Boundary

by Ebony Olson

  Staring at Dale, I blinked in confusion.

  After a moment Dale took a breath and cursed. "Vera, have you never gone out for dinner on a date?"

  The question felt like a slap. "No, I haven't."

  Sighing, Dale searched my eyes. "I love your cooking, but would the food keep until tomorrow night?"

  Blinking repeatedly as I realized Dale was going to take me out and that I wouldn't have to cook, or clean, or... "Yes, I can put it in the fridge." As I wrapped everything up and placed it in the fridge, a butterfly fluttered around my insides.

  Once I'd cleaned up, I took off my apron and looked down at myself. "Should I change?"

  Considering his answer, Dale looked me over. "You look beautiful, but you may feel more comfortable in the dress you wore last Saturday night."

  Accepting the assessment, I went to change. Dale ran a modeling agency. He knew what made women look good, so I trusted his judgment. Once I'd changed, I walked out to find him staring out the back window. "Would you prefer my hair up or down?"

  Dale turned with a frown. "Vera, wear your hair however it makes you feel comfortable." Moving closer, Dale touched my mouth. I trembled a little with the caress of his thumb across my bottom lip. Easing both his hands to either side of my face, Dale lifted my hair away from it.

  "When your hair is up, it highlights your high cheekbones. Which, in turn, draws the eye to your plump lips." Releasing my hair, Dale stood back. "When it's down, you're all eyes." He frowned. "Could I ask you to remove the contacts?"

  "No, I'm sorry. Here at home, I'll leave them out for you, but not outside of the house."

  Dale nodded in acceptance. "Very well. Are you ready?"

  Flipping my head forward, I pulled my hair into a high messy ponytail. "How's this?"

  "I could hire you, you look that good. So effortlessly beautiful."

  Eyes fluttering, I felt my cheeks heat a little. Taking my hand, Dale led me out to his car; a dark blue Jaguar. Always the gentleman, Dale opened the door for me. When we arrived at the hideaway restaurant thirty minutes later, he opened the door for me again. Dale was right, I would have felt underdressed in my mid-season dress.

  We ordered and ate with barely a word edgewise. When we did talk, it was about the places Dale traveled around the world, which seemed to be everywhere. We also discussed my favorite meals to cook, both for taste or ease of making the dish.

  We drove home again in the same silence. Dale seemed perturbed by something and kept frowning during the drive. At my place, he walked me back to the front door. "Did you want to come in for a coffee?"

  Dale's lips twitched. "Ah, um, coffee will keep me awake all night."

  "I make a mean hot chocolate with brandy."

  "How can I say no to that?"

  Smiling, I unlocked my door. Following me in, Dale locked the door behind him. Kicking my shoes off in my bedroom, I went to the kitchen. Mixing sugar, cocoa, potato starch, and milk, I then heated it. Once I felt the mixture start to thicken, I turned off the heat and set out the hot chocolate mugs. Adding in a splash of brandy, I stirred it through. Pouring the thick liquid chocolate into the cups, I placed in vanilla straw wafers and served it up.

  "It's too hot for a while, so let it cool down," I warned before turning my back to clean up, humming to myself as I did.

  "I like that song. What's it called?" Freezing, I realized what song I'd been humming. "Begin Again, right? About getting over a bad relationship by meeting a nice guy."

  "You know that song?" I asked, deflecting the meaning behind his words.

  "I have two daughters and work in a building with a lot of young females. I get exposed to all sorts of things most men my age would not."

  "Most men, your age are dead."

  "Touché." Chuckling, Dale picked up the hot chocolate, sipped and moaned. "I haven't had cioccolata calda in over a decade. Did you learn to make it in Italy?"

  Blowing over my drink to cool it, I avoided eye contact. "I never left the pack-house. Once a year he'd take me to a resort or hotel for a few days to celebrate our anniversary. Which was the day he raped me, in case you're wondering? He considered that the start of our relationship. For the first hour out and into the pack-house, Malcolm kept me blindfolded. He always took precautions to ensure I couldn't find my way out should I choose to be stupid enough to try it."

  Dale fell quiet.

  Grimacing in the sudden thinness of the air, I sighed. "I apologize. I didn't mean to bring that up. I've never left the country."

