Wednesday morning, Chelo’s flower shop
Chelo wondered if she’d ever be able to wipe the silly smile off her face. She loved Trak. That was the only explanation, but the most wonderful thing was that he loved her back. He didn’t see her as damaged, didn’t even seem too concerned about Rube, though he was here with her, protecting her until, as he phrased it, the pack could “deal with the bastard.”
And he was now, physically at least, her mate, though he said they’d still need to go through the official mating ceremony for the pack to recognize her as the alpha’s mate. She couldn’t wait to tell the others, though that would have to wait for a time when Darnell either knew what they were or was gone, though Chelo doubted that would happen. Darnell loved Evan and Evan loved Darnell. They’d figure it out.
She stood at the worktable with the front door open for customers on this beautiful autumn day, putting together an arrangement for one of the B and Bs in town. She had almost finished—a colorful mix of chrysanthemums and dahlias with graceful columbine and sweet-smelling stock in a beautiful antique basket the owner had dropped off—when she felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck start to rise. Glancing up, she didn’t see anything unusual, and with the door open her view of the front was unimpeded. But just in case, she left her work area and stepped into her office. Trak had brought his laptop and was checking over some paperwork that Cherry had sent to him this morning. He raised his head, smiling, but he quickly shut the laptop and was on his feet, reaching for her hand.
“What’s wrong?” He kept his voice low and soothing, but his grip on her hand was tight.
“I don’t know, but something isn’t right.”
He nodded and followed her back into the showroom. “Nothing in here. Wasn’t the door open?”
It was closed now. She nodded. “Yes. Definitely open.”
“Stay here.” He walked to the front door and pulled it open.
Rube’s scent was thick in the air. Opening the door had pulled the stench inside. “Ya know,” she said, proud of herself for maintaining at least a semblance of calm. “If the idiot bathed once in a while it wouldn’t be nearly as easy to know where he was.”
“Good point.” Trak propped the door open. Then he checked the floor and the walls, even inside the potted plants in the front window.
“What are you looking for?”
“I dunno. Listening devices, cameras, anything to spy on you or just to make you nervous.” He went outside and paused in front of the display.
Chelo watched from her spot by the worktable, continuing to work on the arrangement while Trak checked the entire display out in front. A few minutes later he was back inside, where he went through the items in the front window again.
When he walked back to Chelo, he held a finger to his lips, opened his left hand, and showed her three small listening devices. She knew her eyes had to be as big as saucers, but she was really curious when Trak walked back to the window and returned one of them to the potted plant where he’d found it.
“Yeah,” he said, standing close to the one in the front window. “I think that’s it. Two of them in the display out in front. I don’t see anything in here.”
So that’s how he wanted to play it. “Are you sure there aren’t any in the shop? Did you look everywhere?”
“Yeah. Nothing inside. I don’t think he had time. You were only out of the room for a few seconds.”
“What are you going to do with those? I can’t believe he’d try something like that. What’s the point?”
“No idea. He’s an idiot. This is what I’m doing with these.” He took the two he’d kept and pulled out the batteries, then set the devices on the workbench. Grabbing a small hammer Chelo used for building some of her displays, he gave the little gadgets a couple of solid hits and turned them into nothing more than bits of cheap metal and broken plastic. Sweeping the parts into his palm, he tossed the rubble into the wastebasket. “Took care of that,” he said. “Shouldn’t be any harder to deal with Rube. Wonder where he is now?”
“I don’t know, but I really want him gone.”
Trak tugged her into the office. “Come with me a moment. I want you to take a look at this…” Then he closed the door. “Speak softly. I doubt the mic is strong enough to pick up our voices in here.” He hugged her close and then planted a big kiss on her, but he made it a fast one. “You were great! When you’re near the bug, I want him to think he’s hearing stuff that we’re not aware of, so just carry on the way you normally would. I’ll be in the office with the door open. Don’t leave the shop for anything unless I’m with you. He’s probably close by, as those were really cheap devices and their range is limited.”
