Night Surrender

by Godiva Glenn

  Wyatt’s brow furrowed. “But you’re clearly bothered by seeing him, and not simply in a casual way.”

  “It’s not uncommon for people to see their exes, but this wasn’t a normal break-up. Seeing him brings back every awful memory, sure, but that’s not the issue. It’s that seeing him makes me wonder if he wants to try again.” Her eyes grew distant and she looked away. “I can’t explain it but when I told him I didn’t love him anymore, it’s like something snapped in him. Suddenly, this wasn’t a repeat of previous breakups. It was like he was someone else. It’s like he didn’t even hear me, didn’t care what I said.”

  “Is this the first time you’ve seen him since then?”

  “Yeah. It’s probably nothing, right? He’s still got friends in the area. There are a dozen legitimate reasons for him to be around.”

  Wyatt didn’t reply. He didn’t feel comfortable agreeing with her, not if that assessment was wrong. “The most important thing is your wellbeing. I’m in town a bit longer. If he—”

  “You don’t have to protect me,” she interjected. “I really hate that macho guy posturing.”

  “It’s not posturing. Some guys need reality beaten into them literally,” he said, recalling the time he’d been one of those guys. “I’m not saying I’d immediately grind him into a pulp. I’m saying that I’m here if you need me.”

  She nodded, albeit half-heartedly, before readjusting herself on the couch to lay down with her knees pointed up. “Speaking of being here, if you’re here for work, why haven’t you done any?”

  “Oh.” He wracked his brain, still unable to remember what possible profession he’d given her. “I’m on call.”

  “What could you possibly be on call for? Marketing emergencies?”

  Marketing? Huh? Staring at her knees, he muttered, “Eh. Something like that.”

  “Whatever. I’d love to have a job that let me travel.”

  He rubbed his eyes. Keeping up with a lie he’d forgotten was going to bury him, and probably soon. More importantly, though, he now had a valid concern for Nancy. Getting out of town with a fresh start was looking like a necessity for her to get away from the past. A past named Brent.

  FIVE

  “What am I doing here?” Wyatt asked the darkening sky.

  He was alone on Nancy’s balcony, leaning on her heart-lit railing and missing home with every breath. In less than two weeks the wolf moon would call to him, and he’d told himself he’d be back with the pack by then.

  But the crippling self-judgment within him had yet to be resolved, even though he felt closer to his wolf than ever. He was broken. He wouldn’t rejoin the pack until he was whole and could offer them strength.

  He’d hurt Charlotte, a lovely lupine he had thought was his soul-mate, and he’d picked a fight with Damon, who taught him everything he knew about being a good runner. There weren’t many things he’d done right in the past year, and it was all because he’d let things fester in his soul. Because he thought he was a better wolf than he’d actually behaved.

  And yet instead of taking this time, this trip, to fix his spirit, he’d gotten close to a human and burrowed into her problems instead of solving his own. Am I helping her in a way she needs or am I hiding from myself?

  He had certainly been neglecting himself, in more ways than one. His body cried out for release. Between the mysterious possible break-in and a crazy ex, his wolf was chomping at the bit for action. Unfortunately, there was nothing to do. Feeling helpless wasn’t a favorable position to be in, and the result was for his needs to turn elsewhere in the form of inescapable desire.

  He was horny, plain and simple, and it was a hunger beyond what his own hand could manage to slake. Normally this would be the point where he’d wander into a bar and find someone to take to his motel room, but it felt sleazy leaving Nancy to have a meaningless hookup.

  She hadn’t asked him to stay another night, but she hadn’t hinted for him to leave, either. His presence helped her, for now, and it was an easy comfort to offer.

  But damnit if she didn’t make things hard for him, figuratively and quite literally. Even though her emotions were swinging around, he was still drawn to her. The way she gave everything into her hugs, the sweet scent of her. And for a human, she was easy to talk to. Honest and disarming.

  I can’t fuck Nancy.

