by V. Vaughn
Dave reaches out his hand to me. “Touch me again. I know you felt our connection.”
I snort. I think about the way Warren’s touch ignites a fire in me. Dave has no idea what a real connection feels like. “No, Dave. I didn’t.”
He reaches into his pocket as he says, “I though you might not believe me.” He pulls out a small velvet box and holds it out. “Here. See how serious I am.”
The container is soft in my fingers as I open it. Inside is my old engagement ring. The diamond in the middle is now between two trillion sapphires. This isn’t just a booty call. Dave has given our reconciliation some thought. “Wow.” I snap it shut and hold it out to him. “I don’t want this.”
Dave takes my hand and wraps my fingers around the box. “Take it. I’m not asking you to wear the ring. I want you to keep it as my promise. I promise to love you more than you need me to, Sophie.”
I gaze at him, and his eyes are glassy with moisture. I want to make him the bad guy and walk away, but I can’t. Damn him. I believe he still loves me, and a surge of emotions makes me tear up too.
Dave slides his hands up my arms and grips firmly. “One step at a time. All you have to do right now is say yes to a date with me.”
I’m so weak. The man I loved for years but never really had finally wants me the same way. How can I not try? I say, “I will on two conditions.”
“Anything.”
The box is hard in my hand as I hold it out again. “Take this back.” I swipe a tear off my face and sniff. “It’s too much.”
Dave shoves the ring in his pocket and tugs me against his chest in a hug. He kisses the top of my head and pulls away to look at me. I think about what Warren and I did this morning. If I date Dave, it won’t happen again, but my ego needs me to fib about it. I say, “I’m kind of seeing someone, and I’m not going to break things off until after I make up my mind about us.”
“Sure.” He nods. “That’s fine.” Dave breaks into a grin. “So when are you free?”
His happiness makes me smile too, and I say, “Tomorrow’s my day off.”
“Give me your address, and I’ll be by at six to take you out to the best restaurant I can find.”
“Okay.” I step backward. “I really do need to get back to work.”
As I start to walk off, Dave calls out, “You won’t regret this, Sophie girl. I’ll make sure of it.”
I wish I believed I won’t regret it, but the way my stomach churns makes me think I might.
35
The Miller wedding was a success, and I got home just before midnight. I was so exhausted that I slept soundly for most of the night and roll out of bed around seven. I decide I’m going to spend my day off basking in the summer sun with a good book to avoid the turmoil my love life has become.
I find a lounge chair in the shed and go about the business of setting myself up on the dock. The tropical scent of my sunscreen is strong as I squirt some out of the tube, and my skin is already warm when I slather it on. It’s going to be hot today, and I’m happy I get to cool off in the lake when necessary.
I glance over at Warren’s house. I think about how Warren said he can’t help but love me. And that the true mate bond means I can’t help myself either. It’s a sure thing. Too bad it isn’t something either of us wants. And why couldn’t it be Dave that can’t help loving me?
Damn it. Why did I say yes? It would be so easy for Dave to break his promise to love me, because he can. I find I’m staring at Warren’s house again, and I sigh. I’m not sure having someone who’s forced to love me is any better, but I’m tired of worrying about my love life. I’m going to make the best of my day off instead.
When I start to read, it doesn’t take me long to get engrossed in my book, and I block out the sounds of people enjoying the water at houses near me. Sweat trickles down my chest, and I’m about to take a break to swim when a soft thud makes the dock shake. I look up to discover Warren has pulled up in a canoe. His board shorts and loose tee aren’t enough of a barrier for my hormones, and they kick into high gear at the sound of his voice as he says, “I’ve got something to show you.”
His smile is inviting, and my heart flips at his attention. This guy loves me. I notice he has a cooler and two towels in the boat with him. I set my book down and sit up as I point toward the contents of the canoe. “Is there food in that?”
“Lunch.” He waggles his eyebrows at me. “With cookies.”
I’m not used to the charming version of my neighbor and am intrigued. I tell myself free lunch is a good thing, and that’s why I get up and climb gingerly into the canoe to keep it from tipping. Once I’m seated, I glance around for a paddle. Warren says, “There isn’t one for you.”
