Rome eyed her much as she’d seen her father do when she said something he found ridiculous. “Of course he is, Will. You’re a beautiful young lady. What man wouldn’t be?”
“But not you.” It was more statement than question.
Rome looked horrified. “God, no!” He all but shouted the denial, then followed it up with a wince. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just. You’re like the kid sister I never had. I feel protective of you but not, uh...”
Willow held up a hand to forestall his stammering, smiling with amusement at his obvious discomfort. “I got it, Rome and I understand. And the feeling’s mutual. Only, you’re the big brother I never had.”
His shoulders eased, lips twisting in a wry smile. “That’s a relief. I’d had to be thought of as a younger sister.”
Willow laughed at him and they bid goodnight. As she sat there, mulling over the evening, she heard the shower kick on. It motivated her to unpack, setting out warm pajamas for the evening; folding underwear, sweats, and jeans into the dresser; hanging a few times on the thick plastic hangers she found in the closet.
They could be in Woodcliff anywhere from a week to a month, Willow knew, and while she was desperately homesick for her father and sister, her curiosity had been firmly piqued by the people she met tonight. Most especially Ben.
Finished unpacking, Willow scanned the room. She was still too wound up to sleep, no matter how exhausted she felt. With the shower still running—what was Rome doing in there, anyway?—Willow put her coat back on and made her way to the kitchen, and to the back door she’d spied earlier. She opened it and peeked outside, only to discover in delight the large deck, complete with roof, wood table, and four cushioned chairs. One quick look over her shoulder and she squeezed out the small opening she made in the doorway in an attempt to keep the cold out.
Walking to a break in the railing, she stood at the top of the steps, crossing her arms over herself and staring out into the night. She couldn’t see the cabins on either side of her from her position, but she knew they were there. It comforted her, the knowledge that Ben was probably in one of them, partaking of Kaylie’s care package. Or maybe he was sitting in his trunk, drinking coffee.
An owl hooted, and she jumped again—then grinned at herself. “I come in peace,” she told the owl, her head lifted high, her words no more than a caress on the wind. “I mean you no harm.”
A flash of color caught her eye and she jerked her attention to the ground. It was the glow that made her suck in a breath. The glow of amber eyes set in the large, proud face of a wolf, its fur unlike anything she’d seen before. A dark tan, with hints of brown and bronze that shimmered under the bright circle of a winter moon. The animal sat not five feet from the bottom of the stairs, those amazing eyes never straying as it eyed her with the predatory inclination of its kind.
Willow knew she should be terrified, and a small part of her was. However, a larger part kept her feet still. The wolf wasn’t growling and he didn’t appear thin or mangy. In fact, he looked to be a very healthy creature. The way it sat there, watching her every breath, made her wonder just how intelligent it was.
Fascinated by it’s seemingly benign interest she thought, no wonder Rome asked if I was afraid of wolves.
“Aren’t you a handsome one?” she dared to whisper aloud. The wolf cocked its head, opening its jaw a fraction, almost as if it was grinning at her appraisal. “Bet you drive all the girl wolves crazy.” Though she didn’t know for sure the animal was a male, he simply seemed too imposing, to big to be anything but. Now the wolf shook its head, as if denying her statement.
How odd, Willow thought, drawing her brows together. “Can you understand me?”
The wolf didn’t move and Willow shook her head at her fanciful thoughts. “Of course you don’t.”
The door opened behind her and Rome stepped out. “What are you doing out here?” The wolf hunched down, a growl emanating from its throat.
Not daring to turn her back, Willow said out the corner of her mouth, “I don’t think he likes you.”
Rome stood at Willow’s side. “Who? Oh.” Not at all surprised, awed, or even wary that a huge wild animal with sharp teeth and claws growled not far from his tender flesh, Rome shrugged a shoulder. “He can dislike me all he wants as long as he knows where his place is. Outside.”
The wolf rose swiftly to his paws and Willow stumbled back, startled at the abrupt move. Then it turned, swishing its thick, fluffy tail in the air, and looped off into the forest. If Willow didn’t know better, she would have sworn that tail wave was the equivalent of a middle finger salute.