  His stomach growled, giving him momentary relief from his other brain. He headed inside, moving quietly. Nancy had gone to take a shower and he’d taken to the balcony to avoid listening to the water bouncing off her naked flesh, but now, of course, that imagery came racing back to him.

  The shower was off now, but she wasn’t around. He could hear her in the bedroom, scuffling over the floor and probably drying her hair. Or the rest of her.

  Stifling his dirty thoughts, he rifled through each cabinet door then checked the fridge. There wasn’t much to work with, but pasta seemed doable. He pulled everything he needed to the counter and started boiling a pot of water.

  He was well into seasoning a canned tomato sauce when she finally appeared, complete with a cream-colored nightshirt boasting a massive owl with eyes covering her perky breasts. He blinked into the steam to avoid staring. Her eyes fell onto the onion powder he shook liberally into the pot.

  “You cook?”

  “Maybe,” he answered mysteriously. “You can answer that after you’ve tasted it.”

  She opened the fridge and dug around the bottom drawer before producing a small bag. Tossing it next to him, she breathed a loud sigh. “If you can make spaghetti, the least I can contribute is a salad.”

  He eyed the bag. “It looks a little wilted.”

  “It’s three or four servings. I can pick out the wilty bits and we’ll be fine.”

  She pulled out two small bowls and got to work. The baby spinach smelled foul, but then again, spinach was always eau de vomit to his sensitive nose.

  “Thanks for sticking around,” she said while she sifted through the leaves. “I’d usually be the last to admit it, but it’s rather nice to have a burly guy around once in a while.”

  “Burly?”

  She grinned crookedly. “You know what I mean.”

  He rubbed his chin. “When I hear that word, I think of big beards and flannel. That’s hardly me. I’ve only missed about a week of shaving.”

  “Take the compliment, inaccurate or not,” she teased. She held up a large blade of lettuce and inspected it. “You know what’s crazy?”

  “What?”

  She tossed the lettuce into a bowl and paused. “Even when it was great with Brent, it never felt as easy as this. This friendly, casual moment where we’re being ourselves. I never saw that side of him. It’s weird to think that now, that we were never chill. Never at ease.”

  “That is strange,” Wyatt agreed.

  “We weren’t great at chatting. I’d usually put the tv on to add some noise to our lives. I got addicted to so many sitcoms while I should’ve been getting closer to him,” she said with a hint of embarrassment. “I wasn’t exactly the best girlfriend, I guess.”

  “If he was happy with it, I don’t think you’re completely at fault.”

  “He was always trying to impress me, or someone. Every minute was an act, and I can’t believe it took me forever to see it. But he hid it well. He constantly tried to warn me about fake people. He’d lecture me on being gullible,” she scoffed. She emptied the bag into the trash and moved the two salads to the kitchen island. “I ended up searching for lies everywhere but in his direction.”

  “But you know better now.” He clicked the stove off and removed the sauce from the heat. “If you have to make mistakes, at least you get a chance to learn from them.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed, though she didn’t sound sure. “I’m paranoid, though. I spend a lot of time going back and forth. I hate how hard it is to trust people now.”

  “Do you trust me?”

  She looked away and skirted around him to get to a drawer. Pul
ling out two forks, she finally shrugged. “I’m relearning to trust my gut. It tells me you’re reliable in the same way it initially told me that underneath Brent’s charm he was a sleazy lawyer.”

  Wyatt arched a brow. “Sleazy lawyer?”

  “He was actually in marketing, but yes. Unfortunately, he was cute enough that I ignored my instincts and fell for the charm. Like one of those little fish that gets gobbled by an angler fish. Too blinded by the dazzle to see the danger.”

  Wyatt nodded, though he didn’t know what the hell an angler fish was and how it fit into this situation. He turned to grab plates and collided with Nancy, who’d doubled back without him noticing. He caught her against his chest, and it was enough physical contact to take his breath away.

  Hers too.