I reposition myself to face him as my heart beats faster at the chivalrous gesture. “Good lord, Sophie, you’re so easy.” I ask, “Where are we going?”
“The Native Americans were the first to settle in Winter Valley.” He ignored my question, but I’m beginning to understand it’s his way, and I listen without interrupting. Water rushes as he paddles smoothly, and he says, “They were happy, until the white man came.” I watch the muscles in his arms ripple as he moves to stroke on the other side of the boat. “They brought famine with them, and the area was wiped clean of people for almost a decade.”
Sweat is beaded on Warren’s face and dampens his shirt. He says, “But that’s not what really happened.”
“No?” I ask.
“The chief of the tribe was so angry over the white man’s invasion, he ordered his medicine woman to merge his people with the wolves.” Warren stops paddling, and the oar clunks on the boat as he sets it down to rest on the edges. We drift with momentum. “She created the Silver Lake werewolves. We’re here because of what evil humans do.”
I gaze at the man before me and try to picture him as a wolf. I look at his strong hands, and his voice is soft when he asks, “Are you afraid of me?”
I shake my head. When Caroline and my niece, Trixie, told me about the werewolves, I didn’t have much of a chance to fear them before I learned that Trixie was one. “Should I be?”
“No. We have more to fear from humans than they do from us.”
I ask, “Are you afraid of me?”
He nods and plucks at his shirt to pull it off his skin.
I shiver. ”I’m afraid of being with someone who’s forced to love me.” I shake off my mood and smile as I brace my arms on the edge of the canoe to lean back. I reach toward the water as if I’m going to splash him and say, “I can finagle a way to get you out of that shirt.”
Warren removes his tee, and I sigh when he reveals the chest I tried to memorize by touch. I like the view. “Feel better?”
He flexes his chest as he grins, and I chuckle before I say, “You’re such a guy.”
Warren picks up the paddle, and the water splashes faintly as he dips the oar in to propel us forward again. As he strokes, I remember the feel of his powerful arms around me, and my mind goes back to our sexual escapades. Desire pools low in my belly.
Warren’s nostrils flare, and he groans before he says, “You do like the view, don’t you?”
It occurs to me that he’s sniffing me when he does that, and I squeeze my thighs as if I can shut off my scent. “Oh my god, you can smell my arousal?”
“Yes.” He glances down at his crotch. “It’s powerful stuff.”
Suddenly his motives for the canoe ride are clear. “You’re taking me somewhere for sex, aren’t you?”
“I’m taking you on a picnic.”
Great. He’s probably just bringing food so I can last longer. “So now you’re saying you don’t want sex with me?”
Warren frowns. “Yes. I mean no.” He shakes his head. “You are very confusing.”
He stops paddling and leans forward. His musk floats toward me, and I want to kiss him so badly, I can’t think straight. I say, “Damn it. You make it hard to be clear.” I stare at him before I ask, “What are we doin
g?”
“I’m trying to get to know you. To let you know me.”
I can’t resist my urge to touch him any longer, and I reach out and place my hand on his chest. His heartbeat pounds under my fingers, and it calms me as if it’s my touchstone. “You mean like a date?”
He places his palm over my hand to press it harder against his chest. “I’m in love with you, Sophie. I’ll do anything to make this work between us. You said you don’t trust me, so tell me what to do.”
I pull my hand away. “Does this mean you’ve decided to trust me?”
He nods, and I ask, “What happened to your mother?”
He scowls for a second. “She was shot by a human.” My heart hurts for him, and I reach out to touch his arm. “Even though it was a long time ago, I still miss her.” Something I imagine is his wolf flashes in his eyes. “Humans are dangerous.”
“But she was human once, wasn’t she?”
“Yes.” His eyes are normal again even though he frowns.
Warren picks up the paddle again, and I dip my fingers in the lake and notice the water is warm. I splash him as I waggle my eyebrows at him. “I have some other questions.”
