Wolf Charming (Iron Hills Pack, #1)

by Jessica Coulter Smith

Abril licked her lips and was ready to agree to anything. He’d tasted her, and she had to admit she was curious how he would taste. Weston kissed her again.

  “I’m trying to go slow with you, Abril, but taking off your swimsuit was playing dirty. I pride myself on my control, with you I don’t seem to have any. I want your first time to be special. Not out here by the pool. And not today. When the time is right, we’ll know it. You’re my mate, which means you’re special.”

  Hearing his words warmed her heart, but it didn’t make her body crave him any less. If he refused to make love to her today, then she’d have to be patient. She’d wanted him for years, so what would a little more time hurt. Maybe he was right, and they should make it special, but to her, just being with Weston was special. It didn’t matter where they were, as long as they were together.

  Weston gathered her swimsuit pieces and got out of the pool. He hung her suit over the back of a lounger and lifted her into his arms, carrying her into the house. Water dripped onto the tiled floor from his swim trunks as he carried her to the bathroom where she’d left her clothes. After another heated look, and a scorching kiss, he left her to get dressed. Abril touched her lips and smiled, thinking that maybe a happily-ever-after was in her future after all. She’d thought she would always be alone, but it seemed that dreams really did come true.

  She dressed quickly and went in search of Weston. The house was larger than it looked from the outside, but she eventually found his bedroom. It was done in darker gray tones with black bedding, and she couldn’t help but wonder just how much action the bed had seen. Not that she held his past against him, but she wished she’d been brave enough to approach him when she’d turned eighteen. Maybe they could have been together the last few years, and her life would have turned out differently.

  It wasn’t that she needed a man to make her life different, but she’d never really been happy. Weston made her smile just by being in the same room with her. And her writing was probably going to improve as well. She’d read thousands of romance novels in her young life, but she had never experienced passion firsthand. Now that she’d had a taste, she could better describe the sex scenes in her books, make her heroine’s emotions leap off the page. It made her itch to pull out her laptop and do a little work.

  Weston stepped out of his bathroom in a pair of low-slung jeans and nothing else. He smiled when he saw her and motioned to his room.

  “I know it’s a bit dark. Whenever you’re ready to move in, you can change whatever you don’t like. The bed is new, so is the mattress, in case you were wondering. I had them delivered this morning.” He moved closer and took her hand. “I know I haven’t exactly been discreet when it comes to women, and if I could take it back, I would. But I want you to know that the moment I decided to pursue you, you became the only woman in my life. I’ll never cheat on you.”

  It hadn’t crossed her mind that he would. If there was one thing she knew about the wolves in the local pack, it was that they were loyal to a fault. Once they settled with their mates, nothing came between them. She’d always envied them, and now she was going to have a wolf of her very own. They should probably have a talk before things got too serious between them. Weston probably had expectations of his mate, and she wanted to make sure they were on the same page. If sex was in their near future, they needed to talk about kids. Even if Abril had been sexually active, she still wouldn’t be able to take birth control pills. Her mother had given her some when she’d turned fifteen, and she’d had a horrible reaction to them. The doctor had determined that one of the key ingredients in birth control pills caused an allergic reaction in Abril.

  One thing at a time, though. Her stomach rumbled, and she remembered the promise of pizza and breadsticks. Weston chuckled, hearing her noisy stomach, and led her back toward the kitchen.

  “What do you like on your pizza?” he asked.

  “I’ll eat anything. Just order what you usually do.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll order what I usually order, and I’ll order a pizza that has your favorite toppings on it. So tell me what you want, or I’ll have to guess.”

  She opened her mouth and snapped it shut.

  “Abril, you can have anything you want.”

  “I’ve always wanted to try bar-b-q chicken pizza. I don’t get to order out, and I’ve never seen one in the frozen section of the grocery store. I usually get those small frozen pizzas that are under two dollars.”

  He frowned and leaned against the counter. “I think we need to discuss your finances. If you’re eating cheap frozen pizza, then you’re not getting the nutrients you need. Maybe I should have grilled some chicken and made salads for lunch.”

  That sounded really good, but pizza was fine too.

  “I’m going to place our order and then we’re going to talk,” he said. “Why don’t you go get comfy in the living room and I’ll bring a soda to you in a minute.”

  “I can wait for a drink until the food arrives.”

  He kissed her cheek and shooed her out of the room. Abril sank onto the sofa and waited for him. She wasn’t anxious to discuss her financial situation, but if he was going to claim her as his mate, he had a right to know. If they were going to start a relationship, she wanted it to begin with honesty. And she expected him to be just as honest with her.

  Chapter Eight

  Weston wasn’t looking forward to his conversation with Abril. He’d been told things were bad for her, but he wasn’t prepared for just how bad they were. Her apartment wasn’t the best in town by a long shot, and Mason had mentioned her cheap food choices. Weston just hadn’t realized she ate like that every night. He couldn’t force her to accept his help, but fuck if he wasn’t going to worry about her every damn night. He’d never paid much attention at the diner, but now that he thought about it, he didn’t remember seeing any plates on the table. Just a glass of water and a cup of coffee. Did she even eat breakfast?