“What do I do if he comes to the shop?”
“Scream bloody murder.”
“What?” She covered her mouth to keep from laughing. “Do I look like a screamer to you?”
“Absolutely not, and I will venture to say that Rube never once made you scream.”
“You’re right. He didn’t. Not once.”
“Exactly. If you scream it’s going to startle the hell out of him. With luck it’ll give me time to come after him. One more thing. You’re an alpha. There’s no doubt in my mind, and I’ve watched the reactions some of our guys have when you say something and, without planning, put your alpha bitch into it.”
She actually smiled. She’d sort of noticed that a few times. Some guys more than others.
“Have you ever ordered Rube to do anything? He might fight it, but if he doesn’t expect it from you his instincts might take over, force him to act in a way he doesn’t expect. That might give you an edge. Plus, I’m going to talk about the fact we’re mated, that he’d better think twice before coming after the pack alpha’s woman.”
“I think that will just piss him off. He thinks he’s invincible.”
“Possibly.” Trak hugged her close. “But I want that asshole to know that if he messes with you he’s going to have the entire pack after him. I love you, Chelo. I can’t stop thinking about this morning, how wonderful it felt to slide inside you, how beautifully our bodies fit together. I love the way your mind works; I love the way you look, the way you feel. You’re even more than I ever dreamed of for a mate. I want you and all that you are for a long, long time, and I want that bastard gone.”
* * *
Darnell walked up the front steps of the lodge and flopped down on the porch swing next to Cherry. “Evan’s gone. You have to entertain me. So tell me about Meg and Zach. What’s their story?”
Cherry laughed. “I keep forgetting you haven’t been here all summer like I have. Of course, if you and Evan keep on doing whatever you’re doing maybe you won’t have to leave ever again.”
“I wish. Do you think Evan’s happy with me here, or is he just being polite? I mean, he’s such a flat-out nice guy. Would he tell me if he wasn’t happy?”
Cherry grabbed Darnell’s hand and squeezed. “Evan’s no pushover, but I’ve never seen the guy as besotted as he is with you. Women were after him all season long and he’d spend time with them and was always pleasant, took groups on hikes and that sort of thing, but he never paired up with anyone. I think he was missing you.”
“Besotted, eh?” Now that was a word she hadn’t heard in a while. “Well, I hope he is, because the one thing I’ve learned since coming back here is that I don’t want to leave. I really don’t want to spend another four miserable months wondering what Evan was doing or if he ever thought about me since I was obviously obsessing over him.” She glanced around the area and realized she and Cherry were the only ones there. “Where is everyone? Evan went into town to help Trak with something, but this place is quiet!”
“Well…” Cherry held up her hand and started ticking off fingers. “Brad’s working on menus and checking to see if he has to make another trip to the store; Cain’s checking the perimeter and cleaning up the entrance so it looks nice when guests arrive; Steph and Christa are working. They both telecommute to their old jobs in San Francisco and only have to go down there about once a month, if that often. Mostly they hold their office meetings on Skype. Wils and Ronan are checking the fence line on the north side of the property. We’ve had some poachers and one of them actually shot Trak not too long ago. He’s completely recovered, but it was a scary reminder that there are bad people out there.”
“Wow. That is scary. I’m glad he’s okay. Did they catch the one who shot him?”
“Yeah. Got him and some other poachers. They’re still locked up.”
“Good.” She breathed a sigh of relief. Trak was always such a gentleman. She hated to think of someone like him being hurt. “Okay. I know Elle and Tuck have a couple of calls in town this afternoon. That leaves Lawz and Darian, Jules and her guys, and Trak and Chelo.”
