"You're a lawyer?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Not anymore," she said. "I quit about four days ago, but they don't know that." She chuckled again. "God, if Alan knew, he'd send me packing," she said. I felt my heart plummet to my stomach and then the floor. I froze. She smelled like Abigail and she knew Alan? Shit. She stretched, her arms out over her head, torturing me with a view of the most impeccable pair of breasts I have ever seen. My pulse kicked back up in an instant. "I came here to escape my life," she confessed. "Not sure for how long though."
"Where's life?" I asked, trying, again, to focus.
"New York," she said. "Manhattan. Upper East Side."
"Wow," I said, surprised that she had come so far. How the hell could the universe place her so far from me? "Why did you come here to get away from that?" I asked.
She sighed and I felt the tension and hesitation. This wasn't a happy topic for her. "I didn't feel like leaving the country for my new start," she said. "My being here means that I can still decide to go back there without hassle. If I'd gone to Scotland, there would have been a lot of red tape that I didn't want to worry about."
"What's in Scotland?" I asked.
"My mom and the man who is my biological father," she replied. She waved her hand at me. "But I'm sure you don't want that story."
I leaned over the counter toward her, my chin resting on my hand and my other arm resting on the counter. "Tell me," I said, fascinated by everything about her and the path that brought her to me.
She smiled, happy that I took an interest. "My ex stepfather thinks he's my real father," she said. "He doesn't know that my mom was pregnant when they married, or that she'd been sleeping with someone else before that. I haven't had the heart to tell him the truth, though I can't help but think that, maybe after last night, I should."
"Things didn't go well for you?" I asked.
She exhaled as she shook her head. She met my eyes and their depths captivated me. She had two almost black pools of darkness that held a degree of warmth that I didn't think was possible for eyes that dark. Not only did I need to do whatever it took to make her mine, I wanted to.
I held my hand out to her. She looked at me and hesitated before she placed her hand in mine. "Can I take you out for dinner?" I whispered to her.
She was slow to nod, as if dazed. "Yeah," she whispered.
"Six?" I asked.
She nodded again. "Okay," she said with a smile.
I wanted to jump up and down with joy. She wanted to spend more time with me. I grinned and pulled out my order pad. I scribbled my phone number onto it and fought to keep my hand from shaking with excitement. "I'll pick you up then," I said before I set her check down on the table. She was getting her lunch for free. "What room are you in?" I asked.
"You know where I'm staying?" she asked.
I chuckled. "If you're staying in Adamsville, there's only one motel," I replied. "It's over on DeVon Drive, right?" I asked.
She chuckled. "I don't know what street it's on," she said. "But that must be it because I am in town. I'm in room eleven," she informed me before she stood and pulled her coat on over her shoulders again. She wrapped her scarf around her neck. I held her hand until she walked too far away from the bar and I watched her walk out into the parking lot. When I saw her start walking in the wrong direction, I smiled and rushed outside.
"Ceres!" I called. I felt the wind kick up and the scent of snow wasn't far behind. She turned around and looked at me, the wind whipping her hair around her head. I pointed in the direction of the hotel. "You're supposed to go that way," I said, loud enough for my voice to carry to her. "You won't get there before the storm. You want a ride?" I asked.
She nodded. "Sure," she shouted back. "That'd be great!"
I started walking to my truck and waived her over to follow me. My heart pounded once more, this time at the prospect of being alone with her. In a small vehicle. In a snowstorm. Where no one would ever see us. I needed my ice again.
We hopped into my truck and I turned it on. I let the engine warm up a bit before I turned the heater on and was careful as I backed out of the parking stall. I turned right out of the parking lot and headed back for the motel.
"So, have you worked at the diner long?" she asked.
I nodded. "Ten years," I said. "My father owns it and I manage it during the day. My cousin manages at night and Dad does the days we take off."
"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked me all the sudden.
I found myself taken aback by the question. "What?" I laughed.
