Open Arms

by Marysol James

  It was just sitting there, watching her. It hadn’t moved an inch the whole time she was screaming and freaking out and generally losing her damn mind. Tammy tried to catch her breath as she stared right back at the animal. What the hell is it doing?

  Time stood still for a few more seconds as they gazed at each other. Then the wolf stood up, stretched, and ambled away towards the mountains, as casually as a person wandering out the door of their favourite café. Tammy watched it go in rising confusion. Hadn’t Kimana said that it was probably long gone? What was the thing doing, hanging around the ranch and hotel? Around all these people and cars?

  Well, no way was she climbing out alone, not with that giant beast roaming free. She pressed her open palm on the horn and held it there for a few seconds. Then she did it again, and again.

  The door to the main building opened and she saw a blond head poke out and look her way. Rob. Oh, thank God.

  Rob stared across the back parking lot in confusion: why was Tammy sitting in the truck honking the horn? Then he saw her face – white, terrified – and he ran across the snow and ice to her.

  She opened the door. “The wolf. It was right here!” With a shaking finger, she pointed to where it had sat.

  Rob glanced over, saw the massive footprints in the snow. “Oh, God. Are you OK?”

  She nodded, then shook her head.

  Rob carefully reached in to the truck, grasped her around her waist. “Come here. I’ve got you.”

  A soft sob left her as she allowed herself to be lifted down. Her feet touched the ground and her legs shook beneath her. Rob wrapped his arms around her, pulled her in close and tight.

  Tammy closed her eyes and held on to him. His body was the most amazing thing she’d ever touched: warm and strong and gentle. She loved being where she was, pressed up against him, his lips so close, his breath on her hair. She took a deep, shuddering breath and felt her body relax, turn soft and pliant in his embrace.

  Rob stroked her long black hair, murmured comforting words, all the while keeping an eye out for the wolf. Why had it come back? And why was it all the way up here now, far from the horses? Why would an animal want to be so close to people, especially during the day?

  He held on to Tammy until the shaking lessened, and then he gently held her body away from his, his eyes assessing her for damage. She looked right back at him, wishing that he’d kiss her until her breath was ragged and harsh, until her knees gave out and he carried her to a bed and pinned her down with his body. She felt her centre moisten at the thought of his fingers on her breasts and thighs, at the thought of him rising above her, plunging in to her, filling her with his hardness.

  Rob’s gaze travelled up and down her stunning face, noting the faded bruises – they’re almost gone now – and her teary eyes and trembling lips. He focused on her mouth, wondering how it would taste. She’d be sweet, he thought; sweet and hot. His cock twitched and to his horror, he found himself getting hard right in front of her.

  He stepped back from her now, trying to keep some degree of control. Tammy noticed that her body didn’t like to be farther away from his; she felt cold and small and alone without his arms around her. But it was clear she was just a friend to him, and he was offering comfort and safety. Not anything else.

  She tried to smile, and he smiled back. “Let’s get you inside, OK?”

  “OK,” she said.

  He picked up the shopping bags and put his other arm around her shoulders. “How about a shot of whiskey?”

  “Urgh,” Tammy said.

  “Rum?” he asked.

  “Better.”

  “OK, let’s go.” He opened the door for her and supported her as they walked slowly down the hallway past the offices and the conference room. The staff looked up as they passed and got to their feet when they saw Tammy.

  “What’s wrong?’ Andrea asked, alarmed. Tammy’s face was as white as parchment and she was shaking. “Tammy, are you OK?”

  “Andrea, can you go to the bar and pour a shot of rum?” Rob asked. “And have Manny plate up a bit of food. Something hot. OK?”

  “Sure.” Andrea hurried across the reception lobby and in to the restaurant.

  “Come on,” Rob said. “Nice and slow. Take your time.”

  Together, they walked past Maria and in to the bright, airy restaurant. Andrea had obviously said something to Jake and Julie, because they were already rushing across the room towards them.

