Eden’s chest feathers.

“It’s really you, Eden,” she says. “Your eyes give you away.”

I’m watching her reaction so hard I jump a little as I feel Kyle stroke my wing. “Sorry, Al, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I turn my head to look at him. The bird’s eyes see everything so much more clearly and colorfully. His blonde curls glow like rays of sunlight. His blue eyes sparkle like I’ve never seen them do with my human eyes. He looks like an angel to me.

He continues to stroke my wing, looking intently at my feathers. “God, you’re so beautiful. The colors, the softness of your feathers,” he says, then looks into my eye. “Your eyes look like actual sapphires. They sparkle and are even bluer than when you’re a person. This is unbelievable.”

Laura comes over to touch me. I feel her hand stroking the feathers on my chest. “This is so cool, Ally,” she says as she looks up at me. “The two of you are majestic.”

I hear Eden’s voice in my head again. ‘Time to fly, Alyssa,’ he sends as an enormous shriek comes out of his bird mouth.

‘Okay,’ I send back. The shriek which comes out of my bird mouth makes Laura cover her ears with her hands.

Eden takes a couple of steps backward, then runs forward, taking off over the crowd of people. They gasp in awe of him.

I follow his lead and do the same thing. I follow him as he turns to fly back over their heads again. The people begin to applaud loudly.

Eden flies straight towards Kyle and Laura, who are still standing up at the altar, pulling up just as he gets to them and going straight up into the sky. I do as he does.

Eden is flying so fast that I have to really move my wings just to stay behind him. A loud clap of thunder, and then another one right behind, sounds out as we fly past the sound barrier. Eden finally begins to slow down and I’m finding it hard to breathe.

Eden begins to descend lower into the air as I follow him. I feel like I can breathe better. ‘It’s so dark tonight,’ Eden sends me. ‘Let’s take advantage of it. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ I send back.

He hangs back a little so I can catch up and fly next to him. I can hear water running, then I see a river running underneath us. We fly down as close as we can without hitting the tall trees which line it. I see a silver fish jump up out of the water.

‘Did you see that, Eden?’ I send him.

‘Yes, I did. Isn’t it amazing how everything looks so different, so much clearer?’

‘It really is,’ I send.

His head cocks to the right. ‘Do you hear that, Alyssa?’

I haven’t heard anything. I listen and then I hear it. It sounds like a jet engine. ‘Eden, is it a plane?’

Suddenly it passes right over the top of us. It turns around to come by us again.

‘Shit. Fly, Alyssa. Fly as fast as you can. We have to get away from this thing,’ he sends me as he takes off, flying faster and faster.

The plane flies over us again, really fast. Whoever is in it knows we’re unusual, to say the least. I feel very threatened. The jet turns around to come at us again.

‘Look down, Alyssa. There’s an open area in the woods. We need to land there, as close to the tree line as possible,’ he sends me. ‘As soon as you land, change back into your human form and run into the trees. He can’t follow us then.’

I do as he tells me. The jet is following us closely, but it can’t follow us down into the clearing. Once over the clearing, we drop quickly to the ground. When our feet hit the ground, we transform and run into the woods surrounding the clearing.

Eden and I stand completely still, just inside the tree line. The jet keeps going back and forth over the clearing. Then, to my complete horror, two sets of headlights come out of the woods on the other side of the clearing.

“We can’t let them find us,” Eden whispers to me. “Don’t let go of my hand, Alyssa.”

As if he could shake me off! Crap! Why did we have to go and pull all our clothes off? Damn bad timing!

I take Eden’s hand as he leads us through the pitch-black woods. There are so many sharp things under my bare feet, poking at them as we walk cautiously away from the area the headlights seem to be going to.

The headlights stop at the edge of the tree line. I can hear one of the trucks’ doors open. “Get ‘em, boy,” I hear a man’s voice say.

I squeeze Eden’s hand as the sound of barking dogs fills the air around us. Eden is running so fast that I almost fly behind him, my feet barely touching the ground. I hear the dogs gaining on us. Eden is running back into the clearing. I can hear the jet coming.

“Don’t let go of my hand. We have to change back. Stay as close to me as you can. We have to move fast. Don’t lose sight of me once we’re in the air,” Eden orders me.

He couldn’t lose me if he wanted to. I’m scared almost to death. I just keep praying for us to get out of this safely. My human eyes can barely make out the opening. Eden runs out into the opening, transforming immediately. I follow just as quickly. Two thunderous booms follow us as we change into the birds.

‘Stay as close to the tops of the trees as possible,’ Eden tells me, making sure to only tell me telepathically so no one hears him shriek.

The jet flies over us but keeps going. I guess his radar can’t pick us up when we fly this close to the trees. Whatever the reason, I’m happy to have it off of us.

‘We’re going to lose the trees as cover, Alyssa. We have to fly as fast as we can once we lose them. Straight for their house. Do you understand?’ Eden sends me.

‘I do,’ I send him, then I send an image of the jet to Kyle.

The trees begin to get fewer and further apart and then there are no more trees. Eden beats his wings faster, as do I. The familiar sound of the air collapsing around us as we break the sound barrier rings in my ears. Then I hear a third loud clap of thunder to find the jet back on our trail.

I can’t look back anymore. I have to get back to the house—back to the people who take care of us. The jet passes over us, going out to turn around. I see the lights begin to come into view. The house is not far now.

The jet has turned and is coming straight for us. I see Eden dive, trying to get to the ground. I follow him, tucking in my wings, and letting myself fall as quickly as I can.

‘Change as soon as you hit the ground, Alyssa,’ Eden tells me. This time he lets himself shriek out loud as he says it.

He comes down a little bit farther away from the house than we started off. I hit the ground and change back to my human form, running like crazy towards the house. He slows a little for me to catch up, then grabs for my hand, taking me to the side of the house where our clothes are.