  He settled on the sofa next to her. Abril had tucked herself into the corner, her legs folded under her. She looked so damn small on his massive furniture, and his protective instincts roared full blast. If he had it his way, he’d wrap her up and keep her safe, preferably in his home where he could make sure she ate properly and never had to worry about bills another day of her life.

  “So...why don’t you tell me exactly how bad things are,” he said.

  “Well, you know I was trying to save to pay my rent. It’s due in a few weeks, and I’m a couple hundred short. Since every penny I have has to go toward rent, my cabinets are stocked with a wide variety of Ramen noodles, and I have a package of hot dogs in the fridge. I drink tap water, so I don’t have to spend extra on drinks.”

  He rolled his neck, hearing it crack several times. “Abril, I know you’re a grown woman, and I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life, but honey, you can’t survive on Ramen and hot dogs. You’re going to get sick.”

  “I’m doing the best I can. Things were better when I got my advance, but then I blew through it in a few months, and when I got my royalty statement, I realized it could be a year or more before I start receiving checks. I never went to college. Hell, I didn’t even finish high school. I’ve managed to get my GED, but that doesn’t exactly open a lot of doors. Waitressing is all I know.”

  Weston took her hand. “Will you please let me help you? If you don’t want to move in here, at least let me pay your rent for this month to give you a little breathing room. And maybe let me stock your kitchen with stuff that will give you energy and help you sleep better.”

  “I’m not good at accepting help from people. I’ve been on my own for five years, even lived on the streets until I was given a room in the back of the diner. I’ve worked hard for everything I have, even if it isn’t much.”

  “I’m not trying to take your independence away from you, honey. But as your mate, it’s my job to take care of you. I don’t want to control your life, but I do want to help. Will you let me?”

 
; She chewed her lower lip and eventually nodded.

  “When I take you home, I want to see your bills. If anything is past due, we’re going to get it caught up. I don’t want you stressing when you don’t have to.”

  Abril curled against his side. “It’s hard for me to admit that I need help. Just know that I appreciate that you want to take care of me, but don’t expect me to always like it. I’ll adjust in time, but I’ve been on my own for so long that having someone in my life is different and a little scary.”

  Weston kissed the top of her head. “We’ll figure it out together.”

  Their food arrived, and he made sure Abril ate until she thought she would burst. Then he sent her leftovers home with her. Seeing her apartment from outside the building should have marginally prepared him for the inside, but it didn’t. Her living room held a loveseat with rips in the fabric, a scarred coffee table, and a rickety desk. There wasn’t a TV and her dining room was bare. The kitchen was so tiny he was worried he might not even fit. She didn’t offer to show him her bedroom, but the door was open, and he saw a twin mattress lying on the floor and a laundry basket filled with clothes.

  “Abril, I...” He looked around and ran his hands through his hair. No way in hell he could leave her here. She didn’t deserve to live like this, and it would eat him up inside if he left her in this dump while he returned to his spacious home.

  She followed his gaze before looking up at him once more. “It’s awful, I know, but it’s what I could afford.”

  “Honey, I can’t leave you here. My wolf would go insane.” Weston reached out and stroked her cheek. “Please, come home with me. For good this time. You can sleep in the guest room if you need more time.”

  “I don’t need more time, Weston.” She looked around again. “You said I’m your mate and I know that means forever. If I stay here, it’s just prolonging the inevitable. I don’t want you to worry about me just because my pride got in the way.”

  “So, you’ll come live with me?”

  She nodded. “I only need my clothes. Everything else important is in the bag I’ve had with me all day.”

  She walked into the bedroom and picked up the laundry basket. There couldn’t have been more than four outfits in there and a handful of undergarments. He was sickened by the realization that he’d spent the last five years amassing a small fortune while his mate suffered. If he’d claimed her, or at least acknowledged her importance in his life, she wouldn’t have been struggling to pay bills and starving herself. His wolf was disgusted with him, and he couldn’t blame the beast.

  “Let’s go home,” she said softly.

  Weston took the hamper from her and helped her load her things into his SUV. He waited while she turned in her key and told the landlord she wouldn’t be returning. When they reached his home, he carried her things to his bedroom. In the morning, he’d clean out some dresser drawers for her. His bathroom boasted a his and hers closet, so she’d have all the closet space she could ever want or need.

  Now that he had her in his home, he wasn’t sure what to do with her. He’d never shared his private space with anyone, not for longer than it took for him to get off and then kick them out. Weston walked her around, showing her how everything in the kitchen worked or was stored, which remote operated which device in the living room, and he even went over his fancy washer and dryer. Abril took everything in, but she seemed a little jumpy.

  “This is your home now. I want you to be comfortable here.”

  “Would it be all right if I set up my laptop in the kitchen and wrote for a little while? I know it’s our first night together, but I need about an hour to process everything, and writing soothes me.”

  “Take all the time you need, and feel free to write wherever you want. I’ll order a desk for you tomorrow, and we’ll get you set up in the office.”

  She nodded and headed for the kitchen.

