Carson's Conquest

7. Adde

Over the next few weeks, I settled into my job and my new-to-me bungalow. Carson was around fairly regularly functioning as Aria’s personal chauffeur. I could tell she was annoyed by the whole thing, but she was a good sport and regularly cracked jokes about her “driver.” Carson brought me coffee every single day and I started looking forward to our brief interactions. Once in a while, Xavier would drop Aria off and I found that disappointing.

Since settling into my bungalow, I had been taking regular walks in the woods. It was heading into fall, so my garden would have to wait until spring, but I had planted a few of the more obscure herbs I would eventually need and they were starting to sprout in my little kitchen garden. With so much light pouring in from the floor to ceiling windows, my kitchen garden would be flourishing in no time.

I found it easier to control the “just friends” situation with Carson, when we set up things ahead of time. Otherwise, he was inclined to show up when I was unprepared and didn’t have my guard up. That was dangerous. I had to have my guard up or I would be in danger of falling deeply, deeply in like with him—and maybe even love.

We actually ran into each other on one of the trails outside of town and that’s what gave me the idea. I wasn’t sure if it was happenstance that we ran into each or if he had been following me, but I didn’t really care, I was just happy to see him.

I turned around in surprise, “What are you doing here?!” Narrowing my eyes, I looked at Carson suspiciously, “Are you following me?”

He raised his hands up in innocence. “I’m not, promise! I was out for a run and came across your scent, so I followed you. But now that I’m here, can I join you?” He gave me his panty-wetting grin, how could I refuse?

Shrugging, “I suppose a guide would be nice. Maybe you can help me understand why there’s this place on the trail that keeps me from moving forward.”

Carson looked puzzled, “What do you mean you ‘can’t move forward?’”

“I’m not sure. There’s like some force that keeps drawing me in, but then it’s like I reach an invisible barrier and can’t go further.”

“Why don’t you show me what you’re talking about.”

I smiled at him, “Follow me.”

We headed off down the trail. Next thing I knew Carson was right next to me and he grabbed my hand. “Still ok?” He asked me with a raised eyebrow. I nodded. As we walked, we kept chatting. Truly, Carson was the easiest person with whom to have a conversation.

“What made you choose to become a nurse-midwife?” he asked as we walked.

I looked up at him, “It was both the easiest and hardest path for my life. I grew up in a coven until I was in high school. Obviously, life giving forces are something that are closely tied to witches, and most of the women in the coven were wiccan midwives. I left the Coven in high school. I came into my powers like most at 12 and had enough control that I didn’t need their protection. Plus, I wanted a ‘normal’ life. I was the youngest witch by many, many years and hanging out with a bunch of old and odd women was not something in which I was interested.”

“You grew up in a coven?”

I laughed a little. “I did. Does that matter to you?”

“Not at all. But I want to hear more about what that was like.”

I shrugged, “Probably like growing up in a pack, but less structure and more like ‘wild and free.’”

He laughed, and Goddess, I was never going to get tired of that magical sound. “I guess you’re probably right. So, you wanted to stay true to your roots, so you became a nurse-midwife?”

“Kind of. I was drawn to birth because I am a witch, but I wanted more official medical education. I don’t have any family, and I knew I would have to support myself. Accepting p*****t in chicken, herbs, or other form of non-money doesn’t exactly scream financial stability. But I wanted the flexibility to offer home births to families if that’s what they wanted.”

I realized that as we walked, I kept getting closer to Carson, my fingers were interlinked with his, our shoulders brushing. It was like I was drawn to him like a magnet, and I loved how his touch made me warm all over. I couldn’t, no, strike that, I didn’t want to stay away from him. I wondered if I would ever feel the tingles that I had learned about as a result of the famed werewolf mate bond?

“Sounds like you made a good choice for your future. Do you enjoy your job?”

“I do. It’s actually pretty cool watching tiny humans enter the world. You get to be with a family on one of the most special days of their life. It’s pretty freaking awesome.”

Carson laughed again, “That sounds pretty freaking awesome.”

I smacked his chest, “Are you mocking me?!” I asked in pretend outrage.

“Yep.” We grinned at each other. Shortly, I pulled Carson to a stop along the trail. “Here, here is where I start to feel it. There’s some power source pulling me in. I think it might be a magical fault line or something. I never experienced it before, but legend has it that they exist and can essentially supercharge a witch.”

“Interesting. How much further can you go before you get stopped?”

“A little farther. Come, I will show you.” I scrambled up a few rocks and got back on the trail where it looped around. Carson followed right behind me. Shortly, I hit the seemingly invisible force field. “This is it, it’s as far as I can go.”

“Ah. This makes total sense. We’re right at the boundary of pack lands. Aria and Serena, the witch who used to live with the pack, set up a magical warning system to protect us. It must sense your magic and is keeping you out.”

“But why would I need to stay out? What is it protecting?” I was even more curious.

“I think it’s time for you and Xavier to have a talk. Adde, could I please take you to the pack and introduce you?”

I looked up at Carson with shock etched on my face. “You barely know me, and you want to introduce me to the pack?”

Carson looked at me tenderly, “I know more about you then you think. And, yes, I want to introduce you to the pack. You said ‘just friends,’ which I will respect until you say otherwise, but I want to share my life with you, and I hope eventually, you will want to share your life with me.” His hand came up and he almost stroked my cheek, but pulled back at the last minute, again respecting the boundary I placed, and making me like him even more, “You don’t have to come meet them until you’re ready, but I think that Xavier can answer your questions.”

“Ok.” I sighed in relief.

“In the meantime, can I take you out on your next day off? There’s this great little local bar in the next town. It has live music most nights of the week. It’s casual, but a fun time.”

Carson’s description sounded lovely, and I did love local places and live music. It was a casual night out, that’s something friends would do, right? Then I realized I was sort of being a hypocrite. I was standing in the middle of the woods clinging tightly to Carson’s hand, and honestly hoping for more, while claiming we were “just friends.” Even if I wasn’t completely prepared to admit it to myself, I very much wanted to be more than friends with Carson Williams.

I took a deep breath, “that sounds nice. I’m off on Friday. Let’s go then.”

Carson’s face lit up, “Great! I will pick you up at six.”

I smiled, “It’s a date.”