@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“Do you forget that I’ve watched you play the bar for years?” His words were his tools.

Rolling my eyes at him when he spoke about his one liners. “Sure, write a book. Help others do better when they are doing this thing.”

Shaking my head. “Shall we get back on track here? We were working on the rules.” This time I pushed up to stand. Sitting still next to him wasn’t helping.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I smiled again. "I don't think that you 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 the answers... Just that they are in there and I'll find them if I look in the right places."

I sounded like a fortune cookie... but also knew that to be true. I tilted my head to the side, my eyes following her.

"Exactly! You've seen me in action... and have you heard me tell a woman she was beautiful... or breathtaking? Or even notice her eyes never mind commenting on them?"

I laughed again. "You need more rules? >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

“That’s what you’ve been doing all this time when you look at me like… well… like you’re looking for a way in?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, and my eyebrows pulled together. It would make sense. All those time I’d caught his eyes on me, he was searching for something.

Holding my index finger in the air, my words locked up on my lips. I was going to say I had, but as I went through the memories of him chatting girls up, their eyes, or their beauty -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

weren’t his go to. And as I thought about it.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t like touching a woman’s hair? That it was too personal for you?”

The question out before the thought was finished. He’d not stopped touching my hair tonight.

Rubbing my temple where he has placed kisses too. Something else I was sure neither of us did.

“I don’t know, rules are there to cover the base, to help us/ you.. not get your arse kicked. Thing like…” -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

I glanced around the living room, at him and then out towards the door.

“You walked here last night didn’t you? What if you drive or ride here, or I do to yours? Wouldn’t people see and wonder why?”

Rules made sure the world knew where they stood. They were a good thing to set.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I nodded and was suddenly wary that maybe I shouldn't be doing that... "Um... yeah I guess. Normally your pretty had to read. But you normally say what you mean and do whatever you say you're going to...But lately..." I shrugged not really sure where to take this. "There's just... more... like the layers are peeling back.

I laughed softly... she was right, I had told her that. It was something I avoided. "Yeah... Girls think its affectionate, and then they start >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< that 'I never met anyone like you talk and that makes the getting up and leaving a lot more awkward."

I wanted to close the distance between us already... Spirits! I wanted to kiss her again... it felt like far too long had passed since I kissed her. I nodded when she asked if I walked. "I didn't want to wake the pups ups... but you have a point. And it's not a very long walk. And you are people would talk..." I stopped myself from saying about my jeep parked outside >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

I was hard to read because I liked it that way. The only people who saw into the first layer were Ma and Seth, and then there was Ms C. Call’s Mom had broken her way into that level years ago, and she refused to leave. And now her son was the first in years to have some how managed to do the same.

Biting on the inside of my cheeks, I let those thoughts settle for a moment before listening to him ramble about the girls he took home.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“Well you don’t have to worry about those talks here… I’ve seen plenty of guys like you. I’m kind of surrounded by them on a daily bases.”

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth. Nobody in the pack had done what Embry Call had. He’d looked when others didn’t. And for some reason that make my stomach do that twisting thing again.

“You and I both know too well how much this tribe likes to talk.” Raising my eyebrow I shook my head.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Not wanting to bring up his last scandal with the so called married woman. Seth and I hadn’t paid it any attention. Spirits I hadn’t even brought it up. Because it was none of anyone’s business. And he knew all about what was said about me.

“Hmm… Yeah… We are sitting on six right now.” Was that too much? Or was it not enough?

@HotHeadSheWolf
I wanted to tell her that this wasn't like any of that. This wasn't like anything thing I had ever done or felt before.

"I'm not worried, Leah..." and the feeling of saying that out loud made me smile because it brought on the next thought that I voiced. "But I'm leaving either..." I bite my and laughed because it was insane! And I liked it. "I mean I will have to at some stage... But I'm really hoping this list of rules means you want me to come back." What other purpose >

@HotHeadSheWolf < would they serve? Right?

We had both been on the wrong end of rumours and small-town mentality before... it just that more often than not mine were mostly true... just with a few embellishments.

"Okay then... so... we are both new to this whole thing, right? What about... No walking away from each other in a disagreement? Neither of us is great with unresolved conflict... I mean look at what happened tonight because I didn't step up and tell Jake how I felt." I added. I >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Why was it so obvious now that he was trying to give me what I needed? When I took the time to take him in, I could now see and notice those small bites to his lips, the way his eyes lit up or grew a little dull depending on what he was saying.