It made her grin, the human-like quality of the action. So entertained, Willow barely acknowledged Rome’s chastising words of leaving the cabin alone as he guided her back inside.
What a weird and wonderful place Woodcliff was turning out to be.
Chapter Six
Wind ruffled Ben’s hair as he headed towards the far side of the ski lodge. The top part of the massive two-story building held a restaurant/bar and lounge for those who wanted to watch the skiers descending the slopes through the floor-to-ceiling windows in comfort. A large deck extended the whole length of the lodge, with several picnic benches and patio heaters to provide another entertaining option. In the summer months, people escaped the heat of the cities and practically camped out on that deck, eating, drinking, and having a good time until they had to get back to their nine-to-fives, grumbling all the way.
To Ben’s thinking, a job that required him to be enclosed inside for eight hours a day, five days a week, was hell. It wasn’t just his wolf that wanted the freedom to move and run in the fresh air, because he knew plenty of shifters that handled indoor jobs with no problem. It was his personality. To come and go with relative ease, chat with everyone he came into contact with, and do it all in this beautiful setting? Yeah. It fit his friendly, easygoing manner perfectly.
As he stepped inside the crowded ski rental section located in the lower half of the lodge, he stopped to assist a family of five that were having trouble removing their snow- and ice-caked boots. Noticing the eldest daughter, all of maybe fourteen, peeking at him as he freed her feet, he sent her a wink, causing her cheeks to flush with embarrassment. Hearing the infatuated sigh of the young girl as he left the happy family had him grinning.
He walked behind the counter, slapping a co-worker on the shoulder in greeting, and passed through the storage area into another section of the lodge. Here they rented snowmobiles in the winter and quads in the summer.
Opening one of the tall metal cabinets along one wall, he withdrew two helmets, inspecting them for damage before laying them on the long workbench. He heard James, another co-worker and shifter, enter the garage and head in his direction. Shutting the metal doors, Ben sidled over to reach for a set of keys on the corkboard above the bench. “I’m taking number five out for a couple of hours.”
“Yeah?” James leaned a shoulder against the cabinet. “Don’t suppose you’re taking that chick for a ride.”
Ben’s fingers tightened around the pen he held to sign the vehicle out, knowing exactly of whom James referred to. Willow’s presence, and reason for it would have passed through the pack by now. “Don’t suppose I am.”
“Heard she was a looker and a dancer to boot,” James stated, his lips curling in a sly, cocky smile. “Bet she’s got some serious flexibility. I’m sure you’ll find out just how far she can spread her legs.”
Ben didn’t know how it happened, didn’t realize he’d moved faster than blink. All Ben knew was that he suddenly had James a foot of the ground, pinned to the front of the cabinet, claws out as he fisted the other man’s coat. Raging darkness filled his sight. “Don’t,” he snarled in the kid’s face.
James’s brown eyes were shocked saucers. His voice terror-leaden as he stammered. “I-I didn’t mean anything by it. Just joking. You know?”
Ben felt the burn in his gums, knew his fangs had dropped, ready t
o rip flesh apart. Some part of his rational brain kicked in to gear, throwing him into a flashback to when Dean had done the same thing to him when Ben had given Kaylie an overly interested look. That pause was enough for him to regain control of his beast, and ponder his unprecedented action.
It had to be Willow.
Ben had practically salivated when he’d drawn her scent into his lungs that first night. The second he’d taken her small hand in his he’d felt like he’d jumped into an inferno. Undiluted desire had pumped through his veins, so pure and hot he’d felt scorched. His beast had clawed at his mind, desperate to get its paws on her. For a few blinding seconds he’d forgotten everything: the others in the room, the circumstances, Pete and the snow bunnies, everything except the undiluted want that twisted his gut into so many convoluted knots.