  “Tammy!” Julie grasped her hands. “What happened?”

  Jake pulled out a chair, and Rob carefully set Tammy down in to it.

  Andrea handed Tammy a glass. “Rum,” she said. “Take a sip.”

  Tammy drank a bit, and felt the golden glow spread through her chest and stomach, blossom out to her fingertips. She stopped shaking and was able to give everyone a genuine smile.

  “I’m OK, Jules.” Tammy was starting to feel stupid at all the fuss and attention. “I just had a bit of a shock. I saw a wolf when I was getting out of the truck and it scared me to death. Stupid, really, ‘cause the thing didn’t even move.”

  “What?” Jake said. “It came back?”

  “Well, I’m guessing it was the same one,” Tammy said, taking another small sip of the rum. “What are the chances of two wolves wandering around here?”

  “We’ll talk to Kimana when she gets back,” Julie said. “I think this wolf is acting weird, personally.”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Talk to me about what?”

  They turned to see Kimana entering the restaurant. Her dark eyes were watching them closely.

  Julie explained what Tammy had seen and Rob took Kimana out to inspect the footprints. She stared down at them, confusion bright on her rounded face.

  She glanced up at Rob. “This is strange.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes. I don’t understand what this wolf is doing up here.”

  “You mean, so close to people?”

  “Exactly.” Puzzled, she looked around. “Let’s go back inside, talk to the others.”

  In the restaurant, everyone sat down at the largest table. Jake offered coffee with shots of spiced rum in it, but Kimana asked for coffee without any alcohol. Phil joined them, sipping a cup of tea with honey. Andrea excused herself, saying that she had a report to finish for a client.

  “OK,” Kimana said. “First, the wolf is male, no doubt about it. I can tell by the size of the paw prints. Second, it’s just one. I followed the tracks from outside the corral up the mountains, and back again, down to where Tammy saw the tracks this morning outside her window. I found a small cave where he obviously slept, so he’s got shelter up there.” She took a drink and looked thoughtful. “I don’t understand why he came back down here.”

  “Food?” Rob suggested. “He was just twenty feet from the restaurant kitchen fire escape. Maybe he smelled food?”

  Kimana shook her head. “No, I can’t think he’d be hungry. I found several carcasses in the mountains, so he’s obviously eating plenty. No, he came back down here for another reason.”

  “What’s that?” Julie said.

  “I have no clue.” Kimana looked at all of them. “He’s safe and warm and fed up in the Rockies, so he has no physical reason whatsoever to be close to you.”

  Her choice of words struck Julie as odd. “What do you mean, a ‘physical’ reason? The way you said that, it’s like you think there’s a non-physical reason. What does that mean, when we’re talking about wolves?”

  Kimana looked at her. She caught that, did she? Julie’s beautiful eyes were serious in her stunning face as she asked the question. She was, Kimana, decided, the most gorgeous woman she’d ever laid eyes on in her life, with a sweetness that was endearing. She was sitting next to the tall, dark-haired woman – was her name Tammy? – Julie’s generous body curved toward the oth
er woman’s slim frame, protective and loving. Kimana saw the link between the two women, wondered how long they had been friends. Bonds like that don’t just happen overnight.

  “Yes,” Kimana said. “I did choose my words carefully. See, when we’re talking about wolves, we’re talking about quite extraordinary creatures.”

  “OK,” Jake said. “In what way?”

  Kimana looked at all of them, debating how much to say. In her almost nine years of trying to educate people about wolves, she had never had much success convincing non-Natives about the mystical, mythical, magical aspects of wolves. She decided to test the waters.

  “Well,” she said. “Wolves are highly emotionally intelligent. This one, he may be observing you, just to forge a connection of some kind.”

  “A connection?” Phil said. “What kind of connection?”

  Kimana shrugged. “It depends who he is actually observing.”

  “Sorry, what?” Julie said.

  “It depends which one of you he is most interested in. Which one of you he is actually watching.”

