Protecting His Windflower (A Spirit Hunters Series Novel Book 1) by Temperance Dawn (best black authors .txt) 📕

“Thanks, Dad.”

Liam ended the call. It was time to make this investigation a priority. This haunting had already proven itself to be dangerous. The question was, why now? And where and how did he and Emily fit into all of it?

Seventeen

The drive down the coast was beautiful. Emily stared out the window and watched as they drove along an endless stretch of the coastline. The sky was blue, and a blanket of grey lay out on the horizon, waiting for the sun to set before it inched its way back to hug the land, creating an interesting contrast while shadows from the clouds danced on the ocean below.

It had taken Liam some time to convince Emily that time spent away from the house would do both of them some good. She was nervous about meeting his parents. But, Liam explained that he needed to be in a place where he knew she was safe, away from the flat where the activity surrounding her seemed to be the strongest. And, somewhere he could think more clearly while he and the team completed their research. After hearing him out, Emily agreed. Maybe it would be good to get away from the stress of the haunting for a while. She just hoped it didn’t follow her to his parents’ house.

Trey and Luke were making their way down the coast as well. Liam assured Emily that his parents’ house had more than enough space to accommodate everyone. Though she was still nervous, the thought of maybe getting a peaceful night’s sleep outweighed her apprehension. She hadn’t slept for more than a couple of hours at a time since arriving in San Francisco. The lack of sleep was beginning to wear her down.

Emily turned and looked at Liam. His arm rested across the center counsel, his hand holding hers in her lap. His other hand gripped the steering wheel. “You doing okay?” he asked her.

“Mmhmm. I already feel so much better. Relaxed.”

Liam smiled at her and raised their hands, kissing the back of hers. “Good. Still nervous?”

Emily wrinkled her nose. “A little. Isn’t this strange? We’ve only just met.”

Liam chuckled. “Baby. My parents are not the conventional type. They were engaged a month after meeting. And eloped a few weeks later.”

“You’re kidding.” Emily’s eyes widened.

“Nope. They’ve always said they knew they were meant to be together the moment they laid eyes on each other. So, trust me when I say, you really don’t need to be nervous. They’re excited to meet you.” Liam brought her hand up to his lips. The feel of his breath lingered on her skin. “You have nothing to fear. They love having company and practically begged me to bring Trey and Luke. So, no worrying, okay?”

“Alright.” Emily exhaled and shifted her body, resting her head more comfortably in the seat.

“Sleep, sweetheart. We have about another hour or so before we get there,” Liam told her. And she did.

Emily slept and didn’t notice when Liam had pulled the car to a stop and turned off the engine. She woke to Liam stroking her cheek, “Em, we’re here.”

Her eyes fluttered open. She squinted as they adjusted to the warm, bright sunlight. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said. “You ready to go inside? It doesn’t look like anyone is home right now. They’ve probably gone into town for lunch and a walk. Let’s get settled. I’m sure there’s food in there to fix for lunch. Trey and Luke should be arriving shortly.”

The house was breathtaking. Views of the Pacific Ocean were visible from almost every room. One end of the home was dedicated to the master suite next to an office, and the other end of the home had four large guest rooms with the two wings separated by an open concept main living space. The enormous room was connected to the dining room and a gourmet kitchen. And to top it off, a beautiful garden lined the front of the home, welcoming guests to the property. Emily could imagine all of Liam’s siblings, nieces, and nephews visiting and the house being full of laughter. That thought made her smile.

“What are you thinking about?” Liam pressed his front to her back and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his head against hers, and she breathed in his spicy scent as she nuzzled against him. His beard scratched against her temple.

“How beautiful it is here. Thank you for bringing me.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her neck before taking her hand and leading her back toward the hallway. “Come on. Let’s go get our bags and get settled.”

Liam carried the large bags while Emily carried her small bag with her laptop. He stopped in the hallway to turn and asked, “Do you want to stay in a room by yourself? Or do you want to share a room with me?” Surprised, Emily blinked as she looked at him. Liam put down the bags and stepped toward her. “I want nothing more than for you to stay with me in the same room. But, I know things have been chaotic lately, and that’s why you’ve been staying with me. I don’t want you to feel obligated. If you want to stay with me, I’ll be relieved because I’ll get to continue holding you every night. But if you want to stay in your own room, I’m perfectly okay with that.”

Reaching for his face, Emily kissed him and said, “I want to stay with you. I know things have been crazy. And as weird as it sounds, I’m glad things have happened because it brought me to you. If you don’t think your parents will mind, then, yes. I want to stay with you.”

“I’m glad too.” Liam placed another kiss on her lips. “They won’t mind. Like I said, they are not traditional.” Liam was interrupted by the sound of the front door and in walked Luke and Trey.

“You