Page 29 of Midlife Animal Rescuer Wolf

“Wha...what the hell are you?” he stammered.

He didn’t bother waiting for a response, but turned and fled, nearly tripping again as he raced out of sight.

Chapter Eleven

“It’s a Risk I’m Willing to Take”

“You never told me your ex-boyfriend was an Olympic athlete,” Bryon commented, shifting back to human.

“He isn’t,” came Miranda’s reply.

“Could’ve fooled me. He runs faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. Good riddance.”

He massaged his jaw where Jerry had struck him, feeling a twinge of annoyance. At least he’d given the man what he deserved. He turned to face Miranda, who stood staring back at him, the foal still cradled in her arms. She looked somewhat shaken, but otherwise she was unhurt.

“You alright?” he asked her, regardless.

She nodded. “I was hoping I wouldn’t bump into him again. Got scared for a moment there. I thought he’d hurt me, but... well, you stood up to him.”

“I did promise I’d keep you safe, didn’t I?”

The corners of her mouth twitched slightly. “Right. Thank you, Bryon.”

“Don’t mention it.” He smiled back, feeling a wave of relief. As of right now, they’d pretty much resolved two of their problems. The foal was alive and safe, albeit injured, and her ex-boyfriend was starting to look like old news. Bryon glanced in the direction Jerry had run, remembering the look of pure terror in the man’s eyes as he shifted.

A thought occurred to him then, and he looked at Miranda again. “I probably shouldn’t have shifted in front of you. I couldn’t think of any other way to scare him off. Sorry if I scared you.”

“No.” She shook her head so vigorously, he thought it might topple off her shoulders. “I mean... I was shocked when it happened, but I’m not scared of you, Bryon. I know you did it to protect me. And I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

His grin broadened, his insides fluttering with warmth. She did trust him. Just hours ago, he’d been wondering whether his day could possibly get any worse, and right now all he could think was the exact opposite.

“But there’s another problem,” she said, snapping him out of his thoughts. “You did shift in front of Jerry. What if he tells someone?”

Right. For the second time in a matter of hours, a human had seen him shift. And something told Bryon that Jerry was a lot less rational than his ex-girlfriend. What were the odds that the man wouldn’t go blabbing about what he’d seen to whoever would listen? It was just like with Harold, except Jerry didn’t even like him to begin with.

“Doesn’t matter,” he replied,

“You’re kidding, right?” She lifted an eyebrow, as if trying to confirm what she’d just heard. “Oh, you’re serious. You don’t think anyone will believe him, do you?”

“Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it’s a risk I’m willing to take again, if it means protecting you from assholes like him.”

It took him a few seconds to process the gravity of his words. Miranda’s eyes widened slightly. Around them, the entire woods seemed to have gone silent, and the pair of them simply stared at each other.

“I...” She blinked at him, looking unsure what to say. “I...”

She bit her lip for a moment, a strange look clouding her eyes. Before Bryon could decipher what it was, she set the foal gently onto the ground a couple of feet away. Then, drawing closer to him, she stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips to his.

***

Whatever it was that had come over her in the last few seconds, Miranda wasn’t entirely certain. Maybe it was the fact that Bryon had just saved her from her crazy ex-boyfriend. Or maybe it was the words he’d just said.

It’s a risk I’m willing to take again, if it means protecting you.

If Bryon was surprised by the sudden kiss, he didn’t show it. He kissed her back with equal fervor, as though he’d been waiting for this moment all along. The world around them seemed to dissolve, replaced with the fires of their mutual passion. Desire flooded her insides, and she felt every inch of her body come alive, humming with need.

God, she’d wanted this for so long. It had been mere hours since they’d almost had sex in these very woods, and Miranda felt like she’d been crawling through a desert for weeks. Months, even. And Bryon? He was a truckful of water to quench her thirst.

His tongue stole into her mouth, exploring, claiming it. In response, she moaned into the kiss, loving the feel of his knuckles on her skin as he brushed his fingers against her face.