Page 50 of Juniper Unraveling

“That’ll be all Daniel. You’re excused.” Doctor Ericsson clears his throat, rounding the desk to his chair.

At that, I push up from my seat, keeping my gaze toward the floor as I approach the boy, who appears to be about twenty. Only when I slip past do I look up to see the grimace plastered on his face, while his eyes follow after me. Once outside the door, I race down the hall, through the double-doors, to the familiar block of Doctor Falkenrath’s lab. Slipping into an adjacent supply closet, I back myself to the wall and fall into a heap onto the floor, pulling my knees into me.

And I finally break.

Chapter 15

Wren

Papa sits across from me at the table, shoveling a forkful of eggs into his mouth. To my right, Six finishes off his breakfast, lifting the cup of coffee to his mouth, but pauses when I brush my leg against his. Mid-sip, he grunts and sets the cup back atop the table, while I purse my lips to stifle the smile begging to escape.

Since his running away three weeks ago, Papa has allowed Six to eat inside with us. I’ve not yet convinced him to permit Six to sleep here, but then, he doesn’t know that Six sneaks into my window every night, so I don’t push it.

The sessions of singing him to sleep have turned into kissing and touching, but nothing more than that, as I’ve not wanted to provoke him to run again.

The tension between us has been so palpable, like some kind of magnetic pull that draws me to Six whenever he enters the room. I don’t know what it is, but I feel something winding in my stomach every time I see him, a craving that tugs deep inside my belly. With his hair growing in, and his body filling the places where hunger was once evident, he’s become irresistible.

As it is now, we sneak around Papa, stealing away during chores to kiss, and of course, every night, we lie beside each other, exploring the other. I’ve come to know the canvas of his body, his worst scars, and the places he’s secretly ticklish. Six initiates it every time, and he stops when it gets to be too much for him and his aggression begins to surface.

I never push him, and he hasn’t lost control since the day in the meadow.

Papa glances up, brow cocked, and I slide my feet back to their place. “I’ve a surprise for both of you,” he says, and I straighten in my seat, genuinely surprised by this. “Mrs. Johnston is a diabetic, as you know. We’re low on prickly pears, so I’ll be taking both of you with me to gather some for her.”

The community is divided amongst the few physicians we have, and though Papa isn’t a doctor in the traditional sense, he has a good handle on the use of certain medicinal plants and their effects on diseases. Many of the physicians who treated with antibiotics prior to the outbreak don’t generally have a clue how to approach their patients nowadays, so Papa’s knowledge is incredibly valuable.

My breath hitches, and I exchange a glance with Six. “Beyond the wall? But Arty … he knows us. Won’t he ask about Six?”

“We’ll be taking the truck. I’m going a bit farther out than usual. Six can hide in the back.”

A smile tugs at my jaw, the excitement hardly containable as I scarf down another bite. “When do we leave?” My question is garbled around a mouthful of food.

“I’ll pack some supplies in the truck. I want you to gather your sling and knife. Wear your leathers, and be sure to cover your head to avoid sunburn. There is no shade out there.”

Finished with breakfast, I damn near leap from the table, quickly washing dishes that Six dries and sets away. Since Papa is out of the house, I allow Six to pull me into his body for a kiss that lacks his usual fervor, and the way he holds back tells me this surprise bothers him. I pull away, and my thoughts are confirmed by the upturn of his brows, a look of worry darkening his eyes.

“You don’t want me to go, do you?”

He shakes his head, clutching me tighter.

“I’m going to be fine. I’m with the two most fearless men I know. And believe it, or not, I’m a pretty damn good shot with the sling.”

His sneer accompanies the roll of his eyes, and I playfully punch him in the chest. A chest that has doubled in size in the time he’s been here. He’s grown to the size of an ox, and twice as strong.

“Trust me.” Cupping his face, I draw him to my lips, while my other hand slides across the front of his jeans, and Six stumbles back. Tipping my head, I smile. “You see? I know how to disarm the enemy when I need to.” Tossing the rag onto the countertop, I race up the stairs with Six on my heels, giggling as he chases after me. We reach my bedroom, and he bends into me for the fourth kiss this morning. When he does that growling noise I love so much, I can’t help but smile against his lips.

“Will you ever tire of kissing me?”

His jaw shifts, and eyes glued to my lips, he shakes his head.

Rising up to my tiptoes, I wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips to his one more time. “Me, neither. Now get out of my room, so I can change.”

He shakes his head again, wearing his wily Six smile that’s not really a full-blown smile, and exits my room.

* * *

“Careful out there, Doc.” Arty peers through the window at the driver’s side of the truck, stroking his jaw. “Getting some rebel activity about twenty miles out. Legions on it, but there could be stragglers out there. And I hear the Ragers been mutating. Much more aggressive these days.” He nods toward me, where I sit in the passenger seat. “Be sure to keep Miss Wren in sight. Still ain’t found that kid, either, and those S block bastards give me the willies.”

Papa doesn’t bother to look at the guard, instead keeping his gaze focused through the windshield. “Just gathering some plants.” For a physician, he doesn’t have the best bedside manner, barely walking the line of socializing when he comes in contact with others.