Elena pulled into one and turned off the engine. She sighed and rubbed her temples.
Layla glanced at her sister. “You look tired.”
“Didn’t sleep well.”
“I didn’t either.” Layla rolled her head back against the headrest. “I couldn’t get Hunter out of my mind. It was like he infiltrated my system.”
“Exactly. I felt the same. And it pissed me off. I feel stupid saying this, but I can’t stop thinking there’s some truth to Grandma’s complaints about shifters.”
Layla scrunched up her face. At least they were on the same page. “I agree. It’s weird. I mean he was just a guy. A very sexy guy, but still. There are men all over the place. Why would that particular one get under my skin and cause me to lose sleep? I didn’t even have sex with him.”
Elena giggled. “I noticed that. I was kind of surprised when you suggested we leave the bar last night. It’s so not like you.”
Layla rolled her eyes. “I’m not always a slut. I can be choosy.”
Elena shook her head. “This had nothing to do with being choosy. You were just as freaked out as me.”
“Yeah.” Layla blew out a breath. “I was. I kept thinking if I slept with him it would get worse, ya know?”
“I thought the same thing.” Elena sat up straighter. “And damn them for being so polite and gentlemanly. It would have been easier if they had tried to pressure us. Then I would have gotten pissed and easily told them to fuck off.”
Layla laughed. “As if you would tell someone to fuck off.”
“Hey. I can stand up for myself when I need to.”
“Yeah? Well, then let’s see if we can stick up for ourselves with these lawyers. After last night, I just want to get this estate taken care of and get out of town. The weird temptation coming from hot-shifter guy, Hunter, needs to get purged from my system before he lures me all the way in and I end up in his wolf den somewhere in the woods barefoot and pregnant.” Layla was kidding. Sort of. Or not. She shuddered.
“What if the lawyers are equally hot, and we end up lured into their lair too?”
Layla groaned. “Let’s hope they’re in their seventies.” She opened the car door and stepped into the perfect day. Winters in this part of Colorado could be brutal, but the summers were amazing. The temperature today was perfect. Sunshine. Slight breeze. Beautiful green mountains all around them.
Layla led the way to the law office. When she opened the door and stepped inside, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew there was a vibe in the air that was similar to last night’s.
Two seconds later, the breath left her lungs when Hunter emerged from one of the offices, Caleb next to him.
“Holy shit,” Layla muttered under her breath while Elena made a similar comment.
Hunter extended a hand, his smirk firmly in place. “Hunter Larosa.”
Layla let him take her hand, but she couldn’t find a way to actually grip his fingers. Last night, he’d been smokin’ hot in worn boots, fuck-me jeans, and a beige henley. Today he soaked her panties in two seconds flat by wearing a suit.
Okay, he didn’t have the jacket on at the moment, but he had on pressed gray slacks, a white button down, and a blue and red striped tie.
Her mouth watered as she stared at him. His smile widened. “Welcome to Larosa and Tanner Law Offices. We’re your aunt’s attorneys.”
This could not be happening. Layla couldn’t even blink. She was afraid she might faint if she didn’t sit down soon. There was no denying this man had some sort of power over her.
There was also no denying it would only be a matter of time before she let him into her bed.
But right now, she was too busy feeling duped.
Chapter 8
November 12, 1975
* * *
Dear Mabel,
* * *
Oh my goodness! I’m so excited for you! Mom says you are pregnant and due in June! That’s the best news I’ve ever heard! Eleven years. Wow.
Now you’re making me wonder if I shouldn’t give up hope. After this many years of trying, I stopped even thinking about it. Josiah and I are very happy. We resigned ourselves to being childless a long time ago. Josiah has several nieces and nephews who visit often. I love when they come to stay with Aunt Marge. They call me Auntie M. Isn’t that funny!?
Anyway, I’ll be thinking about you and wondering how big you are as the months go by. Take care of yourself and that baby.
* * *
Love, Marge
* * *
Hunter drew in a long deep breath as he stepped around the side of Marge’s house, looking for Layla. Not only was she exactly where he’d expected, but she was bent over at the waist, pulling weeds from Marge’s flowerbed, her fucking hot ass in the air.
She had changed from earlier. When she’d entered the law office, she’d been wearing a fantastic black dress that hugged all her curves and black pumps. Professional but sexy. He was beginning to think she owned a dozen such black dresses, and he was fine with that.
He’d wanted to grab her by the waist, pull her against his chest, and kiss her right then and there.
That wasn’t what happened, however. The meeting he’d expected to last a few hours, going over Marge’s will and her wishes, had never gotten started.
It turned out Layla and Elena were not impressed to find out neither Hunter nor Caleb had mentioned a word last night about being Marge’s attorneys. Of course, Hunter should have known it wouldn’t go over well. Obviously when Layla had explained to him why she was in town, he’d known immediately that these two women were the ones his new office manager had sent the certified letters to.
Prior to that, it hadn’t occurred to Hunter for one second that the woman he’d seen out jogging might be one of Marge’s nieces. He had not known specifically when they would be arriving.
