by V. Vaughn
A movement up ahead, just off the trail, caught his eye. What the hell? Rather than the tawny hide of a white-tailed deer, a mass of evergreen wriggled about. The shaking tree stilled at his approach, then as he brought his sled to a stop, a woman popped up on the other side. He didn’t have to guess who it was. Even covered in her pale blue snowsuit, the cute-as-all-hell hat with the massive pompon on top, and a scarf covering most of her face, he’d recognized her. Her scent curled around him, warming him from the soul out. Jenna.
Waiting for the asshole who’d stolen her heart to pop up next to her, he fought the instinct to shift so he could challenge the male the instant he showed himself.
Jenna squinted her eyes at him, then glanced around quickly. “This is private property. You shouldn’t be here,” she yelled over the sound of his snow machine, her voice not quite as steady as he would have liked.
Straightening, he craned his neck a little further. Was she alone? What kind of jerk let his woman go out in the woods by herself? What if she fell and got hurt? What if she got lost? What if the wild wolves that inhabited this territory decided she was the perfect size for a snack?
Okay, she probably knew this land like the back of her hand, so she wouldn’t get lost, but still, that wasn’t the point. The scent of her fear replaced her natural sweetness, burning at his nostrils. She was alone in the woods, and even though he could see her clearly, she had no idea who was eyeing her through the visor of his helmet. No wonder she was stepping back.
Reaching up, he shoved the dark plastic up before loosening the strap. Jenna’s eyes widened, and she shifted her weight to the side. In the next instant, her body lurched left. Her high-pitched squeal cut through the hum of the snow machine. Her arms flailed around, and what looked like a saw went flying to the right, disappearing in the snow, as she landed on her ass—hard.
He leaped for her. It was too far to catch her before she fell, but he needed reassurance she was unharmed. She damned well better not be hurt, his wolf rumbled. That no good male she’s promised herself to will answer to me for failing to protect her. He is not fit to be her mate.
For a second, she didn’t move, but then her soft laughter bubbled from under her scarf. Tugging it down, she exposed more of her beautiful face. “Dereck Harrington. You scared the crap out of me. I thought you were a trespasser,” she chided, then stuck her hand out for him to grasp and help her up.
Technically, he supposed he was, but the fact that she didn’t see him as such had some of the ache in his chest easing a little. “What in the hell are you doing out here by yourself?” he asked, trying for a stern tone. It came out way too soft.
She brushed the snow off her butt and grinned up at him. “I’m home for Christmas, maybe longer. We’ll see. I needed a Christmas tree,” she said, waving a snow-encrusted mitten toward it.
His heart stuttered. He’d meant out in the woods, not in Parrish Pointe. “You and your fiancé?” The question slipped from his mouth before he could stop it.
She shook her head. Her smile dulled a bit, but then she sighed. “Nope. Just me.”
He stared down at her for a beat, his heart pounding like a tribal drum. What did that mean? For once, the wolf inside kept his thoughts to himself and listened almost as though he, too, was holding his breath.
She glanced over at his snow machine and her smile brightened. “I don’t suppose you’d want to help me drag it up to the house? I swear this was much easier when I was a kid.”
Dereck swallowed what little saliva was left in his mouth. “Yeah, sure. Do you have a sled?” He hadn’t seen one under the tree, but then, he’d been focused on Jenna and hadn’t looked for one.
She nibbled on her bottom lip, and her grin widened, showing off those adorable dimples he remembered so well. “I may have forgotten to bring it with me. I was going to drag it all the way.”
Laughter rumbled from his chest, spilling out into the cool air with a small cloud of frost. “You were, were you?”
She pursed her lips, obviously fighting the urge to laugh along with him. “I was making progress.”
Eyeing her tracks in the snow, he pointed to where she’d chopped the tree down. “And how long did it take you to get it from there to here?”
“Not that long… A half hour. Max.”
Jesus, she would have been out in the woods all night. Shaking his head, he made his way back to the trail and grabbed the tarp and rope he’d brought with him to cover the firewood he’d planned to pile onto her porch. “All right, Davy Crockett, help me roll it onto the tarp, and we’ll get this bad boy hitched up.”
“Yay,” she said as she clapped her wet mitts in front of her.
Shaking his head, he got to work. Jenna’s teeth chattered. She stomped and shuffled her feet, obviously trying to keep warm. By the time they were done, her lips held a bit of a blueish tinge.
Dereck grabbed the adorable pompon on her hat and tugged, then handed her the helmet. There was no way it would fit otherwise. He grinned down at her, then pulled her toque onto his own head. No point in freezing his ears off along the way. If his scent permeated the wool and made her think of him when she wore it next, even better.
As soon as he was sure her helmet was secure, he slid onto the machine, then patted the seat behind him. Jenna hopped on, not hesitating for a second. His wolf made a soft rumbling sound as she settled against him.
Having her safe and on her way home wasn’t enough, though. She was freezing, and although he was certain she would make it without coming to harm, he couldn’t tolerate the thought of her being uncomfortable when he could do something to help. Bracing himself for the torture he’d endure with her behind him, when she slid her arms around his waist, he grasped the ends of her mittens and plucked them from her hands, dropping them between his thighs.