  The pounding of her heart echoed in his ears, a desperate symphony that called his wolf forward. How had he missed it? So clean from her shower, she’d moved around him and left her scent in alluring trails. And now, in his arms, she looked up at him and he could detect the heat between her thighs as easily as he saw the pink on her cheeks.

  “Lovely,” he murmured.

  She jumped back. “Sorry.”

  “No, I wasn’t paying attention,” he admitted. To so many things.

  “You don’t need me throwing myself at you, though.” Her awkward, self-deprecating chuckle fell flat in the air.

  He moved close to her and she arched her body away from him. The contradiction made no sense. She wanted him yet was nearly bending over backward to avoid sharing space with him. He stroked her jaw, but she didn’t say a word. Her eyes flickered between lusty and frightened, but he sensed it wasn’t a true fear. Just anxiousness.

  “You aren’t throwing yourself at me, but I wouldn’t complain if you were.”

  “You don’t have to do this,” she whispered and escaped him again. She retreated several paces and leaned back against the counter. “Just because I’ve had a few rough days doesn’t mean you have to comfort me… like that.”

  “Is that a hu—” He cleared his throat. Is that something guys do?”

  She arched a brow. “Maybe you wouldn’t, normally. But I get it.”

  “I don’t think I get it,” he admitted. “I’ve spent the day with a beautiful girl and now I want to kiss her, but you seem to be on a different track entirely. If I’m wrong, it’s fine. If I’ve put you in a position… I can leave.”

  Her delicate hands cupped her mouth and she searched his eyes. She spoke from behind her hands, “No. Pretty at best.”

  “Huh?”

  Her hands dropped and worried the fabric of her shirt. “A memory,” she said dismissively. Then her mind seemed to change, and she scrunched her face and looked down. “A guy called me beautiful once. A stranger on the street, out of the blue. He said I was beautiful and had the best smile.”

  “It’s true.”

  She shook her head. “It made my day, which had sucked up until that point. But later when I mentioned it to Brent he got upset. Not because some guy was talking to me, but because I was ‘foolish’ enough to believe him.”

  “What?”

  “Because I’m not beautiful. I’m pretty at best. That’s what he told me, and he told me that with the reasoning that he would always be honest with me and not compliment me with lies to manipulate me.”

  A new heat overcame Wyatt. Not the type related to his hormones, but the type related to a distinct need to turn Brent into a walking bruise. Any man who spoke that way to his woman was no man, they were a waste of space. His hands tightened into fists. “You sure you don’t want me to break his nose? It would be ridiculously easy.”

  “No. That wouldn’t take back the past.”

  “But you know what he said is bullshit, right?”

  Rubbing her arms, she agreed. “It sneaks up on me, though. Because I don’t want to believe he was right, but his words were my truth for a long time. I don’t think I’m unattractive, but I question when others say it… fuck, it’s so ridiculous, isn’t it?”

  Wyatt crossed the floor and lifted her chin to stare into her pained eyes. He couldn’t help himself. He bent down and submitted to the lure of her lips, kissing her with every ounce of pent-up desire.

  It stirred him further when she melted against him completely, her arms entwining him to grip his back. Her tongue teased his own, matching his need and hunger. She tasted like a sunset, an invigorating promise. With each passing second, the mousey facade slipped away, and he realized she was a hot-blooded woman.

  His hand slipped to her lower back, but he stopped himself as he was ready to press her forward against his aching bulge. This kiss was only meant to reassure her, and it couldn’t go further. Right? Pulling away, he didn’t bother hiding the husk of lust in his voice.

  “You’re not just beautiful. You’re gorgeous. You’re also funny and a talented artist and a patient friend.”

  She ran her thumb over her lip as if wiping away his kiss. “Friend.”

  “I say that in the truest sense, and not to change anything,” he said fumbling.

  “If this isn’t a pity fuck waiting to happen then…” She gnawed her lip.

  Any type of fucking sounded like music to his ears, but he caught her meaning. Whatever he wanted, he’d crossed a line and now they were in limbo. Either they were friends who made each other horny—which generally led to a relationship—or they were something else. And either way wouldn’t work out for them.

