Gunnar’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked down at her in confusion.

  “Just something I wanted to do.” Even the little peck, which made her feel like an embarrassed high schooler all over again, had taken all her courage to muster up the gumption to do, and she felt her cheeks blaze.

  His gaze shuttered as he watched her like he could see into her very soul, and April felt his hand move smoothly up her back to cup the back of her neck, his big fingers entwining in her hair and tightening slightly.

  Her whole body shivered as he stared down at her and smirked.

  “Foolish.” Though, by the way he said it, April had no clue if he was referring to her or himself.

  She didn’t care either way as his other hand pulled her into him tightly, and she could feel his rippling muscles press against her breasts and thighs.

  Then his lips crashed over hers, and all rational thought fled her mind.

  Warmth like hot coals flooded her veins as their lips pressed together, and she moaned against him, lips parting as his tongue thrust inside her mouth with sensual harshness. She felt her knees buckle, but Gunnar had her trapped against him, unable to move or escape or do anything but sink into him deeper as she felt his tongue expertly explore the inside of her mouth.

  Her hands, which were trapped between them, clutched his shirt, her fingers wishing she could tear his shirt away so she could explore the velvet iron of his taut muscles hidden beneath.

  But she didn’t have time to move, or even think, as he deepened the connection further, going slower as her hips quivered with pent-up desire. And when she groaned again, the muffled noise barely reached her ears as only the sound of her heartbeat thudding like a hammer could be heard while he relentlessly stoked the fire inside her that had been steadily growing for days.

  Then suddenly, the house phone rang, and Gunnar pulled away from the kiss, looking toward the sound with a snarl.

  Leaving her breathless, wet, and practically shaking.

  Gunnar quickly strode over to the phone, unplugged it from the wall, and came back over. As he did, she saw that his one blue eye had been red again, though it was quickly shifting back to sapphire, making her wonder how it all worked.

  “We need to relocate.”

  “What?” she replied, still in a haze of lust.

  There was no question about it. He did want her. He couldn’t take back the way he’d kissed her just now.

  “We shouldn’t keep you here.”

  All she wanted was a room, alone, with him.

  But the phone call had been a sudden, unwelcome reminder that there was a town full of shifters that were still after her.

  “Where would we go?” She wrapped her arms around herself, the air in the room feeling cold after being next to Gunnar’s warmth.

  Then his gaze raked over her before he looked away and grunted, acting tense again.

  “Somewhere outside of town. Somewhere safe. Reno has a place we can use.” He started pacing again. But now, seeing his huge muscles work, seeing his big hands clenching at his sides, all April could think about was what it would be like to have him on top of her, pleasuring her while he growled protective things.

  She took a breath, having forgotten to breathe for the last ten seconds as her mind had wandered.

  “Do we go now?”

  He shook his head. “Tomorrow morning. Early. I’ll help you get your things ready.”

  The seriousness with which he took everything brought back memories of the bears creeping from the shadows to surround them, flooding back into her thoughts. And when he looked over, he seemed to sense her worry, and he picked her up and set her on the couch, off her feet. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here with you.”

  “Can you stay with me in my room tonight?”

  He raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment, as though he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. But when he spoke, he smiled warmly at her. “Of course.”

  She motioned for him to come sit next to her. “Can we finish Bridgington while you hold me, just for a moment?” In spite of their sexy kiss and the white-hot connection she felt with him, all the chaos in Clawson’s Creek was affecting her. Probably more than she wanted to admit.

  He immediately sat next to her and pulled her into his lap. “Until the sun comes up, if that’s what you want. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  And as he turned on the TV and she rested her head on his firm chest, she let the worries from the past days melt away in the safety of his big arms and lap. And though once or twice she had the inkling to kiss him again, there was something guarded about his expression that she figured would be best to look into once they were at wherever Gunnar was planning on taking them.

  Until then, being held by her protective basilisk was enough.

  She’d see what tomorrow would bring.

  11

  “So this is what the old Farmington place looks like?” she asked in wonder, as they pulled up in front of a big, log cabin-style mansion that sat at the top of a plateau high up in the hills above Clawson’s Creek the next morning.

  She’d heard about the place her whole life, though she’d never found the time to make the long drive out of town to come see it for herself.

  For years, it had sat abandoned. Though, looking at it now, it seemed better kept than the pictures she’d seen of it before.

  Gunnar opened the door of his sparklingly restored vintage black Chevy muscle car and held out a hand to help her up. As she accepted, fresh pine and early autumn spruce filled her nostrils, and the sound of a nearby creek tickled her ears as they reached the long, hewn-log steps that led up to big double doors.

  Outside, tools and spare lumber and dozens of implements she didn’t recognize filled the yard. Apparently, whoever was living here had been busy.

  Then the doors swung open, and a familiar face appeared, one she hadn’t seen since the day of the fire.

  “Welcome to our humble abode,” said a man with blond hair and striking light-blue eyes. Next to him, a curvy woman with deep-black hair stood, their hands entwined as they met her and Gunnar at the top of the steps. “I’m Reno, if Gunnar hasn’t told you yet. And this is my mate, Dani.”

