The silence stretched between her and Kiel. Neha turned her head and looked at him. “So how long is it going to take to reach your cabin?” she asked.
He glanced at her before his gaze returned to the road. “About thirty minutes or so.”
“That’s not too bad I guess. If you’re allowing me to use it for the night by myself, where are you going to sleep? Or do you have another place in Helena?”
He smiled. “My family and I all live at Canyon Creek. I’m sure someone will put me up, considering I have my parents and five brothers to choose from.”
Her eyes widened. “Five brothers?”
Kiel chuckled. “Yes, and I’m the oldest.”
“How many years apart are you all?”
“There was five minutes between each one of us.”
Neha’s gaze landed on him. “Your mom had sextuplets? And all boys? Holy crap. The poor woman.”
His deep laugh filled the cab of the truck. “Yeah, we were a bit of a handful growing up. We definitely gave our mom a run for her money.”
“I bet. Is she still sane?”
“Yes.” He laughed again.
“Wow. She must be pretty tough. I doubt I’d be able to handle having that many babies all at the same time. I suppose she didn’t want any more kids after all you guys.”
“Knowing my mom, she would have if she’d been able to. After mine and my brothers’ birth, she didn’t get pregnant again.”
“Well, with six kids, that makes a large family.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Kiel asked.
“I have an older brother. He’s twenty-six and two years older than I am.”
“Are you close?”
“Pretty much. Since my parents and brother live in New York too, my mom has us over for dinner every Sunday when we can make it.”
“With my family, we tend to just drop by each other’s cabins whenever we want. Sometimes my brothers do it too frequently.”
Neha chuckled. “I guess that’s the risk you have to face with having so many siblings.”
“You could say that.”
The silence grew between her and Kiel once more. Neha looked out the window and watched the scenery go by. They were probably twenty minutes into the trip when she noticed the area they traveled through was mountainous and wooded. It became even more so as he turned the pickup off the paved road and onto a graveled one.
“How much longer until we arrive at your cabin?” Neha asked.
“I’d say in about ten minutes,” Kiel replied.
Neha questioned if she’d made the right decision. She hadn’t known Kiel’s place would be so remote. By “cabin” she’d thought it would be a house that was cabin-like in style, but on farmland instead of in the bush. From what she saw through the window, it looked as if they drove through landscape that appeared more untamed than it’d been at Yellowstone.
As Kiel turned off the graveled road and onto what could only be described as a dirt path, Neha was glad it would only be one night she spent there. Plus, she really didn’t want to back out now that they were almost at their destination. If she demanded he take her to Helena and a hotel, she doubted she’d see him again. It would be really rude of her to renege on his generous offer.
Kiel turned right as the path forked, then it was only half a minute before they came to a stop in front of an outbuilding that sat near an honest to goodness log cabin. Neha looked at where she’d be spending the night and told herself it wouldn’t be that bad. She hoped.
*
Kiel turned off the truck’s engine, then looked at Neha. She stared out the window at his home. She wore no expression, so he wasn’t sure what her reaction was to seeing it. From knowing where she lived, and how she was dressed, he had a feeling his cabin would be well out of the scope of what she was used to.
“Come on. I’ll show you around,” Kiel said as he opened his door, then got out of the pickup.
Neha did the same as he walked to the back of the bed and then took out her luggage. He came to stand at her side and started them toward his cabin. The dirt under their feet was hard-packed with some small rocks. It wasn’t really ideal for high heels. To prove him correct, she stumbled and had to grab his arm to prevent herself from falling.
Neha gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay. While you’re here, I suggest you wear something other than those heels.”
“That’s the only kind of shoes I have with me. I’m really not into wearing sneakers unless I’m going to the gym to work out.”
“Then you won’t be going on any hikes,” Kiel said jokingly.
“No,” Neha agreed with a smile. “I’m not into the whole nature thing, anyway.”
This didn’t bode well for Kiel, in his attempt to claim Neha as his mate. Being a wolf shifter, he was a part of nature, and he would expect her to live at Canyon Creek with him.
As they reached the cabin’s porch, Neha asked as she looked around, “Am I going to have to be worried about any wild animals coming around?”
“There are bears, but you won’t have to worry about them. They don’t tend to come close very often. I guess I should warn you about the wolves.”
Neha’s eyes widened. “Wolves?”
“Yes. There’s a small pack of them who call this area home. They’re very friendly and would never harm you. One might come by and stay. He considers my cabin his second home, and I let him inside. So if he comes, you can feel safe letting him in.”
The wolf Kiel told Neha about would be him in his animal form. He wouldn’t be spending the night with any of his family. He hoped she’d let him inside with her, but if she didn’t, it wasn’t a hardship for him to sleep outside on the porch.
“You want me to allow a wild wolf to come into the cabin while I’m there?”
“As I said, it’s perfectly safe.”
“If he does come around, I can’t guarantee I’ll let him in. I’d be afraid he’d attack me while I slept.”
