Sebastian glanced down at her hands and she realized she was wringing them so she pushed them into her pockets. Were her cheeks as red as they felt? How had she gone from being so comfortable with him to a nervous wreck? She needed to get hold of herself.
“Dinner sounds good. Are you sure everything's all right with your dad? You seem on edge.” Sebastian said and Susan was relieved that he didn’t attribute her nerves to his presence. Maybe it was the feminine décor but he suddenly seemed so huge and imposing and incredibly sexy.
She nodded unable to speak at that moment as her eyes settled on his mouth. This would be so much easier if he would just take her in his arms and kiss her. When he kissed her she lost the ability to think and she could stop fixating on the fact that she was alone with Sebastian in her bedroom and he had just bought two boxes of condoms.
He grinned. “Do you need help in the shower?”
Oh, how badly she wanted to say yes, but apparently she was a coward as images of a wet soapy Sebastian filled her brain and she had to swallow down a rumble of appreciation. She shook her head, squeaked out, “I’ll just be a minute,” and fled to the bathroom.
Susan felt much more in control once she had showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and lightweight pink cashmere sweater that hugged her figure perfectly and showed off her attributes to the best advantage. Her hair was also behaving itself tonight, flowing in loose waves past her shoulder blades. With a bit of mascara to make her eyes pop and a touch of pink gloss on her mouth she felt ready to face Sebastian. He had used the shower in the guestroom, his hair was still wet but neatly combed and he’d taken the time to shave the scruff from his jaw. His jeans were threadbare in spots and the hem was horribly frayed. His T-shirt hugged his muscular torso and the short sleeves were stretched around his biceps. The shirt was obviously clean but it had several small holes around the neck band and whatever logo it originally held had faded beyond recognition. She really needed to take Sebastian shopping for some new clothes. He didn’t need to be fancy, but he should at least have some clothes that didn’t have holes.
“I thought we’d go to Abernathy’s tonight, if that’s all right?” He nodded and she was pleased. Abernathy’s had a great casual atmosphere and the best food – in her opinion – in town. Plus, it wouldn’t be overly busy since it was mostly patronized by locals rather than the tourists that preferred to stay close to the center of town.
When they arrived, Susan noticed there were a few families she recognized but one boy in particular caught her attention as he spotted her and raced away from his table to come greet her; His riot of dark curls bouncing on his head and his sky blue eyes bright with excitement. “Miss Fuller! Miss Fuller! I got to write my letter to Santa today and he’s going to bring me everything on it because I’ve been really good and only a little bad but he needs to have his elves fix the school so we can go back because I miss you!”
Susan crouched down to meet the seven year old at eye level. “My goodness, Caleb, how you’ve grown in so short a time. I’ve missed you terribly as well but I hear your new teacher is very nice.”
The boy’s face turned mutinous and he crossed his arms over his thin chest. “He’s grouchy and not as nice as you.”
Susan looked thoughtful. “Hmmm… Maybe he feels grouchy because he needs help and doesn’t want to ask for it. I bet if you and the other children ask what they can do to help, he’d be really grateful.”
Caleb looked thoughtful for a moment as he pondered that idea and then nodded solemnly. “I’ll think about it,” he said but then his attention was snagged by Sebastian waiting patiently at her side and his eyes went up and up and up before his mouth fell open. He latched onto Sebastian’s large hand and gave a tug. Once he had Sebastian’s full attention he asked, “Are you a wrestler? Because you look like a wrestler and I like watching wrestling even though my mommy says it’s not real. If you’re a wrestler that would be cool and I could tell everyone at school that I know a wrestler and it is real.”
Sebastian crouched down as Susan had before. He was still imposing and Caleb still had to look up but Sebastian smiled at the boy and Susan just about swooned as her heart did a triple beat in her chest. This was a glimpse into the future of what Sebastian would look like with his own son and she so wanted to be part of that. She was so distracted by her imaginings that she missed what Sebastian said but she clearly heard Caleb’s words of wisdom as he said, “Miss Fuller and my mommy and daddy all tell me that I can be anything I want so I think that if you want to be a wrestler you can do that.” His head nodded up and down vigorously, eyes wide. “That would be so cool.”
Sebastian nodded as well. “I think it would be cool too.”
Susan heard Caleb’s mother call him back to the table and Caleb yelled out his goodbyes as he raced away and Susan chuckled. She did miss her students. She felt Sebastian’s hand settle into the small of her back and she glanced up at him, still smiling softly.
“Let’s eat.” He said.
Chapter Eighteen
Sebastian seated Susan and then moved to his own chair and picked up a menu. He was hungry, unfortunately it wasn’t for food. The smile she had just bestowed on him had made breathing difficult and the pink top Susan was wearing was driving him to distraction. It outlined every lush curve that he wanted to caress, squeeze, and taste. Right now he just wanted to return to the house, barricade the doors, and strip his woman bare so that he could feast. He glanced down at the printed words before him but they seemed to wave and blur in front of his eyes as visions of Susan lying naked on that creampuff of a bed of hers flitted through his brain. He shifted in his seat to ease some of the pressure between his legs. If he didn’t think of something else soon he would lunge across the table, throw her over his shoulder, and be out the door.
