Accidental Lover (Wolven Moon Book 3)

by Dany Rae Miller

  “What are you talking about?” I shrug, ripping the top off the muffin.

  “Chéri. Don’t lie to me.”

  I blow out a breath, vibrating my bottom lip. “How did you find out?”

  “Right from the source, sweetheart.”

  Crap. Michael read Victor’s jealousy. I look around the cafeteria.

  “Have you heard gossip from anyone else?”

  He shakes his head no. “I’ll shut it down if I do, tell them it’s me you’re doing.” He grins.

  We did something similar at The Broadmoor, when a guy from conferences wouldn’t leave me alone. Michael floated the rumor that he and I were dating — even though we weren’t. Fearing the wrath of someone Michael’s size, the guy from conferences stopped hounding me. In fact, all male staffers kept their distance.

  “I know you mean well, but we can’t do that this time.”

  “Because the big Kahuna will get jealous, again?”

  “That and I’m on a management track. So are you. Rumors like that aren’t professional.”

  Michael snorts. “Please. In this business, relationships are the norm, not the exception.”

  “They are?”

  “Long hours. Empty rooms.” He rattles off a dozen people we used to work with including some in management who had personal relationships.

  My jaw drops. “Nah, uh. I didn’t know any of that was going on.”

  “Because you’re so innocent, mon Chéri.” Smile gone, he watches my eyes. “Innocent enough to be manipulated by an older man.”

  “It’s not like that.” It comes out harsher than I intend. First Jesse now Michael. I’m not a child needing protection.

  “Is there something you know about Victor that I should know? Does he routinely have affairs with people and then hire them?”

  “Naw, cher. He was engaged and faithful to the ring he gave as far as I know.”

  Engaged?

  Victor was engaged?

  “Look. He’s fair and runs a tight ship. The Av has never had better ratings or revenue. And like I said yesterday, I enjoy it here. Employees are allowed to have fun, which translates to a happy environment and happy guests. I like the way Santana does business. I even like him as a person — unless he’s treating you bad.”

  “He treats me very well.” My cheeks heat at the thought of how well he treated me last night. “I’m happy, Moon-bow. I initiated the relationship. Not him.”

  Michael raises his eyebrows. “Shy little Cherie?”

  “I’m a grown woman now.”

  Michael puts up his hands. “Don’t bite my head off, Fille. I’m allowed to worry about you. If he treats you well, we’re cool. He doesn’t — ” He lets the sentence hang. “You’ll tell me if he doesn’t.” It wasn’t a question or a request. It was an order.

  No, I wouldn’t. First of all, no one wants two wolves fighting tooth and nail. More importantly, Michael worked too hard to get to where he is. A scuffle with Victor could blow his career.

  Ignoring Michael’s command, I talk around it. “My relationship with Victor is my private life. It stays separate and apart from my work.”

  “Good luck with that, sweetheart.”

  “Apparently, it was done successfully at The Broadmoor.” I joke with a smile.

  He chuckles. “Only the naïve didn’t realize. Listen. I’ll help keep the gossips at bay as much as I can.”

  “So.” I switch topics. “How have you been, Moon-bow — really been, since the funeral?”

  Dillon’s funeral was the last time I saw Michael, and he was in no shape to talk or catch up.

  Dillon, Michael’s little brother and Shavone’s first steady boyfriend, was a Marine. He was killed in Afghanistan a few years ago. We were all sad — but Shavone and Michael? They were devastated.

  I instantly regret mentioning Dillon. Pain glistens in Michael’s eyes as he nods his head. “I’m doing better, focusing on work, you know.” He looks over my shoulder and lifts a finger to tell someone to wait. I turn to see a chef-in-training looking our way.

  “You should get back to work. I gotta go get out of these sweaty clothes. Thanks for the coffee.” I kiss his cheek. “I adore you, you know.”

  “That’s how rumors get started, right there.” He winks at me. As I back away from him, he waves his junior chef over.

  chapter twenty-seven

  I KNOW EVEN before I move, that Cherie’s left me again this morning. The bed wouldn’t feel this cold with her hot little body in it.