Kiel pushed open the cabin door, then stepped aside for Neha to walk in first. Her gaze swept the space that consisted of his kitchen and living room combined. He set her luggage on the floor and waited for her to say something.
“It’s…nice,” Neha said as she turned in a slow circle once she was in the middle of the room. “I can’t help noticing there aren’t any light fixtures or lamps anywhere.”
“That’s because there isn’t any electricity, but there are plenty of candles and a couple kerosene lamps.”
A look of unease passed over Neha’s face. “Please tell me there’s running water? I really don’t think I can bring myself to use an outhouse.”
Kiel bit back a smile. The way Neha had said that last part he would have sworn she thought that would be pure torture if that was how she had to go to the toilet. “I do have plumbing in the cabin with a gas hot water heater.”
“That’s a relief.” Her gaze strayed to his kitchen. “There’s no fridge. And you don’t have a stove, even though you have gas.”
“I only had the gas hooked up a few years ago. I got sick and tired of having to heat water to take a bath. I’m so used to cooking on the wood stove I couldn’t be bothered to switch to a gas one. There’s a root cellar outside, underground. Plus, I have a fair-sized garden where I grow all my own vegetables.”
“I hate to say this, but you’re going to have to either cook for me or bring me some food. There’s no way I’m going to attempt to make any meals on a wood stove. I’d end up burning myself. I have a hard enough time cooking on a regular one.”
Kiel smiled. “That’s no problem. I can come and make us meals. You don’t have to worry about starving.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
He pointed to the two doors behind Neha. “The bedroom and bathroom are over there.” She turned in that direction and nodded before she focused back on him. “I’ll let you get settled in. I’ll come back to make dinner.”
“Okay. Th
anks.”
Kiel nodded, then walked out of the cabin, shutting the door behind him. He definitely had a lot of work on his hands to get Neha to accept what he was to her, and persuade her to give up the life she now had. He had a feeling it might be beyond what he was capable of accomplishing.
* * * *
After Kiel left, Neha stood in the middle of the cabin, not sure what to do next. This, she hadn’t expected. If she’d known before accepting his offer what she’d be staying in, she would have politely turned him down. Even if that meant she didn’t get to see him again. She was a New York City girl and hadn’t been camping in her life. She’d thought Yellowstone Park had been roughing it, but it was a four-star hotel compared to this.
Neha looked around what constituted as the living room and noted there wasn’t a television in sight. Of course there wouldn’t be, since there was no freaking electricity. And there was no land line, which made sense. She’d never been without so many modern conveniences in all of her twenty-four years.
At least she had her cell phone. Neha opened her purse and took it out. Thank goodness she’d charged it before she’d left Yellowstone. She’d also turned it off on the drive, knowing she wouldn’t be able to use it while on the plane and wanting to conserve the battery.
She turned it on and waited for the cell to boot up. Once it did, she was relieved to see she had service in this remote place. She also saw she had three missed calls and a couple text messages. Neha recognized the number. It belonged to the owner of the modeling agency she was signed with. Constance had texted for Neha not to get on her flight and to contact her as soon as Neha saw the texts.
Neha quickly brought up her contacts list and brought up Constance’s number. She then hit “send” to call. The other end was picked up after two rings. “Hi, Constance. It’s Neha.”
“Please tell me you’re not on the plane.”
Neha chuckled. “If I were, I wouldn’t be calling you, now would I?”
“True. Sorry. I’m in a bit of a flutter.”
“Why didn’t you want me to get on the plane?”
“Apparently, the client for the photo shoot decided Yellowstone wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He wants something even more remote in the same area, like in the mountains. The photographer is scrambling to find a new location. The other models are still at the first one with him. You were the only one who was in a hurry to get home.”
“Then I guess you’re lucky I didn’t check in on time to be rebooked on another flight when the original one was cancelled. I’m stuck here until tomorrow evening, but I guess it will be longer than that now.”
“I’m afraid so,” Constance said. “I’m trying to help the photographer find this new location, but I don’t have much in the way of contacts out in Montana. If it was New York, that’s another story.”
Thinking to make a joke, Neha said, “Talking about remote mountain areas, you should see where I am right now. I’m in a freaking log cabin that has no electricity, television or landline. Luckily, there is plumbing. This place is up in the mountains and surrounded by trees. I swear the road leading up to it was a dirt path.”
“You didn’t book into a hotel?”
“No. I kind of met someone while I stopped in Helena to have lunch. We sort of hit it off and he decided to keep me company at the airport while I waited for my flight to leave. Once we found out I wouldn’t be going anywhere today, he offered me the use of his cabin for free.”
“Neha,” Constance said in a very serious tone, “I want you to take some pictures of the cabin and woods around it with your cell, then send them to me. I think where you are would be perfect and exactly what the client will want for a location. Talk to the owner and see if he’ll be agreeable to the idea. He’ll be paid for allowing the photographer to use it.”
“You’re serious?” Neha asked.
“Very. Now hurry up and do what I asked, then I’ll call you back.”
Neha hung up, then did as Constance wanted. She took a couple pictures of the inside of the cabin before she moved outside and took some of the building and treed area around it. It didn’t take her long to send them all to Constance.