He cleared his throat. “So, Caleb was one of your students?” He asked. He knew the answer, but he really needed a distraction and the child was as good a start as any.
She gave him one of those sweet smiles again and any blood that remained in his brain quickly travelled south. Did she have any idea how gorgeous he found her? No, she didn’t. He still couldn’t believe that she actually thought he wasn’t interested in her. How could he not be? She was so lovely inside and out. She was smart and funny, generous, and caring. Susan was nothing like Mary Beth who used her smiles and her body as leverage to get what she wanted. Sebastian frowned. It no longer hurt his heart to think of Mary Beth. Now, he only felt pity for his brother to have been stuck with a woman who had only ever cared about herself. When had his feelings on this subject changed so drastically?
Thoughts of Christian and Mary Beth had been effective in killing his hard-on but he realized Susan was speaking to him and he had missed the beginning of what she had been saying.
“…at least another month before the repairs will be complete.” She finished. He tried to recall what they had been talking about and remembered he had asked about her student. She must be talking about the damage to the school, he reasoned, and nodded his head.
“Is that why you’re living with your father, trying to conserve money while you’re out of work?” He asked and hoped she didn’t take offense. He hadn’t meant it in a disparaging way. He was simply curious. He gauged her mood, but she didn’t seem offended.
She opened her mouth to answer but stopped when the waitress approached and smiled. “Hi, Carol, I didn’t know you were working tonight. It’s great to see you.”
Sebastian looked at the waitress, but she didn’t seem familiar to him as she was closer to Susan’s age than his. She was looking him over rather too intently, her interest obvious to anyone with a brain and he had to swallow down the urge to rumble his disapproval. Couldn’t she see he was here with his Susan?
He grunted and turned his attention back to his menu as Susan chatted with the waitress about her trip and her father. Small talk over, she ordered an iced tea and he did the same. Carol of the wandering eyes promised to bring thei
r drinks and return for their dinner orders.
Sebastian returned his attention to Susan and noticed she followed the waitress with her eyes, an angry glint in the blue depths and he wondered if she was jealous. It was a pleasing thought. He smiled. “You were saying?” He prompted.
She looked confused for a moment but then shook it off and returned his smile. “I have a tidy little nest egg. As far back as my babysitting days I’ve been setting aside as much as possible. I let Dad invest it for me over the years and he made some really smart choices, so it’s not so much for financial reasons as it is for the company. I lived in a sorority house at college and kind of got use to a lot of background noise. When I came back and moved into an apartment it was just too quiet and lonely. I thought about getting a roommate, but then I thought about Dad living alone in that big house and how lonely he probably was too. I just didn’t see the point. So it gives us both someone to talk to.”
Carol returned with their drinks and Susan didn’t bother with chit chat this time. She ordered the nacho plate and since Sebastian still hadn’t actually read the menu, he ordered the same. Not that it mattered, his senses were so focused on his woman he doubted he’d taste a single bite.
“I was so glad to see my father interested in that nurse this morning. I hope he asks her out and they hit it off. Mom has been gone for a long time and he deserves to be happy.” Susan said taking a sip of her ice tea.
Sebastian nodded and smiled. He would be happy if Marcus got involved with a woman as well because whether they stayed in Mariposa or he convinced Susan to return to Malsum Pass, he didn’t want her worrying that her father might be lonely without her. Either way, he was keeping her with him.
He wondered if she had ever been inside the ranch, and if she had, had she liked it. Could she see herself living there? Maybe she would be more comfortable designing a new house for them in Malsum Pass. In all honesty, he knew she would probably prefer to stay here, close to her friends and family – he glanced over at the table where Caleb was chattering away – her students. Familiar territory was always appealing. He had enjoyed his time in Malsum Pass but he hadn’t really been part of the community. They were wolves and he was a bear. He didn’t fit. It had been a form of self-imposed exile to punish himself for his naivety and to punish Christian and Mary Beth for their betrayal. Unfortunately he had also punished his parents and they hadn’t deserved that. They had done nothing wrong and he had caused them pain. Maybe taking responsibility for the ranch and becoming a useful member of his sleuth would help make up for his error. It was what his parents expected of him and it was high time he lived up to those expectations.
After their nachos arrived, they ate while Susan chatted about her father coming home and how she needed to make sure the cupboards were stocked. They had a housekeeper who came in twice a week but she wanted to make sure her father’s bed was made up with fresh sheets before he arrived and she would probably have to go to the pharmacy to pick up any prescriptions the doctor called in.
As he sat there eating, nodding when appropriate and just enjoying the sound of her voice a scent came to him that had the back of his neck prickling in warning. He smelled felines. It wasn’t unexpected since this town was shared among bear, feline, and non-shifter alike, and restaurants such as these were considered neutral territory. But something was putting his senses on high alert. He tried to remain casual so as not to upset Susan as he looked around the room. He spotted the feline right away since the male wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was staring; his features displaying clear animosity.
