Ergan: Winter Valley Wolves #5

by Vaughn, V.

  I have no freaking idea, because you’re sending mixed ones to me. I smile back at him. “I think so. But you do realize my players are all Team Ergan now, right?”

  “You mean I have competition?”

  I shake my head at his flirting and think, “Unfortunately, no. Because even if there was someone else, I’m not sure you care.”

  Chapter 6

  The water is cool on my feet as I dangle them in the lake. It’s a lazy Saturday for me, and my usual activities are off limits. I’m not allowed to do strenuous exercise until I get the go-ahead from my doctor. I suppose I could call Raven and steal her away from Berch for a few hours, but they’re a new couple, and weekends are cherished.

  So I spend my time fantasizing about a love life. I picture Ergan’s face as he held me in a near kiss on the bus yesterday. I fan myself with my hand, because even though the kids were watching, it was hot. And when I recall our one kiss together on graduation night, we were on fire. A sunfish nibbles at my toe, and I flinch.

  He’s more than sexy. Yesterday he practically coached the whole game for me and made it appear like I was calling the shots and he was my errand boy. And when my headache came back in full force on the trip home, he fed me ibuprofen and gave me earplugs to block out the noise. He even took me home afterward, and he insisted I didn’t speak and just enjoy the silence. He took care of me. I shake my head, because that is not what I need.

  But Ergan is not like Gary. Am I being too harsh on Ergan because of my past? Or is he after control, too? If that’s what he’s after, he’s in for a rude awakening. Been there, done that.

  I suppose I could go bake him something as a thank you, since it was a hit with Warren. I’d read a book as I bask in the last warm day of the season, but my concussion means I’m not supposed to do that, either. I lie back on the dock, and the wood is hard on my spine as I stare up at the sky through the filter of my sunglasses. It’s still bright, so I close my eyes and let sleepiness take over.

  I’ve dozed off when a voice takes me back to my accident. “Kayla, Kayla.” The wolf is hovering over me. I jerk awake with a muscle spasm, but only for a second, because the sound of water lapping at the edge of the dock lulls me back to sleep.

  “Kayla.”

  I blink back to consciousness at someone calling my name. “Kayla!”

  I sit up and glance out over the water to discover Ergan on a paddleboard.

  I wave as I stand, and a swell of dizziness makes me blink to focus. “Hey.” After a summer of being on the lake and not seeing him once, I’m pleasantly surprised. “What are you doing here?”

  “Checking up on you. Now that I know where you live, I thought I’d see if I could find it by water.”

  I tilt my head at him as he glides toward the dock. “Well, you found me.” I raise my palms and cock my hip in a pose. “And as you can see, I’m fine.”

  The muscles of his leg ripple as he balances on it to pull the leash for his board off an ankle. I reach for it to toss it over a metal post and grin when he hops cleanly onto the dock. He’s in just a pair of surfing-style shorts, and I do my best not to ogle the angles and planes of his torso.

  “Nice move.”

  Ergan’s sexy smile flashes, and he says, “I try.”

  Heat simmers in me as I recall his moves on the bus. I cross my arms. “So I’ve noticed. Thanks for yesterday. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  The scents of sunscreen and his musk waft toward me, and I want to step closer for more as he says, “You’re welcome.”

  “Can I offer you lunch?” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I realize I don’t exactly have a wide selection of food, so I add, “Your choices are tuna sandwich, tuna melt, or grilled tuna on wheat.”

  He smiles as he grips his chin and pretends he’s thinking hard. “A tuna melt would be great.”

  I lift up my sunglasses so he can see my eyes. “If you’re lucky, I might even have pickles.”

  The dock hinges squeak as we make our way up to the house. Warren’s screen door slams, and I notice him on his porch watching us. I lean close to Ergan to whisper, “You’re ruining my reputation.”

  Ergan glances over at Warren and waves. Warren glares at him in return. When we get inside, I say, “Great. He was just starting to warm up to me.”

  “He doesn’t like you?” The sliding screen snaps shut as he closes it.

