Part 22

                                    

                                          
"That smells amazing." 
                          
            I turned away from the stove to see if my ears were tricking me. Silas was standing a few feet behind me. He had changed into pajama pants but no shirt. His hair was a mess and his eyes were still sleepy. 
                          
~What are you doing?~ I asked. 
                          
He was supposed to be sleeping still. It had only been a couple of hours since I had talked him into leaving his office. 
                          
"I'm checking on you." He smiled. 
                          
~You're supposed to be sleeping.~
                          
"I slept." He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. 
                          
~Two hours is not enough sleep.~ I said exasperated. 
                          
"It is more than enough. Besides it's almost eleven. I have more to do." Silas talked as he moved to the coffee pot and began filling a mug. I glowered at his back for a moment before turning back to the stove. 
                          
"I checked in on Adam as well. He said you told Emily to call a pack meeting. Noon?" He said. 
                          
I nodded. 
                          
"Is that what all this food is for?" He asked. 
                          
I nodded again. 
                          
"Were you going to wake me for my meeting?" He asked. 
                          
I could hear the teasing in his voice. 
                          
I nodded again but I didn't turn to see if he even knew I was nodding at him. The sudden heat along my back alerted me that Silas had moved closer. 
                          
"Rylan..." He kissed the bare skin of my shoulder where my shirt had slid down on one side. The simple brush of his lips caused goose bumps to sprout up on both arms. I turned slightly to give him my attention. 
                          
"Thank you." He said. 
                          
I smiled and nodded. 
                          
Silas glanced down at my lips and swallowed hard before taking a huge step back. 
                          
My smile dropped away and I spun back around to face the stove. The sting of Silas' subtle rejection settled heavily in my chest. 
                          
"Leannan..." Silas said. 
                          
I ignored him and focused on turning the sausages. I didn't even know what his stupid nickname meant. 
                          
Silas moved again. This time he reached past me to turn the stove off. He took the tongs out of my hand and set them down. He grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him. 
                          
            Matthew looked up in surprise as we entered his office. My eyes narrowed on him. Silas hadn't been the only one I had sent to bed recently. I didn't know what these two had against sleeping but it seemed a little ridiculous. 
                          
Before I could get after Matthew for not sleeping Silas was shoving a a cotton swab in my mouth. 
                          
~What the hell?~ I asked pulling the swab back out. 
                          
Silas took the swab from me and handed it to Matthew. Matthew looked at the swab and then back at Silas. He seemed to understand what Silas wanted because he took the swab and moved around the office grabbing several things for a test. As I watched Matthew moving through the familiar motions I realized he was running the hormone test. 
                          
"Same." Matthew said. 
                          
            Silas grabbed my hand again. This time he pulled me down the hall and into his office. The door had barely shut before he turned back to push me against it. He crushed his mouth against mine in a kiss. 
                          
I gasped. 
                          
I had never been over powered or confined by Silas. 
                          
I braced for the rising panic I was certain I'd feel. Instead of a tightening in my chest it started much lower in my belly as Silas tongue slipped into my mouth. I relaxed into the kiss, allowing and even enjoying Silas sudden dominance. I could feel every inch of him pressed against me. 
                          
My hand grasped at the fabric of his pants. I needed more of him. Silas slid his hand underneath my shirt and up along my back. He pressed me against him instead of keeping me pinned to the door and his other hand tangled in my hair maintaining his dominance over the kiss. He bit my lip softly as he pulled away. We were both breathing hard from the overwhelming desire the simple kiss had caused. 
                          
"It's never a rejection. Everything I do is to try and protect you." He said without moving back. 
                          
I licked my lips and nodded. It explained his hesitation in the kitchen and the sudden test with Matthew. I was still to stunned to speak. 
                          
Silas leaned in and kissed me again. This one was several softer and slower kisses. He didn't demand or force anything and yet it made my head spin even harder than the last. It was seductive. He was coaxing my submission and making me want to beg for more. My legs felt weak and they were already starting to shake. 
                          
Silas shifted suddenly lifting me and turning away from the door. He set me on the edge of his desk without ever breaking away from the kiss. I bit him lightly. I wanted more and I knew how to push him. 
                          
Silas growled in response and returned the playful bite. His hand against my back lowered and pushed so that my waist was pressed tightly against his. 
                          
A knock at the door made me jump. Silas groaned and looked back at the door. He sighed, kissed my forehead, and stepped back. 
                          


                          
            When Silas opened the door Aaron was on the other side. He glanced over at me and raised his eye brows. 
                          
"And I thought you were in here working..." Aaron said shaking his head. 
                          
"If that were true you wouldn't have knocked." Silas said. He moved back to the desk and brushed his finger tips across my hand as he walked by. 
                          
Aaron followed and dropped into one of the chairs in front of his desk. I slid off the desk and moved to go toward the door. 
                          
"Stay." Aaron said. "You should hear this too." 
                          
I glanced back at Silas. 
                          
He nodded. 
                          
I closed the door and took the seat next to Aaron. 
                          
"Logan and I have been talking." Aaron started. 
                          
"You're supposed to be taking it easy. You almost lost your arm." Silas said. 
                          
"Silas..." Aaron sighed. "You know he's right. They need you. We both know I can handle the pack but this... this is more important than our comfort." 
                          
"You're not the only reason I'm staying. You don't have to do this right now. Emily needs you." Silas said. 
                          
"Emily needs to know that when our baby is born Devlin isn't a threat." Aaron said. "I don't want her to live in fear that our baby could be snatched away at any moment. And I know that you are afraid to leave Rylan as well but I swear on my life that I won't let anything happen to her. We won't let anything happen to her. And you have to keep in mind that she's not exactly helpless anymore."
                          
Silas shook his head. 
                          
"She almost died not even a week ago." Silas said. 
                          
Aaron looked over at me. I knew what he wanted without him having to ask. I didn't want Silas to leave but the look in Aaron's eyes told me it was something he had to do. It was something he couldn't do if he was tied up here. 
                          
'I was medicated then. I couldn't use my links. It won't happen again.' I signed. 
                          
"You can't know that for certain." Silas said. 
                          
"You were here and it didn't change anything Silas." Aaron said. 
                          
Silas flinched but didn't say anything as he shook his head. 
                          
"Please at least consider it." Aaron said. 
                          
Silas sighed and nodded. 
                          
"I will think about it." He conceded but he didn't sound the least bit convinced.