by C. D. Gorri
So, he wasn’t quite as trim as Connall, who was kind of in love with himself, nor was he as buff as Rafe. His Alpha was almost twice as wide as he was, but that kind of went with the job. Hmm. Maybe he should try harder.
Then again, Tulla had mentioned his good looks when they were having their discussion earlier. So, she did find him appealing! That was good! Well, if he was being totally honest, as a Werewolf usually was, he’d admit it was more like she had drawn a line in the sand as opposed to simply admitting her attraction. Okay, the woman basically told him to back the fuck off. But damn it, that just made him want her more!
He turned off the clippers and splashed cold water on his face. He patted it dry with one of the several cotton washcloths that sat folded on the marble bathroom counter. She thought of everything! There were little bars of soap shaped like seashells in a little ceramic dish next to the sink and a note that read “Thank you for staying at The Sea Mist!” in yellow and blue ink. Dang, she was cute!
He put down the washcloth and got a good look at himself. His skin was paler than he remembered, but his mouth was wide and full as ever. His jaw was square and even. He ran a hand over his neck to test the smoothness. You’ll do, he thought to himself, you’ll do.
Tulla splashed cool water on her face from the large plastic sink inside her laundry room. She grabbed the small towel that hung on a hook next to it and patted her skin dry. There was no mirror for her to check herself. She’d just have to deal with it.
Okay Tulla, nice work. You sure put him in his place, she exhaled and closed her eyes tight for a second. There was no denying the attraction between her and her new guest, but she thought her little speech would have put a stop to any and all advances he thought to make. Was he crazy or did he simply not care that she was a single mom and his hostess for the next month? She was not about to have a fling with a strange man, no matter how damn cute he was!
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Idle hands and all, none of that now. Get to work, Tulla. The pep talk helped motivate her to start the wash that she had gone in the room to do. Tulla loved the busy work of washing, drying, and folding clothes. It helped ease her mind when she was worried or anxious. Like she was now.
One of the first things she upgraded when she decided to open a Bed & Breakfast was the laundry equipment. She had a top of the line washer, a commercial strength dryer, all energy efficient of course. She had an amazing iron with a million settings, and an extra-large ironing board set up in the corner.
Her personal favorite was the home dry cleaning machine! She bought it at an auction on-line and paid less than she did for the washer. She was very serious about laundry, both for herself and her guests!
She pushed the start button on the stack of beach towels she just placed in the dryer. She liked to provide her guest with fresh towels every morning. These were her favorite. They were patterned to look like mosaic tile in bright aqua, white, and yellow squares. Look how you go on about a set of beach towels! Oh well, anything to take her mind off the way she lost it in the kitchen with her new guest.
What was she thinking? Four weeks! How was she going to last in the company of that man for four weeks without melting into a puddle at his feet! And how was she going to look at him again after the way she spoke to him? He must think she was the most conceited woman in the world. As if he’d look twice at somebody like her.
She was twenty-eight, already had a child and been married. She wore sneakers and shorts just about every day of her life and never, ever got her nails or hair done. She never finished school and made her living essentially cooking and cleaning for strangers. He would never think her interesting or smart, after all, he was some sort of computer wizard.
What the heck was he doing here anyway? This was a place retirees or serious golfers came to visit. Not gorgeous men alone and looking to hook up. She certainly made it clear she wasn’t available as some sort of side attraction for him and he’d just have to deal.
It was done now, she couldn’t un-say it. So, what if she made a fool out of herself with that declaration? So, what if he never intended to make a move on her her and she was just being uptight? He did kiss you. Hmm.
Well, yes, there was that. He had kissed her and held her steady in his arms until she could stand on her two feet again. Holy cow! The man had lips designed for sin. Even under all that hair. She was curious to see the rest of him without that beard, the sound of the clippers coming from his bedroom meant she just might get the chance. She only hoped he wasn’t shaving his head too. She kind of liked all that long dark hair on a man. Okay, maybe not on every man, but on him, it fit.
He looked like some kind of knight from days of old with all that hair. His eyes were what really captivated her though. They were warm and dark when he was thinking or smiling, but every time he looked at her they seemed to glow like molten caramel.
When he was in her kitchen he took up all the available space. He just had one of those larger than life personalities, though he was quieter and more unassuming than she would have thought for a man who looked like him.
Tulla’s stomach did a somersault when she thought of that kiss. It’d been so long since she felt even the inklings of desire, she almost didn’t recognize it. Oh, why did she have to go and feel that way about a virtual stranger and a client?
She had to shut this down. She had a son to care for and a business to run. She couldn’t afford to get mixed up over a guy who would sail out of her life the same way he sailed in. And it simply wouldn’t do for Danny to get involved either.
The sun was still burning in the sky and Tulla wondered if the temperature was to remain hot and sunny the next few days. It was usually warm on the island, but the constant breeze cooled things off so she rarely ran the AC.
She wondered if Randall found his rooms too warm? Did he want the AC on? She’d have to ask him. She was surprised when he got off the water taxi in his flannel shirt and long jeans. She guessed the weather where he travelled from must still be cold despite it being spring. She never travelled north, but would love to visit a place like New York City. Not to live mind you, but just a visit would be nice.
