Honor of the Wolf [The Gray Pack 6] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lori King

  The group was noisy, but not rude or impolite, and they seemed to be having a lot of fun with each other. When they finally began to filter out of the restaurant, Tavi started collecting their dirty dishes and found herself being watched once again.

  “Is your name pronounced Tavee, or Tayvee?”

  The soft question caught her off guard and her eyes jumped up to meet his. Earlier he’d been gruff and demanding, but now he looked softer, and sweeter somehow. Certainly less threatening.

  “It’s Tavee. Short ‘a,’ long ‘e’ sound.” She responded, shoving one of the completed check folders into her apron to process when she got back to the counter.

  “Is it short for something? A nickname?” he pressed, and she nodded, but didn’t tell him what. “I like it. It suits you.”

  Giving him a wry grin, she snorted. “How would you know that, Mr…”

  “Gray. Luke Gray.” He filled in the blank and leaned back arrogantly in his chair. He’d gotten her full attention and that seemed to be what he was after in the first place.

  “Well Luke Gray, you don’t know me, so you have no idea if my name is suitable or not, but thank you for appreciating it anyway.” She turned to walk back to the kitchen, stumbling when she heard him murmur behind her.

  “That’s not the only thing I can appreciate, Tavi. Hurry back.”

  Red-hot blood filled her cheeks and she dropped the plates on the counter with a loud clatter that punctuated the matching heat between her thighs. What the hell was that? She had to be five years older than he was, and she had no interest in training up a virgin boy with mommy issues. No way. If she ever took on a man again, she wanted a strong stable one who could provide for her and Sonny and give them the life they deserved. Not a cocky twentysomething with gorgeous eyes and lips that looked like heaven.

  “You okay, Tav?” Oren asked through the window from his place at the grill.

  “Yep, I’m good. Just cleaning up after that big party. Do you have table seven ready yet?” she asked brightly, forcing her lust back inside the box she kept it locked in inside her heart.

  “Less than five to go on it. I’ll have it plated by the time you get back,” Oren said, giving her a big grin. The small man was the antithesis of what she would have imagined a cook to be with a scrawny build of less than five foot seven and a hundred and fifty pounds, but he was sweet to the core, and she cared for him.

  “You’re a peach, Oren. Be right back.” She headed back to the table, refusing to show her surprise when she found Luke still seated there, alone now. He rested his elbows on the table and silently watched her walk his way.

  When she reached the table, she put on her biggest fake smile and said, “Did you decide to try some dessert?”

  His greenish brown eyes darkened and narrowed slightly as his lips curled up in a devilish grin. “Possibly. What’s on the menu today?”

  “Pie or an ice cream sundae. We don’t have a lot of options. Apple, blueberry, or cherry, and we’ve got chocolate syrup and whipped cream for the sundaes,” she answered, busying herself with loading up another pile of dishes as she spoke.

  “Apple, with whipped cream if you can,” he said simply.

  She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed, or relieved, but she nodded and headed back to the kitchen again. For a few minutes she was distracted by another table as she passed out plates and got them settled before she dished up Luke’s pie, adding a large dollop of whipped cream to the top. Carrying it back to him, she realized that she was rocking her hips more than usual and she stiffened her spine trying to stop herself.

  His eyes seemed to note the change in her movement immediately and one thick black eyebrow rose slightly as she put the dessert in front of him. “Thank you, Tavi. It looks delicious.”

  “You’re welcome, Luke,” she answered, giving him a genuine smile. At least he had some manners. “I’ll be back in a few to check on you.”

  “I’ll be here,” he said, letting his eyes skim down her body and back up to meet hers before she spun around and walked away again.

  Damn he was lethal to her libido. Something about all that arrogance inside his long muscular body made her stomach twist in knots. He moved with an animalistic grace as he shifted his position at the table and dove into his dessert. From her hiding place in the relative safety of the kitchen she watched him, and she would have sworn on a bible that she could hear him growling his pleasure as he licked the whipped cream from his spoon. A hot flash of need nearly brought her to her knees and she untied her apron and made her way to the ladies’ room for a splash of cold water on her face. Somehow she had to get him out of here, or she was going to do something she’d regret—like give him her phone number.

  Luke saw Tavi enter the ladies’ room door, and he frowned as the dark wood blocked his view of her sweet ass. She was average height, certainly shorter than his own six foot one, but she was thin, and her small breasts made her look even more petite. He had the urge to scoop her up and put her in his pocket to keep her safe, and that’s when he knew he was in over his head.

  He wanted her. Desperately. And worse yet, his wolf wanted her.

  She’d be a fling. There was no way a human could be more than that to him, but damned if he wasn’t determined to get her in his bed—or in hers if that was the lady’s preference. He could imagine her pale face, flushed with arousal as he spread her slender thighs and thrust his cock deep inside her sweet pussy. Just thinking about it made his balls burn with desire, and his dick twitch behind his zipper.

  Fuck. He was in trouble.

  She reappeared several minutes later, but gone was the soft skittish doe from earlier. In her place stood a badass with attitude, and damned if that look wasn’t even sexier on her. Reaching his table, she gave him another fake smile, and handed him his bill.