I feel for my clothes, finding them. I grab my dress and throw it around me. Eden pulls his pants on and grabs the rest of his clothes. Taking my hand again, he runs into the front door of the house. Once inside, we stop as Eden locks the door behind us. Laura and Kyle come in the back door.

“What the hell is going on? Why is there a jet following you?” Kyle asks us.

“I think he picked us up on his radar. I’m pretty sure there’ll be people here shortly to look for us,” Eden tells them.

“Go upstairs and get dressed. We’ll take care of anyone who shows up here,” Laura tells us.

I take off up the stairs. Eden follows me, going into the guest room quickly and shutting the door behind us. “I’m so sorry, Alyssa,” he tells me.

I turn to look at him. “Why are you saying that to me? It’s not your fault.”

He paces the room. “I’m the one who wanted to go flying around. I don’t know what I was thinking about. I should’ve thought about how this area is bound to be covered with air security since it’s so close to the state capital.”

“It still isn’t your fault,” I say. “You can’t possibly think of every little thing which could happen.”

I put my clothes back on, then look out the window. The party has ended. Only the people who are cleaning it all up are still outside. I feel terrible about messing up the party. I hope Laura and Kyle are not too disappointed.

“Okay, I’m dressed. Let’s go downstairs,” Eden says.

I take his hand and go with him downstairs, Laura’s sitting on the sofa by herself. “Where’s Kyle?” Eden asks her.

“He’s outside,” she says. “That jet isn’t letting up. It’s pretty obvious whoever is driving that thing saw you two disappear around here. What happened, exactly?”

I sit down next to her and Eden goes outside with Kyle. “We just went for a little stroll in the sky. We were having a good time, flying by the river. Then the jet found us. Eden thinks we came up on its radar.”

“That makes sense,” Laura says.

“We found a clearing to land in and I thought we were pretty much home free. I was wrong. A couple of trucks came and found us, like right away. They had dogs with them. Once they let them loose, we had no choice but to get back out of there. The jet caught up with us again and here we are,” I tell her.

She puts her arm around my shoulders. “Dang, Ally, that sucks. I guess it’s safe to assume they’ll be looking around here pretty soon. Thank goodness we have that gate at the entrance. They can’t just roll up here.”

I sink into her side. “I’m sorry we screwed up your party.”

“To be honest, Al,” she says. “I was really tired anyway.”

I laugh a little. “So am I, Laura. I could fall asleep right now.”

She props her head on mine. “I think I could too,” she mumbles as we both drift off.

“What?” I mumble as I feel myself being lifted up.

“Shhh,” I hear.

I move my head to look up. Kyle is carrying me up the stairs. “What are you doing?” I ask him groggily.

“Just stay asleep, Ally,” he says quietly.

“Where’s my husband?” I ask.

“He ran to town,” he says. “Now just sleep. He’ll be back soon.”

He opens the door to the guest room, then takes me to the bed, laying me down. I feel him take my sandals off, then turn to my side, pulling my legs up.

“Thank you, Kyle,” I tell him.

He pulls the blanket up over me, then leans down to kiss me on the top of the head. “Goodnight, Alyssa. I love you,” he says.

I smile. “Goodnight, Kyle. I love you too,” I tell him, then fall back asleep.

CHAPTER 61

ALYSSA

“You’re going too fast, Kyle,” I say as I follow him down a trail into the woods.

“Come on, Ally,” he says. “We’re almost there.”

He takes my hand, then pulls me to him as he covers my eyes with his hand. “Okay, no peeking.”

He pulls me a few steps further, then drops his hand that’s covering my eyes. I see a small, old, beat up shack. “See, a cabin in the woods. I told you I had a surprise for you.”

I look up at him. “You found this?”

He leads me to the door. “Yeah, I think it’s been abandoned.”

I step inside to see that he’s laid out a quilt on the old wood floor. There’s a picnic basket on it. I turn to look at him. “Did you do that?”

“Yes. You are hungry, aren’t you?” he asks.

“I guess I could eat.”

He pulls me to sit on the quilt with him. “Is this one of your mother’s quilts?” I ask.

He nods. “Don’t tell her. She’ll kill me.”

I reach over to open the picnic basket, but he stops me, taking my hand and bringing it up to his lips to kiss the gold band of my wedding ring. “I love how this looks on you. It looks so pretty next to the other one I gave you,” he says as he moves to kiss the small ,heart-shaped diamond ring on my other finger.

I smile at him. “Let me see yours again.”

He holds his hand up, wiggling his ring finger. The sun coming through the window of the little cabin catches the gold, making it shine brightly. The sun is coming in behind him, making his blonde curls glow.

He looks like an angel. I move forward, getting up on my knees to lean closer to him. I take his hand, kissing his ring. Then I put my arms around his neck as he wraps his arms around my waist.

“I love you, Ally. I’m so happy you said yes.”

“Why wouldn’t I? I’ve loved you forever, Kyle.”

He moves his arms from around my waist to the bottom of my T-shirt. I hold my arms up so he can raise it up over my head. He drops the shirt on the floor, leaning in to kiss the top of one of my breasts as it bulges slightly above my pink, lacy bra.

He stops to look up at me. “Looks like Junior has already begun his work on your body. You’ll need a larger size very soon.”

I look at him with a pout on my lips. “I still can’t believe you went and got me pregnant so soon after our wedding. I was looking forward to some time with you all alone.”

He laughs. “We have about seven more months of alone time, Ally. He won’t get in our way, I promise,” he tells me as he unbuttons, then unzips my shorts, exposing my still-flat stomach.

“I’m going to get all fat,” I whine.

He touches my exposed stomach, then looks up at me. “Thank you, Alyssa. You’ve given me the best present anyone ever could. You won’t be fat. You’ll be more beautiful.”

He moves towards me, pushing me back gently until I’m lying on the old quilt. He pulls my shorts and panties off in one quick motion, pulling off my flats. Then he stands up to take his shirt off. I suck in my breath as he does. He pops the buttons on his jeans, then lets them fall.