  What do I have to do to wake up with you in my arms, mi ninfa?

  Pride swallowed, I realize that I’m not above begging.

  Light from the bathroom lures me in. She’s not here. Instead I find two notes. I brush my teeth, then go look in her closet to see if she wore my gift.

  The box is open and empty. The nasty shoes are in the trashcan. Excellent.

  From the corridor, her door lock clicks. I hurry my naked ass through the connecting door, draw it almost closed.

  It’s Cherie and she’s alone. So, I swing the connecting door wide open eliciting a short gasp from her.

  “Oh, God, Victor! You scared me half to death.” She smacks my chest.

  “Serves you right for letting me wake up alone, again. What are you some kind of fucking morning person or something?” I take the paper cup from her, take a sip of her coffee.

  She smiles. “Or something.” She kisses me. “You know, early to bed, early to rise.”

  “Yadda, yadda.” I wrap my arms around her, press my naked body to her sweaty clothed one. Pull her in for a deep long kiss.

  “Next time, how’s about tugging on my worm first thing in the morning, Miss Early Bird?”

  Laughing and grimacing at my horrible attempt at a pun, she kicks her new shoes off, then strips her shorts.

  “I do need a shower,” she says.

  Walking backwards into my room, she lifts her T-shirt over her head, tosses it aside.

  “Is it okay if I use your fancy shower with all the heads again?”

  “Anytime you want, mi ninfa.”

  I follow her, captivated by her strip tease and saucy smile.

  The sports bra comes off next, those luscious tits bounce free.

  “Want to join me?”

  Aw, hell, yeah.

  “Thought you’d never ask,” I say.

  “Bring your little friend, too,” she says with a leering look at my already hardening cock.

  “Little?!”

  I chase her, she runs squealing to the bathroom. Three steps from the bathroom door, I catch the back of her panties, ripping the ass right out of it.

  “Victor! I’m not going to have any underwear left.”

  “Works for me.” I turn on the shower, press her soft, sweaty, naked body into the tile, covering and kissing her until the water gets warm.

  Filling both hands with body wash, I bathe her, my cock hardening more with each stroke. Want her. Now.

  I rinse her quickly, dip my head to latch my mouth onto one of her go buttons. One minute of sucking her nipples and fingering her, she’s ready and begging me.

  “Happy birthday, peaches,” I say as I lift her by her ass. I slide into her heat, eliciting a moan from each of us.

  She wraps her legs around me. “Thank you and thank you for the shoes.” She kisses me.

  “You’re welcome.” I thrust slow and deep, watch her eyes glitter with want.

  “This is even better than the shoes.” She bites at my bottom lip.

  If she can still talk, I’m doing this wrong. I press her firmer to the tile, shift her and my angle slightly to solidly stroke her g-spot.

  “Victor,” she whispers.

  Louder. My wake up call is you moaning my name.

  “Is that the spot?” I ask her, pleased with the look of pleasure on her face.

  “Yes.”

  I pull out, ease back in super, super slow. “You sure?”

  “Yes, God, yes,” she pants, grinds against
me.

  I try to slowly pull out again. She uses her strong inner muscles to hold me tight inside her.

  “Looks likes someone’s developing mad sex skills of her own.”

  With a satisfied smile, she ripples her sweet softness along my shaft, watches my face for a reaction.

  I growl, sweat beads on my forehead. “If you want to come before me, you better stop that.”

  My girl chuckles, but releases my cock. Slowly, I pick up speed, stroking her g-spot over and over, again.

  Reaching between us, I press a thumb to her clit. Her head lolls back with a groan. I lightly nip her shoulder.

  I want to mate her so badly.

  “Come for me, sweetness.” I vibrate my thumb, pump faster along her golden spot inside.

  “Don’t stop, Victor. Oh, God.” She screams for me. “Victooooor.”

  Her muscles rapidly clench and unclench, lifting me to a magical climax with her.

  “Sweet Cherie,” I moan as I fill her channel with my seed. There are no visions of babies this time.

  I rest my forehead on her shoulder, wait for my breathing to become normal, aware of a contentment I’ve never experienced before with anyone — not Jen, not my family. Still panting, I pepper her beautiful face with tiny kisses.

