Ethan had sent a pair of matching black SUVs to the hotel. One for Sara, Hailey and Garath, and the second for the three members of his team who’d stayed at the hotel last night. Riding in the backseat of theirs with her sister now, she was glad Nicki had to leave for the airport early. Sara normally hated it when they didn’t get to eke out every second of the convention’s last day together, but in this case, her suspicious friend had already asked enough questions Sara couldn’t answer as they said their good-byes.
They turned into the lot and she spotted Ryan right away. He stood next to his trailer which was closed up and hitched to his truck, ready to travel. Being this close to him as they rolled to a stop next to it made her heart stutter and shot a nervous tingle down into her fingertips. His brother was with him, and so was Zander. Wow, she still hadn’t quite gotten over that one, but she only had eyes for Ryan. She knew what she wanted to do, but did he feel the same? He’d seemed so distant when they’d briefly spoken after the mess last night.
Garath turned off the engine and twisted around to address them in the backseat. “I’ll be heading out to get the plane ready in a few minutes, Sara. You and Hailey can ride with Ethan to the airport, when you’re ready.”
Sara felt Hailey’s moral support flowing through their clasped hands and nodded. “Thank you.”
His onyx eyes narrowed as he looked pointedly between them. “I know you’re aware now of why we feel it’s imperative you two come back to Montana with us where we can protect you, but no one will force you. If you choose to go home instead, it will, however, be on the condition that one of us will be nearby always. Understood?”
Sara squirmed in her seat. “Yes, we understand.”
Garath and one of the men from Ethan’s team had spent several hours back at the hotel explaining in detail the things Ryan had tried to convey to her before she and Hailey had left last night.
As of this morning, she’d been able to come to some definite conclusions. Had her world been turned upside down? Yes. Was it true she and Hailey were in danger from this new world? Yes. Were the scary things that go bump in the night real? At least one was. Could the scarys protect them? They seemed to think so. Did she have a clue what to do about her feelings for Ryan? Not a chance.
She loved him, that part was clear. She also had no doubt that he cared about her too, but was he in love with her or was she just a more palatable option to keep him from going rabid?
Garath twisted so he was facing forward and opened the door then paused with his broad torso half in, half out. “I have to file a flight plane soon, ladies, so you’ll need to call and let me know if I’m flying into Eugene first, which is the closest airport to Oakridge, before going on to Montana or we’re all going straight from here to Great Falls.” He glanced Ryan’s direction. “Or if you’ll be making…other travel arrangements.”
The door closed with a thunk, and Sara released a pent-up breath. Garath tried, likely for her sake, to hide the fact he felt she was better off without Ryan, but he hadn’t been very good at it.
Hailey bumped her shoulder. “Sara. What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are you still trying to deny all that’s happened, including the heart palpitations wolf boy there gives you? Crap, girl, I can feel them from here.”
Ethan and Ryan were giving each other one of those awkward man hugs, but Ryan was looking right at her. “Don’t call him that.”
Hailey dropped her hand and crossed her arms. “Really, Sara? Why not? That’s what he is. Hell, that’s what they all are. Even the one that was fluffy to start with is now standing over there looking like Thor’s twin.”
“I know,” Sara snapped back.
Hailey didn’t respond right away, and when she did, her tone had calmed down. “Look, sis, I’m trying to deal with being down the rabbit hole too, trust me. But, come on, facts are facts. Just because we hadn’t been aware of all this, doesn’t make it any less real. It is what it is, and we’re apparently a part of it whether we like it or not.”
Sara sighed. “I guess you’re right. No, I know you’re right. It’s not like I haven’t had all the same arguments rolling around my head too.”
“Then stop fighting it.” Hailey placed her hand lightly on Sara’s bouncing knee. “Me? I’d rather put my money on all that fang and brawn out there to keep my butt safe than trying it on my own. You? You need to follow your heart and quit thinking so much.” She leaned over and kissed Sara’s cheek. “I’m getting out now, and I’m walking over to tall, dark, and broods a lot before he takes off for the airport, because I’m going with him all the way to Montana. I hope I’ll see that big ass trailer pulling in up there about a week from now with you in it, spewing complaints about gas station bathrooms and how you never want to see a submarine sandwich again.”
Sara opened her mouth but Hailey stopped her with a finger to her lips. “Don’t try and talk me out of it. I’m a big girl and this is my decision, my life.” She pulled her finger away and tipped her head toward where Ryan now stood alone. “And I believe yours is standing right in front of you with his heart bleeding all over his hunky sleeve.” She winked. “Love you, sis.” Then she opened the door and stepped out. “Hey, grumpy! Wait up.”
*****
Ryan rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans as he watched Sara stop and talk to Ethan and Zander. Was she going to leave with them? He saw Ethan nod and Sara smile, then she started toward him again, and he gave his lungs the go ahead to re-inflate.