“You ready for this, Ally?”

I hold my arms out to him. He comes into my arms, covering my body with his. His lips touch mine and I part them as his tongue darts into my mouth. The familiar sense of heat goes straight to my lower regions.

My legs open as I run my hands over the muscles on his back and he brings his body down on mine, filling me. He takes gentle strokes as his lips leave mine, trailing kisses up my neck. My hands tangle up in his curls. His mouth comes down on mine again and his tongue fills my mouth. His kiss becomes hungry as he moves inside me, his strokes harder and deeper.

His lips leave mine and touch my ear. “Say my name, Ally.”

I’m about to fall apart underneath his hot, sweaty, rock-hard body. “Kyle,” I say as I breathe out.

“Again,” he orders as he thrusts deeper.

The force pushes the air out of my lungs as I shout, “Kyle!”

With ragged breaths, he asks, “Who do you belong to, Ally?”

“I belong to you,” I whisper.

The heat on my neck compels me to turn and catch his lips. One small kiss and he thrusts as he says, “Who do you belong to?”

My stomach clenches as I come apart and he explodes into me. “I belong to you, Kyle!” I shout.

“Alyssa!” I hear. “Open your eyes!”

I open my eyes to see Eden looking down at me He quickly rolls off of me. “What the hell, Alyssa?” he asks, with an aggravated tone to his voice.

I sit up. “I was dreaming.”

“I thought you were awake,” Eden says. “I should’ve known you weren’t. You weren’t moving at all like yourself.”

Pulling the sheet up to cover my naked breasts, I ask, “What did I do?”

I completely remember the dream I was having. Only I thought it was real. I thought I was married to Kyle. Everything felt real. I can’t believe how real it all felt. Eden sits up, running his hands through his hair.

Oh, hell, I know what I did. He doesn’t have to tell me.

I reach out to him. “Eden, it was just a dream. Nothing to get upset about. Come on, let’s finish what we started.”

He pulls away from me, though. “No, Alyssa. We can’t finish what we started. I was apparently not involved in it. Now you want him, or what?”

“No!” I say. “I don’t know why I had that stupid dream, Eden. I do know I don’t want him like that. I really don’t. Maybe the ceremony has me sort of messed up, or being chased by jets and dogs has my mind going a different direction.”

Eden looks at me, his eyes full of hurt. “A different direction? Like a direction without me in it?”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. I’m with you. It doesn’t matter what happens in my dreams. I love you and my future forever is with you, Eden. This is crazy to be fighting about a damn dream I can’t help.”

“I know it is. Let’s just go to sleep. We have to drive back to New Orleans in a few hours anyway,” he says as he lies back down.

I lie back. “I told Kyle we would stay here a while with them.”

“Well, I hope that was before the jet and the dogs, because if it was after them, then you are both not thinking straight,” he says.

I need to stop talking now. I am really making my husband mad and that is never good.

“I love you, Eden. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Alyssa,” he says, then pauses. “I love you too. Now go to sleep.”

I close my eyes and wonder why I was dreaming like that. I love my husband with all my heart. I love Kyle too, but not like the way I love Eden. I don’t want a day to go by without Eden in it.

What is wrong with me?

CHAPTER 62

KYLE

“You sure can eat now, Ally,” I say, as we leave a café, then walk down a sidewalk downtown.

“Kyle, be nice,” she says as she bats at my arm.

I reach out to touch her ample stomach. “How’s Junior treating you, Al?”

“I really wish you’d quit calling her that,” I say. “Your daughter is treating me like a punching bag. I think she’s going to be a kickboxer.”

I laugh. “Well, thanks for walking over here to go to lunch with me. Are you going back to work now?”

“Where else would I be going, Kyle? Pregnant or not, we have bills to pay and baby things to buy,” she says with a tired voice.

“I know, Ally,” I say. “It’s almost summer break. I can work full-time hours at the bowling alley once school lets out. I might have a gig this weekend and that’ll bring in some extra money.”

She smiles. “We’ll make it, Kyle. I’m not worried. I won’t be off until midnight tonight. When will you be home?”

“Since you have to work, I’ll probably go hang out with the neighbor until you get home. I only have to work until ten tonight. I’ll bring pizza home for you,” I say.

“No! Not pizza, Kyle. It gives me indigestion. I’ll eat at the restaurant when I get a break. If I get a break.”

I stop and give her a stern look. “You better eat, Mrs. Stevens. Promise me.”

A frown covers her face. “I promise, Mr. Stevens. And stop calling me that. I call your mother that. It’s weird.”

I put my arm around her shoulders and say, “You could call her mom if you wanted to. It might soften her up some, to have you act more like a daughter.”

“I don’t think she wants me to act like that at all after her freak-out when you told her we went to Vegas and got married. I have the feeling she thinks you’ve made a bad mistake with me. Then we got pregnant right away and fueled her fire even more.”

“Once she sees that little baby, she’ll come around. We’ll have to get up there more often, once the baby comes,” I say.

“I don’t see how we can afford it any better than we can now. We haven’t been home since we left,” she reminds me.

I give her shoulder a nudge with mine. “You’re grouchy, Ally. You need to sleep more.”

“I wish I could, Kyle. I wish I could. Here we are. I turn right here and you turn left,” she says.

I let her go. “I love you, Ally. See you around midnight,” I say, then kiss the top of her head.

“Bye, Kyle, I love you too,” she says as I walk away.

I turn to look back at her, feeling like she’s sad about something. I see her accidentally bump into someone with her stomach. Then hear her say, “Sorry, I don’t always realize how big I am.”

“No need to apologize. It’s my fault. Have a nice day,” a guy with wavy brown hair on top and short sides says as he almost bows.

I turn and watch him walk down the sidewalk past me. He shoots me a smile and I look back to see my wife checking him out.

* * *

“I can’t believe these people,” I hear Eden say as he stands just outside the bedroom door. His voice woke me up and it becomes apparent I’m dreaming about Ally. That’s not good.

