by Bianca D’Arc
Tales of the Were ~ Big Wolf
Perfect
by
Bianca D’Arc
2nd Edition
Copyright © 2020 Bianca D’Arc
Hawk Publishing, LLC
New York
1st Edition
Copyright © 2008 Bianca D’Arc
Published by Tease Publishing, LLC
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
www.biancadarc.com
OFFICIAL BIANCA D’ARC NEWSLETTER
A city girl meets a country boy. She’s drawn to his dominance, and he’s just the Alpha wolf to teach her to ride…
Successful businesswoman and former bakery owner, Cassandra, has sold out and moved to her own slice of heaven—a working ranch, just outside of Big Wolf, Texas, completely with cowboys. She doesn’t know much about ranch life, but she’s a willing student, especially when the new ranch hand catches her eye.
Cody was sent to Cassie’s ranch to investigate some strange goings on. He’s the envoy of the Big Wolf Alpha, and a restless werewolf who does odd jobs for his leader to keep himself busy. He’s enchanted by Cassie and seducing her soon becomes his top priority.
He charms his way into her life, but she’s a total innocent when it comes to the magical world around her. Will she be able to accept everything about Cody and welcome him into her life? And, when hunters show their ugly faces—and their even uglier poison-filled weapons—will she blame him for bringing danger to her door?
Please Note: This novella was originally published as a short, contemporary story in 2008, and has been out of print for several years. It has been greatly expanded and rewritten to exist in the Big Wolf Pack world.
Dedication
With many thanks to Peggy McChesney for her helpfulness. Any errors or mistakes left at this point are my own darn fault. LOL.
Thanks also to my editor, Jess, who has been amazing these past years, and to the readers who have stuck by me for so long.
As always, special thanks to my family, for their support of my scribbling. Love you all!
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
About the Author
Other Books by Bianca D’Arc
Prologue
Cody Tyler reported to his Alpha’s office, wondering what new adventure Joe Villalobos might send him on this time. Cody had been born and raised in the Big Wolf Pack, but he got the wanderlust from time to time, unlike most other wolves. There was a real possibility he’d go lone wolf one day, but Joe was a good friend, and a good Alpha, and he tried to give Cody assignments that would settle his restlessness while still keeping him firmly connected to the Pack.
Cody liked and respected Joe. He’d done some traveling, getting an education and running a string of businesses, but when it came down to it, he always returned to Big Wolf, Texas, because of Joe. The man had earned Cody’s loyalty and trust, which wasn’t something Cody gave easily.
“Morning,” Joe greeted him when Cody stuck his head in the open office door. “Come in and take a seat.”
“Morning, Joe,” Cody replied as he entered and sat in one of the guest chairs across the big desk from the town’s mayor, who was also the Pack’s beloved Alpha.
“How are our investments doing today?” Joe asked, as if he didn’t already know. He might’ve turned the investment portfolio over to one of Cody’s companies to run, but Joe knew to the dollar how everything was invested, and Cody knew the Alpha followed the stock market news daily.
“Looking up, as usual, though you may want to divest in some of the commodity markets,” Cody told him. “Talk to Megan at the office and see what she recommends. She’s got her finger on the pulse more than I do these days.”
“I’ll be calling her once the markets close,” Joe said offhandedly. “I want to get her take on a bakery business.”
“Bakery?” Cody frowned as Joe sat back in his chair and regarded him steadily.
“As you might know, the Weaver place is bordered on one side by a large tract of ranch land that used to be owned by Billy Singleton.”
“Used to be?” Cody asked, feeling a bit like a parrot at the moment.
“Yeah, that’s the problem. Billy died, and his heir was some stockbroker from New York City. He sold the land—at a very large profit—to a city gal who used to own a chain of bakeries. Cassandra’s Cakes. Ever heard of it?”
Cody shook his head. “Can’t say that I have.”
“Well, apparently, there really is an actual Cassandra. She sold her bakery chain and bought the Singleton ranch with the proceeds. What I need you to do is check her out. Cal Weaver told me he’s seen some strange goings on over there since Billy Singleton died. Cal couldn’t swear to it, but he thought he saw some evidence of ritual sacrifice on the back forty.”
“Ritual sacrifice? Seriously?” Cody frowned.
“I’m afraid so,” Joe said, sitting back in his chair, frowning. “Cal Weaver isn’t the excitable sort. If he says he saw something like that, there’s got to be an explanation. I want you to go over to the ranch and see if you can get hired on as a hand or something. Word in town is she’s hiring. Report back when you have something to tell me. Sooner, if you need backup.”
“Will do.” Cody stood, sensing Joe had said all that needed saying. Joe wasn’t in the habit of micromanaging his people. He was the kind of Alpha who put the right people in the right jobs and let them get on with it.
“Hopefully, it’s nothing,” Joe said as Cody headed for the door.
