by Terry Spear
The wolf’s eyes smiled at her and he nodded, wagging his tail vigorously. So much for him declining the invitation.
Kate was smiling, looking thrilled to have some male companionship.
Lexi wanted to roll her eyes. “Okay, come at six. We’re in cabin number four.”
He woofed and raced off.
“You did your good deed for the day,” Kate said as they walked into their two-bedroom cabin. She closed and locked the door. After pulling off her backpack, she set it on the floor by the door.
“Rescuing the bear cubs, yes.” Lexi set her backpack next to Kate’s.
Kate smiled. “I mean inviting Ryder over to eat with us. He did get us home safe and sound. Going back the way we came could have been deadly. Besides, he took us on a nice little jaunt that gave us even more exercise. So…are you going to invite him to run as a wolf tonight with us?”
“I’m sure he has better things to do than to spend all his time with us.”
“I bet if you offered, he’d wag his tail even harder. What if we run into another bear? It wouldn’t hurt to have him tag along with us. If he’s alone, which he appears to be, he probably wouldn’t mind the company.”
“Unless he’s a lone wolf.”
“He would have said no to dinner then.”
Of course Kate was right. “Do you want to shower first?” Lexi always asked, but Kate always let her go first.
“No, go ahead, though I’m going to strip out of these wet clothes and throw on a robe in the meantime.” Kate disappeared into her bedroom.
“Thanks.” Lexi took off her boots at the door, then grabbed some fresh clothes from her bedroom and went into the bathroom to take a nice, hot shower. She couldn’t wait to get out of her cold, wet clothes. After she showered, she doctored up all her scrapes and cuts, then put on a pair of capris, a halter top, and sandals. She grabbed her wet clothes to hang out on the covered deck to drip-dry but saw Kate sitting at her laptop at the kitchen table.
“Bathroom’s free.” Lexi set her clothes outside, then went back inside and grabbed her camera and bottle of water out of her backpack. “You don’t have to keep up with the business twenty-four seven. You’re supposed to be taking a break too.” She set her camera down on the table and then took a drink of water from her container.
“I’m just looking for anything I might find on our sexy mystery wolf.”
Lexi was about to take another swig of her water when she paused. She was surprised Kate would be so interested in learning more about the guy, though Lexi shouldn’t be. He was a ruggedly handsome male wolf, and his assistance couldn’t have been better timed. Not to mention he had good rescue instincts.
“You know, you can go out with him if you’d like. I keep telling you this is your vacation too.” Lexi appreciated that Kate was such a workaholic, but she didn’t expect her to work all the time.
“Are you kidding? After the bear situation? No way. You need my protection.”
Lexi laughed. “At the cabin? I’d be fine. The two of you could have some fun.”
“He’s interested in you.” Kate’s clear-blue eyes filled with mirth. “First, because you make all the decisions. I can tell he likes an alpha. Yet, he appreciated that when you needed a little help to cross the creek, you accepted his assistance. And also because you were the one brave enough to go into the den to rescue the bear cubs.”
“Only one of us needed to do that, and you were safeguarding me in case the sow charged us. She was a much greater threat, and you were brave to stand guard.” Lexi was trying not to show any interest in what Kate might have learned about the wolf, but wolves were curious by nature. She was glad she and Kate had hit it off so well. They were more like good friends, except that she paid Kate a big salary for her business acumen. As to guarding Lexi? Today was the first time in a long time Lexi might have needed her services in that regard. Though Kate, in her human form—who wouldn’t have wanted to try to kill the mother bear—wouldn’t have stood a chance against the raging animal.
Kate got up from the table without telling Lexi what she’d learned about the wolf. Lexi wasn’t going to ask her about him, not wanting Kate to see she was dying to know more.
Kate motioned to her laptop. “I was just catching up on work emails.”
Didn’t she just say she was researching the wolf? And why did that intrigue Lexi more than answering business issues? “Are we having any more problems with Spring Cosmetics?” Lexi was irritated with Silky Spring, the owner of the small, upstart competitor that, for whatever reason, was targeting Lexi’s cosmetics company with negative customer reviews. Why was Spring Cosmetics going after only Lexi’s business?
“I keep telling you that you should hire a private investigator to dig up dirt on the new company.”
Lexi figured Spring Cosmetics might fail on its own without her help. Companies were launched all the time, and they shut down just as fast.
“There are no more reviews saying that her cosmetics are better than yours,” Kate said.
“Hmm. Maybe they’re laying off for now.” Lexi towel-dried her hair.
“You’ve made a gold mine on your cosmetics. She wants what you have but doesn’t want to do all the work, like paying for the marketing, researching, and spending all the countless hours. She just wants money like you have now. Like many politicians, she figures she’ll just throw dirt at your products and hope your customers will turn to her company and buy hers instead.”
“But why attack my cosmetic lines only? You said yourself you checked on other cosmetic sales sites, and they aren’t having the same review problem we are.”
“Which is why I still think you need to get a PI to look into her. Thoroughly. Find out who she is. And use it against her.”
“I will, if I need to.” All they knew was the woman was a pretty redhead named Silky Spring, and she had a mean streak where Lexi was concerned.
