The Werewolf Dates The Deputy - Kristen Painter Page 0,35
expected Titus to ask next what Eric had done. That’s what people always did. Asked for details about the really painful stuff.
But a long, quiet moment passed before he spoke, and that wasn’t what he said at all.
“If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here. You can yell, cry, scream, rant, whatever you need. I know firsthand how much someone you care about can turn your world upside down.”
She looked at him. Just a sideways glance through a few tendrils of loose hair, but it was enough to see how sincere he was. “I bet you do.”
He genuinely cared. Wasn’t mad—anymore—about what she’d said to him in the hot tub. Wasn’t holding a grudge. He just wanted her to know he was available if she needed someone to listen to her.
She saw him with new eyes. Really saw him for the kind and caring man he was. She’d been utterly and completely wrong about him. And all because she’d let her past color her view of him.
That understanding was such a revelation that it caught her off guard and sent a shiver through her, which was exacerbated by the wet clothes she still wore.
Without hesitation, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. She leaned in. “I’m really sorry,” she whispered.
“I forgive you. I promise.”
“Thank you. But I’m also really sorry things didn’t work out between you and Zoe.”
A moment of silence passed. “Thanks. I was sorry, too, for a long time. Still am, most days. But I think it’s time I got past that.” He squeezed her shoulder where his hand was resting. “I’m sorry about what Eric did to you.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you kill him?”
His startling question caused a laugh to bubble out of her from deep down inside and burst out with such force that her whole body rocked back. “What? No! But he probably deserved it.”
Titus grinned. “Don’t you kill anyone who crosses you?”
The mischief in his eyes told her he was joking. She decided to go along with it. “I do, actually. Does that frighten you?”
“Me? Frightened? I think the real question here is…” Magic danced over his features, transforming them just slightly so that when he smiled at her, his eyes glowed and his canines were wolf-sized. “Aren’t you afraid of the big, bad wolf?”
She let out a playful shriek and jumped off the steps. “Don’t you dare bite me.” But even as the words left her mouth, the idea didn’t seem that bad.
He stood and came down the steps toward her with the kind of slow, predatory stride that sent another shiver through her. “You do smell awfully good. The only problem is, I don’t know if you’re Little Red Riding Hood or the huntswoman.”
“My sword’s not drawn yet.” Freya help her, she wanted him. It was definitely the spell. The magic was thick in her blood and clouding her brain. But deep inside, she knew that wasn’t the only reason.
His grin widened. “Can I see it?”
“My sword?”
He nodded. “You’ve seen me as a wolf. Only seems fair.”
To her, what seemed fair was kissing him again. She squeezed her eyes shut at the idea but didn’t force it away like she had the last time. Maybe showing him her sword would distract her brain. Fill it with thoughts of battle and fighting and kissing—nope, that wasn’t helping. She smiled back at him, eyes wide. “Sure.”
She untucked the towel still wrapped around her body and dropped it to the floor beside her so that he could see her back. Then she turned around. “Watch now. You should be able to see it despite the straps of my sports bra.”
She thought about her sword, about the magic that hid it from all non-valkyrie and non-berserker eyes and then about opening that magic so he could see it too.
A ripple of sensation went down her spine where Helgrind resided like a magical tattoo, waiting for her touch to bring her to life. “Can you see it?”
“Wow,” he breathed. “I can. It just came into view. Pretty cool how you can do that.”
“Generally, our swords aren’t visible unless you’re a valkyrie or berserker. Or a vampire. Basically, if you’re not a valkyrie or a berserker, you have to be dead to see our weapons. Pretty sure that’s all tied into how souls on the battlefield recognize us.”
“That’s pretty interesting. Cool that you can show it to me, though. It’s the most realistic ink I’ve ever seen. I swear the metal is actually gleaming in the