Cody paused and looked back at Joe, seeing an expression of doubt on the Alpha’s face that caused Cody some concern.
“But you don’t think it is?” Cody had to ask.
Joe shook his head and grimaced. “I can’t say exactly why, but I’ve got a feeling…” He trailed off, then his expression turned to exasperation. “Just be careful out there, okay?”
“Will do, boss. I’ll be in touch if there’s anything you need to know.”
Joe nodded, and Cody went on his way. Just like that, he had a new adventure, and this one sounded both intriguing and dangerous. It was the kind of combination his inner wolf liked best.
Chapter One
Damn, that new cowboy is hot!
Sinewy muscles gleamed in the summer sun as he worked. The new guy, Cody, was quite possibly the most perfect specimen of manhood Cassandra Drake had ever seen. And he was all hers.
Well, he worked for her. Technically. Though, in reality, it was her foreman, Rich Jessup, who’d hired him.
Cass
andra had always dreamed of living in the Wild West—or at least its modern equivalent. That dream had become reality when she sold her bakery business. With the windfall, she’d moved out West and bought a big ranch in the middle-of-nowhere, Texas, finding local people to run it for her while she fixed up the house.
A career woman, she’d never married, concentrating instead on building her business from the ground up. She had a few regrets, but overall, she was happy with the way things had turned out…except when she got a look at some of the young studs wandering around her property, taking care of the animals and lands.
The new hand was a perfect example. Cody had chiseled features that put Cary Grant to shame. He was the epitome of the strong, silent type, doing his work each day in his calm way, while she watched from the kitchen window. Salivating. Especially when he took off his shirt. Which wasn’t often enough in her opinion.
Today, he was fixing some of the fencing in an effort to bring the old farm up to snuff. The foreman, Rich, and his wife, Emma, were more than employees. Cassandra was happy to let Rich not only run her ranch, but also a small horse training business, out of her extensive barns. Rich had hired Cody about a week ago, and the men were turning the old barns back into the showplace they had once been. Which meant Cody and the other hands did their share of the cowboying, and odd jobs, as well. Rich had told her that Cody had a way with horses, and that, as soon as they had the barns in good enough shape, he’d be using Cody’s skills more as a trainer than an odd jobs man.
Cassandra didn’t have much personal experience with horses, but Cody sure looked good on one. He was an excellent rider and watching him made her think of an altogether different kind of ride she’d like to take him on.
Just the thought of it made her blush. Cody had starred in her late-night fantasies since she’d first seen him, though they hadn’t interacted much, except as part of the larger group of ranch hands. Cassandra would have dinner with the group a few times a week and only on two memorable occasions had Cody ended up sitting next to her at the big dining table. Only rarely had she gotten to see that sexy, slow smile close up, and it never failed to stop her heart for a beat in genuine feminine appreciation.
Cassandra was getting used to this quieter life, though it was an adjustment. She’d been born in the suburbs and had made a splash in New York City with her bakery. The single bakery had turned into a chain, and then, the investors had rolled in, wanting to take it national. She’d enjoyed the challenge of building the business, but a national brand was beyond her. She was a baker at heart, and that had always been the best part of the business for her—getting in there and creating new recipes. The business part had been a necessary evil, and she’d been just as happy to turn it over to someone else to manage.
She still loved baking. She had a full-time cook now, of course, who served meals for the hands, but Cassandra’d had a professional kitchen installed in the big house for her own use. When she’d sold her business, it was part of the deal that she’d stay on as an advisor and inventor of new products. That was the part she loved best anyway, and she could do it in the privacy of her own home and still get paid handsomely.
Plus, she had a built-in group of taste testers in the small community of people who lived and worked on her ranch. The men loved sweets and never failed to give her an honest opinion of which of her test batches they liked best.
The oven timer buzzed, alerting her to the delicious possibilities awaiting her. She’d soon have a new platter of edibles to test on the hands, and no time like the present, when Cody Tyler, the bronzed god, was out there, gleaming in the sun. Her mouth watered, and it had little to do with the delectable aroma coming from the oven. Cassandra took the new pastries out, let them cool a bit, then arranged them on a tray and headed outside.
“Ma’am.” Cody shrugged into his shirt, much to Cassandra’s disappointment, as he approached. He stepped up and took one of the pastries with a nod, that slow smile making her heartbeat hitch.
Rich and a few of the other men were already partaking of the pastries, standing in a loose semi-circle around her. They’d seen her with the platter and had come out of the woodwork. Most of them had confectioner’s sugar on their chins already as they gobbled down the pastries, and Cassandra couldn’t help but be amused by them. It amazed her how grown men could turn into little boys when tempted with a sweet treat.
“So, what do you think?” she asked when Rich reached for a second pastry.
“Fantastic, Cassandra, as always.” He bit off a large chunk and smiled.
“Come on, you know by now, I need specifics.” She rolled her eyes as they all grinned.
