DARK DAYS

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Early the next morning she felt Micah climb out of bed, knowing he was getting ready to go do his morning inspection of the grounds and pack members, making sure everyone was okay. “What time is it?” she murmured rolling over.

Micah walked around o the side of the bed, “Early.” He sat on the side of the bed, staring down at her, “you okay?” he asked quietly, brushing her hair back from her face.

Christiana nodded, “Yeah, slept like a baby.” She sat up and glanced at the clock, four a.m. he was getting an early start.

He kissed her forehead, “Go back to sleep, I’ll be back in a few hours, we’ll have breakfast.” She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He couldn’t remember the last time someone other than her had done that, the pack had a hands off approach to him, and the women… well a hug didn’t count if it was a prelude to s*x. If it felt a little too good holding her in his arms at night, or if it felt a little too right hugging her like that it was something Micah ignored for the most part. She was under his protection, she was just a kid at least for a few more months,  “I mean it baby girl, you haven’t been sleeping well you need your rest. Go to sleep.” 

She laid back down and nodded, “Thanks.” She watched him get ready and slip out of the room, heard him change form outside and then he was gone, and she was drifting back to sleep.

When Micah returned it was to the glorious smell of bacon cooking, and sausages if he wasn’t mistaken.  He walked in, and stood there watching her cook, she stood at the range still in nothing but his shirt, “How’d it go?” she asked not turning around, knowing it was him.

Micah came up behind her, “it was good, everyone present and accounted for, no territorial breaches…” he informed her, his self control slipping, he couldn’t help but glide his hands up the outside of her legs to rest on her hips under the shirt, for no other reason than to feel just how soft her skin was. To his surprise she didn’t tense up, didn’t move away or make some teasing remark to diffuse the situation. Instead she turned around, so he was staring into that warm amber color that should only be seen in large cats.

“Hi.” She said quietly. 

Micah took in everything about her, noting that she had already showered, “Hi.” He  responded his hands still on her hips, he couldn’t seem to let go, so instead he did what instinct dictated and pulled her closer.  He lowered his head, his lips brushing hers lightly before capturing her mouth fully, he felt her arms slide around his neck, and her body press against his just slightly. It wasn’t until he admitted to himself just how long he had wanted to do this, to be standing there kissing her, and how easy it would be for his hands to move up to cup her soft, perfect breasts that he stopped. 

“I’m sorry.” He sighed, resting his forehead against hers.

Ana shook her head slightly, “I don’t accept your apology, there’s nothing to be sorry about Micah. It was just a kiss, a very good kiss, but just a kiss.”

He stepped back to lean against the counter, “You have enough to deal with, without me losing my cool and acting like every other man in this pack.” He muttered almost bitterly.

Christiana nodded, turning back to the food to turn off the stove. “Trust me Micah, you are nothing like the other men in this pack, or the other men I’ve had to deal with in the past.” He heard the half-hearted, self deprecating laugh and winced, he knew she had been through a lot being who she was in the pack she grew up in, but he had a feeling that it was a lot more than what he had initially suspected. “Maybe I shouldn’t stay over anymore if that’s how you feel, I don’t want to be the reason you begin to hate yourself when you realize you aren’t quite as noble as you first thought.” She added coldly in his opinion. 

When she put down the hot frying pan after dividing the food up, he caught her  hand as she went to move past him, “Lets just eat.” She said trying to avoid his gaze, and the pity speech she felt coming.

“No.” he replied quietly, pulling her back into his arms, “you are welcome here whenever you want to be here, you know that. I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, like I’m going to jump you the minute the lights are off.”  He tilted her face up to look her in the eyes, “Jesus, I’m not a saint Ana…” he breathed and  found himself kissing her again, lifting her up in his arms, and feeling her legs wrap around his waist. It felt better than he had ever imagined, it had nothing to do with the pheromones she had pouring off of her every second of every day. Micah had enough self control not to push her, and enough f a conscience to know that she was still grieving and needed time. 

“Foods getting cold.” She murmured, somehow finding herself seated on the counter, wrapped as closely around him as she could get with him standing there.  Micah nodded, “Don’t you dare apologize again!” she warned when he opened his mouth. 

He laughed shaking his head, “Wasn’t going to.” He lifted her down from the counter, “just was going to say that maybe the pack had reason to worry. The hormones you let off all the time I can handle, it doesn’t make me feel like I’ve gone into heat and I have to have you. It’s something else.”

Christiana understood what he was trying to say, he was like her ex Cole, Cole had felt the pheromones, he just didn’t let them rule him like other men had. He made her feel wanted for her.  “It’s okay, I know you well enough to know that nothing is going to happen outside a stray kiss here or there, at the very least not until I turn eighteen. We are friends Micah, a slip in control now and then is accepted deal?” 

Micah shook the hand she offered, “deal.” He added grinning, “let’s eat, I’m actually shocked you didn’t burn anything.”

She hit his arm in offense, “that happened once!” she countered as they sat down, Micah laughing at how gullible she was.