“Lawz and Darian are probably doing the nasty at their cabin.” Cherry laughed. “When I first met Lawz, I thought he was such a pompous jerk. He’s actually really nice and he adores Darian. I saw him hauling her off in that direction about an hour ago. I mean that literally. He’d slung her over his shoulder, but she wasn’t trying to fight him off. They’ll show up for dinner, probably looking a bit rumpled. Jules, Drew, and Armando—that’s Manny—are giving Growl a good cleaning. The bar will probably be busy after the wedding and reception, and the guys are having their bachelor party there tomorrow night. And last but not least, Trak and Chelo are at her flower shop. She’s been closing it around four, so they’ll be back before long. Trak’s not comfortable letting her go into town without him, at least until they get rid of the ex-boyfriend, so he’s taking work with him and doing it in her office.”
“That’s something that’s really unusual but special about these guys. They’re all very protective of their women. It’s sort of old-fashioned, but it’s sweet, too.”
Cherry just smiled. Darnell had a feeling she was remembering something special.
“You’re right. Brad and Cain are unlike any other men I’ve ever known. I’ve only been with them a few months, but I can’t imagine life without the two of them.”
Darnell choked off a giggle. “Sorry. You were such a sweet young thing, Cherry. I just never pictured you for a woman with two hunky men in her bed.”
Cherry didn’t even try not to laugh. “Darnell, I never pictured me with any man in my bed. And yet here I am with two of the sweetest, most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen, much less known, and they’re making love to me every night, reminding me that yes, there really are miracles and they can come true. What’s really special is that they’ve loved each other for years and they both told me they always felt they were missing something, that I’m that something. You can’t imagine how special it makes me feel, being loved this much.”
Darnell thought about the different couples that made up this very special group of friends. They watched out for one another and protected those they loved. They teased one another, but they were all equals, though she’d noticed that even though he never acted like he was boss, Trak was definitely their leader. The one they all deferred to.
She’d actually wondered if it was some kind of cult, but there was nothing weird about them beyond the fact that they were all really wet-panty, drop-dead gorgeous. As if that were strange …
And Evan? He was the nicest of the bunch and definitely one of the sexiest. She wondered what he was doing in town for Trak. He seemed to be Trak’s assistant, the one Trak called on for things. She really needed to ask him, but the minute she was with him all she wanted to do was drag him into the sack. So she asked Cherry, instead.
“What does Evan do here, exactly? I don’t think he’s ever said.”
“A lot, actually.” Cherry gave the deck a kick and set the swing to slowly swaying. “The resort and the wolf preserve are two separate businesses, and the guys are all partners in the business. The resort generates income for profit, and the preserve, which is a nonprofit, generates enough income to keep the habitat safe and the wolves that need care, cared for. Point being, there’s a lot of work behind the scenes to keep everything running and Evan is key to a lot of that getting done. There’s nothing he can’t do. He’s an amazing carpenter and helped build all the cabins. During the season he handled a lot of the housekeeping and laundry, any repairs on things—plumbing and electrical, mostly. We get some wild storms here that can mess with the power. He keeps the vehicles tuned up, helps patrol the preserve—Manny’s in charge of that, but Evan’s part of the crew—and whenever there’s a pup in trouble or an animal that’s left orphaned or is injured, after Tuck checks them over Evan raises them and then turns them free. He’s truly a gentle soul.”
“He is. And everything you’ve told me makes me realize he’s even more special than I imagined. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She laughed. “Always love to be of service. Well, are you ready for the wedding?”
Darnell rolled her eyes. “This conversation began with me asking about Meg and Zach. Who are they? What are they like?”
“They’re wonderful. We met when Meg planned her bachelorette party here at the resort mainly because she figured it would give her time to talk herself out of marrying Zach.”
“What? Doesn’t she love him?”
“That’s the thing. She loves him to pieces but didn’t think she was worthy of his love. Zach’s really handsome and a successful businessman. He owns a company that builds luxury yachts and Meg went to work for him right out of college as his administrative secretary. They started dating and he proposed; she moved in with him but still didn’t think he really loved her.”