Which wasn’t like him. Ben was always in control. He had to be, when his wolf was as strong as his. As a leader, the ability to hold back the beast was a necessity as well as a sign of strength and stability. Which he was poorly demonstrating at this moment by harassing a pup barely old enough to drink.
Ben slowly returned James to his feet, yet he didn’t allow the younger shifter his freedom. “Miss Yancy is a lady. One who has endured hell, and you will fucking speak of her with respect.”
James head bobbled in agreement. “Sure, Ben. You’re absolutely right. I let my mouth run away with my imagination.”
Ben’s eyes narrowed. “Then you’d better wipe Miss Yancy from your imagination. And make sure your horny little friends know the same. If you see her or come near her, you will be as respectful of her as if you’re speaking to your Lupa. You hear me?”
Though the fear began to recede from his eyes, James swallowed hard. “Most definitely.” More head bobbing.
Only when wolf and man were both assured the kid would do as instructed did his claws and fangs ebb back into his body. His anger cooled, Ben dusted James’s coat. “Sorry about the holes.”
“No problem.” James inched sideways, his voice thready and hesitant. “My fault for making an assumption. I just thought, well. You know.”
Lips tightened in irritation. Ben knew what the kid thought. His reputation as a ladies’ man, one he’d never instigated nor refuted, was biting him in the ass. It was all based on rumors and beliefs that made the younger male shifters look at him with admiration. Town gossip could be such a bitch. He hadn’t nailed every female that gave him a come-hither glance. He wasn’t that much of an animal.
Noticing how young James cautiously moved away, coupled with his unprecedented anger, had Ben re-evaluating that last thought. It seemed one female in particular was turning him into a beast. One whiff and that was all it took. Until he could sink his fangs into that sweet flesh and stake his claim, he’d probably remain more beast than man.
This little episode was bound to run through the famous Woodcliff gossip mill, spreading far and wide. By tomorrow, every shifter would know the redheaded dancer was off limits, giving him plenty of time before the full moon to finalize the deal.
Satisfied, Ben turned to sign his name on the check-out sheet. “Where you just coming back here to yank my chain?”
“Uh, what? Oh. No.” James seemed a bit discombobulated by the quick return of Ben’s friendly tone. “I was, uh, just double checking the time number seven and nine snow runners were rented out.”
Ben fingered through the listing. “Two-forty for an hour.” He looked up at the wall clock. “Three-thirty-five now.”
“Oh. Okay. They still have time.”
“Was there a problem?”
James shook his head, stopped. “Well, it’s just I thought I smelled alcohol when I walked past them to get another rental for a couple I was helping, but by the time I got to Gordon, his foursome was gone.”
Gordon was human and didn’t have a shifter’s super sniffer, but he knew better than to give anyone keys to a runner if there was any suspicion of alcohol use. It would be his job. And James didn’t say he was sure it was alcohol. If the breeze was blowing just right, a shifter could smell the alcohol from someone’s glass sitting on the upstairs deck.
“They protected?” Ben asked.
“Yes, sir. All helmeted up and everything. I at least saw that.”
Ben grunted, picked up the two helmets he’d picked out and headed for the side door, James in his wake. “If they’re not back in twenty, let Maureen know.” Maureen Kilner was their boss and co-owner of the lodge. Dean was a silent partner, having helped the woman out several years back when the economy began to tank and tourism dropped so much that Maureen had been close to losing the lodge.
No one could tell him his alpha wasn’t made of awesome.
Standing outside, James shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Will do. Um, is it all right to say have fun?”
Something in the kid’s tone made Ben glance his way as he hooked the spare helmet on the runner. Realizing the other shifter needed touch, especially after Ben’s outburst, he reached out with his free hand and ruffled James’s short, dark hair before straddling the seat. “What I need from you is to wish me luck. I’m gonna need all I can just to get the lady alone for five minutes.”
Appearing relieved that no hard feelings existed, James smiled. “Good luck, then.”
The engine roared to life and, after strapping on his helmet, Ben gave James a two-fingered salute. He eased through the lot, mindful of out-of-control skiers and pedestrians. Once clear, he increased his speed and took a right at the fork in the path. A minute later he left the path entirely and zipped through the forest, knowing the land like the back of his hand.
