Chapter 261 Chapter 261
Evanna set the phone down like it was burning her fingers and then stared at it. She looked out the window to see Jesse was still talking on his phone. Getting up she paced the length of the trailer; Leah was nothing like she’d imagined. Her voice was so soft and gentle, the opposite of her own.
Turning she looked at herself in the small mirror in the bathroom, then stepped in and leaned closer. It was ridiculous, they had one body to share, one face, but Leah looked completely different. Her mouth formed a small smile that she watched in the reflection. It wasn’t surprising now that Jesse could take a glance and know who was out. She stared at her own dark eyes and thought maybe Leah’s were somehow a lighter shade. Would the memories they carried be the reason there was such a difference? Taking a deep breath, she held her reflection hostage for a moment and then turned and went back out.
Spotting the journal, she went to it and opened it, just to check if Leah had added more after the video. There was no entry. What she’d said in her message was her decision. Flipping the book shut, she held it down with her hand and looked out at Jesse again. Leah wanted to be mated to him as much as she did.
A nervous wave went through her stomach. It was great that they agreed, but now there was just one thing she had to figure out. How did she go about it? Did she tell Jesse straight out that they wanted his mark?
Straightening from the table, she put her hand against the side of her neck and moved it slowly down to where the muscle from her shoulder started. This is where his mark would be placed. Her stomach clenched, could she stand him touching her neck? She didn’t know.
Dropping her hand away, she closed her eyes. The last thing she needed was to botch that up by being triggered. Taking a deep breath, she blew it out and reached for Minn, she was going to have to work with her to do this. It startled her to realize the cat was there, just beneath the surface, so close that she wasn’t sure how she didn’t sense her before now. “You’re going to have to help me,” she whispered, knowing the animal could hear. Opening her eyes, she looked down at the phone. She honestly hadn’t expected Leah to agree immediately. Rolling her eyes, she smirked well, she knew how she felt about Jesse because it was the same as her own feelings.
Biting her lip, she sat down and picked up the phone, the doctor had told her it would help them? The connection to their mate would help them? She didn’t know how that worked. How would she? Until recently she hadn’t even been able to connect with her own animal side without expending every ounce of energy she had. Setting the phone back down, she got up grabbed her jacket, and slipped her feet into her boots. Putting it on quickly, she went outside and closed the door.
Jesse was still on the phone, his expression was hard, making her wonder who he was talking to. When he looked over at her, he smiled, wiping the serious look off his face. She did that for him, she thought. The smile changed as he tilted his head and sent her a concerned look.
She realized then she was standing here scowling at the man. She smirked and gave her head a shake, hoping to convey it had nothing to do with him, why she was looking at him that way. Get it together.
He spoke into the phone again, and then hung it up and tucked it into his pocket. With long strides, he came toward her. “Is everything okay?”
She blew out a breath, trying to rid herself of the tension that had settled in her guts. “Yeah, just,” she waved her hand in front of her face, “stuck in my head.”
“The video from Leah?” He stopped right in front of her.
Evanna cursed at herself for having a face that was so easy to read. “It wasn’t bad, just,” she gave him a wide-eyed look, “it was weird seeing her and hearing her outside my head.” She inhaled and could only smell him. She loved his scent. “She, um, was talking about some things she and Doctor Collins talked about.”
“Oh? Anything I can help with?”
The look of genuine concern filled his pale eyes, making her stomach knot up more. “I don’t,” she looked at his mouth, which was a mistake, distracting, “I’m not sure yet.”
His gaze flicked to her mouth, then back to her eyes, “okay, well let me know if I can do anything to help.” He gave her an easy smile, “Feel like going for a walk? The guys are coming to work on the fence, and I want to tell them to work away from the lane for now, until we’re not here.” He glanced at Thera, “or Thera’s not here.”
“Yeah, sure.” She shrugged; it would give her more time to work out how she was going to do this.
He smiled at her and then looked down at her feet. By the time it dawned on her that he was telling her to tie her boots, he had already knelt and was doing them up. Evanna swallowed the strange feeling in her throat. How was it something so simple felt so endearing? She had to focus hard to mask the expression on her face as he stood up. She knew she failed when he pulled her jacket together and zipped it halfway up. There was no amusement in his eyes though when he leaned down and kissed her mouth softly. She could only stand there like a stunned idiot by his caring gestures.
Jesse took her hand and gave it a tug, so she started walking. She didn’t know if it was natural or if he adjusted his stride, but they were walking in sync with each other as they headed down the lane.
She looked around to avoid staring at him. “This land is gorgeous, Jesse.”
He smiled down at her. “First time I looked at it, I knew this was home.” He squeezed her hand gently, “I walked to the top of the hill where the trailer is and just knew I had to buy it.” He chuckled, “I wasn’t even looking for land then. I was just out driving and saw it.”
“It’s perfect.” She said quietly.
With a quick glance her way, he nodded.
“Are the people doing the fence our kind?”
“Yeah, I think they all are.” He paused to watch Thera startle some birds and send them scattering in all directions. “There’s some one-forms that know about us and are okay with it.”
She watched as he spoke, drawn to the easy manner he talked about things.
“Most of them are second or third generation, so it’s normal for them.”
“I don’t think it is that way for all one-forms.”
His gaze connected with hers for a moment. “No, but some of ours even marry outside out clans, even to one-forms.”
“Really?” She wondered how that worked.
Jesse grinned, “Yeah, Devin’s sister is one of those.”
“The king’s daughter married a normal person.”
He chucked, “who’s to say what’s normal?” He looked down at her, “I think shifters are normal.”
She thought about that for a moment. “I guess you’re right. So, a one-form is less offensive to use.”
He nodded. “I think so.”
“I have a lot to learn.”