One Insatiable(22)

The girls cheeks flame, and she fixes her gaze on her plate. She only has one small chicken wing, which she hasn’t touched.

“Mercy!” Doris snaps. “Mercy Quinlan? What was she doing bowling?”

“You should’ve seen her, Aunt D, Mercy’s like a scratch bowler or something. She kicked our butts.” Jim talks between bites of chicken, and his chin is shiny with grease.

“Her sister must be out of town again.” The old woman speaks under her breath. She stabs at her mashed potatoes and gravy seeming lost in thought.

She has my full attention on this subject. “I was impressed,” I say, hoping they’ll say more.

No such luck. Sally touches Jim’s arm, and he picks up a paper napkin to wipe his face. “Sorry, bro, I gotta get Sally back to her house. I told her mom we’d have lunch with them after mass.”

“What!” Doris snaps at him.

“Yeah, they’re members over at St. Michaels.” He’s on his feet, helping Sally up. “I’m meeting them for the first time.”

“Must be serious,” Doris mutters, pushing out of her chair and holding her cheek up for him to kiss.

“I’ll check on you later,” he says before heading to the door.

I take my chance to escape with them. Picking up my plate, I carry it to the sink.

“Oh, thanks for cleaning up, Kona!” The old lady lifts her cane and slowly makes her way to the living room leaving me facing a table of dirty dishes.

A quick scan tells me there’s no dishwasher — besides my two hands. Big f*cking surprise. I shake my head and pick up three more plates before crossing the small space to the sink. At this rate, I’ll never get to the woods.





Lost and Found





Mercy


Sitting on the rocky cliff overlooking the creek below, I hold my shirt, fanning it back and forth to circulate air around my torso. I’ve been hiking all day in the warm sunshine, and I’m two seconds from losing these clothes and diving into the cool waters below. At this time of year, it’s too cold for the average human, but I find it soothing to my heated blood. I haven’t shifted all day, mostly because I’ve been on the move too much, and I don’t feel like stowing my clothes.

I started out on the complete opposite end of town at Fool’s Gold Cliff, and dug up a few chunks of pyrite from the cliff face for good luck. The area was too populated with families and groups of hikers for my mood, so I rounded to the north to Nightmoon Lake then followed the creek back around and into the forest.

Only once did I hesitate, when I found myself in the little clearing where I’d first encountered Koa that magical night last week. I sat on the grass and had a moment remembering everything we’d done. We hadn’t only made love, I’d told him about the town and a little about me. Not too much, of course, as I believed him when he said he was just passing through.

It’s all spoiled now. After the way I acted at the gym and at the Spare Lounge, I can’t blame him if he never wants to speak to me again. I haven’t decided if this means I’m having second thoughts. Plucking a blade of grass, I split it down the center with my fingernail and pull it apart. I would like to talk to him again.

“What are you doing out here alone?” The stern, deep voice causes me to scream, and I’m pretty sure I jumped a foot off the ground.

Standing now, I’m face to face with the devil himself. Koa is in the woods behind a small tree. At the sight of his luscious bare chest, I know he’s come out of his shifter state. Too bad the foliage hides him from the waist down.

“I’m sorry?” My voice is still a little shaken from the fright, but I’m annoyed by his overbearing tone. “Am I not allowed to hike by myself anymore?”

His brow furrows, and I can tell he’d like to confront me. Watching him stand there, glowering at me, unable to come out because he’s nude, I start to giggle.

“What’s so funny?” He growls, which makes me laugh louder. “Mercy…”

“I’m sorry!” Shaking my head, I touch the tears in my eyes with my fingertips. “I was actually thinking I’d like to talk to you, and here you are… Only, you’re shouting at me from behind a bush naked.”

It’s so ridiculous, I start to laugh again, but this time when he speaks, his tone is gentler. “You shouldn’t be in the woods alone. It’s dangerous.”

“I’m not afraid.”

Stepping a little closer to where he stands, I want to say so much to him. I want to explain why I said what I did at the gym. I want to explain my entire life and why it’s best if we don’t see each other right now — maybe when we’re in California, but not now.

It’s when I remember the feeling I had last night at the window, and a surge of warmth blooms in my chest. “Were you at my house last night?”

His chin drops, but he answers me. “Yes. I’m trying to honor your wishes and stay away, but… I can’t explain what’s happening, what I’ve encountered.”

I’m so accustomed to mysterious things happening in Woodland Creek, I’m less concerned with his experience than how his presence affects me.

“Thank you for being there last night. I slept better than I have in weeks knowing you were there.”