"I'm serious," she said. "Do you have a girlfriend? Wife? Mistress of any kind? What about kids?"
"No, no, no, and no," I replied. "I have a few crazy exes, but no currents and no kids."
"Do you think it's okay to cheat on someone?" she asked.
I shook my head. "I couldn't ever do something like that," I said. "When I'm committed, I'm one hundred-percent committed."
She nodded to herself and looked out through the passenger window. The snow was coming down now and picking up. I wasn't quite a mile down the road before it was nearing whiteout conditions. Soon, it wouldn't be safe to drive, and I'd have to leave my truck at the motel and go back to the diner in wolf form, or I'd have to stay with her. I hoped I'd be able to stay.
"Wow, this storm is bad," she whispered.
"Yeah," I said, focusing on driving. My speed had gone from thirty down to five. "Not all that safe to drive anymore," I said.
"I wouldn't have made it even halfway," she said from beside me. "Thanks for the ride." I nodded. "Maybe you should stay at the motel with me until it passes?" she asked.
I prayed it would never pass.
"The weather channel said it could be a couple of days," I replied. "When you get this high up in the mountains, the winter storms can last a long time."
"So, if you stay, we could get snowed in together?" she asked. I couldn't help but hear the hopefulness in her voice.
I glanced over at her with a smile. "It's possible," I said.
"I'd rather have the company," she said. She was flirting with me. Why didn't I have my ice? "I'll be alone otherwise."
"Can't have that," I almost whispered.
She shook her head. "No," she agreed.
We pulled up to her motel room a few minutes later. I left the truck running as she put her hand on the door. "You change your mind?" she asked, looking at me and noticing my hesitation.
I shook my head. "No," I promised her. "I was just thinking that I should go to the store and get some things before the roads aren't usable anymore. It shouldn't take me more than about twenty minutes unless the storm gets worse."
"Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.
I smiled, but I needed to distance myself from her again. "There's no sense in both of us going," I said. "This storm means the town is going to be shutting down here pretty soon and that means that I'm not going to be able to take you on our date tonight. Go inside, get warm and cozy and I'll pick us up some date-night snow-survival essentials."
She smiled at me. I could get lost in that smile. "Okay," she said. "I'll be here, so don't forget about me." She pointed her finger at me as she said it. "I don't want to be alone in this kind of storm and I won't go to Alan's."
"Come here," I said, urging her closer to me. Her scent wafted around me and I felt myself go dizzy. She was nose to nose with me and my heart pounded so fast that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. My body urged me to take her, here and now, but I couldn't. Not yet. There were too many variables.
I held her chin in my fingers and brought her closer for a kiss. Her kiss was sweet because of the cherry lip-gloss she wore. Her lips were like silk. When her tongue met mine, it was as if electric shocks were shooting through me from mouth to groin. I was drowning. I couldn't breathe passed the smell of her skin.
My arms wrapped around her waist and drew her closer. She was a perfect fit in my arms, even with the coat on and steering whe
el making things awkward. I felt her hands at my neck, my shoulders, my chest, my stomach... She wanted more. She felt it too.
I ended the kiss with extreme difficulty and met her dark eyes. "Trust me," I whispered with a hoarse voice. "I'll be back."
She was panting. She brushed her hair away from her face. "How soon?" she asked.
I moved her hand to the region below my belt and pressed her hand against what she would find there. "As soon as I can," I told her. "I don't plan on taking my time."
She smiled before she kissed me again and squeezed her hand just enough that I moaned into her kiss. "Hurry," she whispered before she scooted away from me and opened the door of the truck. I stared after her as she got out of the cab and walked to the door of her room. She looked back at me and waved with a grin before she went inside and shut the door behind her. I stayed captivated for a moment before I heaved a heavy sigh and put the truck into reverse. I sped to Grover's Market. I needed to hurry.
Not knowing how long we could be 'trapped' in the hotel room, I grabbed enough quick and easy things to last us for at least three days. I had a seventy-two-hour kit in my truck that was specifically for emergencies. Winter storms like these counted as emergencies. I'd take the kit in with me when I got back to the motel, but the goal was not to need to use it.