  “Warren tolerates me. But I’m working on him.”

  Ergan glances around my first floor as he says, “Bring him dessert. He has a serious sweet tooth.”

  “You know him?” I walk over to the kitchen, and a chair scrapes across the floor as Ergan pulls it out to sit at the breakfast bar that divides the room.

  “Yeah, he’s— He’s a friend of my parents.” I squint at Ergan, and he adds, “It’s complicated, but he’s not a bad guy. Probably just lonely.”

  “I can see that. I’ve never noticed guests.” I pull open the fridge. “Water, milk, cranberry juice, lemonade, seltzer, wine, or beer?”

  Ergan chuckles, and I peer around the door at him as I ask, “What’s so funny?”

  “You only have tuna fish to eat, but plenty of options to drink.”

  “So?” I put my hand on my hip. “What’s in your refrigerator? Gourmet lunch options?”

  “No. A lot less. You’ll get milk, beer, or water when you come to my house.”

  When? “Then I think you should count yourself lucky I care about hydration. So what’s it going to be?”

  “Let’s be crazy. Drink a beer with me?” I remember hearing those words a few years ago, only it was me cajoling him to do shots so I could convince him to kiss me.

  “Why not.” Bottles clink as I grab them with one hand, and I thump them on the counter. “The opener’s under the lip on the right.”

  I set the oven and then tug at a cabinet for a can of tuna. “How long have you lived on the lake?”

  “All my life. I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else.”

  “Nice.” Because he’s only been out of school for a little more than a year, I can’t imagine he’s made enough to buy a house yet so I ask, “Do you still live with your parents?”

  He swallows a mouthful of beer before answering, “No. My grandfather owned a big piece of land and parceled off lots for me and my brothers when we were kids. He died a couple years ago and left us all money. I saved it to build a house.”

  “You’re surrounded by family. That must be great.” My fork scrapes against a bowl as I mix the tuna with mayonnaise.

  “What about you. Is this your family’s house?”

  “Yeah. It used to be our summer camp, but my parents moved when I went to college and had been renting it out.” A baking sheet clatters on the counter when I set it down. “They’re letting me use it so I can save money for a place of my own.”

  “So you’re close to family too,” he says.

  “Kind of. I’m an only child, and my parents are awesome, but we don’t spend a lot of time together these days. They like the Carolinas too much.”

  “The winters are nice there.”

  “I suppose.” My knife taps against the cutting board as I slice a tomato. “But I like snow.”

  Ergan asks, “Let me guess, Christmas is your favorite holiday?”

  “It is. You?”

  “Same.”

  The oven beeps to announce it’s ready, and I slide the sandwiches under the broiler as he says, “I can’t believe we never hung out in high school.”

  “I wasn’t cool enough for you truck club types.” My beer bottle is wet with condensation when I lift it to take a sip. The truth is I was too cool, and not in a good way.

  “I doubt it. I just didn’t leave a lasting impression when you caught me staring at you.”

  Only the counter separates us, and I lean on the cool surface with my forearms. Oh but you did, Ergan.

  He gazes into my eyes and says, “I still remember the kiss on graduation night.”

&nb
sp; I flush and drop my head, because I was the one who initiated it.

  “Hey. It’s a good memory.” He leans closer to lift my chin with his finger, and I stare at him. Oh my god, he’s going to kiss me. Ergan moves toward me, and his kiss is light. My lips part slightly, and he takes it as an invitation to dart his tongue into my mouth before pulling away.

  He says, “Yeah. A very good memory.”

  My stomach lurches, because while I’ve fantasized about being with Ergan, I never thought it would happen. He was so wrong for me. But now I’m wondering if maybe he’s so right.

  Chapter 7

  Curiosity is my fatal flaw. If I’m going to die of something terrible, it will be because I couldn’t resist a good mystery despite the danger. Right now I’m playing the part of the stupid heroine that’s bound to get caught as I creep over to Warren’s house. His truck rumbled away about a half hour ago, and I’m going to do a little snooping.