He had jet black hair and probably would have been considered handsome except for the left side of his face had been left permanently disfigured by claws. It reminded him of the feline shifter Lily back in Malsum Pass though her scars ran diagonally from her ear to chin marring only her cheek, given to her by a mate to warn off other males. This male feline had four long vertical slashes from brow to chin. They were ugly, puckered and pink suggesting that they were still relatively new, and had created a countenance that was hard to look at. If Sebastian had to guess, he would say they had been delivered by bear claws.
The male’s companion was a female with long blond curls who was currently waving her fork around as she spoke with great enthusiasm about something. She seemed completely oblivious to the hatred rolling off her companion.
Sebastian knew the male planned to attack and mentally prepared himself for battle. He calculated the distance from their table to the door. Then he calculated the distance from the door to Susan’s car that was parked two rows back. He approximated that he would have to keep the male occupied for at least sixty seconds to allow Susan time to escape.
Sebastian rumbled and Susan looked at him with surprise. He kept his voice low as he said, “I want you to listen very carefully to me. Don’t look around just look at me.” Susan nodded, looking straight into his eyes and he continued. “There is a very angry feline male two tables over. He’s planning to attack.” Her eyes moved to the left. “Keep looking at me.” He reminded her and was relieved she did just that. “I want you to get up and walk away. I want you to go straight out those doors and then run to your car. Do you understand me?”
She looked panicked as she licked her lips. Her eyes darting to the door and then back to him. “What about you? You need to come with me. We’ll just leave; both of us.” She said, taking his hand and gripping it in a strong hold.
Sebastian tried to reassure her. “Once you are out the door, I’ll pay the bill and then leave as well, but I want you out of harm’s way. That male has every intention of attacking and I won’t have you caught in the middle. If you’re in your car and he comes for you, you can drive away. Do you understand?”
She nodded and he saw her throat work as she swallowed, her eyes once again darting around the restaurant. “Sebastian, there are children here.” She pulled out her cell phone. “Maybe I should call someone?”
He shook his head. “There isn’t time. If he’s smart, he’ll follow me out to the parking lot before he attacks. If that happens you can call the sheriff, but you need to promise me you won’t leave your car and you’ll get the hell out of here if he gets through me.”
She opened her mouth, ready to protest but he forestalled her. “Please don’t argue with me about this, Bug. I need you safe. I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt.”
She nodded and he gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze before he released her hand. “Now get up and walk calmly to the door. You can do this. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She took a deep breath and released it, closed her eyes for a moment before she stood and pasted a smile on her face as she walked to the door as if she hadn’t a care in the world. He was so proud of her at that moment. His woman was brave and strong.
He returned his attention to the male, relieved that he didn’t track Susan with his eyes but kept his glare on Sebastian. Sebastian counted the seconds in his head, finally stood up and dropped several bills on the table and then casually made his way to the door as well.
He had just stepped out into the cool night air and saw Susan closing the door to her car when he heard someone shout, “Black!”
Sebastian turned to face the male as he stalked closer, hatred evident on his face and his scars standing out in stark relief. “You look enough like that fucker that I knew you had to be the absentee brother.” He reached up and touched his jaw where the scars ended. “Do you like his handy work? Isn’t it pretty?” he snarled.
Sebastian thought of Susan and tried to be a better male, was about to apologize for his brother when the feline continued. “Too bad you didn’t get to see my handy work when I ripped that bastard apart.”
The words had Sebastian seeing red but he held on to his last shred of control by reminding himself that Christian was still alive despite what this cat thought. He turned to walk away as the feline said, “Did you know that the woman your brother killed was my sister-in-law
? That she was pregnant with my niece or nephew?” Sebastian stopped, his back stiff as the male continued. “Maybe I’ll have a taste of your little girlfriend before I rip her throat out.” Logic fled as a bellow of rage tore from Sebastian and he threw himself at the cat.
Chapter Nineteen
Susan craned her neck to try to see what was going on through her windshield. Unfortunately there were two large pickup trucks parked at just the right angle so that she couldn’t see anything. She had seen Sebastian’s head and shoulders as he exited the restaurant had seen him turn and then a few moments later he’d disappeared. What was happening? Not knowing was driving her crazy. She didn’t even know if she should call the sheriff, but if all was well wouldn’t Sebastian be in the car with her by now?
She bit her lip and then opened her door. She wasn’t looking to fully defy Sebastian and put herself in danger but she did need a better vantage point so that she could at least assess the situation.
She dug quickly into her purse and grabbed out the can of pepper spray that her father insisted she keep with her. She’d never had cause to ever pull it out which was obvious from the strands of hair twisted around it from her brush and what she could only assume was a half melted Tic-Tac. Obviously she needed to clean out her purse. Did pepper spray have an expiration date? Would it even still spray?
She crept between the trucks and peered over one of the truck beds to see what was happening. Sebastian and the feline shifter were rolling around on the pavement; both of them were in fur, their clothes shredded and hanging as claws flashed under the lights of the parking lot. No! This couldn’t happen, not here. She looked around quickly and saw that no-one was around yet, but this was sure to attract an audience soon. Susan quickly pulled out her cell phone but then just stared at it, should she call 911? If they came they could shoot both of them.
Until You: A Malsum Pass Novel Page 13