I rub my eyes and blink. My dreams come flooding back to me. I close my eyes as I see Laura has spotted me awake.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” she says with a smile.

“Good morning, babe.”

Eden’s voice comes from the hall again. “Get dressed, Alyssa,” he tells her, then shuts their door.

He sounds mad.

What is going on in my head? Why am I dreaming that Ally and I are married and having a baby?

A baby girl. We would’ve had a baby girl if she was never chosen to be a bird.

I wonder if she saw my dream somehow and Eden saw it through her. That would probably make him pretty mad.

“I’m making scrambled eggs,” Laura says as she gets up. “Come to the kitchen after you get dressed.”

I hurry to clean myself up and get dressed. I want to talk to Ally before I see Eden and maybe reveal more than I should.

As I head down the stairs, I can hear Laura talking in the kitchen. “How could I not like it, Al? It’s beyond perfect. Breakfast is almost done. Kyle’s coming down any minute. I saw Eden go out the door to the garage. You wanna go get him?”

I put the truck keys the foundation gave me in my pocket. I give my pocket a jangle to be sure they’re in there. Rocketing through the living room, I make it out the front door without Laura seeing me.

Ally’s car is gone, which means Eden went somewhere in it. I jog around to the garage and see Ally running her hand along the side of my new truck.

“Hey, Ally, I was just thinking about you. Thank you for giving me the best present anyone could ever give me,” I say, remembering one of the things I said to her in the dream I had about making love to her.

She blinks in rapid succession, then says, “I didn’t buy it, Kyle. I just told them what you might like.”

I take her hand, pulling her towards the driver’s side door of the tall truck. “Come on. I’ll give you a real quick ride,” I say and then take her by the waist, picking her up into the driver’s seat, just like I used to.

She scoots over, just like she used to, as I climb into the driver’s seat. “It’s so nice, Kyle. I haven’t been in it yet.”

She starts to scoot all the way over, but I grab her arm, stopping her from moving further from me. “Look, Ally, it has satellite radio. How cool is that? What am I saying? Your car has that too. I’m not used to all this yet.”

She begins to fiddle with the radio like she always does. “How did you like driving my car here from New Orleans?” she asks.

I look over her shoulder as she finds some crappy hard rock station. “Oh, it’s a damn cool car, Ally. But it ain’t no truck, girl.”

I start the engine and it’s loud. She looks at me with the excitement of a little kid. I back out of the garage, then drive down a dirt road that runs around the privacy fenced yard to the back of the property.

We come out of the tall pine trees to find a pasture with an old barn and a pond. “Check this out, Ally. We can have horses, and cows, and whatever we want.”

Ally looks down. “Eden told me we would be going back to New Orleans this morning. For some odd reason he went to town to get something first, but he told me to get dressed before he left. I guess we’ll be leaving soon after he gets back.”

I wonder why that is? The plane spotting them, maybe.

I pull up in front of the old barn, then jump out, holding my hand out to Ally. I’m careful not to let her body run down mine as I place her on the ground. I lead her to it. It’s a little dark. There are a couple of large stalls and a few doors. I open one of the doors up.

I pull the door open and we see a quilt lying on the old wooden floor. I look around the dark little room and see a candle half burned and an empty bottle of bourbon. My mind is reeling now. I feel hot at my memory of Ally in my dream and us on that blanket.

“I just remembered I was supposed to get Eden to come in and eat breakfast. Laura’s going to kill us,” Ally says as she turns and heads back to the truck.

She grabs at the door handle to climb back into the truck, but can’t reach it. I place my hand on her waist. “Turn around, Ally. I’ll lift you up.”

As she turns to me I can see it in her eyes. I send her a scene from my dream and she closes her eyes, dropping her head to rest on my chest.

“You too, huh?” she asks.

I hold her hand, and we share the dreams we’ve had. They’re exactly the same.

“Why do you think this is happening?” I ask.

“I’ve no idea,” she says and looks up at me. “Last night, when I had the first dream, Eden was a physical part of it. It was awful and he was hurt.”

She touches my hand again and I see what happened between them. I feel sick at my stomach. “We need to stop this if at all possible, Al.”

Let’s get back to the house. I really don’t want Laura to be upset with us for missing her first breakfast in her new house,” she says.

I lift her up and place her on the seat of the truck. She slides all the way over.

I look over at her and can’t help but to feel awful. “Eden knows it’s not really happening, Ally. I’ll have a talk with him.”

Ally’s car is still not back when I pull into the garage. “Laura is probably fuming by now,” I say.

I take Ally by the hand again. “Come on, All. Let’s face the wrath of Laura together. Maybe that way it won’t be so bad.”

“I know we’re in trouble,” I tell Laura as we enter the kitchen.

“No, you just missed breakfast,” she tells us, rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher.

“Let me help you, Laura,” Ally says.

“No, Ally. Where the hell did you go?” Why didn’t you take me?” she asks us.

I realize I still have Ally’s hand in mine. I let go and move towards Laura, holding my arms out. She isn’t having any of that, though. “No hugs!” she snaps as she moves away from me. “Not right now. I’m mad at you two.”

“I guess you had better get a dog today. You’ll need company in the dog house,” Ally tells me.

“Oh, he’ll have plenty of company because you and Eden will be in there with him,” she snaps at Ally.

Eden opens the front door, holding a box. “I found baby ducks,” he calls out happily.

Ally almost bounces over to him. He lifts a little black duck up out of the box. “I’m naming mine Daffy,” he says as he cradles the little duck.

“That’s where you were? Buying ducks?” Laura asks.

Eden looks at her. “Yeah, why?”

“I made my first ever breakfast in my first ever house and no one showed up for it. Just me and the garbage disposal had any,” she whines.