  While I considered a form of breaking and entering by letting myself in with the house key he probably keeps under the mat like everyone else on this lake, I fight the urge as I peek in windows instead. Like any good sleuth, I start on the porch by knocking on the door in case anyone is watching. The doorknob is cool in my hand when I try it, even though I’m sure it’s locked.

  I walk as quietly as I can over the wooden porch toward the windows. When I peer in, I discover a couch, a large chair, and a flat-screen TV on the wall. His layout is similar to mine, and a breakfast bar separates the kitchen from the rest of the living area. I take a moment to scan the finer details to discover nothing much of interest there, either. Not even a stray coffee cup. Warren’s way too neat.

  I sigh as I walk normally to the steps so I can check out the back of his house. Scanning the vicinity quickly, I discover nobody watching me. But since Warren and I are the only ones living on this part of the lake right now, I didn’t expect to find anyone.

  I walk by the herb garden and around to the back. Moss is growing on the ground instead of grass because the woodlands are rather close to his house. Twigs and branches are scattered around as if he never comes back here. That’s not uncommon, but it seems out of place for a man that keeps his living space so neat. I discover a large water bowl near a back door, and it’s partially full of clear liquid as if it’s fresh. But werewolves probably don’t drink from a water dish. The hooks above it are shoulder height, and a pair of elastic-waist shorts hangs on one. The other is cool to the touch when I fondle it while I think.

  Warren doesn’t have a dog, so why would he keep water for one? I notice paw prints in the mud by the bowl, and water sloshes when I lift the container to see if I can find more. Does he feed the wol—

  A stick snapping right next to me makes me jump out of my skin, and I scream.

  “Whoa. It’s me.”

  A chill spreads in my lap as I turn to Ergan and say, “You scared the ever-loving crap out of me.”

  He glances down at my khaki shorts which now have a dark area by my crotch. His mouth twitches with laughter as I say, “That’s not pee.” Jerk. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

  “Oh.” I turn around as if I’m looking for something as I search for an excuse. “I thought maybe Warren had a vegetable garden.” I walk toward the herbs and point. “I was going to make him something.” Come on, Kayla, you can do better than this. “Like pesto. Or zucchini bread.”

  I keep walking toward my house as Ergan follows, and before he can speak, I ask, “So why are you here?”

  “You told me you can’t do anything that requires exercise or heavy thinking, so I thought I’d take you out in my canoe and give you a lake history lesson.”

  Ergan is a history teacher, and yesterday when we were talking, I mentioned I wanted to know more about Silver Lake. I turn to him with a smile. “I’d like that.” I grimace as my shorts stick to my legs. “But I should probably change first.”

  Ergan chuckles, and I slap his arm. “It’s not funny. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  “I think that was your guilty conscience. I promise to never tell anyone you wet your pants when I startled you if you tell me what you were really doing back there.”

  “I didn’t—” I frown at him when I realize he’s teasing me and decide maybe he’d be a good source for werewolf legends. “Okay. Deal.”

  Once I’m dressed in a bathing suit covered by dry clothes, I join Ergan at the dock. He offers me a hand as I step into the boat. I notice a soft cooler and wonder if he packed snacks. The wooden seat is hard under my bottom when I sit near the front. I reach for the extra paddle, and he says, “Don’t. No exercise, remember?”

  “Oh, right.” I get up and turn around so I face Ergan. I stretch out my legs and lean back dramatically. “I could get used to this.” He’s in board shorts and a loose T-shirt, and I’m disappointed his fabulous chest isn’t on display. I focus on the muscles in his forearms and let my gaze travel down his legs.

  Water rushes as he makes a large sweeping stroke with his paddle. “You’re checking me out.”

  “Not much gets by you.” I point at his shirt. “You could take that off and improve my view.”

  He squints but can’t hold it and breaks into a grin as he points at me. “You could do the same.”

  I take his challenge and sit up straight. Flirting with the hem of my tee, I say, “I suppose I could.” I remove it slowly to reveal my bikini top. I let my ponytail fall out and drape over my shoulder.