She wondered what it would be like to go there with him. A real night on the town with her in a fancy dress and him in a tux. No doubt he’d look good, muscular and tall as he was, he’d fill out nay suit like a model. And after he wined and dined her they’d go back to his suite overlooking Central Park and she’d help him take off his jacket and shirt. She wondered if his skin would be soft and smooth or if that dark hair of his was everywhere? She liked a little hair on a man. And then he’d peel off her dress and their bodies would touch and…
Yikes! Fantasizing about the man was no way to get him out of her head! Okay, what was I doing? Towels! Do the towels, Tulla!
CHAPTER 7
Tulla served his dinner in the formal guest dining room. The room was cheerfully decorated in pale yellows and blues. It was homey and clean and the food smelled amazing. Pot roast was a favorite of his, but Randall couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Especially when she retreated to the kitchen.
He always ate alone. No big deal, right? Except lately, Charley had insisted that the Wolves in residence at the Manor eat meals together as frequently as possible. It was good for morale and kept Pack ties healthy. Randall tried to accommodate the Alpha Female, but his work often left him eating at his desk.
He should be used to it, but he was twitchy throughout his meal. It was as if, for some reason unbeknownst to him, he felt his isolation keenly. Maybe it was because of the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen? Maybe it was because he couldn’t stop thinking about Tulla and her shy smiles and wicked silver eyes?
Another bout of giggles came from the kitchen. This time they erupted out of Danny. He must be back from his scout meeting. The boy was growing on him. There was something about the kid. Now that he had time to reflect on it, he could sense the boy was special. Oh hell, you just have the hots for his mam
a. Shut up and eat your dinner, man.
He had no right to intrude. He had no rights to this family. The thought left his Wolf snarling in his mind. He’d heard of Werewolves who had instinctively chosen their mates based upon less intense feelings than the ones he was having and he stopped with the fork midway to his mouth. He needed a run.
He left the plate on the table, unsure of what else to do with it and threw on a pair of sneakers and a pair of sweats and left the house. He set off towards a stand of huge oaks that lined the road opposite the house. It would be good for him to do a little reconnaissance anyway.
He usually did that as soon as he arrived at a new place. Man, he must have it bad. When was the last time a woman had interfered with his common sense? He ran double-time in a miles wide perimeter around The Sea Mist. The expulsion of energy was good for him. He felt alive and far more in touch with his Wolf than he ever had.
The wilderness held secrets normals couldn’t begin to understand. Randall’s supernatural senses allowed him to commune with nature with a great deal more intensity and honesty than the average person could imagine. He moved throughout this part of the island as if he was invisible, leaving no trace of himself. Randall could stay hidden if he didn’t want to be seen.
He wasn’t here on a mission, but he’d sleep better at night knowing the area was secure. That Tulla and Danny were secure. His strong connection to the family of two would have been disturbing if it didn’t feel so damn right to him. They were both special and they were his to protect. Even if only for the time being. Mine, his Wolf growled the word in his mind and Randall stopped moving. Mine. This time the thought was his.
Overall, it was a good run, he decided. He’d tracked a few more aggressive members of the local wildlife. He made sure the alligator nests were far enough away from where he traced the scents of Danny and his mother.
It made him smile to circle the grounds where they took walks and played games. Bloody Point was a beautiful place. Full of mystery and legend. He’d read about the massacres that gave the place its name on the plane ride over. The Yemassee Tribe often quarreled with the European settlers over such things as unfair trades and he imagined, a general unrest at being evicted from a place that was their home for centuries.
History, for normals as well as supernatural beings like him, was often full of bloodshed, wars, genocide, and any number of atrocities. Bloody Point was simply one such place. The one thing that he noted on his walks that would not be in any history book was the fact that Bloody Point rested on a strong vein of magic.
In fact, it was by tracing the direction in which Tulla and Danny walked that he discovered the place where the magic was at its strongest. Just a few miles west of The Sea Mist. The small cave sat on a part of uninhabited shore where the ocean constantly crashed into the huge rocks that covered the sand.
It was the one or two times he noticed their hikes took them a little too close to danger for Randall’s comfort. No good ever came form playing to close to magic. He discreetly moved a couple of fallen trees to discourage any further exploration in that area. Other than that, and a few near run-ins with wildlife they were fine.
The sun had already set by the time he circled back. He slowed to a jog and headed for the shore, taking his shoes off and slinging them over his shoulder. There was a section of the beach that smelled as if it had been used recently by one or two people.
He inhaled, he caught a whiff of too much cologne and a trail of human urine. The guy must have been hanging out for a long time behind the coarse grass that grew on top of the sand dune if he had to pee and couldn’t make it to the shore to do his business. Randall poked around the area. The traces were faint, probably a month old at least.
He would have normally been able to pick up more after such a short time, but the wind and surf had altered the scene. Whoever it was, the person hid behind this dune for a reason. Randall raised an eyebrow. It was too close to The Sea Mist for comfort. Too close to those he now considered his to protect. He’d be keeping an eye on it.