“Hey, my fingers are cold,” she complained, making a move to retrieve them.
Jesus. If her hands went anywhere near his groin, there would be no doubt how much her being plastered to his back was affecting him. Didn’t matter that layers of clothing separated them, his body reacted to her nearness.
“I know. Here.” Before she could protest further, or he could talk himself out of such intimate contact, he shoved her hands beneath his jacket and under his sweater.
The air caught in his lungs at the shock of her icy fingers on his warm skin, but other than the bunching of his abdominals, he didn’t move an inch. Keeping his groan inside, he closed his eyes and forced himself to relax.
She, on the other hand, moaned long and loud, burrowing closer into his back.
So much for keeping her memories muted and manageable. “All right. Hang on.”
2
Jenna breathed deep. Dereck’s helmet carried a woodsy scent that was part earth and cool winter breeze. It smelled of wolf—of him. Delicious. She wondered if he ever figured out that she’d seen him and his brothers change into their wolves when they were little. To say it had been a shock was putting it mildly, but her innocent mind had taken it in, and accepted what she’d seen. What he was.
With the visor cutting the wind, her cheeks were already warming, and her teeth stopped their incessant chattering. She fought the urge to splay her fingers where Dereck had placed them on his hard, muscle-ridged belly to get a better feel.
For all she knew, he was married with three kids. She had no business feeling him up while he was being neighborly and helping her out. Glancing over her shoulder, she checked to see that the tree was faring okay. With the tarp wrapped around it and Dereck taking it slow, she’d bet the thing would even have some pine needles left on it when she put it up. She couldn’t wait.
By the time he pulled in front of the house, her fingers were toasty warm. She almost wished they could go longer so she wouldn’t have to take them off his skin. She held tightly for a second longer after he cut the snow machine’s engine. In junior high, she’d had the biggest crush on Dereck. Then in high school, he’d broken her heart. Of course, she’
d been too timid back then to make her feelings known, but it hadn’t dulled the ache when she’d watched him parade his endless stream of girlfriends in front of her.
He gave her arms a little squeeze, and she’d have sworn she heard a faint growl coming from him. Grinning, she finally released him and climbed off, tugging on the helmet strap to get it loose.
He rose and stood next to her, his cheeks now red from the pinch of the cold wind. “Here, let me try,” he said when she struggled to get it free, his voice an octave deeper than it had been before. The sound seeped into her, igniting parts of her that hadn’t so much as sparked in more months than she cared to remember. A niggle of guilt bubbled to the surface, but she squashed it before it could grow. She was single. There was no reason why she shouldn’t enjoy the sound of Dereck’s voice—or any other part of him for that matter.
With deft fingers, he slid the material free, then gently removed the helmet. His gaze found hers, and for a second, she couldn’t quite breathe.
“Thanks. I appreciate the ride,” she finally managed.
“Anytime. Give me a second, and I’ll bring the tree in for you. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”
She’d only had herself and a good book for company since she’d arrived on Monday. The last thing she needed was more time for herself. “There’s no rush. I can make some coffee if you’d like, or some hot cocoa? Unless, of course, you have to get home to your wife…”
His eyebrows rose, as did the corners of his lips. Okay, she could admit it, she hadn’t been very subtle, but who had time to play those games?
“No wife. I’d love some coffee.”
Once again, his voice wrapped around her, cloaking her in its deep, velvety tones. “Great.” She tucked her fingers under her armpits to keep them from freezing again.
“Go on inside and get warm. I can take care of the tree,” he said, reaching for her mittens and passing them to her.
“I can help.” She shoved her hands into the frozen wool and shuddered. They weren’t even pliable anymore.
Dereck shook his head. “I’ll only be a minute.”
Although she’d been struggling to drag it through the soft snow, the tree she’d chopped down wasn’t overly big. It wasn’t puny by any stretch, but someone who had abs like the ones she’d warmed her fingers on would have no trouble hoisting it up and bringing it in.
Jenna all but skipped up the steps and into the house. Dereck wasn’t married. That didn’t mean he couldn’t have a girlfriend, but if the heated look he’d given her outside was anything to go by, she’d bet he didn’t. And if he did, she’d wish him well. She wouldn’t pursue him. She refused to be that woman no matter how sexy he was or how good he smelled.
After a quick detour to the kitchen to get the coffee going, Jenna rushed to her bedroom to tame her hair. It had to be sticking out all over the place and, call her vain, but she wanted to look nice when Dereck came in. She ran a brush through its length then puffed it up a bit to get rid of the hat head she was sporting, then gave her lips a quick coat of gloss. They were one of her best assets, and a girl had to show that stuff off.
Heavy boot stomps at the front door had her hurrying back into the living room. “Need a hand with that?” she asked.
Dereck’s hair was sticking up at the back just like she remembered it doing when they were kids. He’d always had a wicked cowlick back there, making it impossible to keep his hair neat. Her hat was sitting on the table by the door. He glanced in her direction, his gaze immediately flicking to her lips. He licked his own, making her smile widen.
“I’ve got it,” he finally said, his voice a little rough. “Do you have a tree stand?”
