Danea wasn’t surprised Noah was able to coax her back into laughing by the time she snagged a cart and began the trip inside the large store. She loved exploring for new things and dawdling over decisions and planning out meals in her head. She was half way through when she sent him off for another dose of coffee.
She stopped at the small deli and bought a flaky cherry turnover and a juice. She’d popped the last bite into her mouth when she saw the familiar figure running across the front of the market, arm up and hand waving.
Breanna plopped into a chair beside her, only a little breathless.
“Hey! I thought you always haunted the grocery after work?”
“Hey, yourself,” Danea leaned over and hugged the other woman. “You look all happy and chipper.”
“It’s a gorgeous fall day…and we’re going pumpkin hunting tomorrow!” Breanna bounced in her seat excitedly. “Want to come along?”
“Oh…well…maybe…out on your own?”
“No…Jase is talking to Noah just by the coffee stand,” Brea waved a palm in the air. “And Nick has been off in California for the last week.”
“Wow…a whole week…however did you survive,” Danea teased, stretching out and tossing her cup into the trash.
“Well, it’s not easy. I miss him. We’ll having a big dinner and I’m making a cake and…and…” she stared and her voice came to a stop for a long minute. “How…who…” She looked into Danea’s eyes and then back at the all too familiar shape of the mark on her friend’s shoulder. Then she followed the gaze Danea tendered toward the main entrance and the two men walking slowly back toward them. “Noah?! You and Noah?”
“Shhh!”
“Oh, no you don’t,” Breanna was up and on her feet, one hand wrapped around Danea’s wrist. She cast a quick, beautiful smile at the men. “Ladies room. Excuse us.”
Since Brea wasn’t really giving her a choice and the little Fae girl was damned strong, Danea stumbled forward and let herself be dragged to the end of the corridor and the restrooms. Thankfully, they were empty.
“Spill it. You’re marked,” Breanna leaned against the counter only long enough to get a feel and hopped up to sit, legs swinging. “I didn’t even know you were seeing each other! I thought we were BFF’s!”
Danea laughed and began to pace. “I didn’t even know they…he…I wanted to push him away and I really tried…” she stopped and turned to face Breanna. “You really miss Nick, don’t you?”
Surprise filled Breanna’s face. “Of course I do! He’s my…I…” She sighed and stared at her feet for a few seconds. “I was going to say other half but I’ve two of them, don’t I? And I never thought I could love one, let alone two of them. But I know it would hurt so bad…” her voice trailed off to a whisper. “He’s only there on business…he’s a little more patient at interviews than Jase. So they do it through SKYPE with Jase at the office and Nick present. He’s been there a week now. And we are so not talking about me.”
Breanna stopped talking when Danea turned away from her and lowered one side of her jeans just enough to show off the new marking on her hip.
Danea turned back to face her, wincing at the incredibly wide eyes and two palms over her friend’s mouth. She knew those hands wouldn’t contain a thing when Brea let go.
“You…I…Nick and Jase…Who…?” Breanna stared.
Danea swallowed hard and closed her eyes. “It’s been a seriously crazy week.”
“The only…that’s different than the one I put on…oh-my-God! That is…come over here and let me see that thing!” She demanded, jumping down and turning her friend around. She pulled on the band of Danea’s jeans and gaped at the one inch intricate drawing. Then she saw it. The tiniest symbol. “Wade? You and Wade? AND Noah? Oh, god, I think I’m gonna faint…”
“Oh no, you don’t! I’m not facing Jase with you out cold on the floor,” Danea spun quickly and pushed Breanna into the chair next to the door. “He signed it? How do you know…?”
“Symbols…Fae symbols…kind of like an alphabet…” Breanna was out of the chair and back on the counter, the bright lights from above reflecting around them through the mirror. “Talk.”
“What’s to talk? I thought they were crazy and sometimes I feel like I’ve gone nuts, too,” Danea leaned against the counter, glancing over her shoulder at her friend. “They forced me to stop avoiding them both…”
“You didn’t tell them,” Breanna said softly, sighing and reaching to run her hand gently over Danea’s head. “I know how you feel. Sometimes it…I wait to wake up…and my parents are still dead and I’m all alone. But I’m not…”
“Nothing seems to make sense. All I want to do is work and make them happy. And they’re so sweet and kind and…and attentive…” Danea felt the heat flood into her cheeks.
“And the sex is amazing,” Breanna whispered with a husky giggle. “I get it…honestly, I do.”