“I’m off to shower.” Kate retired to the bathroom, and after a few minutes, she turned on the water.
Lexi swore she would never do anything like this, but it was killing her not to know more about Ryder Gallagher. She sat down at Kate’s laptop and did a search for him. A number of men by that name popped up on websites, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but none of them matched the wolf she had invited to dinner. A ghost. There was nothing about him online anywhere. No wonder Kate hadn’t told her anything about him. He didn’t exist.
How could anybody in this day and age not have some kind of digital footprint? Unless he wasn’t who he said he was. Because of her situation with her father, that worried her.
Chapter 4
Relieved the bear cubs were safe with their mother again and feeling good that he’d met the she-wolves, Ryder reached his clothes in the woods, shifted, dressed, and headed back to his cabin. Thinking he saw someone off in the distant woods on the trail, he figured it was just another hiker. Nothing to worry about. As a bodyguard for billionaire Aidan Denali and his mate, Holly, Ryder was always wary of his surroundings when he wasn’t guarding the good doctors. Some of his caution was also due to being a wolf.
When he reached his cabin, he stripped off his clothes inside, showered, and dressed. He knew by Lexi’s hesitation that she hadn’t wanted him to come over. He should have declined the offer, but dinner with the she-wolves could be fun. He felt sorry for having had to take them such a roundabout way to their cabin.
He could have offered to carry one of the women, but then the other would have been without a knight. And he really didn’t want to get caught walking naked all that distance.
Dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and boots, he got on his cell and called his partner. “Hey, Mike, you really missed out on all the excitement here.” He told him everything that had happened.
“Two beautiful she-wolves, unattached, and all to yourself? And they got to see you in rescue mode? How d
id you get so lucky?”
Ryder laughed. Maybe it was because Mike wasn’t here to steal the show.
* * *
Wanting to keep her anonymity, Lexi didn’t even know what they could talk about with Ryder. She didn’t want to mention what she did for a living. But then she figured even if she mentioned she sold cosmetics, he wouldn’t assume she had over a billion dollars to her name, just that she might sell them at a cosmetics counter in a department store, or something like that.
“I take it you don’t want Ryder to know your last name or who you really are.” Kate set the table for three.
“No.”
“Or to mention what I do? If he knows I’m your personal assistant and bodyguard, he’ll probably assume you don’t just sell Mary Kay cosmetics. You know, you’ve started that line of men’s skin-care products. He’d be the perfect model.” Kate smiled.
Lexi winked. “Without his clothes.”
Kate laughed. “I knew you thought he was hot.”
“I’m sure he’s a macho wolf who might not be interested in men’s skin-care products.”
“I’m sure you’re right. So what do I say I do?” Kate paused to look at the table setting.
Kate was right. If she mentioned marketing or any other part of her job, it would most likely be a giveaway.
“Okay, I sell cosmetics too,” Kate said. “I mean, I do, through all my marketing plans for you.”
“That’s it. Perfect.” Still, Lexi was afraid if they saw much more of Ryder, the truth would come out. Not that she’d necessarily have trouble with him like she’d had with the other male wolves who had already known about her wealth and had sought her out. But she was tired of opening herself up to that kind of harassment. Especially since she hadn’t told the four wolves she had recently seen that there wouldn’t be any more dates.
* * *
When Ryder went over to the ladies’ cabin for dinner, he brought a bottle of merlot as his contribution to the meal, hoping they’d like it. He was wearing jeans, a blue shirt that was a little dressier than a T-shirt, and hiking boots, not wanting them to think he was a man on a date, but still wanting to make a favorable impression. He hadn’t felt this anxious about sharing a meal with a couple of she-wolves since he was a teen. He didn’t know what had come over him, but his hands tingled with apprehension when he arrived at the cabin.
Lexi opened the door and ushered him in. “Oh, the wine looks good. Thanks for bringing it.”
“You’re welcome. I wanted to contribute something to the meal.” He still couldn’t get over the feeling that he was on a date with a she-wolf, and he couldn’t believe he was feeling this way. “Do you come here often?” He poured the wine and the ladies served up the steaks, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a spinach salad. “Dinner smells good.”
“Thanks. A few times. What about you?” Lexi took a seat at the head of the table. She still appeared to be in charge.
“I’ve been here too many times to count. Mostly with others I’ve worked with.”
Kate took a seat at the center of the table. He was tempted to sit at the other end, alpha posturing, but he preferred being closer to both ladies, so he sat opposite Kate at the center of the table.
“Thanks for inviting me over. The food looks great.” But he really didn’t care about the food as much as having the company. He wasn’t a lone-wolf kind of guy. He thought he would be fine running as a wolf and just enjoying the wilderness until Mike arrived, but he realized he much preferred running and visiting with someone, rather than being on his own.
“You’re welcome. Do you often come to the park alone?” Lexi cut up a couple of pieces of her steak.
“No. But my partner couldn’t make it. He had to see his parents.” Ryder poured some blue cheese dressing on his salad.
“What do you do for a living?” Kate took a bite of her steak.