Eden sets the box down on the bar, then reaches in to get a cute little yellow duck, taking it to her. “Please just hold this little duck, Laura. It’ll make you feel better and I promise we’ll never ever miss another one of your meals again. If you should ever decide to cook for us again, that is.”

Laura holds the little duck for a minute. A smile spreads over her face finally. She reaches out to hug Eden. “Thanks for the duck, Eden. I love it already.”

Eden brings the box over to Ally. “Would you like to choose a duck, Alyssa?”

There’s one yellow one and one black one left. “I like the little black one,” she tells him as she picks it up and holds it close to heart.

My eyes roam over her breast for a mere second before I regain my control.

We have got to get this shit under control, before we hurt everyone who’s important to us.

CHAPTER 63

EDEN

The girls wait by the fire we built near the pond so we could let the little ducklings swim. Kyle and I are in the woods, searching for more wood for it. My mate and I had a conversation about the two of them earlier and I think it’s time I had a talk with him.

“Alyssa told me about your dream,” I say. “Seems the two of you are having some fun.”

Kyle looks up at me as he reaches for another log. “Fun?” he asks. “I’d not call it that, Eden. I’d call it torture.”

“So making love to Alyssa is torture to you?” I ask.

Kyle turns his back to me as he reaches down for another piece of wood. “It’s not real, Eden.”

“My mate tells me it felt like it was,” I say. “Please, Kyle, I’d like us to have an honest relationship.”

Kyle stops looking for more things to pick up and looks me in the eye. “What do you want to know, dude?” he asks. “You want the truth?”

“Of course,” I say.

He shakes his head. “No, man, you don’t.”

I look away and watch a silk spider’s web blow in the breeze.

He’s right.

“So are we supposed to pretend it’s not happening?” I ask.

He finds a pine cone and picks it up. “Don’t ask me. This is new to me. I can promise you only one thing. I’ll never be able to get physical with your wife. Not in real life.”

“Can I ask you something?” I ask.

He nods.

“If you could and if it wouldn’t hurt anyone, would you?” I ask.

He puts down his arm full of wood and comes to me. His hand lands on my shoulder. “I love her, Eden.”

His words feel like a hammer to my heart. “I know you do.”

He gives me a quick pat and turns away. “There’s no reason to go into scenarios where we get to have our cake and eat it too,” he says, then turns back. “I mean, even if you gave us your blessing to screw the hell out of each other, we could never do that. It isn’t in any of us to hurt each other in any way.”

“I could never give my blessing for that anyway,” I say.

“Of course you couldn’t. I’d wanna whip your ass if you did,” he says with a chuckle.

“I’m sorry, you know,” I say. “I’ve told my wife plenty of times how sorry I am about not following advice which was given to me to have her brought to me when she was thirteen. Yet I’ve never told you.”

“Sorry?” Kyle asks. “What in the world is there to be sorry about? What you see as a mistake, I see as great luck for me. I’m something I could have never been, thanks to you.”

“You don’t feel mad about this in any way?” I ask.

“I did,” he says. “At first. She’s in my life forever, yet I can’t have her physically and I long to. Then I think about people who have it worse. Real victims, real disabilities, real sorrow, and real pain. What do I have? Super powers, no worry over money ever, and great people who have my back while I have theirs.”

“You’ve found the bright side,” I say as I pick up a piece of wood. “It’s a hard life I’ve made for us all.”

“No, man, it’s a great life, Eden,” he says. “Look, we can’t help what happens in our damn dreams. I’m sure plenty of other shit will be worse than Ally and I leading a dream life together. Hell, I don’t even sleep eight hours a day. So you get her all the waking hours.”

I laugh and he laughs too. “Well, at least I have her more.”

“Yeah,” he says. “And what about me? Sure, Ally and I are having a dream baby, but you and she will have actual babies, ones you can hold and watch grow up. Our dreams could end today. Your life together is real and tangible, dude.”

I nod and look up at the darkening sky through the tall pines. “Our Creator must be quite the jokester.”

The bay of a hound dog sounds out in the tall, piney woods which surround the pasture. I look at Kyle as he picks up another piece of wood for the fire. “They sound close.”

He nods. “We better get back to the girls.”

CHAPTER 64

ALYSSA

The sound of dogs prompts Laura and me to gather up the ducklings and put them in the box in the back of Kyle’s truck.

“We need to cover the box with something, like a rag or something. It’ll make them stop quacking and go to sleep,” Laura says as she reaches into the truck, retrieving a small towel.

I wink at her. “Such a good mother you will make.”

She laughs. “I can’t have kids. I have to take care of you two.”

My jaw drops. “Laura, you can have kids. When I get pregnant, you should too. That would be perfect.”

Her eyebrows go up, as do her hands. She speaks with them often. “Ally! I’m not married. I can’t promise you that.”

The tilt of my head lets her know I know better than that. “That boy would make an honest woman out of you, Laura.”

She gives me her no-nonsense look she’s so good at. “Al, I don’t know for sure that he and I will end up married. I won’t marry him just because of our commitment to you two, or if I managed to get knocked up by him either.”

“I see. Looks like this guardian thing has both of you feeling the same way. Kyle said just about the same thing to me earlier. I’ll tell you what I told him. I don’t want you two to feel like you have to be together because of this situation. Be together, or don’t. It will change nothing.”

She tucks the ducklings in and pushes the box up into the bed of the truck. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Kyle and I had a talk earlier this morning. We might give our physical relationship a break for a while.”

My eyes go wide, because who would agree to that nonsense? “Why in the hell would you do that? Whose idea was that? What are you thinking?”

“Okay, Ally, slow down on the questions,” she says as she turns to face me. “We both came to that conclusion. Kyle told me about you knowing he had trouble choosing between the two of us all the way back when he was fifteen.”

“That should help you to see he’s liked you from way back. That shouldn’t make you question how you feel about him or he feels about you now.”

Her foot kicks at the dirt as she looks down at it. “The problem is the physical aspect of it all. He never thought about me in any other way except the physical way. He wanted my body, not my mind.”