  “Did you need anything else today, Mr. Gray?” she asked with a tone too sweet to be real.

  “Yes, I do,” he answered, rising to his feet next to her in the hopes that she’d see the physical height difference between them as something attractive. “Your number.”

  “Excuse me?” she responded indignantly.

  “I’d like to have your number, Tavi. So that I can call you and possibly take you out to dinner tomorrow night.”

  “I’m working tomorrow evening, but thank you anyway.”

  He shrugged. “Okay, so another evening then. Give me your number and I’ll call you this weekend.”

  She was already shaking her shoulder-length red hair stubbornly. “No, that’s not a good idea. I’m not in the market for dating.”

  “Are you married?” he asked, pleased when she shook her head no. “Boyfriend?”

  “No, but—”

  “Lesbian?”

  Her mouth fell open in shock and he laughed. “I’m just joking, Tavi, lighten up. The way I see it, if you’re not married, or taken, then there’s no reason for you to avoid getting to know me. I’m a nice guy, I swear. I’d just like to see you again.”

  “I’m not interested, Luke, but thank you anyway.” She nearly fell over in her haste to get away from him, and he was left standing in the middle of the diner feeling like a dork because he was shot down. There was more than one set of eyes on him as he made his way out the door with his head held high. No way was he going to come back to this restaurant again after that rejection, no matter how much his wolf wanted to rush back inside and make the woman see reason.

  Chapter 4

  The next morning’s dawn was shrouded in a misty fog, but that didn’t stop the world from spinning. Luke found his balance a bit off-center after leaving the diner the day before. No matter what he did he couldn’t get Tavi out of his head. Her scent still filled his nose, and the soft skin of her wrist still feathered his fingertips. As he pushed through his shift at work, and then his afternoon training session, the hunger inside of him seemed to grow.

  He needed to see her again. After the harsh rejection from the day before, his ego stung a bit,
but that didn’t seem to put his wolf off. The thought of never returning was just unfathomable.

  That’s how he ended up back at the diner that evening when he should have been out at a bar having drinks and looking for a hook-up with a woman who did want him. Instead he was walking through the glass doors, his eyes searching for a bright red head of hair.

  The hostess was a pretty girl with ample curves and brown hair streaked blonde. She gave him an interested smile, but when he asked for Tavi by name her interest dimmed.

  “Tavi?”

  “Yes, Tavi. She’s about five and a half feet, red hair?” Luke said with just a hint of jackass in his tone. “She said she was going to be working today, and I’d like to have her as my waitress again.”

  “I know who she is, um, let me check and see what section she has. I’ll just be a minute.”

  The girl disappeared into the kitchen without a backward glance, and Luke tapped his fingers on the small hostess podium. The tips came away slightly stickier than before, and he had to force himself not to react as Tavi popped through the door, and her surprised blue-gray eyes met his.

  “Oh! Um…hi Luke. Don’t tell me the burger was so good you had to come back again, because I won’t buy it. What are you doing here?” She stood a couple of feet away from him as though wary of drawing close, and with his wolf leading his feet, he moved a step closer.

  “Okay, I won’t answer then. Just tell me where to plant my ass, and I’ll put in an order for a burger and fries,” he joked with a wink.

  “Tavi, Joni is next up for a table, she has two open…” the hostess started to say. Her words drifted off when Luke shot her an irritated glare.

  “No, Fawn, it’s fine. I have a table I just cleared a second ago. If Luke doesn’t mind waiting while I wipe it down he can have that one,” Tavi said moving away so that she could grab a damp cloth.

  He smiled at Fawn in an attempt to diffuse the spark of jealousy he saw in her eyes, and then followed Tavi to a table in the far corner of the room. While he watched, she bent at the waist and ran the cloth over the table and booth seats. The long line of her slim back curved just below her apron ties into a tight heart-shaped ass that he wanted to touch desperately. Her movements were quick and efficient, and within a breath the table was washed and dried and ready for him.

  “Iced tea with lemon?” she asked with an arched eyebrow.

  “You remembered?” he asked feeling his own smile widen. Inside he was fist-pumping with joy because his instincts had been spot on. She’d been just as affected by him as he was by her.

  She tapped one finger against her temple and shook her head. “Don’t read anything into it, Luke, I have a good memory. It comes from doing this job for the last decade.”

  Feigning pain in his chest he pouted, and gave her his saddest look. “I’m heartbroken, Miss Tavi. Here I thought perhaps you’d gone sweet on me.”

  “Hmm…a drama queen huh? Well save it, buster. I want to know why you’re back. I told you I wasn’t interested in dating when you were here yesterday,” Tavi said, leaning her hip against the booth seat opposite him. The shift in her stance sent a breeze his way and he got a strong whiff of her jasmine scent that went straight to his balls.

  “Maybe I just couldn’t stay away,” he teased.

  “Maybe you’re hardheaded,” she shot back.

  “Oh there’s no maybe about that, baby. Parts of me are definitely hard, especially when you’re around.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, pleased when she laughed. She was stunning when she laughed. Her cheeks grew pinker, and her eyes sparkled. It was like the heavens opened and dropped an angel in front of him.