He grins and says, “Yes. Werewolves are better lovers.”
His joke surprises me, and I chuckle. “You’re flirting with me.”
“Don’t get jealous, but I know how. I’ve done this before.”
Amazingly, the idea of Warren with someone else does give me a surge of envy, and I say, “Let’s not go there. I’m willing to wipe the slate clean on sexual history.”
“Good idea.” Warren’s gaze makes me think he’s not prepared to answer everything when he asks, “So what else do you want to know?”
Sophie and Trixie have already answered most of the questions about the mechanics of being a werewolf, so I say, “Tell me about the dangers now.”
“We’re safe for now, but you need to know there is always a threat of exposure.” Warren stops moving, and his gaze doesn’t waver as he says, “I’ll always be honest with you, Sophie. I won’t keep things from you, even if they aren’t good. You deserve that.”
Tree branches overhead make me notice we’re about to reach land, and I turn to face forward as Warren brings us ashore on a small beach. Sand scrapes under the canoe, and I stand to step out. Earth sinks under my bare feet as I walk through shin-deep water to get to land.
Warren pulls the boat up onto the beach and retrieves the towels and cooler. Since I’m wearing just a bathing suit, he says, “You’re not dressed for exploring.” He points off to the left. “So let’s eat on that rock.”
I follow him to a rock ledge that hangs over the water. The canopy of trees offers shade to keep us cool, and I sit on the towel Warren sets out for us. He unpacks the cooler and hands me a bottle of water. It’s ice cold in my hand, and paper rustles as I open the sandwich he gave me. He asks, “Are you aware that being with me means that eventually I’ll need you to become a werewolf?”
“Yes.” I lift a piece of bread to discover he got me roast beef with mustard, and I wonder how he knew I’d like it. I also wonder why I’m talking to him as if we’ve decided to be a couple. “Caroline explained that your pack needs human women for children.”
Warren swallows a mouthful of food and asks, “Do you want children?”
“I do. Do you?”
He’s chewing, so he nods in answer. Once he swallows, he asks, “Do you know I need to bite you for the change to happen?” Now it’s my turn to nod as I chew, and he adds, “The bite will hurt, but I’m told the pleasure it brings is worth the pain.” His eyes twinkle with what I guess is a bit of amusement and male pride.
“I’ve heard.” I lick mustard off my finger and gaze at Warren as he watches me. He’s doing the nostril thing again, and it makes the embers of my desire flare. I don’t bother to try to hide my arousal as I say, “It all comes back to sex, doesn’t it?”
“That’s not all that’s fueling this, Sophie.” Warren leans in to kiss me and whispers, “Our attraction is because of love too.”
36
I didn’t mean for anything to happen, but our kiss became a lot more, and I got lost in sex even more amazing than yesterday. But it’s more than our physical attraction that makes me decide I want to try with Warren. I am in love with him, and I know he’s in love with me too. All I want is to be with someone who’ll be mine forever. It’s been handed to me on a silver platter. And while it’s not perfect, I’d be a fool not to give us a chance to grow into something real.
It’s too hot to be lying together, but the sweat coating my skin doesn’t make me want to untangle myself from Warren. I lift up and say, “I trust you, and I’m willing to try.” His cock twitches against my leg, and even though I should be spent, my body quivers in response. I tease him. “How long until you get to bite me?”
Warren reaches for the back of my head and pulls me down for a kiss. He rolls us over and lifts up to gaze down at me. “True mate love is forever. If I change you, there’s no turning back.”
“I’m told I won’t want to anyway.” I reach down and grip him to find he’s fully erect again.
He flexes his hips. “No. You won’t. But you need to be sure this is the life you want.”
I nip at his shoulder and say, “I’m teasing. I’m not ready, and I think we should wait until we’re both sure.”
Warren slides two fingers into me, and I let out a small noise of pleasure. He says, “There’s a few weeks of mating season left, and after that we can wait until next spring before you need to become a werewolf.”