  I realize I’ve also exposed my gun. But if Ergan noticed, it doesn’t seem to bother him the way it did Gary, because the heat coming from him lights my fire. I put my hand over the edge of the boat to trail my fingers in the water as if it can cool me off.

  The paddle rattles against the canoe as he sets it on the top of the edges to reach for his shirt. I grin when he takes his time removing it and flexes in the process. When I have his gaze again, I take my wet fingers out of the water and drag them slowly down my neck to my cleavage. “It’s unseasonably warm today, isn’t it?”

  His voice is husky when he replies, “It is. You should probably take off your shorts, too. We wouldn’t want them to get wet.”

  I could crack a joke about earlier, but we both know that’s not what he’s talking about, and I stand as I slowly unfasten my button. Ergan has placed both of his hands on the paddle. Taking my time, I wiggle my hips to slither out of my garment as his knuckles turn white while he watches.

  I fold my weapon and holster carefully into my shorts before I sit down and nudge his leg with my toe. “Better?”

  He grasps my foot and slides his hand up my shin as he leans close to me. Now he says in a sexy whisper, “Much.” He grips my thigh as his other hand reaches for my head to pull me into a kiss.

  The movement knocks the paddle into the water, but neither of us care as our mouths meet and our tongues explore. The heat of Ergan sears my palms as I move my hands over his powerful shoulders. When he pulls away, both our chests are heaving.

  “I shouldn’t have done that.” Ergan grabs the extra paddle and sticks it into the water to propel us toward the one he dropped.

  “Why?”

  “No strenuous exercise.” He winks at me.

  My lips burn, and I lick them to savor his unique taste. “Right.” I take a big, shaky breath. “Why don’t you give me that history lesson?”

  When Ergan’s gaze travels slowly down my body, I’m aware that history is not the only thing he wants to teach me. And that’s okay, because I’m more than willing to learn.

  Chapter 8

  Ergan takes us down the lake in a leisurely ride as he tells me about the development that’s happened over the years. The cooler he brought contains lunch, and when we get to a small island, the boat scrapes over sand as we beach it. I grab the cooler, and Ergan drags the canoe up high enough that it won’t drift away.

  He says, “The first people here were the Native Americans. But fami
ne took over when the white man arrived, and they all died off.” His hand brushes mine, making my skin tingle, when he takes the cooler from me, and I follow him as he leads us over rocky ground. Twigs poke at the soles of my bare feet as I pick my way carefully behind him. He continues, “But legend says it was really the wolf that got revenge on humans.”

  I ask, “Were werewolves mentioned in that story?”

  “Yes.” Ergan turns to me, and he drops our lunch with a thump. “Supposedly the chief was so angry about the white man taking over that he had his medicine woman merge the tribe with a local wolf pack.” He pulls a towel out, and it snaps when he shakes it out. “Werewolves were the result, and they killed the humans to reclaim their land. It wasn’t until fifty years later that people came back to live here.”

  I glance around at the woods and imagine what it would be like to live off the land. “That’s fascinating.” I sit down on the ground beside Ergan.

  “The reality is the first settlers probably died of disease and starvation and that people didn’t come back until they had the means to survive our tough winters.” He hands me a cola.

  The top pops as I open it. “I like the werewolf version better.” I glance at Ergan, and he tilts his head in question, so I continue. “It just seems so romantic to me. When the person or their loved ones are threatened, they turn into a savage animal to protect what’s theirs.”

  He pulls out two sandwiches and hands me one. “Romantic? That sounds more barbaric.”

  “True. The romantic part is when the wolves call to each other across the lake to find their true mates.”

  Ergan smiles at me. “You believe in true mates?”

  I shrug. “As much as I believe in werewolves.” The white butcher paper of a deli sandwich rustles as I open it and discover tuna with lettuce and tomato. “That’s kind of what I was investigating at Warren’s house.”

  He frowns at me as he chews his sandwich, and I say, “When I fell the other day I swear a wolf jumped in to save me, but Warren claims there wasn’t one.”