by Jayne Ripley
“I can’t believe you remember that.”
He shrugged. “I have a brain like a stainless steel trap.”
She smirked. “Stainless steel? Is that better than a regular trap?”
“You got it. Never rusts.”
She laughed. He made her feel at ease, and she appreciated that… Well, that wasn’t quite true. He made her feel at ease now that her body had come down from the explosion of arousal that had rocked her when she’d first laid eyes on him. She really needed to get fucked. Hard and fast and soon. An image of a very naked Luke pulling her into his arms and scorching her skin with kisses pushed into her brain with so much detail she could almost feel his hands on her body. On her breasts. Cupping them. Playing with her nipples. Teasing them as she panted for him to take them into his mouth and nip at them…
Damn, she was getting herself wet just thinking about it. If she kept this up, her car wouldn’t be the only thing overheating.
Luke lowered the hood again and his brow furrowed. “Your engine is hosed. Literally. You blew the radiator and some of your hoses have more holes than a puppy-chewed shoe. Your water pump might also be gone. I’ll have to see if you cracked the head or damaged the head gasket. Bottom line: I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere in this thing for awhile.”
“Crap.” She stared helplessly at the car, feeling sick to her stomach. She’d hoped to make it to one of the cheaper motels past the downtown area before her car died, but clearly she wasn’t having any luck today. As usual. She set her hand on her car’s roof. “Thank you, baby.”
Luke raised an eyebrow at her. “No problem.”
She laughed at the misunderstanding. “No, not you. I was talking to my car. I mean, thank you too. But I wasn’t calling you baby. Or anything. Is it hot out here today or what?”
He shared another one of his dazzling smiles. “Why don’t you hop in and steer while I push your car clear of the road. Then I’ll arrange a tow for you.”
She hesitated, not knowing how to tell him she didn’t have enough money to pay for a tow. Her cash was down to the dregs, and her debit card only had enough left in her account to buy her a few nights at a cheap motel, but not if she spent it paying for a tow truck. Still, she certainly didn’t want Luke to know about her financial challenges or why she’d risked everything to make it back to Cadillac Falls. A place where she’d been happy.
That’s all she really wanted. To find a good place where she could belong and finally be happy again.
CHAPTER TWO
Luke sensed something was wrong after he’d mentioned the tow. He could scent her sudden discomfort. So there was some issue with money. None of his business, but that made sense. After all, she’d driven a car that was clearly on its last legs until it had finally self destructed in front of the fire station.
He could sympathize completely. Times were tough. He’d help her out any way he could. He felt…protective of her.
No, that was like calling the Empire State Building a rather tall structure. Words that didn’t do justice to the reality. He fucking wanted her. He felt pulled to her. And damn she was beautiful. He loved a full-bodied, curvy woman. She’d always caught his eye, even back when he’d been nothing more than an awkward high schooler. He preferred loving a woman he knew could take a little energetic lovemaking. Energetic, hell, he should come right out and say it and not beat around the bush. He loved a woman who wanted a hard fucking where he didn’t have to hold back and neither did she. He wasn’t into delicate.
He closed his eyes, trying to get a grip on himself. It worked…barely.
This was bad. Because the moment he’d caught her scent, he’d known it down to his very core that Gabriela Acosta was his mate. His wolf knew it. Accepted it. His cock knew it. He was already half-hard, just standing here next to her. How hard would he be if he could actually get his hands on that luscious, curvy body? And when he’d shaken her hand, the touch of her warm skin had sent a bolt of desire through him as powerful as a lightning bolt.
She was his. She would be his forever. She simply didn’t know it yet.
He’d even growled at the rest of his buddies when they’d come around, curious and looking to help. He couldn’t help it though. His wolf sure as hell couldn’t help it either. He didn’t want any other males sniffing around until he’d claimed her, made her his forever.