“I’m a bodyguard for Drs. Aidan and Holly Denali. Do you know them?”
“Oh.” Lexi eyes widened, and she sounded really surprised.
Kate looked just as surprised.
Why? Because he knew the famous doctor duo? At least the doctors were famous among the wolf populations.
“They found the cure for our enhanced longevity.” This time Lexi’s voice sounded impressed. “They tested our blood.”
“Right. I’ve helped organize some of their research”—which Ryder was proud of—“but my basic job is serving as their bodyguard. Along with my partner, Mike Stallings. Attempts have been made on Aidan’s life, so his brother, Rafe, hired us to watch over him.”
“Because Aidan didn’t believe he needed a bodyguard,” Lexi said.
“Yeah. Between the work he was doing and his wealth, he needed us. Of course, now we’re safeguarding his mate too. And when they have little ones, them too.”
“But you’re here,” Lexi said.
“Uh, yeah. He has a couple of guard details that he uses, so we can swap off and see our families. What about you? What do you do?”
“Cosmetic sales,” both women said at the same time.
“You’re not sisters, are you? You don’t look all that similar.” And their voices were different, but they seemed to be thinking in sync like siblings would.
“No, we’re just good friends,” Lexi said.
Kate smiled at her, and Ryder sensed something more was up. A secret they weren’t willing to share with him. Not that he blamed them. They didn’t know him from Adam.
“I was planning to run tonight through the woods as a wolf. Would you like to join me?” Ryder thought Kate looked like she wanted to jump at the chance, her eyes bright, her lips lifted, but then she glanced at Lexi.
Lexi was definitely the alpha in charge, but she was hesitant. Which wasn’t really an alpha behavior. Either she did or she didn’t want to go running with him, and she should have just let him know one way or the other. He could practically see her thinking over the reasons why she shouldn’t go running with him and considering why it would be okay to do so. He couldn’t figure out why she seemed to worry about having him around. He wondered if she had run into trouble with another male wolf that had made her wary of bachelor males. He wouldn’t be surprised.
“The food is perfection. But I’m enjoying the company too,” Ryder said.
Lexi stiffened a little.
Yep, he was invading her space, as if telling her he planned to spend all his time in their company as long as they were all here. Which wasn’t happening. Now, he wished he hadn’t mentioned running with them as wolves tonight, as nice as it would be.
Kate glanced at Lexi, and he swore she was silently pleading with her to agree. He knew the women had suffered blisters from the earlier hike, but the blisters had been on the back of their heels. The wounds wouldn’t bother them while they ran as wolves.
Lexi let out her breath as if she’d lost the battle with her friend and nodded. “We’ll meet you around nine out on our back deck. By the way, why were you running in the woods as a wolf during the day?”
Her tone of voice implied he shouldn’t have been, and normally he wouldn’t have been. “I was searching for the bear cubs’ den. I’d heard them cry out earlier while I was on a hike, but I couldn’t locate them. They’d sounded like they were in distress. I stopped and shifted to cover more ground as a wolf. I wasn’t following any of the main trails.” He wasn’t foolhardy.
“Okay, I wondered.” Lexi sipped some of her wine. “What are the doctors up to these days?”
“They’re still monitoring wolves to ensure the cure for the aging process is permanent, and they’re doing other kinds of research, but I’m not at liberty to say.”
“Oh, I know,” Kate said, “if others learn of it, they’re liable to steal the research.” She immediately looked at Lexi, as if she’d made a slip about something.
Lexi’s cheeks grew
pinker and she quickly said, “Sure. I can imagine that’s a real problem for them.”
Kate relaxed marginally. It made Ryder wonder what the two women were up to. Then he realized they’d never given him their last names so he couldn’t even do a search on them.
“Are you from around here?” Ryder couldn’t help how curious he was about the women.
“Yes,” Kate said, while Lexi said, “No,” at the same exact time.
“I’m from this area originally,” Kate clarified.
“I’m not,” Lexi said, not saying where she was from. “What about you?”
“Sacramento, originally,” Ryder said. “California wolf stock, bred and raised.”
The ladies both smiled at that.
“Me too,” Kate said.
Lexi didn’t say anything.
“No problem. Californians are friendly sorts, and we don’t hold it against you if you’re from somewhere else,” Ryder said, trying to ease the tension. He should have concentrated on enjoying Kate’s company, but he was known to go the most difficult route that presented itself. He wanted Lexi to know he was safe to be around. That she had nothing to worry about where he was concerned. He truly saw himself as one of the good guys.
At least for an instant, he’d made Lexi smile.
Ryder reminded himself he had to be wary of meeting wolves he didn’t know though, with regard to his own employment. Rafe had often mentioned the staff should do a background check on anyone they came in contact with for an extended period of time and who might have a dark interest in the doctors’ research. Not that Lexi seemed interested in spending more time with Ryder, but Kate, now, she was a different story.
He didn’t believe the women had already known he was staying at the cabins or that he had any ties to the doctors. He thought he was being paranoid because Aidan’s brother was. Then again, Aidan had issues with wolves trying to steal his research, so there was some basis for it.