Chapter 8

8

Erin opened her eyes. Early morning sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the navy bedsheets around her. She blinked at them for a second, knowing her bed sheets were absolutely not dark blue. Then she remembered where she was.

She rolled over, but the other side of the bed was empty. His scent lingered behind him, seducing her even when he wasn't in the room. Experimentally, Erin ran her hand along the flat sheet under the covers. When she reached his side, it was still warm from his body. This guy was obviously an early riser.

That was pretty impressive since they'd had such a late night.

Stretching and wiggling a bit in the large, comfortable bed, Erin smiled to herself. How wild of her to just stay with a guy for a few days when he's practically a stranger! That's not the sort of thing she did, not ever. But her thoughts about getting a hotel had fled quickly when he'd assured her she could stay with him. There was no place she'd rather be. Jace might be a stranger, but he was no stranger to her soul.

The scent of something delicious had made its way into the bedroom, beckoning her to the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled, eager to obey, and she slipped out from between the sheets. Erin picked through her suitcase, looking for something appropriate to wear. She didn't want to jump out of bed and get fully dressed. That wasn't who she was, and if she and Jace were going to truly get to know each other, then why pretend? In a t-shirt and comfy flannel shorts, she stepped into the hallway and down the stairs.

He was at the stove with his back to her, but he turned as soon as she came into the room. "There you are. I was just about to come and wake you up. I wouldn't want your eggs to get cold. Actually, I hope you like eggs."

"I do," she assured him with a laugh. "Is there anything I can do to help? "

"Just sit down and enjoy." He pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and put her plate in front of her. "Coffee?"

"Absolutely. Thank you." She'd worked up a bit of an appetite the night before and gladly tucked into the eggs, bacon, and toast that Jace had prepared. Large windows on the back of the house looked out over the beach, angled so the morning sun illuminated the kitchen without completely blasting it. "You have a beautiful home."

"All the more because you're here," he said, smiling, "but thank you. It's pretty shabby looking compared to The Endless Summer. Everything on those yachts is always so sleek."

Erin waved a dismissive hand. "Give me shabby any day, although that's not the word I'd use to describe this place."

"Then what?" he challenged. "And you can't use beautiful since you already said that."

She looked around at the tiles, beams, and hardwood cabinets. A few of them featured leaded glass windows, showing off the dishes that'd been neatly stacked inside. "Cozy. Comfortable."

"So, shabby," he filled in.

"Homey," she countered. As soon as she said it, she worried the word was too much. The secret parts of her mind were already fantasizing about what things might be like for them if they could make this work, but none of that was on the table yet.

Fortunately, Jace didn't seem to mind. "I'll take it. I've done a bit of remodeling here and there, although I'd like to do more of it. It was hard to find the time when Ian was little. When I couldn't use that as an excuse, I started using my work. I might not be out for weeklong cruises, but the hours can still be killer."

The eggs were perfectly salted and the coffee smooth. This was the first morning she'd been there, and she'd only known Jace for a few days, but she truly did feel like she was at home. "I can't argue with that. I often find myself working even when I'm not at the shop, whether I'm doing research, placing orders, or trying out new teas and remedies."

"Tell me more about what you do," Jace encouraged, picking up a piece of bacon. "I know you said you're an herbalist, but it's just not something I know much about."

"To be honest, I never thought much about what you do, either. You'd think living in a coastal town would mean I'm all about boats, but that's just always been something other people do." She hadn't thought about it that way at all before, but she found it interesting. Jace was already making her see things from a different perspective, and she liked it.

"I guess the bug doesn't bite everyone. Anyway, tell me about your work." Reaching for the coffee carafe, he poured himself another mugful and topped hers off.

The sense of belonging there was impossible to ignore. Jace pouring the coffee told her he was all in for sitting down and listening. Erin knew she'd have to tell him eventually, and he ought to know before things went any further. "Like I said before, I create herbal medicines for people. That can be anything from a tincture to a tea to a balm. I help people through plants, but I'm also a witch."

He paused with his mug halfway to his lips.

Erin held her breath.

Jace leaned forward. "I don't think I've ever met a witch before. Tell me more."

The genuine curiosity in his face told her everything. He wasn't going to dismiss her powers as nonsense, nor was he going to kick her out of his house in fear. He just wanted to know her, and Erin felt herself truly beginning to relax. "Like being a shifter, it's an inherited trait. I come from a long line of witches, although each of our powers have been a bit different. Mine focus on plants, although I can do a few other things, too. A town like Salem makes it easy to use my talent to make a living."