Danea rolled her eyes. “Yeah…amazing is a good word. And there isn’t jealousy or…we argue…well, mostly it’s me, I think,” she sighed. “I’m not used to being taken care of…and it feels really strange sometimes…”
“Oh, let me guess…the independence thing gets on their nerves,” Breanna said with a laugh.
“And they just want to make me laugh and…and be happy…I feel that, I do…” she made a face at Breanna. “Mother told them. I didn’t…I think they’re still a little angry that I didn’t…but I didn’t know how…I was afraid it would matter because I wasn’t a full blood…”
“Your dad is really sweet sometimes and I know he loves you, but he is a jerk,” Breanna said flatly and without hesitation. “The whole pure blood thing…” she shook her head. “Sullivan is talking to Seth Anderson and pooling information. Though I’m thinking Seth is pulling his hair out and Sullivan is being less than forthcoming.”
“Your grandfather is cute…and very stubborn,” Danea winked at her. “I know where you get it from now.”
“Bah!” Breanna laughed with her, both of them coming to a stop when the door eased open.
Jessica Bently stepped into the restroom, carefully made up blue eyes going from one woman to the other.
“I saw the sheriff’s car in the lot and wondered if you were with him,” she said casually, stepping up to the mirror and opening the small purse in her hands. “Rumors say he’s living out at the Professor’s house with you.”
“Can’t imagine why I’m of interest to you,” Danea caught Breanna’s gaze and shook her head. “You have a crush on your professor. You aren’t the first and you’ll definitely not be the last. He’s a really good looking man.”
“So why’d he chose you then?” She said with a derisive laugh. “Schools are filled with rumors, especially about available men.”
“You’re barely twenty. Shouldn’t you still be looking at the boys in school?” Breanna tossed out with a chuckle at the fury in the younger woman’s eyes. “Because I can tell you…real men don’t care for the spoiled little girl act. It’s kind of like disciplining their puppy to have to keep pushing you away.”
Danea and Breanna jumped when the door slammed behind her.
“Okay…that got on her nerve,” Danea said simply.
“I could throw a spell on her for you,” Breanna frowned in thought. “The only problem is the demon side is kind of messing with the Fae side so I’m not entirely sure if I’d have her growing mushrooms on her toes or snakes out of her hair…” she scrunched up at face at the happy laughter from her friend. “I’m working on it, though…when are you going to get rid of that goop on your hair?”
“I…” Her hand went up to touch her hair with a scowl at Breanna.
“Hey! I can do that one!” Breanna jumped from the counter and moved Danea to stand in front of the mirror, by the sink basin. “Hold still.”
“Oh…no…Brea…really…it’ll grow out…” Danea tried pushing away only to find Brea bracing against her. “I don’t want snakes in my hair!” She wailed.
“Oh, stop whining and let me concentrate,” Breanna reached up and pulled the band from the ponytail, her hands running the length of the light brown hair. She recited the words she learned. “This is nature. This is easy, trust me…”
Danea closed her eyes, her brain busily creating a long speech to explain to the men in her life why she had garter snakes and god knew what else on her head instead of simple, brown hair.
“There,” Breanna’s voice was filled with triumph. She stared down into the basin at the brown coloring that pooled there. “That wasn’t even painful. Danea? Open your eyes,” she nudged her friend with her hip.
Danea opened one eye. Very slowly to peek into the mirror. It had been several years since she’d seen her natural color. “Brea…it’s gorgeous…” she straightened up and twisted to the side, watching the long center parted hair curl at the ends that were now several inches past her shoulders. “It’s a bit longer…”
“Yeah…well…it’s the nature thing…” Breanna winced, one fingernail in between her teeth. “I’m working on that part. I’m actually thinking I should stick to coffees and teas…”
“Good idea, friend,” Danea hugged her tight. “Thanks for listening…”
“And why wouldn’t I? I know what the…I bet this last week was a little weird and I forgive you for not calling me,” she said regally.
“Oh, thank you, princess,” Danea giggled and looped her arm with Breanna’s. “We’d better go before they storm the bathroom.”
“Yeah…Jase isn’t the calm one,” Brea agreed with a chuckle.
“Isn’t it freaky how they’re so different and so similar at the same time?” Danea had dropped her voice.
Breanna began chuckling and fell into giggles, both of them a mess of unmuffled laughter by the time they reached the deli area.