As he dodged trees he recalled that first night, and his shockingly powerful reaction to Willow. No one had ever told him what to expect should he encounter his mate, and the force of his desire had blindsided him.
But because he rarely took things at face value, especially something as important as his mate, Ben had let his wolf loose when he heard Willow at the back of the cabin. His senses might be extraordinary in human form, but as wolf? They were as keen as his wild brethren. He’d stripped in one of the empty cabins, leaving the door slightly ajar, and bounded into the night.
He’d been pleased she hadn’t run screaming when her beautiful blue eyes landed on his furry form. Then he’d been amused by her attempt at conversation. But it had nearly killed him when he’d forced himself to leave. The wolf had wanted to rip something bloody while Ben itched to plant a fist in the agent’s smirking face. Doing neither, Ben had made his way back to where he’d left his clothes, shifted and dressed, all the while his wolf seethed with helpless fury. Its mate was locked up all nice and cozy with another male, and it wanted blood.
As Ben lay alone in his bed later that night he tried to be logical. Mack and Josh had also touched her, so theoretically any one of them could have initiated the mating heat from that skin-to-skin contact. But neither Mack nor Josh had returned to the cabin for a deeper whiff.
The second evening only confirmed what Ben’s beast already knew. He’d stuck around after delivering Willow her medicine, playing cards, chatting, touching her every chance he could until Rome kicked him to the curb. Once again, Willow sneaked out while Rome was in the shower and Ben, finding how easily she accepted his beast’s unwavering stare, shifted. And stared. Devouring her with his eyes. Until Rome dragged Willow back inside.
Her scent was making both man and beast crazy. Ben wanted to shove his face in her neck and breathe deep. His wolf wanted to roll around in it until her lush sweetness coated its fur. But most of all, Ben wanted to bury his throbbing cock in her slick flesh, hear her screams of pleasure as he pounded out the pulsing ache inside her silken sheath.
With a groan he forced the image of Willow, naked, back arched in ecstasy as he thrust into her from behind. His mouth closing over her neck to sink his fangs in her flesh. Because that was doing nothing to cool his ardor and he didn’t want to show up at the cabin with a cock-stand.
I
nstead he recalled learning from Willow and Rome that she was, in effect, bait. A way to lure Valen to Woodcliff and make another attempt on Willow’s life. Nothing less would put Valen behind bars permanently. But both Ben and his wolf had other ideas. If Valen did come to town, they would do whatever it took to keep Willow safe. Which meant killing that which meant to destroy his life. Nothing less would satisfy.
Ben also found out Willow had never been skiing. He’d opened his mouth to offer to take her out for lessons when she rose and went to the sink. And she’d limped. The sight had caused a raw fury to haze over his vision. It had been Rome and his hard kick under the kitchen table that pulled Ben from the edge.
This morning he’d thought about the snowmobiles. It only held two so Catman would have to sit at the cabin while Ben whisked Willow away for some much desired alone time.
Snickering at the idea of besting Willow’s overbearing agent, Ben gunned the engine when he hit the clearing, snow spraying in long, graceful arches behind the runner as he angled toward the center cabin.
Chapter Seven
Curious at the sound of a revving engine, Willow left the kitchen table where she’d been playing solitaire for what felt like years and opened the front door of the cabin. She didn’t need to see who was behind the tinted face mask of a helmet to know it was Ben. Her heart skipped a beat before jumping into a happy dance.
Thinking herself an idiot, she pressed her lips together and waited as he eased to a stop in front of her, killed the engine, and lifted off his headgear.
The cold,crisp air felt good on her face, though she did tuck her arms around herself for warmth. Rome liked his heat and kept the cabin almost too toasty for Willow. Today she’d felt overly warm, sneaking peeks at the thermostat to see if he’d raised the temperature, but he hadn’t. She hoped she wasn’t coming down with a cold.
Seduced by a Shifter Page 5