  Lifting his drink to his lips, Dale drank the rest, both of us quiet. When he finished, I watched him lick his lips and felt my knees weaken with the sudden hit of brandy take effect. That's what I was telling myself it was. A howl from far away caught our attention outside. Dale looked towards the manor house. "The pack are letting me know they are heading out to hunt."

  When I bit my lip, Dale rose from the kitchen bench and walked around, rinsing his cup clean. "I've told them to keep it away from here." When Dale turned to face me, I gave a slight nod. Dale looked out the window. "I told them I'd join them when I got back."

  "Okay." Draining my mug, I put it aside, ready to walk him out. "Thank you for dinner."

  With a careful look in his eyes, Dale rubbed the corner of my mouth with his thumb, then he lifted it to his. Watching him suck the chocolate that had been on the edge of my lip, I gripped the bench behind me to keep my body in place. How could he be so damn sexy sucking his thumb?

  "It was my pleasure." All the humor was gone from his face. Lust and intensity staring back at me now. Sidling closer, Dale lowered his mouth to mine. That hot chocolate had nothing on the taste of Dale's mouth. It was like I'd drunk several mouthfuls of brandy straight from the bottle. His scent and taste were heady and intoxicating.

  Within seconds, the kissing went from 'polite farewell,' to 'should be taking our clothes off.' Moments later, I was unbuttoning and pushing Dale's shirt from his shoulders. Moaning, my hands tingled over his muscular chest. Stepping us back until my bum was against the kitchen bench, Dale pressed himself against me. Feeling my body, Dale found the fastener on my dress.

  My body temperature soared when Dale slipped his free hand in to touch my bare back as he lowered the zip. Gasping at the sensations his touch was causing, I hung my head back. Dropping his mouth to my neck, Dale kissed over his mark.

  Having read up on chemistry, I understood how lust worked. How chemical changes in the body incited stimulation in our muscles and cells. But until now, I'd never experienced lust-induced galvanism myself. My nerves fired, and my body pulsed with desire.

  Moaning Dale's name as he pushed my dress to the floor, I stood there panting in my underwear. Dale's eyes wandered my body. "You are the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on, Vera." Capturing my face in his hands, Dale kissed me slow and deep.

  If I thought I'd come undone before, I was the moment he kissed me like that. He explored my mouth with tenderness, kissing me with the patience of a saint and the intentions of a devil. I was a woman possessed. Pure, primal, lust scorched through my body. Pressing against him, I yearned for this magnificent man to plunder me.

  Making light work of Dale's belt and fly, I shoved his pants to the floor. Lifting me to the kitchen bench, Dale moved between my welcoming thighs. We were both breathing heavy. Holding my face in his hands, Dale gazed down on me; his eyes the brightest I'd ever seen them.

  A howl directly outside startled us both. Taking several steps back, Dale afforded me a view of how magnificent his entire body was. My head cleared, the passion of the moment broken by the interference. Dropping from the bench, I grabbed up my dress holding it up in front of me.

  "Goddess, Vera, I'm so sorry. I didn't intend for anything to happen tonight."

  The howl came from outside again, this time immediately followed by another.

  The lust fading, I shuddered at having the wolves this close to my house again. "Your pack are waiting for you."

 
Mouth tightening, Dale glared towards the window. "Pack of cockblockers is what they are." Snatching up his clothes, Dale stepped into me and kissed me. Only for a minute, but my entire body felt light as a feather by the time his lips withdrew. "I also need to get you some blinds. Jeremy says the underwear is much nicer on you than the mannequin."

  Eyes bulging at the comment, I tried to cover myself better. My entire body flamed, exposing my embarrassment.

  With a smirk, Dale gave me a quick peck on the lips. "I'll see you for dinner tomorrow night." Pure heat and intent in his eyes.

  Staring at my kitchen sink, I tried to calm my racing heart and heaving lungs. The quaking in my body I'd given up on stopping. I figured, once Dale was gone, that would die down.

  "I'm going to leave my clothes on your back porch if you don't mind?"

  Turning, I watched Dale unlock the back door. "That's fine."