Danea looked over at Noah and felt the breath catch in her throat. His expression had begun amused. This it meshed into that sexy crooked grin of his that always melted her insides and made her sensitive parts all hungry. Then the grin faded, a dark fire appearing deep in his eyes. His body seemed to straighten up a little more and his gaze was locked on her face.
“Nick just called. He’ll be here in about two hours,” Jase Charles told his mate, braced for the running jump against him, her arms around his neck.
“I gotta get moving! I have a cake to make! Bye, Danea! Bye, Noah!” Breanna bounced to the floor and grabbed Jase’s hand, dragging him off to the cart she left waiting at the edge of the deli floor.
“Noah?” Danea moved to stand in front of him. “Is something wrong?”
“Your hair…”
“Oh…Brea is one of many after me to leave it natural,” she raked back one side of the long, thick strands. “Does it look that bad?”
“Bad?” Noah’s hands went to her waist, pulling her against him and trying to be subtle about it. “Does that feel like a bad reaction, babe?”
“I…oh…well…” Danea cleared her throat, the heat in her cheeks felt like she was sitting right in front of the fireplace. Noah chuckled and eased her back.
“Let’s get this done before I do something very unsheriff like in public,” he murmured, kissing her and leading her to the cart they’d begun to fill.
It didn’t surprise her that his hand was always on her as they walked. Nor was she surprised when he found excuses to touch her hair, stroking over her head now and then as she found things she wanted. They made it to the register and were headed to the parking lot when she slowed him.
“Do you know her?”
Noah followed the casual glance toward the other set of entrance doors.
“The blonde kid in a short jean skirt?” Noah shrugged. “Nope. Should I?”
“She was at the house on Friday when I came home early,” Danea continued walking slowly toward the SUV. “She was naked…almost…”
“Seriously? I can’t see Wade…”
“Oh, he was in the book cubicle behind his desk, looking for a reference,” she waved a palm through the air while he opened the back and began loading the bags. “He came out with his head bent and the book open…he didn’t even know and was really upset when he looked, but the point is…”
“I bet he was scared shitless,” Noah commented, shaking his head. “I would have been then it would have rolled into completely pissed off.”
“She’s a kid…but…the point is…” she said again. “She’s going out of her way to inject herself the last few days. Today was the second time…she came into the bathroom…but never used the facilities…other than to make sure I knew I wasn’t his type…”
“The hell you’re not.”
“Kids like her don’t hang out at groceries, Noah,” she said quietly, turning and finding the tall blonde watching her from across the lot. She had a man with her this time, older and doing his best to keep his face hidden.
“She’s with her parents?” He looked and shrugged. “At that age they’re arrogant and think the only thing right in the world, is their opinion and their wants. And evidently, she wanted Wade. What’d he say?”
“After he finished sputtering?” She laughed with him. “He was angry and told her to contact his TA from now on…he also said she doesn’t have bad grades, so he really wasn’t sure why she was there.”
“Know her name?” Noah closed the door after she climbed in. He was around the car and behind the wheel when she answered. “I’ll see what I can find on her…but she’s probably just a spoiled kid.”
“Yeah…Jessica Bently,” she glanced over at the couple as they drove out of the parking lot. “You’re probably right.”
“Did you have a good chat with Breanna?”
“She saw the mark on my shoulder,” Danea said.
“Did you want things kept private? I’m not sure it would have been possible,” Noah glanced over as he guided the SUV into the parking lot behind the daycare.
“I’m not much for sneaking around in corners,” She admitted with a little laugh. “I always got caught sneaking in from somewhere…always…” She hopped from SUV and pulled her keys from her bag. “But…no…no, I don’t want secrets and I don’t want to pretend. I don’t want either of you to…to have to be anything but genuine. I don’t want us to be anything but real.”
“My, my, Miss Polnari…” Noah made sure the door was closed behind him when they entered the apartment. “So tell me what we’re after here?”
“Well...the girls cleaned out the fridge for me…and most of the food.”
“You didn’t have much here, Dani,” Noah chuckled.
She continued through the apartment, sliding the light jacket off her shoulders and letting it and her purse fall to the chair. She went into the large closet and reached for the only suitcase she had. Her hands were up when she felt the warm palms glide beneath her t-shirt.
“If you’re here to help with the suitcase, you need to raise your hands just a little higher,” Danea worked to keep her voice steady. It was especially difficult when she felt his teeth on her throat, just below her ear. Then his hands slid higher, alright, but definitely not going towards the suitcase.
Noah cupped each breast and pulled her body against his.
“Like this?”