There were those small movements and the way he took his time to consider what was being said. This wasn’t the Embry Call I knew before.

The spirits story came to mind, when they told me about his journey and -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

how I was to help by letting him spread his wings. This was Embry Call now spreading his wings? And the Spirits couldn’t have giving me a heads up about this? About how we would be here today?

“Hmm?” What did he say about not being worried? “Do I need to reintroduce you to myself? I mean…” I pointed behind me to the spot where I knocked his arse to the ground. “You’re not leaving and your not worried?”

Shifting on my feet, -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

I stepped forward to sit back down but stopped at his next question. Did I want him to come back. “Like you haven’t been yo-yoing your way back to my door as it is.”

Taking a seat now, I rubbed my hands over my thighs. “No leaving on a fight?” Didn’t that mean… “So, you’re planning on fighting and sticking around for the aftermath too?” Spirits that was a good rule. One you should have no matter what. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“I can agree on that… that’s rule seven…. And I have one.” The thought a oh fighting brought it to mind.

“If one of us sees the other knocked on their arse with the pack…. We will have faith that we can deal with it. Pack first. Keep your head in the right place. So, we will always reach a hand out, to pick the other up. But have the faith to know we can handle ourselves when it matters.”

@HotHeadSheWolf
She was looking at me now like she was looking for a way in. and I tried to think like when there was nothing in my head I needed to hide... the way I had been able to after Jake helped me lock away those pieces of my life. Like I had before I strayed off of the Spirit's path.

"I'm not saying I'm totally naive here. I know I 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 be worried but... I just..._ I shrugged. "I'm just not." I knew what I was feeling but I was fairly certain saying so would have her shoving me >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< out the door.

I was excited, there was electricity in the air, I was hopeful. I was on the right path... I just knew it. "I spent a year doing that with Mom because I couldn't tell her the truth... I resented lying all the time. So I would just leave. I don't want to do that again..." I chewed on my lip. "With anyone."

Her next words made me beam... I flashed back to the cliffs and Leah taking my hand. I stepped closer to her now. "Now that one... I like." I held >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Something hard hit me in my chest. The air was still a smooth breeze in the space around me, so I knew it wasn’t the spirits.

I knew when I felt it, but to acknowledge it wasn’t easy for me. My eyes drifted to the wall for a moment as the memory of Ms. C, overhearing the conversations with Ma. And the pain she has gone through. And then on the other hand, hearing or seeing those fights from Embry’s point of view too.

“I always respected you for taking that stand. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

For wanting to protect your mom from knowing.” This wasn’t a lie, I saw the look in Ma’s eyes. When she didn’t know if she was going to see her kids ever again. Knowing what was out there to hurt people. And how different it could have been, if I could protect her from it all.

My eyes were back on him up on hearing the excitement in his voice. I raised my eyebrow at the outstretched hand. A memory from the cliff playing now.

“Eight is always the magic number for our -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

People.” For so many reasons. My eyes were on his, the hand still there between us. My heart did that stop and start thing again and my face burnt.

Rubbing my hand on my thigh, before I finally lifted it and placed it on his. “Eight is the number.”

@HotHeadSheWolf
I could tell she was deep in thought too. "Sometimes I wonder if what I did was worse... the not knowing... the imagined evils that I could have harmed me... Not knowing how strong I was." I shook my head. "But regrets ground us in the past. We're supposed to change direction not turn back." That was something Harry had told me... Spirit's... how many years ago?

"Eight it is." I smiled and closed my hand around hers. "Still warm." I muttered ridiculously... but it was >

@HotHeadSheWolf < baffling to me.

My eye's moved from our hands and to her captivating rich, brown gaze. My heart stumbled a few beats. I lightly squeezed her hand and my tongue swept over my lips. "Can I kiss you again?" I asked... not ashamed to let a hint of pleading into my voice because I needed to... how was it was that possible? It really only been minutes but craved it like the air after underwater too long.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

‘𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬.’

Why did those words sound so familia to me? I knew I’d heard them… and then I remembered who used to say them.

I swallowed hard, waiting for the walls to shoot up and lock the world, everything and everyone out. I waiting for that guy wrenching feeling that had me running, but nothing came. Sadness sure, guilt.. yeah. But I wasn’t running.

