But when he pulled back this time, he wasn't smiling. He didn't look happy.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Nothing." He sat back down in his rocking chair.
She looked at his expression through the moonlight. "I hate it when people do that."
"Do what?" he asked.
"Say nothing, when it's sooo obvious that it's something."
He let go of a sigh. "Okay, if you must know. It just occurred to me that maybe I wouldn't be so thrilled if you turn out to be werewolf."
"Because I'll get all hairy?" Kylie asked.
"No." His expression darkened. "Because ... because Lucas is werewolf."
Chapter Eighteen
Later, after Derek walked her back to her cabin in an uncomfortable silence, Kylie decided to go to bed early. She'd only been in bed a few hours when she felt herself having a dream. She knew it had to be a dream from the moment she became aware of the floating sensation. She rolled over and tried to force herself awake, but then she saw ... Him.
Again.
Lucas.
He looked at her and smiled. His bright blue eyes looked heavy, sleepy. She realized that she was no longer above him, but stood beside him. He wore jeans and a light blue button-down shirt that wasn't buttoned. Her gaze went to his chest and then up again. All the way up, away from his open shirt. His black hair looked mussed, as if he'd just gotten out of bed himself, and the dark strands appeared to be a tad longer. It even had a bit of waviness to it.
"You came," he said.
"Came where?" she asked, feeling out of her comfort zone.
He didn't answer her, instead he said, "Come on, let's go for walk." He held out his hand as if wanting her to take it.
She hesitated. The idea of touching him tempted her, but she remembered she was angry at him, although she couldn't quite recall why. "I don't bite." He smiled again.
It was just a dream, she told herself, and slipped her hand into his, forgetting about the hint of anger she felt inside. His palm felt so warm against hers that it made her giddy.
"I missed you," he said.
She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. Or at least not about missing him. But she had, she knew she had.
"Where are we going?" she asked when he started walking.
He stopped. "Where would you like to go?"
All of a sudden, Kylie realized they were standing in a patch of woods; large trees with sweet-smelling flowers hung overhead.
"Paris? The mall?" He looked around as if just noticing the scenery. "Or would you like to go back to the lake, like in the last dream?" His voice grew deeper, huskier. "Is that where we're going?"
Blood rushed to her face. How did he know about that dream? Then she remembered this was just a dream. Nothing had to make sense. Right? Yet this dream seemed even stranger. Different.
He laced his fingers through hers. "We could go anywhere, as long as I'm with you." His irises appeared to darken and his eyelids looked heavier.
She recognized the emotion. Desire. Hunger. Passion. She'd seen it in his eyes the day they'd kissed at the creek by the dinosaur footprints. But that wasn't the first time she'd seen that look. She'd seen it first in her dream. The dream of them swimming-of him touching her.
"We can even do anything ... because..."-he moved in closer-"because this is just a dream. It's not real. Just like the first one. But it's your choice. You're the one in the driver's seat."
His head dipped down an inch, and his face felt lightly scratchy against hers. Then his lips brushed across her cheeks until he found her lips. She let him kiss her. At first, she didn't respond. At least not until his tongue slipped between her lips.
Unable to think of anything else, she gave in and started kissing him back. It was hot. It was wonderful. It was just a dream. His hands were on her back, and then shifted to her front. Her breasts felt swollen when he brushed his palm across them.
Then ... she remembered Derek. Strong, kind, beautiful Derek. And then she remembered Fredericka. Yeah, that was why she was mad at Lucas.
She jerked back. She was breathing hard. He was breathing hard, too. She started floating away.
"Don't go, Kylie," he said. "Come back. Please."
Kylie suddenly became fully awake. She jackknifed into a sitting position.
Her heart raced as if she'd run a marathon. Her palms felt sweaty. Her body tingled in front. It tingled darn near everywhere. Socks, still in skunk form, meowed from the foot of the bed. "Weird dream," she said aloud, and it felt good to hear her own voice.
"A very weird dream."
Then she remembered Lucas's letter. His first letter.
Dream of me, he'd signed it.
Was it a coincidence?
Crazy possibilities started forming in her head. What if...? What if werewolves had the power to get inside one's dreams? What if these weren't just dreams, but something more? Did that kind of power even exist?
The more she thought about it, the more she started to believe it, and the angrier she got. How dare he just come into her dreams and ... kiss her. Touch her. Wasn't Fredericka enough for him? Did the she-wolf know Lucas was skipping out on her to come visit Kylie in her dreams? So many questions and no answers. She realized one place she could look for answers.
Turning on the light, she yanked open the drawer and pulled out his letter. She'd already unsealed it and it slipped from the envelope easily enough. She blinked to adjust her eyes.
Hi Kylie, Another letter from me. For all I know I'm the last person in the world you want to hear from. But it doesn't stop me from writing you. Or from thinking about you. But damn, I think about you all the time-wonder if you have discovered what you are and the many talents that you have.
I've spoken to Burnett and when I asked about you, he only said you were fine. I think he knew I wanted details but for some reason, he wasn't willing to give them. It makes me wonder what you're doing that Burnett won't share. I don't want to think about it too much, because I'll start worrying.
You could say that I feel very possessive of you. I'm not saying it's right, but I did meet you first.
Do you remember when we met? You were in your front yard, lying on the ground, staring up at the sky. When I came over, you didn't even say hello. You looked at me with your big, curious eyes and asked if I saw the elephant. At first I thought you were crazy, but then you pointed to the clouds.
Kylie stopped reading as the tiny piece of memory started floating around her head. She did ... remember. Taking a deep breath, she went back to reading.
I remember I told you I didn't see the elephant in the clouds. But I did.