He took a deep breath, fighting to steady himself. But that was a mistake, because it filled his nose with her delightful, attractive scent, which made him even harder. He had to keep control of himself. His wolf wanted her so badly it was affecting his ability to think. When all he could imagine was fucking her up against the side of her broken down car, thrusting deep into her wet heat, listening to her moan and watching her writhe with pleasure beneath him, well, it was a challenge to form complete sentences.
“Are you OK?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
He opened his eyes, realizing he must look like a real whack job to her, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths like he’d dropped off into a yoga routine or something. He covered his embarrassment with a wide grin.
“I’m good. Just thinking of the best way to get this done.” He could easily spare some time to help her out. The other guys had the station under control, and there hadn’t been a call all day, so he could take a break and drive her somewhere if he wasn’t away for too long and he brought his radio. Besides, that meant he’d be able to spend some more time with her.
But he also had to be careful not to spook her. He sensed she was like a wary deer right now. She’d panic and bolt if he didn’t tread carefully. When she hadn’t responded well to having her car towed it had set off all his wolf’s protective instincts.
“Tell you what,” he continued, keeping his tone casual. “We’ll worry about the tow later. Let’s just get this car off the road and go from there.”
She nodded gratefully to him. She climbed behind the wheel and shifted into neutral. He headed to the rear of the car and put his back into it. It took a good shove, but hauling around all the standard firefighting gear and working out with weights for his job meant he could get the car rolling by himself, even uphill. Of course, he was also a werewolf and had werewolf strength. So some cheating might’ve been involved, depending on how you looked at it. He continued to push as she steered her broken down car fully off the road and over near the trees at the edge of the property, safely out of the way.
Gabriela shifted into park and got out. She stood there, looking mournfully at her car. She seemed awfully upset about it breaking down. Then again, that made sense if money was an issue.
“Hey,” he said softly. “No promises, but I’ll take a look at your car if you’d like. It might not be complete toast.” Her look of hope pierced him to the heart. He felt a twinge of unease, because now if he failed to fix the car, he’d be failing her, and he was damned if he was going to allow that to happen. “But you need a ride anyway. I have a truck. So where am I taking you?”
“No…I couldn’t. You’ve helped me enough already.”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing. I could use a break from the station. Later on we have to wash the trucks. Trust me, you’d be doing me a favor.”
She gave him a saucy smile that lit up her brown eyes. “Oh, okay then, if I’d be doing you a favor.”
Luke hurried to his truck and pulled it around to the front of the station. He held the door for her and helped her up the step. Then he loaded her suitcase, bags, and a few boxes into the back of his truck. Soon they were on the road headed downtown. They passed Mrs. Garcia, who was out walking her cat on a leash. She waved to him cheerfully. He waved back.
Gabriela laughed. “I’d forgotten all about the lady who walked cats! Is that the same cat she had back then?”
“No, it’s a new one. But she trains them all to walk on a leash. I’m not a cat person, but I feel bad for those poor bastards.”
“C’mon, they love it and she loves them.” Gabriela sighed, bu
t to him it sounded like a contented sigh. “It’s good to be back.”
They drove in silence until they rolled into the downtown area. Downtown Cadillac Falls was a mix of old buildings dating back to the late 1800s and sharing space with more modern architecture. He’d never thought it clashed too badly. The town seemed to work, with both the old and the new freely intermixed.
“So where am I taking you?” he finally asked.
“There was a place at the end of downtown… Is the Barn Owl Inn still around?”
“That place? Yeah. But you’re not staying there.”
“I’m not?” The look she shot him was wary, almost distrusting.
“Nope. You’re coming with me…to Nicole’s. She has an extra bedroom she’s not using.”
“I couldn’t! I haven’t seen her in eight years!”
“That isn’t going to matter to Nicole. She’ll love having someone around to talk to. She doesn’t mind me bringing her a stray.”
Her brow furrowed. “What makes you think I’m a stray?”
“A wild guess. And if I’m wrong, then I’ll gladly apologize. At Nicole’s house. After we get you settled.”