Taking her by the shoulders, I say, “He loves your mind now, though. It takes a little while to find things like that out, you know.”

She smiles at me. “You know I had started to like him about the same time he started to like you.”

“I saw things from your perspective too, Laura. I don’t know if he told you about our kiss—the one that started it all. Honestly, Laura, it was barely a kiss. His lips touched mine for a fraction of a second.”

“Well, that fraction made him decide you were the one.”

I shake my head. “No, Cody did. He told Kyle he would lose us both if he tried anything with you after that. Cody did that because he wanted to start seeing you.”

“Prick! Anyway, all Kyle and I did for the month we went back home to Cloudcroft is a lot of nothing. I hung out with his mother, as he constantly asked me to take her here or there. He stayed in his room, moping over you. The day you asked him to come to New Orleans, he perked right back up,” Laura says and looks up at the night sky. “I broke up with him for all of five minutes. Then he said the words, ‘I love you,’ and I fell back onto the Kyle train with no hesitation.”

“Then getting to know each other better will help you to develop a deeper relationship,” I say. “It may just take some time.”

“We were back at it, Ally. Once he said the magic words, we got right back in bed together and haven’t stopped, until last night. After the ceremony, he was different. He was all about you again. Not out loud, mind you, but internally. When I touched him, he ever so gently pushed me away, claiming he was tired. Just like he did when we went back home.”

Telling her about our dreams is a no go.

I send Kyle, ‘Do not under any circumstances tell Laura about our dreams. She’s not going to take it well.’ Then I send the same message to Eden.

“Have you seen us together, in the future?” she asks me.

“I haven’t seen the future that far in advance. I just saw that we would all be here and have that ceremony. Nothing past that.”

She peers at me from under her thick lashes. “Could you try to see it?”

“I don’t know how to do that, but I want you to know I think you would be crazy not to keep your relationship going just as you have been.”

“It isn’t all up to me, Ally. He has to want it too. He stayed away from me as we talked—the little that we did—about not being physical with each other for a while.”

“I think that will pass,” I say. “The commitment ceremony has him confused. I can tell. He hasn’t ever made such a commitment before. He doesn’t know what he’s feeling right now.”

“Honestly, Ally, I know he’s feeling a lot more for you again. I heard him in his sleep last night. He said, ‘Say my name, Ally,’ then a little later he said, ‘Who do you belong to, Ally.’ This was accompanied by a few groans,” she says as she rolls her eyes.

Good Lord! At least she’s not aware of what we’ve got going on. She’d have a shit fit, and leave. I’d never blame her either.

“Did he say anything to you once he woke up?” I ask.

“No, and I couldn’t bring myself to ask him about it. I guess I don’t really want to know.”

“Yeah,” I say. “He probably doesn’t even remember the dumb dream. I wouldn’t bring it up to him. That’d just be a really dumb argument, you know?”

She nods. The guys come back out of the woods with more wood for the fire, stopping our conversation. “We can talk more about this later, Laura.”

“This dude has eagle eyes,” Kyle says as he motions towards Eden. “It’s so dark out there and he just kept finding one piece of wood after another. I couldn’t see a thing.”

I look at Eden. “The bird thing?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t think so. I’ve always been able to see well in the dark.”

The sound of several hound dogs barking gets closer. “Did you see those dogs when you were out there?” Laura asks them.

“No, they seem to be getting closer,” Eden says. “I’m sure someone’s hunting raccoons or something like that. They use dogs for that type of hunting.”

The sound of one of the hounds baying comes from the tree line. Then the dog appears in the pasture, followed by more dogs and more barks.

“Um, guys, is that how they normally hunt, by coming up to people?” I ask.

Eden and Kyle turn to see the pack of around twelve dogs coming towards us from across the pasture. “Maybe we should go back inside,” I say.

The dogs start running as fast as they can towards us. I move farther back into the bed of the truck, as does Laura. The dogs are not slowing down and they begin to bark differently, like they’ve caught something.

“Eden, get in the truck,” Kyle tells him.

Eden looks at him for a second, but then does what Kyle said to. He sits on the tailgate, but has to move back quickly as one of the dogs jumps at him. Suddenly all the dogs have surrounded the truck and are barking like crazy. Kyle stands where he’s been standing all along. They don’t seem to even notice him.

“It’s the dogs from last night,” Eden tells me. “They know it’s us, Alyssa.”

A shot rings out from the edge of the pasture as several men come out of the woods. They begin to come toward us. “Laura, please climb through the back window of the truck. There’s a handgun underneath the driver’s seat. Stay in the back seat and use it if you have to,” Kyle tells her as quietly as he can over the noise of the barking dogs.

She moves quickly through the open back window, making it into the truck before the men get up to us. “I found it, Kyle,” she says.

“These your dogs?” Kyle asks the men as they approach us.

“Yep,” one of the men answers him.

“You might want to get them outta here. They’re kinda fuckin’ up our night,” Kyle says.

“They sure are barking like they treed something,” another one of the men comments.

Kyle offers an explanation, “Well, we have some baby ducks in the back of the truck, so they must think they have something, but they don’t.”

An older man asks, “Y’all are new around here?”

Kyle nods. “Yes, sir. We just moved here from Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Me and my wife are going to UT in the fall. Our friends are visiting us for a while. They helped us move in.”

“You had a big party last night,” the older man says.

“A housewarming party. Where abouts do you live, if you don’t mind me asking,” Kyle asks.

“Oh, about twenty minutes up the road. Did you people notice a loud jet airplane flying around last night?”

Kyle nods again. “We did. The noise from it broke up our party last night. Does that type of thing happen a lot around here?”

“No. I have a police scanner at home. The plane was watching something fly and lost it about right here,” the man says.

“We were all outside. We saw nothing but the loud jet plane. If he had seen something, we should have seen it too,” Kyle tells him.

“Quiet them dogs down, Jimmy!” the older man yells.