  She opens her eyes, for just a moment the blue depths mirror what I feel. Then, a flash of something else flits across her face — disbelief, fear? The look is gone in a split second, but I saw it.

  Sweetness, I won’t rest until you trust me, and look at me like that always.

  Music, exercise, humor and sex are four things I’ve determined break her negative trains of thought. It’s been a fantastic coincidence that sex calms her the most, like last night, curled in my arms with not a worry, not a care, not a fear in her mind. Just serene peace.

  The afterglow scares her this morning. I’m counting on music tonight at her party to wedge myself a little deeper into her affections.

  “Are you going to put me down?”

  “Do I have to?” I smile at her. “If we wait just a moment, I’ll be ready to go again.” My cock is already swelling. I twitch it inside her.

  She smiles back. “Lauralynn and I are renting Gabs’ condo for the rest of the summer. We’re going to go look at it and have breakfast with her parents.”

  “That’s nice.” With reluctance, I pull out, set my girl down gently.

  “Gabby’s charging you rent?” I’m going to have to have a talk with my cousin.

  I towel off, grab my electric razor to shave.

  “We insisted. Of course, she’s low balling,” Cherie says.

  “That’s what friends do, mi pequeña.” In the mirror, I watch mi ninfa wash her hair. I hand her a fresh bottle of conditioner.

  The Santana cousins own the entire condo building. Grandmother had it built and gifted each of her grandchildren with a unit as a way to keep us coming back to Telluride, to keep the family close. During the wedding, the cousins and I are staying at The Av, leaving the condos for our parents and Grandmother.

  The family has been buying up real estate along the blocks between the hotel and condos as property comes onto the market. Once we have it all, The Avalon will expand to cottages and time shares with our building at the center.

  “You’re renting the condo just for the summer?” I feel my face, make sure I got all the stubble, set the razor back on the charger.

  Cherie nods. “Ells is planning to stay through August. It’s too big a place for me alone.”

  What she means is that she can’t afford it by herself. I wrap a towel around my girl when she steps out of the shower, use it to pull her close, skin to skin, for a kiss.

  “You know, my place is right next door to Gabby’s. I’d love to have you as a roommate after Lauralynn leaves.” I wiggle my eyebrows, try to add some humor to the seriousness of asking her to move in with me.

  Surprising me, she actually considers it. With a tilt of her head she searches my eyes.

  “Why don’t we see how the summer goes?” She says. “You may be sick of me by September.”

  Not a chance in hell.

  I kiss the tip of her nose, tuck the towel in at her chest. “Okay.” I follow her into my bedroom. I stop at the closet, she heads for her room.

  “I have tons to do today,” I say, selecting a shirt and suit. “Can I see you tonight?”

  “I have a birthday dinner with my mom and my friends,” she says loudly from her room.

  “Afterwards? Meet me for a drink, Ms. Twenty-One?”

  “Can’t. Gabs bachelorette party is tonight.”

  I smile. Cherie doesn’t suspect a fucking thing. “Male strippers?”

  I hear her laugh. “Amber’s in charge of entertainment, so possibly.”

  “Just be sure to bring your appetite to me, peaches. I’ll be in bed, naked, hard and ready for you.”

  She laughs again.

  “I promise,” she says just before the blow dryer comes on.

  Another little promise. They’re adding up.

  Dressed, I lean in the door jam between our rooms. In jeans and a bra, she’s bent over at the waist drying her hair. She smiles at me. I go to her, bend over and kiss her mouth.

  “See you later, sweetness.”

  Downstairs, I run through the morning routine, checking in with all departments, saving the main kitchen for last. Monbeau and his staff have worked creative magic, designing food and displays for Cherie’s party. He’s going to make an excellent executive chef.

  Back in my office, I call the party planner. She’ll start loading at noon.

  Gabby wanders into my office as I’m scrolling through the DJ’s playlist. I decide to mess with her.

  “What do you think of this song for the party?” I click on Jessie’s Girl.

  “Don’t you fucking dare.” My cousin plops down in a chair.