I filled my cart up with a few dozen cans of food that we could easily use, a couple of cases of water, a can opener, microwave, a pair of bowls, and some movies to hold us when the satellite goes out. On my way to the register, I came upon a display of silk flowers. I quickly looked them over before I grabbed a lily. Something about Ceres spoke of not caring about roses quite so much. I was going to listen to that inner voice. I quickly checked out, packed everything into the cab, and then jumped into the truck myself. Before I left, I sent a text off to Riley to let him know what had happened and I called my dad.
He answered on the first ring. I didn't wait for him to say anything. "I found my mate," I informed him.
"Yes, I'd heard something of the sort," he said. "Who is she?" he asked.
"Alan Ainsworth's former stepdaughter," I informed him. "She's the daughter from the family he had in New York. He doesn't know she isn't his."
Dad sighed. I knew exactly why. "Wolfgang, are you sure that you want to walk this road again?" he asked. "Are you sure that she's actually your mate?"
I closed my eyes and tried not to let him irritate me. "I know the risk, Dad," I said. "Trust me, if I had any doubts, I wouldn't be getting this close to another Ainsworth—biological or not. Dad, I don't have a choice."
"Did you hurt anyone?"
"Not as far as I know," I said. "When I first met her, I lost it for a few minutes. David had to talk me back to sense and the only way he could was because I recognized him as a mated man. Luke tried and I damn near attacked him. The storm gave me a reason to get out of the diner and let David take over as the next senior staff. The longer I'm with her, the more control I'm getting, but I'm struggling for every ounce of it. Believe me, Dad, this woman is my mate."
"Does she know?" he asked.
"I don't think so," I said. "She seems affected by it, but she's not overwhelmed. I don't think she knows that she's Lycan."
"You're going to have to bring her to that and bring her into the pack," he said. "You can't have a human mate."
"I know," I said. "I'll figure it out," I promised. "I'll call you when I can."
I ended the call before he said anything more and turned the key in the truck. I got back on the road, headed for the motel.
Chapter 4 ~Ceres~
I spent the first five minutes making sure the motel room was presentable. Housekeeping had come by when we were out at breakfast, so I didn't have to worry too much about cleaning it up. I made sure that my clothes were away, my suitcases didn't show, and that someone had stocked the shower and bathroom. Housekeeping left me with four rolls of toilet paper, which was nice considering we didn't know how long the storm would last.
I heard a knock on the door and was quick to answer it, hoping that Wolfgang was back already. Of course, after about eight minutes, that didn't seem likely. While it disappointed me not to find him on the other side of the door, it did surprise me to see Alan.
"Come on," he said, reaching out to grab me by the arm.
I cried in pain as I backed away from him, jerking my arm out of his grasp. "Excuse me?" I asked.
"Ceres, this storm is going to last for days," he said. "The roads will be impassable very soon. You need to be somewhere safe."
"I am somewhere safe," I promised.
"Don't throw your life away because of an argument with your sister," he said.
Why was I not surprised that he knew? "You think that this is because of Abigail?" I asked. I laughed. "Right now, I don't like anyone who lives in your house," I said. "I'm mad at you, I can't stand her, and I have never liked your wife. I would rather stay here alone than be in a house surrounded by people I don't want to be near."
He sighed. "Why are you always so stubborn?" he asked.
"I'm just like my mom; what else did you expect?" I asked.
"Nothing," he replied. "Which is why I brought you this," he added as he pulled a thick file out from his coat. "It's the information we have. If nothing else, it'll give you something to do for a while."
I took the folder from him. "Thanks," I said. "I'll let you know what I figure out. If I need something, I'll give you a call."
"Just make sure that if you change your mind, the roads are still drivable. You'll be stuck here otherwise."
I nodded. "I'll be fine," I promised. "Honest."