“I can’t get them to quit, Bob,” the one who must be Jimmy answers.

“I tell you what, boy. What did you say your name was anyway?” he asks.

“I’m Kyle Stevens.”

The old guy’s eyes narrow and he starts wagging his finger at Kyle. “Well, let me tell you what I think, Kyle Stevens. I think you did see something and I think you’re hiding whatever them things is.”

Kyle laughs. “Sir, I don’t know how you’re used to doing things down here in Texas. Where I come from, no one comes onto another person’s property and accuses them of such ridiculous things. Now you and your friends and this pack of dogs need to leave my property now, or I will call the police.”

“Oh, I must have forgotten to introduce myself to you, son. I am the police. My name is Sheriff Hardy. Two of these guys here are my deputies and that man over there is Judge Picket.”

Oh my God, what have we gotten ourselves into?

We’re getting off on the wrong foot immediately with the law here. I find I’m standing up before I realize what I’m doing.

“Shhh,” I say to the dogs and miraculously they all stop barking. The men all look up at me, astonished.

Kyle is dumbfounded, but somehow finds his voice. “This is Kat. She’s an animal trainer,” he offers for my feat.

“It’s a pleasure to meet such distinguished members of this community,” I say.

I walk to the back of the truck, holding my hand out for Kyle to help me down. He takes my hand and helps me jump down. The dogs all sit at once as my feet hit the ground.

“Who taught you to train animals, young lady?” the sheriff asks me.

“My grandfather back in New Mexico. He was a full-blooded Navajo.” I lie, and then I reach out to pet one of the dogs on the head.

“He might bite ya,” the guy called Jimmy cautions me.

“I highly doubt that,” I say as I stroke the top of the dog’s head, making him wag his tail.

“Would you look at that?” one of the men says under his breath.

“I think it’s time for us to be getting this fire put out and going back up to the house. Thanks for stopping by,” I say.

I motion for Eden to get down too. He comes down and stands beside me. The men seem puzzled, but call to the dogs, and begin to walk back the way they came from, mumbling as they go. One of the dogs turns around and runs back to me and Eden, wagging its tail like crazy. I pet his head, as does Eden.

I lean down to the dog. “Good boy. Now go back,” I say, and then he turns and leaves us.

Laura climbs out of the back seat of the truck and walks over to help us put the fire out. Then we get back in the truck and go up to the house.

Once inside, Kyle makes a big whooping sound. “Okay, Ally, you have to let us in on your secret. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Don’t you mean Kat,” I say with a giggle. “Where did you come up with that name?”

Kyle laughs. “I have no idea. My mind was all, what the hell is she doing? I had almost no control of what came out of my mouth.”

Eden begins to laugh. “Navajo grandfather, Alyssa? I almost laughed out loud.”

“That was terrifying,” Laura yells at us. “These people are backwoods. I mean, the sherriff and his posse can just roll up in your pasture like it’s no big deal, ask you a lot of questions, and accuse you of shit.”

Eden moves to stand beside Laura. “Laura’s right, guys. We should stop joking about this.”

“It was tense, Laura,” Kyle tells her. “We’re just trying to lessen the tension with a little laughter. Try it sometime.”

Laura’s face goes red.

Oh, hell, here it goes!

“You are a child, Kyle,” she yells and throws her arms around close to his head. “I don’t know how they could have chosen you to keep them safe. We should have gotten in the truck right away and brought them back to the house. That scene should have never happened.”

“Laura!” I shout. “Stop. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

She ignores me as she directs her anger straight at Kyle. “Then you let Ally get out of the truck. You helped her out, for God’s sakes,” she yells at him. “Those fucking dogs could’ve ripped her apart. Then what? You don’t think. You don’t fucking think!”

Kyle looks shell shocked. “Why don’t you tell me how you really feel, Laura?”

“Okay, Laura,” Eden says as he takes her hands in his, standing in front of her and looking into her eyes. “We’re all okay. That is what’s most important. I can see we need to work a lot more on how we handle situations. You’re right about the danger we put ourselves in. However, Kyle is not to blame for any of this.”

Laura shakes her head back and forth. “The hell he isn’t.”

“This is my fault, Laura. I shouldn’t have taken the chance of flying around a place that’s so close to the capital of Texas. It was dumb and reckless of me,” Eden tells her.

“You just wanted to have some fun with your wife, Eden,” she tells him. “You two have had little fun and so much more drama. You saw a chance to cut loose and you took it. The reason I’m upset with Kyle is because he needs to take this commitment to your safety seriously.”

Kyle moves towards her as he sees Eden has finally calmed her down. “I’m sorry, Laura,” Kyle tells her. “You’re right. I should’ve directed that a whole lot better. I am a little new to this, though, so cut me some slack, please.”

She smiles at Eden, then takes her hands out of his, turning to Kyle. “I’m a bitch. I know that. I’m sorry for over-reacting.”

“You are not a bitch,” Kyle tells her as he takes her in his arms. “You take your responsibilities very seriously and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Eden comes to me, putting his arm around my waist. “Let’s give them some privacy,” he whispers in my ear as he leads me quietly up the stairs.

“You want them to be happy together, don’t you?” Eden asks me as we sit on the bed in the guest room.

“I do, but we may have to get used to the fact they might not be together.”

“Why would you say that, Alyssa?”

Changing into a silky, red nightie, I glance at him as I say, “Like so many relationships, this one is built on their physical want for each other and that seldom lasts. At least, according to my mother’s theories.”

“I see. She must have confided in you,” Eden says.

“Yeah, and get this, Eden. She heard him dreaming last night. That’s why I sent you guys the message not to say anything about how he and I are sharing them.”

A knock sounds at our bedroom door. “Can I come in?” Kyle asks.

I slip under the blanket to cover myself, then Eden answers, “Yes.”

The door opens, revealing a very unhappy Kyle. “Laura left.”