  I chuckle, but delete it. “Just a joke. We’ll take that off the playlist.” I hit shuffle, lower the volume, study Gabby’s face.

  “You still on Team Vic? Didn’t seem like it last night.”

  “I’ve switched to Team Don’t Hurt Jesse.”

  I grunt.

  She sighs. “I’m happy for you, Vic. And for Cherie. I’m amazed how fast you two connected.”

  “Me, too. I feel more for Cherie in just a few days than I ever did for Jen after two years. It’s powerful, and incredible.” I smile.

  “Are you saying you’re falling in love with her?” Gabby creases her brow.

  “I’m already there.” I nod. “Crazy shit, isn’t it?” I flick a speck of paper dust off my slacks, fish for girl knowledge. “How long did it take you to realize you were in love with Baldwin?”

  Standing, Gabby goes to my mini-fridge, takes a bottled water. She turns away from me, opens the bottle and drinks. She’s avoiding the question.

  “Gabby?”

  She turns to look at me.

  “You are in love with your groom, aren’t you?”

  “Of course I am.” She guzzles water.

  I don’t believe her. Damn. Could her mother be right?

  “We didn’t fall head over heels, hot and heavy, love at first sight thing like you apparently have. Ours was a slow, getting to know you type of love affair.”

  The petrified look in her eyes kills me. I walk over to her. Force her to look at me.

  “Any doubt at all, you call it off. Screw the money. Screw what people think. Understood?”

  Gabby swallows, nods. Swear to god the girl wants to cry. I hug my cousin, think of the bruja’s love spell, hoping that it’ll work its magick for my cousin.

  Gabby pushes away, puts a smile back on her face. “About the party. What do you need from me?”

  “Did you invite her friends?”

  Gabby nods. “I even messaged every non-mutual friend on her Facebook page. As we speak, about thirty people are trekking down from the Springs, a dozen or so from Estes and Boulder. I booked them in double rooms that you’re paying
for.”

  I chuckle. “That’s fine. I’ll let Monbeau know the increased head count. All I need from you, then, is to keep Cherie away from here and bring her to the ballroom after eight-thirty tonight.”

  “Sis, Cuz,” Reed appears in the doorway.

  “Hey.” Gabby jumps up, hugs her brother.

  She leans to look out at the Front Desk. She turns to smile at me. “Cherie’s mom is here. Want to meet her?”

  “Hell, yeah. I do.” I stand. Opening the mini-fridge, I take a daily calla lily from the pitcher.

  Smiling, Gabby shakes her head. “Still?”

  “Operation Romance never stops.” Following my cousins, I take a deep breath. Meeting the family is always stressful. With Cherie, it’s magnified ten-fold.

  chapter twenty-eight

  AFTER BREAKFAST WITH Gabby’s parents, Lauralynn and I walked around Telluride to check out the shops and eateries.

  Strolling up The Av’s drive, I spot Reed’s massive SUV parked at the front door.

  Inside the hotel, Mom and Phil stand at the Front Desk. Reed’s hanging half in half out, talking to someone in Victor’s office

  “Perfect timing,” I say, getting Mom’s attention.

  “Aw, there’s my baby girl. Happy birthday, sweetheart.” Mom hugs me.

  Phil turns around and smiles at me. I don’t make eye contact with him. Why the hell is he even here?

  After hugging me, Mom holds Ells at arms length to look her up and down.

  “My goodness, look at you, Lauralynn. All grown up.” Mom hugs her.

  Reed glances over when Mom says Lauralynn. Lauralynn’s back is to him and he doesn’t scowl right away – just stares almost in a wistful way. Only when Ells sees him and glares does he glare back. What is with these two?

  Reed walks toward us with long strides. Anxiety radiates off Lauralynn the closer he gets.

  “It’s nice to see you, Rose. We’ll catch up at Cherie’s birthday dinner tonight. Excuse me, but I’ve got a ton of things to do,” Lauralynn says.

  Before Reed gets within ten yards of us, Lauralynn hurries up the lobby stairs — just to get away from him, I’m certain.

  Gabs and Victor follow Reed out of the office.