  Silence greeted these words as everyone stared at her, a bit stunned. Jake recovered first.

  “Which one of us?”

  “Yes.” Kimana took a calm sip of coffee, watching the incredulity spread across their faces.

  “But – but why would a wolf want to watch any of us? Or any human being at all, for that matter?”

  “Many reasons, most of them not known to us.”

  They all blinked at her.

  “Look, I know what I’m saying is crazy,” she said gently. “I do. But where I come from, the wolf has very special significance in tradition and myth.”

  Julie’s phone chimed suddenly, and everyone jumped a bit.

  “Oh, damn,” she said. “Rob, we have that conference call in ten minutes.” She looked at Kimana, apologetic. “I’m sorry. We have to go.”

  “Of course,” she said. “I have to leave soon, anyway.”

  “Wait, you aren’t going to stay?” Rob asked. “With this wolf hanging around?”

  Kimana shook her head. “No. Whatever is going on here, it’s between the wolf and one of you. I have no real place in this.”

  “I see.” Julie looked confused. “Ummm. OK. So, thank you for coming all this way. Should we call you if we see the wolf again?”

  “No. No need.”

  “So, what do we do if we see him again?” Julie tried not to let her mounting frustration slip in to her tone or face. Come on, lady! A bit of help here, please!

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing?” Jake said.

  “Nothing. I don’t think he’s here to hurt any of you.”

  “So why is he here?” Phil asked.

  “Somebody here knows,” Kimana said, looking around the table. “Somebody at Open Skies. Maybe they don’t know that they know, but they do.”

  As they continued to stare at her, she got to her feet. “Goodbye, all.”

  “Bye,” they all said, and watched her leave the restaurant. They turned to Phil.

  “OK,” Tammy said. “Is she always like that?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Phil said. “She talks in riddles, for sure, but she’s not often wrong about things. If she says that the wolf is here for one of us, to make a connection, then he is.”

  “Oh, man. My head is spinning with all of this,” Julie said. “Rob, let’s go, OK? We can all talk about this a bit later.”

  “I have to go too,” Jake said, getting to his feet. “I have lots to get done today down at the stables.”

  Tammy and Phil nodded at the others, and then gazed at each other across the table. They were alone in the restaurant.

  “How did you meet her?” Tammy asked. “Kimana?”

  “She’s my sponsor.”

  Tammy stared at him for a few seconds before the penny dropped. “Oh!”

  “Yeah. We’re both in AA.”

  “Are you allowed to – to tell me about her? Isn’t the whole point that it’s anonymous?”

  “No, it’s OK.” Phil said. “She told me it was OK for me to tell you guys about her being my AA sponsor. I mean, everyone here knows I go to meetings, and they support me. None of it is a huge secret.”

  “I see.” Tammy looked at him some more, taking in his large forearms and very sexy crinkles around his dark green eyes. Phil’s body was young and strong, like a fit and healthy thirty-year-old’s, but his face and eyes told a different story. His face was haggard and lined, his eyes were steady but faded. They were eyes that had seen too much violence and pain and bad things. More than the wrinkles, more than the shots of gray in his dark hair, Phil’s eyes made him old.

  His solidity, though, that was something that confounded Tammy. Despite his past, and his alcoholism, and his prison time, he was steady and warm. Tammy felt calm and safe, just by sitting next to him, just by being around him. Phil was probably one of the most dangerous men she’d ever met – if she just looked at him on paper – but she’d never even felt any anger in him. No matter what he was like before, or how tough and dangerous he looked, or where he came from, she just wasn’t afraid of him. She had no reason to fear him. He wasn’t about to hurt her.

  “I’ve been sober for about nine years now,” Phil said. “When I got out of jail the last time and Dave gave me the job here, I told him everything.” He looked down at his hands. “Dave had had a problem with drugs when he was younger, and he gave me a chance. He knew what I was up against, and he wanted to give me something good enough to fight for, to protect. Something I didn’t want to lose or screw up.”