Cody stepped closer and took another pastry, though he didn’t eat it right away. Instead, he held her gaze as he licked his lips, and her blood seemed to catch fire.
“I like the mixture of fruit. Apple and pear, right? With maybe a hint of citrus? Was it lemon?” His smile sent strange tingles down her spine, though his words were innocuous.
“Lime, actually.” Was that her voice? She sounded hoarse all of a sudden. Cassandra cleared her throat, trying to project calm as the men looked at her strangely.
Rich took the platter from her hands. “Come on, boys, we still have work to do.”
The hands followed the platter back into the barn, right behind Rich. She barely noticed their departure as Cody stayed behind, watching her. He took a slow, sensuous bite out of the pastry in his hand, holding her gaze all the while. Cassandra’s mouth went dry. He even chewed and swallowed sexily. The man was far too potent and altogether hot.
“The pastry is delicious, Miss Cassie. Light, flaky and sweet. Tastes good with the filling, but there’s something missing, I think.” Her brows drew together at those words, bringing her attention back to her work. “Here, try it.” He held out the pastry to her, holding it as if he expected her to eat from his hand. She hesitated, and he grinned. “I promise, I don’t have any communicable diseases. And besides, this is the only one left. You need to taste it to see what I mean.”
Raising one brow skeptically, she leaned in and took a small bite of his pastry, jarred by the intimacy of the act. She’d never been this close to Cody, though she’d dreamed of being close to him many a night in her lonely bed.
Flavor exploded on her tongue. She tasted the pastry, the sugar, the tart apple and pear with the hint of lime. It was good. But Cody was right. Something was missing.
“Darn it, you’re right.” She looked up at him. “What do you think it is?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Strawberry? Just a touch, maybe. You’re the chef.”
“Strawberry.” A grin spread over her face. “I’m going to try that. Thanks, Cody.”
He nodded as the silence stretched. Tension rose between them as he seemed to study her in detail.
“You have powdered sugar on your face,” he said. She licked her lips, brought up short when Cody moved even closer. “Allow me.” He bent, shocking her into immobility as his tongue brushed over her cheek near the corner of her lips. When she didn’t move, he grew bolder, running his tongue over the seam of her lips with heart-stopping slowness until she yielded, opening her mouth to him.
Cody’s arms came around her, holding her close to his sun-kissed body. His shirt hung open, and her hands played over his muscular chest, delighting in the feel of him, the sheer power of the man.
He kissed like a dream. In fact, she’d dreamed of his kisses—and more—ever since she’d first seen him. He was so ruggedly handsome with those mysterious dark eyes. She’d been attracted to him from the outset, but he’d never come this close. She’d believed he wasn’t interested, but apparently, she’d been wrong.
Only the honk of a truck horn in the distance made them finally break apart. Cody raised his head, looking down at her with heat in his gaze. That fire stunned her and made her abdomen clench in want. She was attracted to this man like no man she’d ever met before.
“You taste even better than your
pastries, Cassie. I’ve been wondering about that for a while now.”
Nobody shortened her name like that. She usually didn’t like it, but from Cody, it felt like a verbal caress. She felt her cheeks heat with a blush as he smiled that slow, devastating smile and moved back. His hands covered hers on his chest, rubbing lightly before he stepped away.
“That’ll be Jones with the new stock. I have to go.”
“Okay.” Forming coherent sentences was beyond her at the moment.
“Can we talk about this later? Say, after dinner, on your back porch?”
Surprised, she nodded. “I’d like that.”
Cody tipped his hat, flashing her another of his drop-dead-sexy grins, and headed for the pickup and trailer just pulling up beside the barn. Some of the other men emerged from the dark barn, and Cassandra fled into the house, wondering what had just happened. Had the other men seen Cody kissing the daylights out of her in the middle of the front yard? Or had they been working until the trailer pulled up?
Cassandra suddenly felt like a teenager again, caught necking with her high school boyfriend. But Cody wasn’t her boyfriend. Heck, she didn’t know what their relationship was…but she wanted to find out.
She’d had an inkling he was watching her, from time to time, since he’d started working at the ranch, but this was the first time he’d made a move on her. A little thrill tingled through her. She’d been right. He had been attracted to her—it wasn’t just wishful thinking on her part. But could he be as attracted to her as she was to him? Well, perhaps she’d find out later tonight.
Cassandra hugged the residual tingles from his kiss to herself as she went back to her kitchen. She hadn’t been kissed like that in…well…in far too long. All of a sudden, the day looked even brighter than before, and she was looking forward to the evening.
Cody was walking funny as he made his way to the stock truck. Damn. He’d finally gone and done it. He’d kissed Cassandra…Cassie…the woman he’d been dreaming about ever since he’d first seen her, just a few days ago. He’d been unable to stop thinking about her ever since then, and he’d wondered if she was some kind of witch. That would explain a lot. Maybe she’d put a spell on him to promote his obsession.