  “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that and go put your order in while you sit back and enjoy the ambiance of our fine establishment, Mr. Gray. Behave if you please.”

  Luke let out a small growl. “And if I don’t please?”

  Her eyelashes batted coquettishly at him, and he stifled a groan of desire at the feigned innocence. “Then I’ll just have to have you removed, bodily.”

  “Any chance you’d be the one moving my body?”

  She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but I’m really not interested in a relationship, Luke. Accept it now and I won’t tell Oren to spit on your cheeseburger before I bring it to you.”

  The sway of her ass was enough of a distraction to keep him tongue tied as she walked away. His cock was throbbing behind his zipper, and his whole body felt flush with need. He could hear her words in his ears, “not interested” and “relationship.” The two didn’t connect for him, and he couldn’t figure out how to explain it to her. He didn’t want a relationship either, but he damn sure wanted her. His wolf was howling in his head, and beating at his chest because she was close. It was insane.

  By the time his food had arrived, he’d managed to regain control of himself and he thanked the woman who delivered it. Tavi hadn’t returned to his table since she dropped off his iced tea. The other waitresses had made a big show about topping off his drink, and covering his table to help their coworker out. It was clearly a conspiracy to keep distance between the two of them, and he just had to wait her out.

  She had no idea what she was up against, because he was absolutely determined to get some one-on-one time with her tonight. She might be human, but she was the most perfect woman he’d ever met, and his mouth watered for a chance to taste her lush lips and saucy tongue.

  When he realized his wolf was considering what her blood would taste like if he sunk his teeth into her shoulder and marked her, his heart nearly stopped in his chest. That was going way too far. All he wanted was to feel her softness under him, and show her how hard she could come. He didn’t want to mate her.

  Did he?

  Tavi could feel Luke’s eyes on her as she moved through the restaurant. He rarely diverted his attention. Even while eating, he’d watched her. It was thrilling and unsettling at the same time. It had been so long since a man looked at her with honest desire that she was already struggling with her own principles.

  What was one date, after all? It would certainly be nice to go out with someone and have an adult conversation. Another quick glance at the man in question had her stiffening her spine. No. No way. Luke was too much like Sonny’s father, Jason, had been. Young, good-looking, Alpha male, and they both had that sort of bad-boy predator look in their eyes. It made her pussy clench, and her nipples harden, but it wasn’t a long-term kinda look. Luke was probably the kind of man who spent one hot night with a woman, and then blocked her phone number.

  The instant the thought when through her head, Tavi scolded herself. How often had she been judged based on appearances? A young single mother who had to rely on food stamps more than once to take care of her daughter. It was unfair for her to judge Luke based on the few minutes of interaction they’d had, but at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to walk over to the table and find out more about him. The longing inside of her scared her too much.

  Hours passed, and still Luke sat at the table, sipping iced tea, and playing with his cell phone in between watching her as she worked. She’d made exactly two stops by his table. The first was to offer him dessert, which he gladly accepted and enjoyed as much as the day before. The second was to offer him a bill which he smiled at, but left lying on the corner of the table untouched. Now they were thirty minutes from closing, and she had to approach him to get him out of the restaurant so that she could go home.

  Bracing herself, she collected a tray full of dirty dishes off of another table, and breezed over to his corner. “How you doing over here?” she asked breathily, scooping up his dessert plate and adding it to her tray.

  “Perfect. What time do you finish up for the evening?” he asked. When he looked at her with those hazel eyes of his, it felt like his gaze was penetrating the clothing that covered her aroused body, and she could barely keep her legs from wobbling.

  “We close in a half hour. You have t
o leave then, so that we can clean up,” she answered, tapping the bill folder and shifting the tray on her hip. “Did you need something else?”

  “Yep, but I doubt you want to talk about it out here where everyone can hear us.”

  She felt heat rise in her cheeks as she glanced around to find that four employees and four other patrons were all watching the pair of them. “I believe we’ve said everything we needed to say—”

  “No, Tavi, we haven’t.” There it was again, that predator version of him that made her body sing. His voice took on a growly tone and for a brief moment she let herself imagine what it would feel like to have him growl like that against her bare skin. A white hot flash of need soared through her veins, and she swallowed hard. “Give me five minutes. Hear me out.”

  “Um, I could probably spare a few minutes, but only a few,” she said in a breathy tone that didn’t even sound like her. When Luke nodded, and slid his wallet out of his pocket, she bit her lip. Was she really going to give him a chance to talk her into his bed? Watching his fingers push the cash into the bill folder and then push it her way, she realized that yes, she was definitely going to hear what he had to say, and if that meant she ended up in bed with this sexy powerful man, then so be it. She deserved one moment of happiness in her otherwise dreary life.

  “Ready?” he asked, tipping his head while the corner of his lush mouth curled up slightly in a cocky smirk.

  Her heart was racing in her ears, when she murmured, “I suppose. Follow me.”

  Luke could feel his wolf just under his skin, trying to get out. He wanted to shift enough to sink his teeth into the soft pink skin of her throat. He wanted to leave a mark so clear that no one in the world would ever question Tavi’s status as a mated woman.