“No. I could never impose.” She looked out the window as if that was her final word.
He could smell her desperation, though. Judging from how she had everything she still owned packed into her beat up old car, he guessed she didn’t have the cash to be blowing on a stay at the Barn Owl Inn. The place was cheap, sure, but he could tell she was down on her luck enough that even bargain-price room rent would be a strain. Again, all his protective instincts roared back to the forefront. Truth be told, it was all he could do not to bring her home to his apartment and put her up there. The only thing that stopped him was that he knew he’d never be able to keep his hands off her, and if he frightened off his future mate by behaving like an over-enthusiastic bastard, his wolf would never forgive him.
Listen to him. Future mate. What was wrong with his brain today? He had to take things slow. But if she was staying at Nicole’s, that would give him plenty of time to see her. To talk with her. To get to know her…
Luke rubbed a hand along his jaw, keeping his gaze on the road because he didn’t want to unsettle her or give away how much he truly understood of her situation. He didn’t want to embarrass her. Being down on your luck was certainly nothing to be ashamed of. “Listen. It wouldn’t be an imposition. I know my sister would love to have you. She could use some help with the goats.”
“Wait…she has goats?”
He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”
She giggled. “Not even. It just took me a second to get my head around it. Nicole Taylor. Raising goats.”
“Don’t ask me why. She loves little kids and goats.”
“Kids and…kids.”
They grinned at each other. He took the street lined with old Douglas fir that led to his sister’s place. A few minutes later he turned onto her driveway. It was a long driveway that led deeper into a heavily wooded area. His sister’s place was a little red cottage with shutters, a river stone chimney, and a bunch of flowers planted everywhere, especially along the porch and hanging from planters on the railings. She had the goat pens out back, but they were easy enough to smell from here. Occasionally the goats broke out and ate all the flowers, earning Nicole’s wrath. He grinned at the memory of seeing his sister the werewolf running around flapping a kitchen towel, cursing the goats and shooing them away from her flower beds.
The front door opened, and Nicole came outside. She waved to him and casually leaned on the porch rail.
He jumped out of the truck first, wondering the best way to handle this. “Hey, sis. How you doing?”
“Uh oh,” she said, smiling. “When you take the time to ask how I’m doing, that means you want something. Come on. Out with it.”
“You’ll never guess who I found.”
As if on cue, Gabriela opened the door and climbed down from his truck.
CHAPTER THREE
“Oh my God, Gabs!” Nicole cried and ran off the porch, across the yard, and pounced on Gabriela, wrapping her in a tight hug. She was both pleased and shocked that Nicole remembered her and she was touched by the enthusiastic greeting.
“Hi, Nicole,” she replied, closing her eyes and simply enjoying the hug. She had missed her friend. Gabriela’s family had left town so quickly, the two of them hadn’t been able to say the kind of good-bye’s she’d wanted. “It’s good to be back.”
“Of course it is! Now let me have a look at you.” Nicole pushed back enough to glance Gabriela over from head to toe. “I bet you’re driving all the males in town wild already.” She held up a hand. “Wait, wait. Don’t tell me anything yet. Let’s get inside and have something to drink, and then we can gossip and talk about old times and new times and whatever times we want. I have goats!”
Gabriela laughed. Nicole hadn’t changed a bit. She was the most excited person that Gabriela had ever met. She allowed Nicole to guide her toward the house before she realized she’d left all her stuff in the back of Luke’s truck. Then she remembered Luke had offered to let her stay here with Nicole. As much as she would’ve loved to have stayed with her old friend, the last thing she wanted was to be a burden. She felt heat creeping up the back of her neck. For once it wasn’t because she’d made a fool of herself in front of Luke. Instead, she was embarrassed to even need a place, and afraid they’d discover the dire straits she was in.
She didn’t know if she could handle their pity. She certainly didn’t want it. She only needed a little bit of time to land on her feet. After all, she’d left Philly in her dust already. Now she simply needed a chance…and maybe a lucky break for once.
