The Vow (Black Arrowhead #1) - Dannika Dark Page 0,24
time to think of a better approach.
I looked at my reflection. All the smeared eyeliner and lipstick was gone, so without makeup, my freckles were noticeable. I was born with pouty lips, but they were more swollen than usual after I’d nibbled on them so much in the past hour.
My fingers traced over my black bra, the fabric too big since my breasts didn’t fill the cups completely. Did Lakota notice the woman I’ve become? My waist was no longer as narrow as a pencil, and aside from my colorful hair, there was nothing childlike in my features. I was a full-fledged Shifter. Could he sense the wolf inside me?
As I hooked my thumbs in my black bikini bottom, I remembered the lustful looks when I’d entered the bar earlier. Then I thought about the way Shikoba’s tribe had looked at me indifferently. And Lakota was one of them. I didn’t fit their mold of beauty. Hell, I didn’t seem to fit anyone’s.
I sighed and flipped off the light before padding into the bedroom. Normally I didn’t sleep in a bra, but my plan was to sit up for a while. Though my stomach was all right, my head was throbbing from dehydration. I’d somehow managed to build up an appetite again, but the area didn’t have any places to eat that I’d noticed. I turned in a circle, searching for my pants. I’d made those pants, and the last place I wanted them was lying on the dirty floor of a motel room.
Just as I bent over to collect them, hinges squeaked behind me. With my ass to the door, I frantically lifted my pants to cover my chest and whirled around.
Lakota stood frozen, eyes wide, a sack in one hand and the card key in the other. “Uh…” He quickly turned around and shut the door, still facing the wall. “I thought you were, uh—”
“Don’t you knock?” I quickly stepped into my jeans and yanked them up. With my tank top still drying in the bathroom, I clutched the pillow and hugged it tight. “I thought you left.”
“I had to move the Jeep and grab a few things.”
“Why do you have my key?”
“Can I turn around?”
I rested my chin on the top of the pillow. “Yes.”
He set the bag on the table and held up the card. “I didn’t want you sneaking out while I was gone.” He flicked it next to his phone and strode toward me.
Each step he took made my heart fall to the same rhythm. “Wh-What are you doing?” I sputtered. “I’m not dressed.”
As he rounded the bed, he slowly peeled off his white T-shirt with a black arrowhead printed on the front and held it between his fingers. “Put this on.”
When Lakota turned around, I slipped into his tight shirt, which hung loose on my body. It smelled like him, and I resisted pulling the fabric up to my nose and drawing in a deep breath. Staring at his muscular back wasn’t helping my self-control either.
“How did you get in the first time?” I asked.
“It’s an old motel. When you close the door, you need to lift the handle all the way back into place, or it doesn’t shut. That’s why a lot of shady stuff goes down in this place and why Shikoba sent me here to protect you.”
I flipped my hair out from beneath the collar.
“Ready?” he asked.
When he turned, I casually tucked my hands in my pockets.
He cocked his head to the side and studied me closely. “Little Melody’s all grown-up.”
“I’ve been grown-up.”
“Tall, yes. Grown-up? No. When did you go through your first change?”
“What makes you think I have?”
He leaned in slowly and drew in a deep breath. When he spoke, his voice was smoky and quiet. “Because my wolf can smell it.”
I shivered and stepped back. “Is that why you were sniffing me back at the bar?”
Lakota chuckled and arched an eyebrow. “You haven’t changed.”
Jerking my head toward the table, I asked, “What’s in the bag?”
“That depends.” Lakota reached out unexpectedly and tucked my hair behind my ears. It wasn’t a gesture meant to be affectionate; he was trying to get a better look at my eyes. “How are you feeling?”
I pulled my hands from my pockets and shrugged. “Better, I guess.”
He ensnared my wrist and led me toward the table by the door. “Good. I want you to eat something before you go to bed. You have a long drive home in the morning.”