  Grinning at me, Dale stepped outside. Dropping his clothes, Dale jogged down the steps into the yard. When he disappeared out of sight, I moved forward with a frown to see what happened. A gasp escaped when the big black dog I'd known as alpha stood in Dale's place. Yes, I knew they were one and the same, but the change was quick. Nothing like I'd imagined. Watching alpha run off into the woods, I felt a little of the happiness of the night fade away. Picking up the journal Jeremy gave me, I noted the change in emotion. Then, taking the diary to my room, I wrote how being with Dale made me feel.

  At first, I didn't assess it, just wrote everything down and then went to change for bed. When I'd locked up the house and crawled into bed, I read what I'd written. Closing the journal stunned, I sunk down in bed, terrified and awed simultaneously. Mixed reactions and feelings encased me in a cloud of confusion and doubt. Did I trust what I'd written, or become more cautious?

  As I closed my eyes, my body overrode my brain, and I drifted off, remembering the way Dale kissed and touched me.

  'Trust him.' My heart urged.

  'What's trust?'

  Chapter 13

  Standing in the kitchen making myself breakfast, I realized I was smiling at nothing. Having slept well, I'd woken happy, but now I was feeling even better. Eyes drawn to the backyard, I noticed Dale emerging from the forest path. Dressed in a pair of knee-length shorts and a polo shirt, with volleys on his feet, Dale looked good. Remembering how much better he'd looked naked brought a fresh hit of heat to my cheeks.

  Jogging up the back steps, Dale knocked on the back door. Placing my coffee on the bench, I walked to the door, opening the glass door, but leaving the screen locked. "We agreed on dinner, not breakfast."

  "I ate a while ago. I was hoping we could spend the day together?"

  "Doing what, exactly?"

  Dale's smile grew. "I was thinking of taking the yacht out."

  Unsure if he was having a go, I blinked at him. Then the buzzer on my oven sounded startling me. "Come in."

  Unlocking the door, I rushed to the oven and removed my poached eggs. Serving them onto my plate, I added the toast and took it to the table. Considering Dale, I scanned my meal, wondering if I should make him something.

  "Sit and eat, I'll steal some of your coffee."

  Sitting, I started eating, and Dale joined me at the table with his coffee,

  "So, as I was saying, I have a yacht. With this being such a nice day, I thought you may want to join me."

  "I've never been on a boat before."

  "I figured. I'm going to date you, Vera. I want to show you the world outside a pack-house, show you how to live and enjoy life."

  Twirling my knife on my plate, I drew circles in the yolk. I couldn't help my skepticism. "Before you lock me back up in another pack-house? So this time I know what I'm missing out on?"

  Dale's anger trickled into the room like a soft hot breeze. "I would never do that to you. When we marry, you will be my wife. You will be free to shop when you like, go to university and study, and you will travel with me around the world. It is no less than my first wife did, Vera. I have the photos to prove it if you wish?"

  Trying to discern any lie or trick to his words, I studied him, but I found nothing. Dale seemed genuine. Focusing back on my breakfast, I avoided Dale's eyes. "I can't swim."

  "You will have a life vest. I promise you will be safe." I kept staring at the yolk I'd mutilated. Waiting for several breaths, Dale touched my hand with tenderness. "Will you come sailing with me, Vera?"

  Meeting his caring eyes, I bit my lip. Happiness was bubbling inside me, but it was such a strange feeling.

  "I've asked Jeremy and Bob to come as well if that makes you feel better?"

  A small smile tilted my lips as I nodded. "Okay, but if I fall in and drown, I'll haunt you for the rest of your long life."

  Dale laughed. "I still win either way."

  Not sure I had anything for the occasion, and unsure what people even wore on yachts, I assessed his clothes. "What should I wear?"

  "Something summery. You'll need sunscreen and a hat since I doubt your skin has ever seen sunlight. We'll stop at a shop on the way if you need."

  Joy almost bursting from my chest, I pressed my hands between my thighs to restrain myself. "Okay. When do we leave?"

  "As soon as you are ready." Dale was grinning. "Bob and Jeremy are already there getting the yacht ready."

  "So, if I had said no...?"

  Dale's eyes sparkled. "Why would you say no to living, Vera?"

  Unable to restrain the smirk on my face, I picked up my fork again. It was a very correct statement. I'd spent my current life, not living. It was time I knew what I'd missed.