It was all of a minute later that the other woman called. Once Neha answered, Constance said, “I forwarded them to the client.” She paused. “Hold on a second. He’s already replied.” Another minute went by before Constance spoke again. “Neha, you just saved our bacon. He thinks it’s perfect. Now I need you to talk to the owner and see if he’ll agree.”
“Well, Kiel isn’t here right now. He’s letting me settle in, then plans to come back around dinner time.”
“I need an answer sooner than that. We have to start shooting by tomorrow since it will take another few days to finish. You know how long it took the first time around. Can you go find Kiel?”
“I guess so,” Neha said reluctantly. “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate this.”
Constance ended the call. Neha blew out a breath. Now she’d have to go in search of Kiel, and she had no freaking idea where he was. All she knew was that his family’s cabins were somewhere around there. And in heels, there was no way in hell she’d go traipsing through the bush to see if he was out there doing whatever it was someone who lived in this wilderness did. That left only one option—she’d have to walk along the sorry excuse for a road and see where the one that had forked to the left led.
With her cell phone in hand, Neha left the cabin. There was no lock on the door so she made sure it was shut tight. She guessed they didn’t have to worry about break-ins around there. It wasn’t as if the bears and wolves would want to steal anything Kiel owned.
Neha had almost turned both her ankles twice by the time she reached the fork in the dirt “road.” So far she hadn’t seen any cars nor heard any. Actually, the whole area was quiet, except for the sound of birds in the trees. It was so unlike where she lived. She had an apartment near one of the busiest intersections in New York City. She was used to the sound of constant traffic.
As she trudged up the opposite track from the one that led to Kiel’s cabin, Neha hoped like hell there was another one at the end and that it wouldn’t be too far of a walk. She stumbled once more, catching herself before she was thrown too far off balance. Constance had better appreciate what she was doing for her since it looked as if Neha would get a hike in the woods, after all.
Chapter Four
Kiel had shifted to his wolf form as soon as he’d been out of range of the cabin. He hadn’t wanted to leave Neha, but he thought it best to let her settle in without him hovering around. Besides, he had to let his family know she was there, and that she was his mate. He wasn’t sure how his parents would react to the news of her being human.
Taking a route through the forested part of their land was quicker than the dirt trails used for their vehicles. Kiel reached his parents’ cabin to find them sitting on the porch. It also happened that Memphis and Talon were with them. He had a feeling they’d been talking about him, because as soon as he came closer and they saw him all conversation ceased.
“You’re back already,” his mom said as Kiel took on his human form.
He nodded and walked over to the porch. “Yeah.”
“You must have found your mate then. Where is she?” his dad, Brant, asked.
Kiel shook his head and smiled. “It didn’t exactly go as I’d planned.”
Talon spoke next. “It couldn’t have been bad if you can smile like that.”
“No, it isn’t anything bad, really. It’s…very unexpected.”
“How so?” Memphis asked.
Kiel took a deep breath. “I found my mate, but she isn’t from around here.”
“Let me guess,” his mom said. “She’s from the Helena pack.”
“No, she’s not. What I meant about her not being from around here is that she was only passing through Helena.”
“Where is her pack located? Fate must have
had a hand in the two of you meeting. If you hadn’t been in the city today you might not have met her.”
He nodded. “I have to agree with that since she’s from New York City.”
His dad’s brows drew together. “I never heard there was a wolf shifter pack there.”
“Well, that’s where Neha lives. And she doesn’t live with a pack.”
“She’s a lone wolf?” Talon asked with surprise in his voice.
“Not exactly. You see, Neha is—”
The sound of a vehicle pulling up the dirt track to his parents’ cabin cut Kiel off and he turned to find Gage bringing his SUV to a stop. His brother got out as the passenger door opened and Neha did the same. Once she spotted Kiel, she smiled. Seeing her again had his body reacting. Arousal shot through him. Even though the members of his family were able to smell it, there wasn’t much he could do about it.
As Neha and Gage came closer, Kiel asked, “Neha, what are you doing here?”
“She’s definitely not a wolf shifter,” Memphis said in a whisper so Neha wouldn’t hear, but Kiel, his parents, Talon and Gage could with their keen wolf hearing.
Neha came to stand in front of Kiel. “I need to talk to you about something and it couldn’t wait until you came to the cabin to cook us dinner.”
Talon chortled at the last part Neha had said, but Kiel ignored him. He glanced down at his mate’s feet instead. She still wore her high heels. “So you came looking for me? How did you manage the trail in your shoes?”
Neha blew out a breath. “Not very well. I’m glad your brother was at his cabin.”
Gage smiled. “She wasn’t too steady so I offered to drive her over here after she introduced herself and explained that you’d offered her the use of your cabin. I had a feeling you would be here.”
“Which I really appreciated,” Neha said. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I need to ask you something.”
Kiel nodded. “All right. What?”
“Remember how I told you I’d been on a photo shoot at Yellowstone?”
“Yes.”
Wild Craving Page 3