Heathen & Honeysuckle (Pacific Shores, #1)

by Sarah A. Bailey

“You remind me of honeysuckle. Nectar sweet as honey, like the sound of your voice. But the berries are deceiving—poisonous if consumed.” He shrugs playfully. “Beautiful and deadly.”

I don’t have ghosts, but I have wolves, a commanding presence that controls every aspect of who I am. Who I’ll become. Who expects me to be part of the pack but not to lead it. To cower underneath an alpha and to never question their motives.

Honeysuckle, is that I am physically incapable of turning down a dare. It’s not in my DNA.”

squeeze her hand four times. I’ll. Keep. You. Safe. We jump together, free-falling into the abyss.

“Has anyone actually asked you if you want this? Asked you how you feel about all of it?” She stills for a moment before giving her head a shallow shake. “Then you don’t owe them a goddamn thing.”

“If you could go anywhere in the world right now, Darby, where would you go?” She pulls back to look at me, emotion still bright in her eyes, though tears no longer fall. “I want to go to Pacific Shores. I want to go home.”

“Don’t ever hide your smiles from me, Honeysuckle. I need to see every single one, especially the ones I put there.” I move my hand to cup her cheek. “Show me every smile, and I’ll do whatever you want, yeah?”

“I dare you.” She smirks triumphantly. She remembers I told her I can’t turn down a dare. Goddamnit.

Fuck is my favorite word. It’s got like…endorphins or something. It’s physically therapeutic to say.”

That is the truth.

up to me as I lazily throw an arm around her shoulder. “When the divine is trying to intervene, Honeysuckle, I’m going to fucking listen.”