She pointed to the corner where she’d set everything up before trekking into the forest. “Right over there. I can’t thank you enough for your help. I was starting to think I was going to be spending the night out there.”
A soft rumble came from Dereck’s chest, then his eyes widened and the sound stopped. A second later, he cleared his throat. “I would hope you would have had the sense to come home and go back for the tree tomorrow,” he finally said after a beat.
He didn’t know. There was no way. If he suspected she knew about his wolf, he would not have stopped the sound that came naturally to his kind. “Sore throat?” she asked.
“Maybe. Had a bit of a tickle there.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. “You sure it isn’t the flu?”
He shook his head as he carried the tree to the stand, being careful not to knock into any of the furniture along the way. “Nah. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“I hope you’re right. I’ve heard there’s a nasty strain of wolf flu going around,” she added once he faced away from her.
Dereck’s whole body stiffened. He didn’t move a muscle. Not even to breathe.
“I’d hate for you to start sprouting fur on the full moon,” she continued.
After a moment, his back expanded with his breath, and he lifted the tree into the stand. “Would you mind tightening up the screws for me?” he asked. His voice was steady as could be. If it weren’t for the fact she’d seen him and his brothers shift, she might think she’d imagined it all.
“Yeah, sure.” She got down on her knees next to him and did as he asked. She inhaled deeply, taking in the pine scent combined with his clean, woodsy aroma, and sighed. “I love the smell of Christmas.”
“Me, too,” he added almost absently.
When she couldn’t make the screws go in any tighter, she braced a hand on his thigh and stood. The muscle beneath her palm clenched, but he didn’t pull away. “I think that should do it.”
He looked at her, pupils dilated and his mouth gaping. He swallowed hard. “Let’s test it out,” he finally managed when she stepped back. A second later, he released the tree.
“It’s perfect.” She clapped her hands like a kid—well…at Christmas—but she didn’t care. It really was a beautiful tree, and she hadn’t had a real one in years. “I don’t know how I would have managed that alone.”
Dereck’s expression became serious. He unzipped his jacket and shrugged out of it before crossing to the coatrack and hanging it up. Next came the boots. “Do you have a towel? The snow’s melting all over your mom’s hardwood floors. I’ll clean my mess.”
“Don’t be silly. I can get that. Have a seat. The coffee should be about ready.”
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. Had it always been so strong—so sexy? Before he could protest again, she dashed out of the room. She could almost feel his stare burning a hole through her jeans as she left. Please, don’t let him have a girlfriend, she sent up to the heavens as she reached for the coffee.
3
Dereck ran his fingers through his hair and gulped air into his lungs. What the hell had that been about? The wolf flu? One, that wasn’t a thing…and two, there was no way that was coincidence. It couldn’t be. Deep within him, his wolf paced—not concerned, but edgy and restless just the same.
Why be worried? She knows what we are, and she’s not scared, his beast uttered, catching his thoughts. Now we can mate her.
Dereck sighed. “It’s not that simple.”
“What’s not that simple?” Jenna asked from the doorway.
Crap. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”
She gave him a funny look, then smiled as she crossed the room to mop up the water spots on the floor. It only took a second. “I’ll be right back with the coffee.”
He remained rooted to the spot, watching her go rather than following as his wolf demanded. Maybe he should build a fire. She couldn’t possibly be warm enough yet. Yes, let’s take care of our mate. Then she won’t want to leave, the wolf interjected.
“Do you still take it black?” Jenna called from the kitchen.
How the hell did she know that? “Yeah, that would be great. Thanks,” he answered, crossing to the fireplace. Stacking logs wasn’t much of a distrac
tion when Jenna was so close, but it was better than nothing.
A second later, the energy in the room crackled as she came in.
“I hope you don’t mind. I thought you might need a bit more warmth.”
“Thank you. I’d love a fire. I haven’t bothered building one since I came home. Seemed kind of pointless since I was the only one here to enjoy it.”
Her scent curled around him as she walked past and placed the cups onto the coffee table, before joining him. He struck a long match and held it to the kindling until it caught. “That should do it.”
She held her hands to the fire as though it might provide enough heat to warm her fingers already. “I should get some marshmallows in town tomorrow. Haven’t had s’mores in years.”
He glanced over at her. Maybe her comments had been coincidence. Maybe not. Either way, he had to find out. The question was, how the hell did he bring it up without sounding crazy—if she didn’t know about wolf shifters…
“So, what’s new with you? I haven’t seen you since you left for college.” It was a cop-out, plain and simple, but he needed a minute to gather his thoughts.
Jenna smiled and straightened. “Well, there isn’t much to say. I got a job as an editor for a small rag after I graduated, and I’ve been there ever since. I’m not sure how much longer that’s going to last, though. The paper hasn’t made money in months. The guy who owns it says we’re fine, but let’s face it, this is becoming more and more of a paperless world. Small-time publications are falling by the wayside everyday.”
She settled onto the couch, then patted the seat next to her. She could have indicated the chair or sat at one end of the sofa, but no…she was right in the middle, and she wanted him to join her. He could almost see his wolf prancing around inside his mind.
“What are you going to do if it goes under?”