"Do your customers know you're a witch?" he asked.

"I think that comes down to the town again. Tourists expect everyone to be posing as a witch of some sort, whether they can use magic or not. Some customers are determined to believe it because they want it to be a part of the experience, and others have convinced themselves that it's all just for fun. I just do my job to the best of my ability and let them draw their own conclusions." She lifted her eyes to the drooping philodendron on top of one of the kitchen cabinets. "I could show you if you like."

Following her line of sight, Jace stood up and pulled the pot down from its perch. "Sure. I don't exactly have a green thumb."

"That's all right." Erin reached out and let one of the leaves rest in her palm. She tuned herself to the vibration of the plant, feeling its life force flowing through her own. It welcomed her and spoke to her, and she responded in her own way. It was a beautiful little thing. That was how she felt about all plants, but it still made her happy to get to know this one. The yellowing leaves flushed with green, and the vines that supported it grew thick and healthy again .

"Damn," Jace murmured. "That's pretty impressive."

"It needs a little water, and its roots are getting bound. I can repot it for you later." She let go of the plant, happy that she'd been able to help.

"That's really something." He reached out and carefully touched a leaf, luscious and lively though it'd been pitiful a moment ago.

"It's not the kind of thing you can tell just anyone," she said, leaning back against the counter. "Kind of like our shifter secret, really. You have to pick the right people and hope they can understand it." She looked up at him uncertainly, expectantly. He'd been open to learning about it, but now she'd shown him. Erin realized she was still looking for his acceptance.

Jace took her hand, the same one that had held the leaf a moment ago. "Two secrets are a lot. I think they're both pretty damn cool."

She laughed, relieved. He was her mate. Surely, fate wouldn't have put them together if they weren't compatible. Then again, fate had taken this long to put them in each other's paths. "I thought you should know."

"I'm glad I do." The smile on his face faded, and his eyes took on a distant look. "I think I have something I ought to tell you, as well."

She sensed the vulnerability in him just then, the same hesitance she'd felt a moment ago. They were entwined on a level so deep they couldn't explain it, but there was still so much to learn. "I'm listening."

"There's one other person I've told my shifter secret to, a human. Her name was Maggie, and she was Ian's mother," he began quietly.

Erin waited. The sadness was evident on his face and in his shoulders. It was never easy to discuss past relationships, but there was obviously more to this story.

"I was young, and I lived like it. I was always having some adventure or another. If I wasn't out on the water, I was on my motorcycle. I partied quite a bit and ended up having a one-night stand with Maggie. Ian was the result of that." His thumb brushed up and down the back of her hand. They were in the corner of the kitchen, each leaning against the counter so they almost faced each other. "When she told me about the baby, I had to tell her the truth about my identity. There was a fifty-fifty chance that Ian could be a shifter, after all."

"Did she take it well?" Erin asked quietly .

One corner of his mouth lifted, and he let out a small huff of a throaty laugh, but he was looking at the floor. Through the floor, really, and into the past. "Yeah. She was a pretty chill person. I knew we weren't mates, but we both decided that we'd do everything we could to raise Ian together. He was our son, and that was what mattered more than anything. When Ian was a few months old, we left him with my mom and went out to dinner. Maggie didn't want to go. She just wanted to be with the baby, but I thought she deserved a bit of time out. It also felt like we needed to talk about our schedules and how we were going to raise Ian, stuff like that. Anyway, we were coming back on my motorcycle and a garbage truck pulled out in front of us. I did everything I could, but I wasn't able to avoid it. My shifter genes and quick healing saved me, but Maggie was human. She passed away."

"Oh, Jace," Erin whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"I always felt like it was my fault and that I had deprived Ian of his mother. My son means the world to me. He would've been my number one even if Maggie were still here, but I feel like I've been trying to make it up to him ever since." Jace sighed and blinked. "I'm sorry. That's a hell of a downer to start the day with. "

"No, it's all right." She tightened her fingers around his. "It's part of who you are, and I'm glad to know about it."

He lifted his head and looked at her, pulled out of the past and back into the present. "With all that out of the way, do you want to do something fun?"

"What do you have in mind?" she asked. She hadn't been sure what they'd do with several days to themselves, but she'd been eager to find out.

"Let's get dressed and I'll show you."