Like a man dying of thirst who suddenly sees water, the closer she got, the more every cell in Ryan’s body clamored for her. Both parts of him wanted her in his arms now and in his life forever. When neither he nor his wolf could stand it anymore, Ryan gave in and closed the gap.
The three-quarter moon’s glow gilded her hair, and the stars were reflected in her beautiful eyes. Eyes filled with something he prayed mirrored his own desires. Did he dare hope? He lifted his hand, and Sara sent his heart soaring by taking it in hers and placing it against her velvet cheek. His voice quivered. “How are you? Are you okay?”
Her smile was sweet. “I’m fine, Ryan.” Her gaze fell to his shoulder; funny he’d forgotten all about it. “How’s your arm feeling?”
His wolf nipped at his mind, but Ryan was already taking the leap. “I don’t care.” Any other time he would’ve chuckled at the startled look on her face. But not now. “All I care about is what’s going to happen in the next few minutes.”
He saw her swallow. “Oh? What’s that?”
He moved in closer and cupped her precious face. “I’m going to bare my soul to you and pray to the gods you don’t laugh in my face or take off running the other way.” He couldn’t help it; he had to taste her lips. Dipping his head, Ryan brushed them with his and whispered, “Sara Gardener, I love you.”
She gasped and he took full advantage. The only thing that stopped him from lifting her off her feet and carrying her to his bed was the fact he hadn’t let her answer.
Sara broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his chest to catch her breath. He held his until she looked up into his eyes. “Oh god, Ryan, I love you too.”
A grin stretched his mouth and his heart broke into a jig. “You do?”
She pressed her hands against his biceps and pushed back, stalling the coronary dance moves. “Before we go any further, I have to ask you something.”
His brow wrinkled and dread dragged its claws over his innards. “Okay, anything.”
She stepped completely away, firing warning alarms off in his head.
“Why did you break your bond contract?”
Ryan had no clue where she was going with this. “Because I can no longer stomach the idea of binding my soul to someone I don’t love. It also wouldn’t be fair to her.” He tried to lighten the moment. “Besides, we despise each other.”
Sara frowned, and he wished he’d kept that last bit to himself. “But, when…uh…won’t you end up…”
She scrunched her eyes closed then popped them open again and it dawned on him what this was about. “Will I turn into a mindless killing machine needing to be put down?” Her face blanched and he wished he’d said that differently too. Fuck, Ryan, get it together. “I’m sorry, that was harsh.”
Sara shook her head. “Yes, it was, but that’s what I need from you right now, complete honestly, even if it is harsh.”
His wary state ramped up to full-blown concern. “Okay…”
She shoved her shoulders back and spoke in a rush. “Do you need me to do that bond thing so that doesn’t happen?”
What? She couldn’t have shocked him more if she’d hit him with a Taser. “Do I need…?” Now, he understood. Ryan gently pulled her close again and hoped the sincerity in his heart was shining in his eyes. “No, Sara. I don’t need you to bond with me. I won’t lie. I’m praying you’ll do me that honor, but not to save my ass. I want you to do it because you know we’re meant for each other and want it as much as I do.”
“But what will happen to you if I don’t?”
Uh-oh. There was a possibility he could follow in Ethan’s footsteps, but if he wasn’t accepted, there was no chance in hell he could tell her Garath was going to bag and tag him, so he only told her half the truth. “I can always join the Enforcers. Apparently, they have woo-woo stuff that staves it off. Just means I’d end up a lobotomized, humorless jerk like the rest of them.” His heart was crawling up past his tonsils, but Ryan beamed his best smile at her anyway.
She answered it with one of her own, lighting up his universe. “So, I don’t have to do it to save you?”
I promise I’ll never keep anything from her again, just let this one fly. “Nope.”
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “And, um, how is it done exactly?”
Ryan’s heart sent his jitterbugging blood south, and the front of his pants started to bulge. “We’d make love long and slow first, and I’d make you come so many times you couldn’t see straight anymore.”
She rubbed up against him, and Ryan felt her nipples harden. “Hmm, so far so good. Go on.”
“Then, when you were sure you only had one more in you, I’d take you from behind, and as soon as I started to climax inside you, I’d let my canines extend and mark you with a tiny bite where your neck meets your shoulder. In that moment, a matching mark would show up on me, our minds would open to each other and our souls would link.”
The natural night sounds grew louder in the following silence, and everywhere the moist breeze brushed him, Ryan’s nerves tingled in anticipation. The wolf in his head paced and panted, and if she didn’t say something soon, they were both going to go out of their minds.
“Ryan?” Her sexy smile and the sultry edge to her voice nearly undid him.
“Yes?”
“With the circus and everybody gone, there’s no one around for miles right now, is there?”
“No.”
“Good.” Sara stood up on her toes and ran her tongue up the side of his neck then whispered in his ear, “Ryan…bite me.”
Yes!
There, under the star-studded Southern sky, wrapped in the sweet scent of magnolias and serenaded by cicada song, he did.
THE END