“But why?”
Cherry shrugged. “You’re tiny. Meg’s like me—generously proportioned, to put it kindly.” Smiling, she added, “Or if you want to be politically correct. She’s spent her life feeling imperfect because of her size and some other issues. You know, the kind of stuff that can ruin your life and yet means absolutely nothing to anyone else?”
“Oh, yeah. Got some of my own.”
“Don’t we all. Zach missed her so badly after a couple of days apart that he drove down from Portland to see her, but he swerved to miss a bear not far from Weaverville and it ended up being a pretty bad wreck. It put him in the hospital with amnesia. Tuck and Elle are the ones who found him there, but it was Trak who helped Meg and Zach start really talking to each other about how they felt. Turns out, they both had issues, but they appear to have gotten past them. I can’t wait to see Meg. You’ll love her. She’s got the world’s greatest laugh and a wicked sense of humor. She really fits in with this crowd. So does Zach. They’re both terrific.”
“We’ve talked.” Darnell had really gotten a kick out of her. “She’s bringing her own makeup and some pictures of how she wants her hair. I might need rollers and stuff like that. I have no idea what she wants.”
“I’ve got a curling iron with lots of different-sized rollers. Will that work?”
“It should.” She raised her head. “I think I hear a car.”
Cherry checked her watch. “Bet that’s them. They’re due about now. Time to break out the margaritas!”
* * *
Evan held Darnell’s hand as they walked back to his cabin. “You sure you don’t want me to carry you?”
She giggled. “I need to prove that I’m still sober enough to walk.”
“You’re walking just fine.” He chuckled as she tripped and he caught her. “It’s the staying upright and maintaining a straight line you’re having trouble with.”
“I’m really sorry, Evan.” She hiccupped.
“What for?”
“I had too much to drink. I promised I wasn’t going to do that, but everyone was having such a good time, and I sort of lost track.”
“Blame Brad. He’s the one who kept filling your glass. He knows you’re not driving anywhere.”
“Okay. I can do that. As long as he doesn’t mind.” She wrapped her hands around Evan’s arm and hung on.
“He better not. Though at least he didn’t bring you a Long Island Iced Tea.”
She shook her head. “I’m never having one of those again. Ever.”
He caught her when she stumbled, finally just went ahead and did what he’d been wanting to do and lifted her against his chest. He loved her, and as soon as they got rid of the rogue who was after Chelo he was damned well going to make her his.
There’d been no sign of Rube and his cronies this afternoon when Trak had asked Evan to come into town. They’d decided to leave the bug at the store to give the bastard something to listen to. They hoped it would keep him busy, but Trak was worried Rube and his partners in crime might crash the wedding. That could get ugly. A bunch of dangerous werewolves at a human gathering? At least Trak had taken Zach and Meg aside and let them know about the risk, but they’d been angry for Chelo’s sake, had discussed it privately and decided there was no question of postponing the wedding or doing it anywhere else.
Evan noticed, though, that Zach stayed stone-cold sober tonight. So did every male wolf in their pack, himself included. He wasn’t about to drink or do anything that would make him less capable of protecting his Nellie.
He tilted so she could reach the door and open it, then carried her into the cabin. Since Nell had been here, the place felt more like a home than ever. She’d picked a bouquet of late wildflowers that graced the mantel over the fireplace, resplendent in a large canning jar. There was a bucket filled with branches, their fall leaves dark red and brilliant yellow and every shade in between, sitting beneath the kitchen window. Blazing splashes of color, those feminine touches made him smile whenever he crossed the threshold.
The same way Nellie made him smile.
“You gonna put me down, big guy?” Nell tightened her grip around his neck, pulled herself close for a kiss, and somehow shifted in his embrace until she straddled his waist, arms around his neck, slowly kissing him, running her tongue across his, over his teeth, tickling the roof of his mouth. Essentially driving him insane.