  “I want you,” she admitted. “You’re the kind of guy I dream about, but you’re not the kind that usually notices me. And I’m not saying that in an insecure way, I’m saying that in a history-of-the-world sort of way. Tell me you aren’t doing all of this to make me feel better, or that it’s not because I’m the only girl in the room.”

  Her jumpy heartbeat and slowed breathing made him suspect she was shrinking inside. Self-doubt about his reasons, if not his obvious attraction. He’d tried to believe that his body was acting up because she was available and around, but that was a lie and he wasn’t going to let her believe it. It was time for him to stop believing it too.

  “I spend a lot of time alone,” he said, the truth bubbling up. “I needed company, but not just any company. And not that kind of company, fuck. I’m bad at this.” He sucked in a breath and exhaled forcefully. “Every time I’ve been in town you’ve made time for me, and that time is the best time that I get. Doing anything or nothing with you is the best.”

  “But you’re still only passing through.”

  “Yeah.”

  “But I still want…” Her eyes slid to his lips. “Can we do this?”

  “I think we’ve both earned a good time.” It was the only answer he had. He couldn’t promise her anything more. His fingertips brushed through her hair, so soft he longed to feel it crushed in his fist. “I’m not trying to use you, but maybe you should let yourself use me.”

  Her head tilted to the side, leaning against his hand until he cradled her cheek. Emotions swirled in her deep brown eyes. “I’ve never done anything like this before. But I really want to try it tonight.”

  SIX

  Wyatt dug his fingertips into Nancy’s sides as they kissed. The action brought tiny whimpers to her throat, sweetening the moment. He’d lifted her onto the counter, and she’d wrapped her limber legs around his waist, effectively caging him. The long nightshirt had ridden up and he could tell there were no shorts underneath.

  It was just his jeans and her underwear. Not much of a barrier, all things considered. Especially given that with one claw swipe he could get rid of it all. His thumb traced her jaw, feeling it work as she effectively devoured him. Temptation hammered at his brain. Though he’d never felt the urge before, he longed to shift into his lupine state and give her an unforgettable night.

  But Nancy was human and didn’t know about the lupine. Didn’t know about his true form or how he could sink down and become a wolf at a moment’s notice. She hates lies, and hiding the truth is
a lie.

  He snapped out of it and drew back from her eager lips long enough to swallow and catch his breath. She whined his name, the sound barely gracing the air. There was no doubt in his mind that he could fuck her on the counter, right next to their dinner, and she wouldn’t complain.

  Tempting as that was, he wanted to treat her better. He pulled her down from her seated position then swept her up into his arms, eliciting an excited squeal.

  He carried her through the dark hall and into her bedroom, which he could see clear as day. Pausing in the doorway he asked, “Light or no?”

  Her hand shot out and fumbled the wall next to him, and in a few seconds, everything lit up with a soft glow.

  “Dimmer switch,” she said breathlessly.

  He lowered her to the bed and sank on top of her, his mouth finding hers again. Her lips and tongue were eager and welcoming and surprisingly rough. She dug her fingers into his hair and pulled on him as if they weren’t close enough, a feeling he understood. The only thing that made him stop was the need to see her naked, to put an end to his imagination and see the real thing.

  Drawing back, he gripped the hem of her owl shirt and tugged until she wriggled and helped him in freeing her of it completely. The sight of her creamy skin under the dim light made his cock twitch and ache. His eyes darted between her jiggling breasts and the triangle of pink satin between her thighs.

  He placed a thumb on her mound and felt around until she squirmed and let him know he’d found her magic spot.

  “Are these your usual for bed or are they for me?” he asked. He needed to know. The thought of her wearing something special in the hopes of him seeing them made him even harder.

  She licked her lips, pink and swollen from their kiss. “It was a fantasy,” she said under her breath. “How could I not… I mean… look at you.”

  He looked her up and down purposefully, his blatant admiration causing her cheeks to burn bright. “Hmm. And look at you. Good enough to eat and then some.”