  Weston paced for a moment and then decided to be proactive in taking care of his mate. He pawed through her laundry basket to get her sizes and then he went to his office and did enough online shopping to outfit her for several weeks. If she didn’t like what he’d picked out, he’d return it and let her pick something else. He couldn’t order shoes because she seemed to only own one pair and they were on her feet. First thing tomorrow, he would take her to a shoe store and make sure she had several pairs.

  To Abril, it would probably seem like he was going overboard, but to him, it was only the beginning. Either she would get used to being spoiled, or she’d tell him to back off, and he’d respect her wishes. He left his office and checked on her before getting a beer out of the fridge and turning ESPN on in the living room. He’d give her some space, and when she was ready, she’d come to him. Her life had been turned upside down, but he hoped he was doing the right thing.

  Abril emerged a little while later, looking a little less stressed. She gave him a hesitant smile and curled onto the sofa next to him. Weston wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close. It was comfortable, being with her like this, and he smiled when he realized this would be their life from now on. There was still a lot they had to learn about each other, but they had a lifetime to figure it out.

  “Would you mind if we only slept tonight?” she asked. “It’s been a good day, but lots of changes. I need a day or two before things go any further.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Abril. Take as much time as you need.”

  She nodded and rested her head on his chest.

  As much as his wolf still wanted to claim her, the beast felt more settled now that she was in their home. His wolf wanted to take care of her, and now they had the chance to do exactly that. It would be enough for now.

  Chapter Nine

  It had been a week since Abril had moved into Weston’s home and he hadn’t touched her in all that time. They slept in the same bed, but he kept his distance. She could see the desire in his eyes when he looked at her, but he wasn’t acting on it. Short of stripping naked and begging him to make love to her, she didn’t know what to do. Although that might not be such a horrible idea.

  He’d ordered a spa day for her just the day before, and unbeknownst to him, she’d had a bit of waxing done. Whether he was ready or not, Weston was getting seduced today. The clothes he’d ordered for her had arrived, but none of them were sexy enough for what she had in mind. He didn’t realize it, but she’d used some of her bar tips to order something special. The package had arrived two days ago, but she hadn’t figured out how to lure him into the bedroom for something other than sleep.

  She tapped her fingers on the desk as she stared at her blank screen. Weston was across the room clicking away on his keyboard, but the sexual frustration Abril had felt since their afternoon by the pool, had stopped her flow of words. Now that she knew how incredible things would be between them, she wanted him to make her scream his name. With a huff, she slammed the lid of her laptop and banged her head on the desk.

  “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad,” Weston said.

  “Oh, trust me. It’s bad.”

  “Want me to read it and see if I can help?” he offered.

  She laughed bitterly. “There would have to be words on the page in order for you to read them.”

  Abril turned to face him. His hair was mussed from running his hands through it, and there was a coffee stain on his red polo. She smiled a little, thinking he was completely adorable when he was in writer-mode. It wasn’t fair that he looked sexy no matter what he was doing. When she was working, she looked like a homeless person with her hair sticking up every which way, pajamas she hadn’t changed for two days, and part of her breakfast smeared on her chin.

  “You make it look so effortless.”

  He quirked a brow. “I assure you it’s anything but.”

  “I’m just not inspired to write.” She knew exactly how she could find her missing inspiration, but that would require Weston to stop treating her like a roommate. For a wolf who said he wanted
to claim her, he sure was moving slow. “I think I need a break.”

  She felt his gaze on her back as she walked out of the room. If she sat in the same room with him a moment longer, she was going to lose her mind. Maybe she needed to ease her own sexual frustration if Weston wasn’t up to the task. She went to the bedroom and pulled the box off the closet shelf. She hadn’t even opened it yet, but the contents weren’t exactly a mystery.

  Popping the tape, she pulled the flaps open and smiled when she saw the toys inside. She’d had a vibrator once. It had hurt the first time she’d used it, and even after that, it felt awkward at best. She wondered what Weston would say if he walked in and she was pleasuring herself with her new toys. A gleeful smile spread across her lips. Maybe it was time to poke the wolf.

  Abril made sure the toys worked before stripping out of her clothes and lying back in the middle of the bed. The cool air rushed over her skin and made her nipples pebble. A hum of excitement buzzed through her as she contemplated just how worked up her wolf would get. She’d be as damn vocal as possible in an effort to get his attention, and hopefully, it would pay off. He couldn’t declare she was his mate one minute, then treat her like she might break the next. A wolf’s mate had to be strong, and Abril knew she was a damn oak.

  She clicked on the vibrator and teased her folds with it. Closing her eyes, she imagined Weston was in the room with her, his heated gaze fastened on her body. She licked her lips as she pictured him stripping naked and stroking his cock as she got herself off. She moaned as she teased her clit and spread her legs a little wider. It felt so damn good, but it wasn’t enough. Despite the incredible sensations, she felt empty.

  As the toy buzzed against her, she moaned again and lifted her hips a little. She imagined Weston was between her legs, his cock filling her. As the toy pushed her closer to climax, she called out Weston’s name. A hand slid up her leg, and she cracked her eyes open. He stood at the foot of the bed, a hungry expression on his face. His gaze was fastened on the hand between her legs.