“Never.” He cupped her bottom with one hand, her back with the other, and pulled her closer, stealing greedy kisses from her lips, her throat, her shoulders. She moaned and stretched in his arms, locking her legs around his waist, arching her back, and thrusting her breasts forward.
He turned and leaned his butt against the kitchen counter, carefully working her sweater up and over her head, tugging it off her arms and dropping it on the floor. Her bra came next, a lacy little thing that cupped her beautifully shaped breasts and effectively kept him from tasting what he wanted so badly. The closure was in the front, one suitable for undoing with merely two fingers and his thumb.
It popped open and her breasts spilled free. She had absolutely gorgeous breasts with beautiful nipples—large and very dark, a deep chocolaty raspberry that tasted as delicious as they looked. He tasted. With tongue and lips and teeth, he tasted, until Nell was writhing in his arms, rubbing against him like a cat in heat. He turned and rested her bottom on the kitchen counter, undid the snap on her jeans, pried her ankles loose from around his waist, and pulled her pants down her long legs. Her panties came with the denim and he tugged her sandals off as he dragged the pants over her feet.
They were both panting, both aroused, and he reached into his pocket for his wallet, found it, and spread it open on the countertop. There. The last condom. He hadn’t been carrying them because he and Nellie had spent their time together in a comfortable bed, but there was no way in hell he was breaking out of this moment to go up the stairs.
He unsnapped his jeans, tugged the zipper down, and cautiously drew his erection out of his pants, paying careful attention to the metal teeth on the zipper. He was so damned hard he ached, so close to coming that his tip glistened with cream. Hands shaking, he rolled the condom on, smoothing it down along his shaft.
Nell panted, watching every move he made, her eyes slightly glazed, her lips parted and shining from their kisses. Tugging her forward on the counter, he slid inside her wet heat, slowly, carefully, filling her until he bottomed out against the hard mouth of her cervix. They both sighed and he lifted her, holding her against him, turning to rest his ass once more against the counter. He loved her slight size, the fact that he could make love to her like this, lifting her up and away, pulling her close, knowing the angle of penetration was absolutely perfect, that he rubbed against her clit on the upstroke and down.
He knew this wasn’t going to last. It was so hard the first time with Nell. Even the second and the third, but he knew that by the fourth he’d be able to spend a respectable amount of time before he finally came. And it was really sexy in a truly decadent way, standing here fully clothed with his pants unzipped and shoved down, his balls still caught behind the opened fly, his cock buried deep inside Nellie. A totally naked, moaning Nellie.
He loved her. He had to fight the urge to shift and bite her, to make her his for all time. Her safety came first. Her safety and her pleasure. He would wait, but he didn’t have to like it.
Her soft moans and sexy whimpers escalated, frantic, needy sounds growing with each breath. Her body writhed in his arms and she clutched at his shoulders with surprising strength. He thrust deep and hard, so close to coming, but he had to hold out, had to watch his favorite part of sex with Darnell Deya. That moment when her body tightened, when he heard her thundering heart, felt the rush of blood in her veins, and knew it was time, knew he’d managed to give her the ultimate pleasure any man could share with a woman.
She arched her back and screamed. Her inner muscles clamped down on his cock as if she wasn’t going to let the damned thing get away. He wasn’t going anywhere. Far from it, as his own climax quite literally exploded out of him, a surge of power from his balls to his dick and into the condom. His shout as he thrust against her, drove deep inside her, probably rattled the dishes in the cupboards.
Times like this, he was really glad the pack’s cabins weren’t close together.
After a moment Nell slumped against him. Her ragged breaths and sweat-slick body told him everything. Told him there was no going back. She was his. Forever his, but damn it all, he couldn’t tell her that. Not yet.
There was something he could tell her, though. Holding her tightly against his chest, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips. “I love you, Nellie. I love you more than life itself. I don’t want you to leave. Stay here with me, please? I really want you to stay.”