Chapter 10: The Porch

"Jagger," I said.

The porch post creaked under his hand.

"Where?"

"The seventh switchback. He's gone. He's got a burn on his wrist he won't be able to explain."

"Did he hurt you?"

"He grabbed me. I burned him. I ran."

Granger looked up at the ridge.

His lip pulled back off his teeth. Something rumbled in his chest that I'd only ever heard from a wolf.

"Granger. Look at me."

He didn't.

"You can't go up there," I said. "You can't get down the steps."

"Watch me."

He let go of the post.

He made it one step. His knee buckled on the second.

I was already there.

I caught him under the arms and he came down on me.

We both slammed back against the porch post.

The breath went out of me.

But he didn't fall.

He was standing. Because I was holding him up, and because he was holding on to me.

His arms were all the way around me. His heart was going against my cheek.

"I've got you," I said into his shirt.

"I know."

"You're so heavy."

"I know."

I tipped my head back to look at him.

The gold was still in his eyes, but it was softer now.

It moved over my face, checking every inch of it for damage.

His hand came up and touched the red marks on my wrist where Jagger's fingers had been.

Then he looked at my mouth.

"I said I'd be standing up," he said.

"You're leaning on me."

"It counts."

And he kissed me.

It wasn't careful.

It was three months of quiet coming out all at once.

His mouth was hot and hard on mine.

His hand slid into my hair and fisted there, tilting my head back.

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