“Oh.” My eyelids flutter shut. “Yes.” My breathing is erratic, and I pant out, “That’s good.” But now I’m talking about how Warren makes me feel, and we finish communicating with our bodies.
It’s late afternoon by the time Warren brings me home. I gaze at my lounge chair and romance book on the dock as we approach it. I just lived my own steamy scenes, and the afterglow makes me sigh. I don’t want to leave him, and when he stops the boat, I gaze into his blue eyes. Warren sits up taller and glances at the road we share, and I turn to see what he must hear. A black Audi approaches, and my stomach sinks.
Shit. I forgot all about Dave. Warren said he’d never keep anything from me, and I inadvertently kept something from him. I reach for Warren’s arm. “I need to tell you something, and I’m really sorry I didn’t think to say it sooner.”
He bristles, and I remove my hand as the engine of Dave’s car shuts off. I say, “That’s my ex-husband.” The car door slams, and my words rush out of me as panic makes my pulse race. “And he’s here to try to get back together.” Warren’s eyes get hard, and he scowls as Dave’s cry carries down to us. “Sophie!”
Warren’s voice is icy when he says, “You should get going.”
I nod as Dave’s footsteps pound down the walkway toward us. I climb out of the boat and say, “It’s not going to happen. I—”
“Don’t.” Warren shoves off the dock hard, and water rushes as he paddles toward his dock at a speed that makes me think he can’t get away fast enough. Air is sucked out of my lungs as if he’s taking my life force with him. I want to dive in and swim after him.
“Sophie?”
I turn to Dave, and when he scans me with his eyes I’m tempted to smack the let-me-do-you smirk off his face. I grab my towel and wrap it around my body as I ask, “I thought you said six?”
“Wow. You don’t sound very happy to see me.” He glances over to the beach area in front of Warren’s house. Warren lifts his canoe up over his head easily and walks out of the water as Dave asks, “Is that the guy you’re seeing? Isn’t he kind of old for you?”
“No. Yes.” I sigh. “Yes. That’s the guy I’m seeing, and you have no right to judge.” I put my hands on my hips as I glare at him. “I have something to tell you.”
Dave shakes his head. “You’re not backing out on me, Sophie girl. We made a deal.”
The screen door at Warren’s house is on
a spring, and it slams shut. “Deal’s off.”
Dave steps closer to me and reaches out his hand. I step back in response as he says, “Whatever he does for you, I’ll do better. Give me a chance to make us right.”
“No. He loves me the way I deserve to be loved, Dave. You can’t do that better.”
“But you love me. C’mon Sophie, you’ve always loved me with an intensity that’s scary. Love like that doesn’t die.”
I think about my plant that I kept with me after Dave and I divorced. I held onto it like I did my hope for a love that would wrap around me and never let go. But Warren took the plant from me when it finally had enough. “Yes,” I say, “it does.”
Pain flashes through Dave’s eyes, and it wasn’t long ago that I fantasized about hurting him like this. But now that I have, it’s not satisfying. Instead I feel Dave’s pain as I recall how much it hurt to be rejected by him. I reach out my hand, and he grabs on with a tight grip as if he needs me to pull him up. I say, “I’m sorry. I don’t love you like that anymore. I’m in love with Warren.” I think.
Dave releases my hand and steps back. He opens his mouth to speak but then shuts it again as he drops his gaze. He turns away and walks back to his car. As he leaves, relief washes over me as if I’ve just lifted a weight off my shoulders and my heart. I recall how much I used to love Dave and wish our timing could have been better. I wanted to tell him I hope he finds the love I now have, but I don’t think he’d have appreciated it. So instead I watch Dave leave and wonder if my love for Warren is real.
My book is warm on my fingers from the sun as I pick it up to make my way back to my house. I glance over at Warren’s house and wonder if he’s inside. I want to go to him, but I’m afraid he’s too angry to deal with me right now.
I replay his words in my head. “I won’t keep things from you, even if they aren’t good.” He deserved to know that I planned on trying again with Dave, and I didn’t tell him. We’d finally gotten to a point where we were willing to trust each other, and I managed to break that trust within hours.