I pick up my cell phone and call her, but she doesn’t answer, so I call her again. “She still isn’t answering her phone.”

“I don’t like this at all. Why would she do this?” Eden asks me.

“Do you think she’s going back to Cloudcroft?” Kyle asks me.

“I don’t know. Kyle, tell us what happened, exactly as it happened,” I say.

Kyle sits down on the bed. “I thought everything was going all right between us after that fight. Then she went all crazy again, telling me I didn’t really love her and I only wanted her for her body. Like a dumbass, I agreed with her, then she stormed out the front door.”

I shake my head. “I can’t believe you said that to her. Are you trying to get her to break up with you?”

“I’m not, Ally. It just came out of my mouth before I could stop it. You don’t know what a jackass I feel like. If she would just answer her phone, I know I could make it better,” Kyle says. “I was just kidding!”

“How long exactly do you think it was before you went outside to look for her?” Eden asks.

Kyle plays with the bottom of his shirt, something he does when he’s nervous. “I waited about thirty minutes, so she and I both could cool off. Then I walked out to see the garage door open and her car gone.”

“She never came back inside the house. Did she have her keys with her?” Eden asks him.

“The keys were in it. She left them in it. She has a very bad habit of doing that.”

“It’s just going to take her a little while to calm down. She has the credit card we gave her. She’ll probably stay at a motel and come back, or at least call one of us, in the morning,” I say.

“It’s late. Let’s get some rest. I’m sure she’ll be back before we know it,” Eden says.

“I’m going to sleep on the sofa, so I can hear her if she comes back,” Kyle tells us.

“See you in the morning, Kyle. It’s going to be okay. I love you,” I tell him as he leaves our bedroom.

He turns back to look at me. “Thanks, Ally. I love you too. Eden, I’m sorry for making more drama. You guys get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning,” Kyle tells us, then shuts our bedroom door behind him.

Eden stands up, taking my hand as he does and pulling me up as well. He turns and slips his arms around me, hugging me tightly to him. His breath tickles my neck as he nuzzles it.

I giggle a little at the sensation. His hands move up my back, pushing the straps of my nightgown down once he reaches my shoulders. The light weight of it moves off of my shoulders. The softness of his lips on my shoulder makes my knees weak.

“You are mine, Alyssa,” Eden says as his hot breath warms my neck.

My eyes fly open with his words. “Eden, don’t,” I say, but he cuts me off.

He grabs a handful of my hair, pulling it so that my neck is exposed. Suddenly his mouth is on my neck, biting me. I rake my nails down his back. He stops, then tosses me down on the bed. Quickly, he undresses. My heart is pounding in my chest.

He turns and walks out of the room, into the bathroom. I hear the shower start.

What the hell? What is he doing?

I walk into the bathroom to find him in the shower. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” he replies offhandedly.

“Eden, you started something in the bedroom. Don’t you want to finish it?”

“Do you?” he asks me.

I look down, feeling embarrassed. “Damn, Eden, do you want me to beg you or what?”

“Maybe. Why don’t you join me in here and we can see if you can convince me,” he says as he opens the glass shower door.

I step in and look up at him. “What can I do to convince you?”

A smile crosses his lips and a twinkle shines in his gorgeous emerald eyes. “I’m sure you can think of something. I have faith in your abilities, Mrs. Fontaine.”

CHAPTER 65

ALYSSA

A bright white light is shining in my eyes. Kyle is standing on one side of me. I’m so hot and sweaty. A sudden tightness wraps around my stomach. I look down to see what’s squeezing me. All I see is a light blue sheet. My legs are up in some type of a device. I can’t move them. They’re strapped down.

“You’re doing great, Ally,” Kyle tells me and then taps my forehead with a damp washcloth.

Through clenched teeth, I say, “It hurts Kyle. It hurts so badly.”

Kyle pats my leg and I feel like choking him. “Ally, it won’t be long now and she’ll be here. Just try to be tough, okay?”

My words come out a bit louder than I mean them to as I yell, “I don’t want to do this anymore. I changed my mind. It hurts too badly. I want drugs. I want them now.”

“It’s too late for that, Mrs. Stevens,” a man in a white mask who’s standing at the end of the bed tells me.

The squeezing stops and I can breathe again. “Kyle, please never do this to me again.”

Kyle leans down, kissing me on top of my head. “I’m so sorry, Ally. I thought you were ready for this. You just have to get through it. You’ll be holding your daughter before you know it.”

The squeezing starts again. “No, no, no!”

The man at the end of the bed tells me, “Mrs. Stevens, you need to breathe.”

“I can’t,” I yell at him. “Where’s my mom? I need my mom.”

Kyle holds my hand, or rather, I’m squeezing his. “She’ll be here as soon as she can. You went into labor earlier than expected. Don’t you remember, Al?”

The pain eases up and Kyle takes his hand away from me, rubbing it. I look at my hand, which has an IV in it. It’s not him who has to endure this pain. He’s just standing there, feeling nothing. This isn’t fair. And the squeezing starts again.

The doctor glances at me over the sheet. “I can see the top of her head,”

Kyle smiles and it makes me want to smack that smile right off his face. “Okay, Al, it’s almost over.”

On top of the squeezing, I feel an uncontrollable need to push. “I have to push,” I yell.

The doctor looks at me and says, “Not yet.” He’s completely messing up my world.

“What?” I yell.

Kyle puts his hand in mine and kisses my forehead. “Ally, just do what the doctor tells you.”

This is all too much. Neither one of them feels this pain or this urgency to push. “Fuck you both, I’m pushing.”

The doctor’s tone is stern as he says, “The cord is wrapped around your baby’s neck. If you push before I unwrap it, you’ll choke her.” His words take the little bit of air I had in my lungs away.

Pressure on my shoulder makes me look up at Kyle. His jaw is set and his tone commanding as he says, “Alyssa, get ahold of yourself. That’s our daughter. You can do what you have to so she doesn’t get hurt.”