  They all exchanged handshakes, and April felt an instant kinship with both of them as two huge figures emerged from inside the place.

  When their gazes fell on April, Gunnar growled.

  “Hey, you guys again. Let me remember… Diesel,” she said, pointing toward the one with the big beard and blue eyes, and he seemed slightly abashed by even her having remembered his name. “And Ajax.” She pointed at the dark-blond one.

  Ajax just shrugged and looked like he didn’t care about anything in the world.

  “Pardon the mess. We only moved in a couple weeks ago, and the basilisks have been hard at work since,” Reno said, motioning for them to come inside as Gunnar carried her two beat-up pieces of luggage she’d packed last night.

  She could still feel his body against hers. Could taste his lips on her mouth, hot and hungry.

  Needless to say, she hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep last night. Though, when she had, it had been deep and restful, with Gunnar lying next to her on the bed, watching her all night.

  She walked in and stared in wonder at a huge polished chandelier above them in the entryway. The scent of aged wood mixed with freshly dried varnish and paint filled her nose, and the huge multicolored rug at their feet was so soft it was like walking on fresh moss. “So you’re moving into Clawson’s Creek?”

  Reno laughed, a jovial, cheery sound. “Oh, no. This is temporary. But when the basilisks go on a mission, I find it’s best to have a base of operations with lots of space. So we just buy whatever place looks best and available, and the basilisks go to work repairing it top to bottom while we’re in town. Keeps them busy.”

  She looked up at Gunnar, shocked by how much work had been done with such a small team. “So you helped with this?”

  Gunnar tried to hide his satisfied grin, and April wanted to do whatever it took to see him smile like that, every day if possible.

  Reno showed them around for a moment, giving April a little tour of the big place that would have reminded her of some abandoned hotel up in the mountains if not for the fact that everything looked so new and shiny. The windows were all open, letting the full morning light cascade around her everywhere.

  For once, it was fun to get out of the house and see new places, and her heart tugged with the desire she’d been harboring a long time to make enough money to leave Clawson’s Creek.

  If there were more places like this to visit, more experiences to have, then she wanted to go out in the world and start seeing them now.

  But not before she and Gunnar sat down and talked about why he was being so darn evasive with her since last night.

  When they were in a long hallway, looking at old paintings of mountains and forests, April saw Diesel look over at her with rapt curiosity. And when he muttered, “She’s pretty,” she didn’t have time to decide if she was flattered or not because Gunnar was in front of Diesel in an instant, practically snarling in his face as his huge body bristled with anger.

  Diesel’s face screwed up as he growled back, and the two of them looked like they were ready to start a fight any second now.

  “Use your words, guys, or I’ll start zapping, and I won’t stop until you’ve worked out your problems like humans,” Reno said firmly, though there must have been something he knew that she didn’t because April would never get between two basilisks that looked like that.

  Gunnar and Diesel both appraised Reno with annoyance and rage at the same time, and Gunnar tensed, looking ready to fly off the handle still.

  Then he let out a breath, moved a step away from Diesel, and growled.

  “Mine.”

  “Fine,” Diesel replied with a huff, and April made a note to ask what the heck had just happened.

  In the background, Ajax just watched with cool interest, not saying anything.

  They reached the west wing of the mansion shortly after, and Diesel and Ajax left as Reno brought them out onto a deck that faced out over the most miraculous view she’d ever seen.

  She went over to the bannister, taking in the sight of the sprawling forests that went on forever past Clawson’s Creek, just as a cool breeze blew past them.

  “You two can have this side of the place all to yourselves. We’ll be working on the other end, so you shouldn’t hear much of the construction. I’ll update you at dinner if I get news of anything going on in town, Gunnar. That all right with you?” Reno said, enjoying the view for a second before joining Dani back at the doorway.

  “Thanks, Reno,” Gunnar said gruffly, and with that, her new friends disappeared back inside.

  Leaving her alone with Gunnar.

  He’d changed into a black shirt with white markings on it, and the dark fabric hugged his muscles and only further accentuated the lines of the tattoos on his arms.

  All of this seemed like something out of a fever dream she’d never thought possible. Like she was on vacation, high in the hills, all alone with the man that made her feel such unbearable want she could hardly contain it any longer.

  And even if she got to feel him, just once, she highly suspected she would only want him more. More and more until their lives were so inextricably entwined she could never let go.

  A fantasy that someone cast aside like her had no business holding on to.

  Until her basilisk had come along and upended everything.

  Gunnar stared out at the view, then down at her, looking devastatingly handsome as the sunlight carved his features into panty-melting relief.

  For a minute, she just looked into the distance, deciding what she was going to say. For every time he seemed like he wanted to pull away from her, there were a dozen instances where he’d protected her, saved her, looked at her like he wanted to eat her, and (as of last night) kissed her senseless.