“That’s good… advice.” I told him with my voice -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

lower.

He still had a hold of my hand, and his heart did that thing where I missed a beat or two, then again mine had done it too.

But that question of his. Something made my body from my head to my toes feel a bolt of something hot and sparky hit me all over, all at once.

“Hmm…” his eyes were already locking me in place, and then all I could see were his lips. Recalling how they felt on mine. “Y…yes…” The word so soft that no one else could hear it.

@HotHeadSheWolf
“I always thought so.” I said quietly when so seemed to remember who it was that say that.

Her heart skipped a beat and smiled with short breathy chuckle. “I can hear that, you know?” I leaned in slowly and my hand moved to her waist and this time I pull her towards me as I stepped in closer. I leaned in an the tip of my brushed against hers. I closed my eyes kissed the corner of her mouth softly then the other a breathy sigh rumbled in my throat. Then my lips were on hers, >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< my heart raced and my stomach leapt. My lips moved to part hers and my arm snaked around her waist closing the last sliver of space between so. I burned blissfully it all the places my body was in contact with hers. I was kissing Leah Clearwater… and spirits! She was kissing me back… I let over her hand and raised mine to her cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth under my calloused fingertips. My lips moved on her and low, longing sounds made there way up my throat.

The fire >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Words were never my strong suit, so now when I found myself stood before him. Only inches from his body there was nothing I had to say. It was all lost to feelings that hadn’t made themselves known before.

My feet took me forward to close the space between us, and he was still holding on to my hand. The way he curved his arm around my waist, had me tense before relaxing. The reminder that I had been the one to say… Yes.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

My eyes meant his and I knew, of course I knew he could hear the betrayal of my heart. Just as I had witnessed his do the same. But I didn’t push him away. Instead I couldn’t stop myself from taking him in.

The way his eyes closed, his warm arm radiating heat back towards me. No comments about how hot I was. Because in this place now, with the two of us. It was the same level of heat, only that it was growing with every passing moment.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

When he let my hand go, it slipped up to rest on his chest. I was not just listening, but also feeling the rhythm of his beats. Every touch, the feel of his breath, the scent of him surrounding me. It was something I didn’t see coming.

My lips fell open and I took a moment to still and clear my mind that was spiralling. Each soft kiss built even more anticipation that send electricity shuttering through me. And he hadn’t even placed his lips over mine.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“Embry…”

I whispered his name, not even audible to anyone but us just before he finally kissed me. And in that moment, the moment he pulled me into himself and parted my lips, the moment I tasted him again. I knew. I knew by the name of the Spirits…

I wanted to find out what this was. What it was that pulled me to him now, after all these years of knowing him. What it was that I was feeling in the depths of my spirit and soul when I kissed him back.

@HotHeadSheWolf
The way she whispered my name did so many things to me. Heat spread out across my chest from where she rested her hand over my heart. Not the heat that I was used to, this was new. She moved her lips against mine. I leaned into her even more tilting my face up towards mine.

I poured everything I was feeling into the kiss, letting the fires blaze to life inside of me. I tasted her on my tongue and my finger twisted into the back of her shirt.

My heart pounded against her >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< I hand. I knew them at she could here mine and feel it to.

There was a new pull from the center of my chest that was tugging me closer to her. But it was impossible to been any closer to her.

“Spirits!” I muttered into the kiss. My lips were back on hers instantly. “What are you doing to me?” I whisper and drew my fingers through her hair.

I flattened my hand and on her back, freeing her shirt. I planted small individual kisses on her lips. She had to be feeling all of too.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

How could something like a simple kiss have a person filled with so many sensations all at once?

The way his hands felt on my cheek had a line of fire spreading, the touch of his lips and the taste of his tongue with a mix of whiskey had my awareness heightened. The sound of his heart…. Spirits… was it speaking to mine because it felt like the two were deep in conversation.

My eyes flickered open, and my lips had started to throb a pulse softly. Aware that his lips -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

were missing as he spoke.

I closed them again welcoming those small kisses. With shock. How was I not giving him a hard time about it?

“Me?” Spirits… “what are you doing to me Embry Call?” My breathing was ragged as I caught some air. Now looking at him. That urge to kiss him again right there tugging at me. So I did.

My hands moved up to cup his face this time. Taking a hold lightly as I flicked the tip of my tongue over his mouth asking to be let in. There was -