All that travelling must have caught up with him because he laid down on the bed just after he got back from his run. There was a mint on his pillow which he popped into his mouth before closing his eyes. The next time he opened them it was two o’clock in the morning according to the small alarm clock that sat on the nightstand. Fuck, he shouldn’t have gone to bed so early. Now he was wide awake.
It was too early to go wandering through the house. He didn’t want to cause a commotion, so Randall walked over and opened the sliding door to the small patio. The air coming off the water was cool and refreshing. He breathed it in greedily. The sound of the waves tempted him to get a little closer. He leapt over the short gate that enclosed his private deck.
His feet landed soundlessly on the sand. Randall closed his eyes and felt his Wolf in his mind, strong and clear, closer than he’d been in years without it being a full moon. He listened with his supernatural hearing to the sounds all around him. The loudest noise belonged to the waves crashing on the shore. It was a soothing melody. It had been years since he let the sound of nature creep into his mind. Years of staring at code and cracking down on enemies of the Pack.
Randall loved his job. Computers were his life, but lately, ever since Rafe and Charley had gotten married, he’d felt hollow. Computers were all fine and good, but they were cold and lifeless. Randall wanted more.
He’d never felt that way. Not in all his years on this Earth, and yes, they were adding up. Werewolves had longer lifespans than normals, that much was true. He just never realized how long it felt when you had no one beside you to share it with. Emptiness had become too familiar to him. He worked himself hard lately, to the dismay of the rest of the Wolf Guard, the Alpha’s elite set of Wolves who acted as his right hand with the rest of the Pack. They wanted to see him settled.
He was annoyed when they suggested a vacation a few weeks ago. Hell, he’d been dead set against it. Then Rafe called him into his office and ordered him to spend no less than a month, a whole freaking month, away from their home in south Jersey.
He inhaled the warm night air rich with salt and sand and exhaled just as slowly. Hell, Randall wasn’t sure he even knew how to relax. He even snuck a Chromebook with him on vacation! He figured he’d at least work on WolfMoon. When the lady of the house informed him that the modem was busted and he wouldn’t be able to use the remote desktop access he had so carefully set up he almost didn’t know what to do. But then he’d been distracted by her soft curves and plump lips to really care.
He spied two hammocks snug in the shadows of a couple of palm trees and walked silently over to them. He was a predator and he moved like one. He did not make a sound unless he wanted to and he did not want to. It was dark and quiet and he fell into the night like he was a part of it which he guessed, he was.
He chose the hammock with the most cover and sank into with all the natural grace he possessed. Well, he may have been roped into this vacation against his will, but he was here now and he might as well enjoy it. If you can’t beat ‘em…
He sat there alone, in the dark quiet of the night with the waxing moon and the ocean to keep him company. His Werewolf eyes saw perfectly fine in the dark and his hearing was focused on the perfect silence. Which was why he stilled the hammock and held his breath the second he heard the screen door from the kitchen swing gently open.
CHAPTER 8
Randall dropped from the hammock and rolled onto the floor hiding himself behind two palm trees whose trunks were intertwined. The vantage point from there gave him an optimal view of the person tiptoeing across the back deck and onto the sand.
There were electric lights outside on the deck, but they were turned off at night. His enhanced night vision allowed him to see clearly, he only hoped whoever was stalking about the place wasn’t as adept to the surroundings as he was. He was no stranger to fights, and he would gladly engage in a war if it kept those inside that house safe.
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sp; He held his breath and waited. The second he recognized the lithe silhouette he exhaled. Her scent, that seductive combination of sea salt and coconut that was unique to her, drifted into his nostrils on the cool night breeze. She enticed him with her potent fragrance, he admitted it freely to himself.
He could get drunk on that scent. On her. His. Tulla. Her name felt good rolling over his mind. He longed to feel it roll off his tongue. He longed to do other things with his tongue. To lick and taste those secret parts of her body that he’d been dreaming of since he laid eyes on her.
She’s a widow and a single mother, he tried repeating that over and over in his brain, like a mantra to keep her from his lusty thoughts. He should leave her to her moonlit walk, he thought but he was rooted to the spot like the trees he hid behind. Shit, he bit his lip and craned his neck, what was she up to?
The mystery that was Ms. Tulla Nirvelli fascinated him. Why a woman as intelligent, capable, and drop-dead gorgeous as her would hide themselves away on this remote island was a puzzle to Randall. Like most computer programmers, Randall’s mind thrived on solving puzzles. He wanted to solve this one alright. All night long.
He watched greedily as she walked across the sand to the shore. She was wrapped up in thick, oversized robe that fell all the way to her ankles. Her feet, he noticed, were bare. He frowned at her her hair piled up the way it was on top of her head in some kind of long clippy thing. He liked it better when she wore it loose around her shoulders.
As if she read his thoughts, she reached up with her hands and removed the clip shaking her hair loose. He inched forward, curiosity getting the best of him. When her hands dropped to her waist he almost cursed aloud. She tugged open the belt of her robe, her back towards him. He craned his neck and almost fell face forward in the sand when she lifted her heart shaped face up to the sky and closed her eyes.