  He was a confusing man; that was for sure.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked, and she tried not to stare at his lips while they moved.

  “I’m thinking you’re a confusing person, Gunnar.”

  He cocked his head slightly.

  “You tell me to stay away. That I should be scared of you. And yet the second you’re near me, all I can think about is… doing things with you.” She felt her cheeks blaze but had the courage to not look away.

  Just being around him was making her braver each day, even if just by his example of utter fearlessness.

  “What kinds of things?” He gave her a suggestive grin and practically licked his lips.

  “There you go again with the mixed messages,” she said, throwing her hands in the air. “Where is this all going, hm? Do you even want me?” she asked, though his interest in her seemed obvious.

  Gunnar seemed shocked she would even say such a thing, and he moved forward, looming over her, shading her from the sun’s light as he did, making all the hairs on her neck stand on end at his utter strength and nearness.

  But he didn’t say anything, even as she could hear that low, unearthly rumble from deep in his throat.

  “Do you even like me? Or is it just because you’re supposed to be protecting me that you’ve developed a crush and nothing else.” Frustration at all this unresolved tension welled in her, along with annoyance that she could sense his interest but that he was being stubborn and was refusing to give them both what they wanted right now, for reasons unknown.

  When he didn’t respond, she whirled on her heel, turning to go back inside.

  Then he caught her by the wrist, gently but firmly, before she could go, and she looked up to see his eyes were glowing, both blue and red. Like his emotions were warring inside him.

  “Of course I want you, April. I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you,” he said seriously.

  Her mouth went dry. Hearing him say something so romantic was the last thing she’d expected.

  And when he pulled her slowly toward him, she didn’t resist.

  He’d only pushed her away every time they’d come close.

  Only, now he wasn’t.

  The thought scared and aroused her at the same time.

  “Then why do you keep pulling back?” she asked softly.

  He growled. “I’m a basilisk. I don’t do casual. I don’t do relationships. I don’t do the things normal humans do. Don’t feel what they feel.”

  She gasped as both his hands were on her hips now. “What do you mean?”

  He took in a deep breath, looking between them where their bodies met, then back at her. “Flirting. Dating. Breakups. Divorce. People are constantly changing.”

  “What about you?” she asked.

  “I always knew that when I took a mate, I’d be so possessive I’d want to keep them all to myself. Never let go.” As he spoke, he didn’t break eye contact with her, even as his words melted her insides. “I don’t do casual.”

  April sighed.

  As someone who’d been rejected, pushed around, and abandoned by those who were supposed to have loved her for her whole life, she didn’t see how any of what Gunnar was saying was a bad thing.

  “I’m not interested in casual either.” She wasn’t sure what to call this. Love didn’t quite sum it up at all, though if he asked her if she did have feelings for him, she’d probably say yes.

  His arm wrapped around behind her, pressing them together again, and his irises seemed to flood with fire and intrigue.

  “Basilisks don’t take kindly to being toyed with. It’s why I’ve tried so hard to hold back from you. Because I know the second we’re together, I’ll hold on so tight I’ll never be able to let go.”

  She let her hands rove up his chest freely, and his muscles responded instantly to the contact, making her feel powerful and wanted by him.

  “Maybe I don’t want to be let go, Gunnar.” She rested her head on his chest. “Maybe you’re not the only one who’s possessive.”

  After all, she’d thought of him as her basilisk much earlier than she would probably ever admit.

  Then his hand was on her cheek, directing her gaze to his. And she gaped in amazement as she saw both his eyes were red now, but a darker, more sensual red than she’d seen when he’d been fighting. “Then this is your last chance to say no, April. Because I can’t hold back any longer. I want you. My basilisk wants you. And no matter how many times I try to show you I’m a violent monster that isn’t human, you’re still here.”

  “Then don’t. Don’t hold back. Keep me by your side. Show me everything.”

  April squeaked as he lifted her by her ass, big hands holding her effortlessly as her legs straddled his midsection, so high up the valley below almost made her dizzy as the distance stretched on in her periphery.

  But she didn’t have the time to think about anything but pleasure lighting up her insides as Gunnar’s lips sealed over hers, rough and eager. Before his tongue could even press inside, she opened her mouth to let him rove, let him claim her and show her all of what he meant.

  Then he squeezed her ass, their hips pressing together, and she felt something huge and firm inside his jeans stroke against her center as he carried her toward the room behind them.

  Holy crap, he really is huge in more ways than one… Her thoughts raced alongside her heart even as the perfect way his tongue slid across and over hers was making April wetter by the second.

  Gunnar brought her inside, kicked the door behind them, and came up to a large, lavish bed where he plopped her down, making her yelp in surprise.

  He loomed over her, licking the wetness from their kiss off his lips as he tore his shirt away, revealing all his magnificent, utterly ripped glory.

  So his tattoos do go everywhere. She had only a moment to gape in wonder at his strength as he looked her over with a feral gaze.

  She was alone and trapped with a hungry-looking basilisk.

  And she’d never been more excited for anything in her entire life.