Mentally, I chastised myself. How could I know that Wolfgang would come back? How could I be sure that he would go out of his way to find himself snowed in with a stranger?
How could I not take that chance?
He was reluctant, but Alan turned around and left. I sighed as I shut the door and tossed the folder down on the dresser. I flopped down on the motel bed and stared up at the ceiling for a moment before I closed my eyes. What was I doing? What was I getting myself into? What did I expect to happen? Why was I so okay with being completely isolated with a stranger no one knew about? Had I gone mad?
I couldn't explain it, but I felt an irresistible connection to Wolfgang. I felt pulled to him in a way that I had never thought possible. I wanted to be near him. I wanted to make sure that other people never came close to him. I had no right to feel this possessive of him, but I prayed that he felt the same about me. Maybe it would validate me or something like that.
I sat up in the bed. "Okay," I sighed. "Let's talk about this like a rational adult. You have a man you don't know coming to your motel room and the only thing you want to do to him is fuck his brains out. Why?" I asked. "You've been around dozens of attractive men in your life and none of them have gotten this kind of reaction from you before. What's so different about this guy?"
I thought about the questions that I was asking myself. What was so different about this one? I slept with Todd because I felt obligated to do so. Todd was my only sexual partner because I hadn't felt a desire to be with anyone else. I was twenty-seven years old and it had been two years since I was last with a man. Why? Was that the important question? Was it something else? What was it about Wolfgang that made me want to throw out every precaution and just dissolve into him?
Was this that instant, soul-shattering, earth-moving, I-can't-breathe-without-you-near-me kind of love that I had been looking for?
Of course, that's when the knock sounded. I jumped out of bed to answer it and this time felt validated that it was Wolfgang on the other side. Framed in the doorway and lit up by the snow around him, he captivated me for just a moment while I looked over him once more. His black hair curled just enough, and he kept it in a ponytail at the base of his neck. His eyes were pale blue, like the sky in winter when it's clear. His skin had that winter-faded look to it, but he looked like the kind of person who enjoyed spending as much tim
e outdoors as possible. He had a body that spoke of care, and I wondered how those muscles looked when he wasn't wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans.
He grinned at me before he walked in with four bags of groceries and a microwave. A microwave? He set everything down on the other side of the dresser and handed me the folder. I set it onto the table and continued to stare at him. "You bought a microwave?" I asked.
He stared at me for a brief second before he nodded. "Yeah," he said. "We might lose power at some point, but until then we need a way to heat up food. Microwave it is. It would have been a lot more awkward if I'd come in here with a hot plate and a few pots and pans," he said with a chuckle.
I laughed. "You thought of everything," I said.
He flashed me that smile again as he nodded. "I try," he said. He pulled me into his arms and we kissed. Oh man, did we kiss! His kiss was firm and demanding, taking charge and letting me know he liked to be in control. He smelled like fallen leaves, wood smoke, and all other things autumn. Somewhere underneath all of that was a musky scent that made me think of burying my face in a dog's fur.
Wolfgang pressed me up against the dresser and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His kisses moved to my neck and he pulled down the collar of my sweater for better access. I knew there would be a mark when he finished. His hand tangled in my hair and I felt myself go dizzy. He was perfect.
He was also a gentleman. Despite ravishing me with his lips, he kept his hands at my waist or above my shoulders. He didn't push to see how much he could get away with. He let me decide how far to take it.
I pulled away from him, for the most part because I worried about passing out. We were both breathing hard. We stared at each other with looks of disbelief on our faces. His eyes were amber. I remembered them being blue. "We should get to know each other a bit, don't you think?" I whispered.
He smiled as he chuckled. He gave me a quick kiss on my lips before he moved to the bags he'd brought in. He pulled out a silk lily and handed it to me. "We won't be able to go on our date, but I want you to have this," he said. "I had the feeling you were not the roses type of a girl and its silk because I want you to remember this for as long as you have this flower."
Vanilla Moon: Awakening Page 4