Barlow waved heartily at Mrs. Martin. She scowled and dropped the curtain.
She didn’t seem to recognize him. Sure it had been over ten years since he was last in town, but like his cousins, he’d had a fair few run-ins with her. He felt sure he would have been ingrained into her spiteful psyche. Guess he did look different to the eighteen-year-old who left town.
He felt the prickle on his skin, and his wolf grumbled. Yep, she was watching him again.
Hell, she was nosey. No wonder her neighbor wanted to get away from her. Maguire was spending a month in Florida scouting out a new house – preferably one where the neighbors were a fair distance away from him. In the meantime, Barlow would be living in his house redecorating and getting it ready to sell.
Maguire was a friend of Barlow’s dad, and his dad had put his name forward for the job. Barely back in town two days and he was already put to work. Not that he minded – it was just a natural instinct to resent his dad, but he’d rather keep busy, and it meant he could live there and start looking for another job.
Plus, he didn’t really want to move back to his dad’s house. His dad had a new mate, and well, it was odd seeing him with another woman. Yeah his mom died years ago, and his dad had dated since then, but he’d never been serious about a woman. Not like this.
He honestly never thought his dad would mate again. Not that he had any real objection – at least not one he could put into words. Barlow thought he would mate first – and he had no damn plans to ever mate anyone.
Susie crooned his beast, interrupting his thoughts. Barlow inwardly growled. Susie had nothing to do with mating. He wanted company, so he found it. Well, technically, she found him. They had a night together, and that was it. That was all he wanted, right? So that’s what he got.
But, he’d certainly been thinking about her over the past few days. He wasn’t sure why. Perhaps it was that damn thank you note, it amused and irked him in equal measure. No one had ever thanked him for sex. Should he be annoyed or pleased? Who was he kidding – definitely pleased.
In spite of his desire for just one night of fun, he had still tried to find out Susie’s last name, just in case… well, he wasn’t sure what he needed it for, but he felt like he should get it… just in case. Not that his reasons really mattered – he hadn’t been able to get her last name out of the snooty hotel receptionist no matter how much he threatened. All he had was Susie. Sweet Susie. Sexy Susie. Susie who screamed when she came.
Idiot grumbled his beast.
Hey, he didn’t honestly think she was the type to skip out in the morning. That was more like the kind of thing he used to do when he was a young pup.
Damn her.
His wolf was hounding him to find her, but how? Or should that be why? Yeah, she was gorgeous and incredible in bed but… he didn’t know where he was going with that thought. All he knew was he liked her, she was fun, and he wouldn’t mind a little more fun with her.
It didn’t matter anyway. She could be anywhere by now, anywhere at all.
*
Susie dragged her feet up the porch steps and rapped on the door. She was very aware of Mrs. Martin peering at her through the curtains. The woman had zero shame about her nosiness. No one could belch on this street without her knowing about it.
Susie tapped her foot and leaned in to listen through the door. The house was pretty well insulated – she knew because the owner had it done after all the noise complaints from Mrs. Martin. He just had to cough loudly, and she was on the warpath. But Susie could make out some music inside the house - fairly loud music too.
She knocked again, and on no answer, tried the handle. It was unlocked.
Susie leaned through the doorway and called out, “Hello, it’s Deputy Connors, may I come in?”
Apart from the music, there were some loud bangs. Whoever was making them probably would not hear her over them and the music. Slowly, she made her way into the house.
She found him at the back of the house, taking a sledgehammer to kitchen floor. Something inside her tingled, something rearing up and waking in joy.
She watched the man’s tall form, watched his muscles ripple as he worked, and her throat went dry. The way he moved, the lines of his large, gorgeous body were breathtaking and achingly familiar
She switched off the music, and it wasn’t until she caught sight of the tattoo on his right arm as he turned, that she finally recognized him. It was her mystery wolf!