  “That was Open Skies?”

  “Yep. I can’t say I’ve never had moments of weakness, ‘cause I have. But Kimana has been amazing, and so have Jake and Mattie. Everyone, really.”

  Tammy smiled at him. “You’re lucky, Phil. I’m happy for you.”

  He smiled back and that battered face just lit up. “Thanks, hon.” He glanced at his watch. “So, I’ve got to get back to work now. The kids from Clarity will be here soon to help take care of the horses, and I need to be there. You want me to walk you back to your cabin?”

  Tammy thought about the wolf staring at her from just a few feet away, and she shivered. Those eyes had been so cold and calculating; emotionless and blank. She didn’t want to see the beast ever again, and she simply couldn’t understand Kimana’s love for the creatures, or Mattie saying that the wolf of her childhood had been beautiful.

  “Yes, please,” she said. “I’d appreciate that.”

  Chapter Five

  Almost a week later, Tammy was sitting in her cabin, staring out the big window in the living room. She had a glass of white wine in front of her, and she was gazing at the perfect sunset over the mountains. Despite the hush and the beauty, and a deep sense of joy and belonging, she was feeling a bit lonely.

  God. This would be so perfect is someone were here to share it with me.

  As always, her thoughts went to Rob. She imagined him here with her, drinking wine and watching the sun sink below the mountain tips in bursts of gold and rose and purple. She pictured him here with her after a Sunday morning of making love – he’d be lounging around in his jeans, his muscular torso bare and warm, drinking coffee. Immediately, her nipples hardened, her breath got shallow, her pussy slicked up. Jesus. Just thinking about him turns me on.

  There was a knock at the door and she got to her feet. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s Rob.”

  She almost sagged against the wall. Oh, shit. Here she was in a state of complete arousal about him, and he shows up in the flesh. She raised her chin and straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath, trying to collect herself. OK, Tammy. You can do this. Hang tough.

  She opened the door. “Hi.”

  “Hi. Is it OK if I come in for a minute?”

  �
��Sure.”

  Tammy deliberately moved away from him, didn’t watch him undo his coat and take it off, roll up his sleeves over those amazing golden forearms and undo the top button of his crisp white shirt. Instead, she went as far away from him as she could and walked in to the kitchen. “Can I get you something?”

  He glanced around the room and saw her glass of wine. “I’d love some wine, if you have any left. Not too much, though. I have to drive home.”

  “Sure.” She poured half a glass and brought it to him. He took it, thanked her.

  She gestured at the sofa. “Sit, please.”

  He smiled as she settled next to him, two sofa cushions away. She was facing him, her long, slim leg crossed below her, one elbow perched on the back of the sofa, her firm breasts accentuated in that shirt that perfectly matched her eyes. She was relaxed and beautiful and his fingers itched to touch her. He gripped the wine glass tightly.

  “So. What are you doing up this way?” she asked him.

  “I just thought I’d check in on you. I haven’t seen you much lately.”

  “Well, you and Julie have been crazy-busy getting everything ready for the new cabins. I’ve barely seen her, either, these past five days.”

  Rob nodded. The truth was that he’d been avoiding her since that day in his office, when she’d sat there in that clinging red blouse and blown a hole in his chest at her decision to leave in a month. He had always known the day would come when she would go, and he thought he was ready for that, he thought he even wanted that for her. But in his office, as he sat there and realized he had a month left with her, he felt a massive wave of anger and selfishness just wash over him. He wanted her to be here, with him. He wanted her to stay.

  Rob Cathay worked hard to not be a selfish person. He was a guy who had always respected everyone – at least, until they gave him reason not to – and he believed that nobody had any right to keep anyone from what made them happy. That was why, when Karen got that incredible job offer at HSBC in Hong Kong, he had encouraged her to take it and he had agreed to postpone their wedding for a year. Of course, he hadn’t counted on her staying for longer than the original six-month contract. He also hadn’t counted on her breaking off the engagement after meeting someone else.