  Finishing my breakfast, I then went into my room and dressed. I chose a turquoise summer dress with a white cardigan to fight off the chill of the morning. When I came out, Dale was smiling at me like I was his birthday cake. My cheeks and chest grew a little warm. Moving closer, Dale took me in entirely, but when his eyes met mine, his smile dimmed at the presence of my contacts.

  "Do you have swimmers?"

  "Sort of pointless when you can't swim. Plus," my hand went to my right side, "I'm kind of disfigured."

  Brows drawing down, his eyes bled to brown, pushing that indigo out to the outer edge of his iris. The thinning oxygen in the room warned of his anger, leaving me trembling in his grasp.

  "You are not disfigured. Scars are our past. They show that we have one. Never feel ashamed of that scar, Vera. It's the mark of a free woman."

  Eyes filling with tears, I no longer feared his anger but felt blown away by his passion. With tenderness, Dale caressed my face, his thumb brushing under my watery eyes. With a sigh, his anger dissipated. "How are the ribs? Forgive me for not asking yesterday. I was nervous about our date."

  Liking the idea of him being nervous about anything, I smirked. Dale always seemed so confident and in control. "Um, good. They don't hurt at all anymore, and the bruising is only minor now." Brushing my hand over the ribs, my happiness seeped away as I remembered Malcolm and his belt buckle. The memory slivered down my spine and made me shiver. "What happens if he finds me?"

  Guiding me into a hug, Dale held me with his mouth at my ear. "He won't, so don't worry about it. If he does, it doesn't matter. He can't take you, we are mates, and I will protect you. I will ensure no harm ever comes to you again, Vera."

  Breathing in Dale's scent, my body relaxed in his arms. Tensing, Dale chuckled. "Vera, if you want to go sailing, you need to stop doing that. Right now, my instinct is to take you into your bedroom and mate with you. I'm fighting this as hard as I can, but I can't do that if you rub yourself on me like that."

  Realizing more than my face had pressed against Dale, I stepped out of his grasp, face hot. "Sorry."

  Dale was trying to resist laughing as he watched me blush. His uplifted lips pressed together, and his indigo eyes glittered. "Come on. Let's get going."

  We walked out to Dale's car, still parked in front of my place from last night. Driving us east to the sea, Dale stopped at a shop when we hit the beachside
town not far from the harbor. Grabbing fifty-plus sunscreen, I then browsed a selection of hats. While I made my choice, Dale disappeared to the clothing section. Selecting a broad-brimmed hat, I went to find Dale.

  When I found him, Dale held a stunning olive green one-piece swimsuit. It was lace through the abdomen, so it hid my scar and bruising, while still looking feminine.

  When I went to pay, Dale leveled me with a look of warning, before he handed over his credit card to the sales assistant. She was a pretty brunette with a gorgeous tan and warm chocolate eyes. There was a slightly exotic look to her, but I couldn't pick it.

  "Persian." The girl smiled, flashing perfect white teeth when I asked. "My grandmother was Persian."

  Assessing the girl like she was an artwork, Dale looked impressed but walked away for a moment. The girl blushed for him, but Dale didn't notice.

  "Your boyfriend is gorgeous." She placed our purchases in a bag while Dale was searching through a rack of women's slip-on beach shoes. "Is it weird dating an older man?"

  A bit surprised for a moment, I gawped at her. Dale only looked to be in his mid-thirties, like most of the wolves in his house except his daughters.

  "I mean, how did you score such a hot sugar daddy? Did you meet him at university? Oh my god, is he your professor?"

  "Um, no. He's my next-door neighbor. How young do you think I am?"

  The girl looked intrigued as she tilted her head, assessing me. "Your healthy skin says late teens, maybe early twenties. Your face shape brings you a little closer to twenty. Your body is slim from diet more than exercise, but your legs show good muscle tone in the calves. I'd say you ran track at school and that's about all you do for exercise. So again, I'm leaning towards twenty.

  "Nice assessment." Dale reappeared at my side, placing a pair of rubber-soled sandals down. "These two please?"

  The girl smiled. "Thanks. I'm studying fitness and health at college. I'm still deciding if I want to be a personal trainer or a beautician."