“Hey, sis,” Luke called before Nicole could finish dragging her inside the house. “Gabriela’s back in town for awhile, but she doesn’t have a place yet. Think you could put her up in that second bedroom?”
“I don’t want to impose,” Gabriela added quickly. “I was going to stay at the Barn Owl Inn and—”
“You will not stay at that bedbug-infested flea pit!” Nicole seemed offended at the very thought. “I wouldn’t wish that place on my worst enemy. You will stay with me. I have plenty of room.”
“She can help with the goats,” Luke said, grinning.
“Exactly!” Nicole clapped her hands. “Helping with the goats would be excellent!”
Gabriela closed her eyes and let out a slow breath. She couldn’t help but feel warmed by the goodwill and friendship of these two people. She was blessed that they were freely allowing her into their lives, even after all this time. Not to mention the fact that Luke was staggeringly sexy, and if she stayed with Nicole, she’d get to see him again. Maybe he’d even have to chop some firewood or something, anything, where he had to take off his shirt. Then she could ogle his muscles as he worked in the sun. All sweaty and strong. Maybe she’d even get up the courage to invite him to share a bath with her, and then she would—
“Earth to Gabriela,” Nicole said, grinning like mad and hooking her arm around Gabriela’s neck. “I asked if you wanted Luke to help with hauling in your stuff. Hint, the answer is yes.”
“Already on it,” Luke said, heading back toward his truck.
“About time, lazy-ass,” Nicole called after him, but he only laughed.
Gabriela couldn’t help but share another smile with her friend. She was an only child, so part of her envied the easy love and closeness between the two siblings. Maybe envy was too strong a term. Yearned for? Whatever. Clearly she was feeling lonely today. No two ways about it.
Nicole pulled her along by the hand, guiding her through the house. It was neat and clean, with simple country décor. The country farmhouse theme fit perfectly because Nicole immediately took her out the back door and showed her all the goats she owned. There were six in total. They all came running, making their bleating goat noises.
“Is it weird for a werewolf to own goats?” Nicole aske
d her as they both paused and leaned on the fence to watch the animals.
“I think it’s delightfully unique,” she replied carefully.
Nicole snorted, but her smile lit up her face. “I know, right? That’s what I tell my class. They love it when I show them pictures of the goats. I even brought one in for show and tell, but it ate part of the overhead projector.”
Gabriela laughed. She couldn’t help it. For the first time after the long, grueling trip across country she finally felt at ease. Happy. She could get used to this feeling.
“Thanks for letting me stay with you,” she said. “I really appreciate it. I’ll try and get out from under your feet as soon as I can.”
“Are you kidding? You don’t owe me any thanks, and don’t worry about staying here for as long as you need. This is as much for me as for you. I need someone to talk to besides goats. And no friend of mine is going to stay in a crappy motel.” She paused and threw Gabriela a sidelong look. “So what do you think of Luke?”
“Um. He’s changed a lot since I last saw him.”
Nicole snorted laughter. “That’s a contender for understatement of the year. You must’ve last seen him when he was a skinny little freshman. Now he can bench press fire trucks. He’s one of the hot-property bachelors around town. Don’t tell him that, because it will only inflate his head, and God knows it’s big enough already.”
“He…he really has grown up. I about fell over when I finally recognized him.” She hesitated. “My car blew up in front of the fire station.”
“I hope that’s not literal, because if your car actually didn’t explode into a fireball then you shouldn’t worry. Luke likes to bang on cars and trucks. Tightening nuts or whatever it is guys to do engines. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind taking a look at it for you.”
“No, I don’t want to impose—”
“Don’t even start that with me again, Gabs. It’s not an imposition. And to think, I was feeding goats only fifteen minutes ago and thinking about Monday’s lesson plans and then you show up out of the blue. That’s what I love about life. The random excitement!”