Rayanne, their office manager, had only been with them two weeks. Their previous office manager had left them when she got pregnant with her third child. Rayanne had entered the meeting for Saturday morning into the calendar as “new clients.” Thus the comedy of errors that led to Hunter’s shock when he realized who Layla was.
The fact that he hadn’t set her straight last night? Well, he would have to chalk that up to poor judgement. Or not. That all depended on how long it took him to grovel.
Hunter was still trying to figure out what to say when Layla suddenly shot to standing and spun around. He was a little surprised she’d sensed him, though he shouldn’t have been.
Layla threw a hand over her chest. “Jesus. You scared me.”
“Sorry.” He inched closer. Damn, she was cute. The black dress had been traded for khaki shorts and a yellow tank top. She had on flipflops too. Her light blond hair was piled on top of her head in a haphazard bun.
She made his heart stop.
For a moment, she stared at him, her gaze roaming up and down his body. He’d changed too. Jeans, white T-shirt, tennis shoes. He wished he could climb into her brain and read her thoughts.
“You’re relentless,” she stated.
He smiled. “Yes. When it matters.”
She rolled her eyes. “Please don’t start spouting some shit about you and I belonging together or something. I can’t take it.”
“Okay.” He could do that. He would do whatever it took to get her to let him in. Let him spend time with her. That’s all he needed. Time. She would see. She had to. There were no other options.
Already it would be horrifying if she denied him and left town. He thought of Anders Johansen and all the years that man had spent pining… He shook that thought from his head. It hit too close to home.
“That’s it? Okay? You failed to tell me you were not just a lawyer, but the one handling my aunt’s estate. What did you think would happen when we showed up this morning?”
He drew in a breath. “I didn’t think it through well. I’m sorry. Please just…let me help.”
/> “Help? With what?”
“The house. The will. Whatever you need.” He glanced at the flowers. “I can pull weeds.” He didn’t think he’d ever pulled a weed in his life, but he assumed that was what she was doing.
She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, groaning toward the sky.
He stepped closer. “Why, exactly, did you decide to start with the flowerbeds?”
She startled when she lowered her gaze and found him in her space. She drew in a breath and flinched. A part of her knew. Knew what the two of them were to each other. She could argue and deny it, but he had to assume eventually she would cave. “The inside of the house felt overwhelming. Marge was a packrat. I needed some air. So, I came out here. The flowers called to me I guess.”
He lifted a hand and stroked her cheek where a smudge of dirt had settled. “You jog. You pull weeds. I’m going to assume you prefer the outdoors.”
“Always.” She tipped her face into his palm, though he wasn’t sure she realized it. “I breathe better when I’m outside.”
“See, this is why I like to shift and go for a long run in the mountains. I can breathe better.”
“That must be amazing. I’m jealous actually. Why bother to run in human form?”
“Because I have to keep up my human body too. It’s like I’m two different beings. My wolf is strong, but the two of us need balance.”
“It’s a lot to take in. I mean I knew shifters existed, but never having met one, I didn’t think much about it. Are there like rules or something? Can I see you in your wolf form?”
“Of course. Any time. No rules. We simply try to lie low and not scare the hell out of people. We don’t shift and wander around town. We don’t shift in front of strangers. We’re careful. But you can watch. I’d love that.”
She nodded slowly. He could see her uncertainty, and he couldn’t blame her. It was natural. Seeing a man shift into a full-grown wolf was shocking at first. He certainly didn’t want to freak her out. “I promise we are mostly regular people. I’m certain you have actually met shifters before. You just didn’t realize it. We’re all over the place. Even in Los Angeles.”
Layla swallowed and glanced at the house. “Did Caleb come with you?”
“Yes. He’s inside with Elena, assuming she didn’t shut the door in his face.” Hunter winced.
“Can’t speak for her. She might have. She has a soft heart, but she doesn’t let herself get run over.”
Hunter stepped closer. Inches separated their bodies. He slid his hand around to her neck. “What about you? Do you have a soft heart too?”
She shook her head and tipped her face back. “Not like her. I try to harden myself against disappointment so that when it comes, I can brush it off.”
“I’ll try not to disappoint you,” he murmured.
She swallowed.
He leaned his face down slowly, giving her every opportunity to stop him, before taking her lips. The second he made the connection, his heart skipped a beat. She tasted of mint and smelled of lavender. She also opened to him, her lips parting without any encouragement.
Her hands went to his waist and gripped his jeans. If he wasn’t mistaken, she pulled him closer. But since he was already advancing, he couldn’t be sure. Maybe he was the one to flatten his front against hers. Maybe it was mutual.
Of all the things he’d heard about finding one’s mate, the most shocking had to be the way his heartbeat fell into sync with hers every time he touched her. It was weird. And kinda cool. And calming. Did she feel it?
He tipped his head to the side and deepened the kiss, not giving a single shit if the neighbors could see them. There probably weren’t many people in town who hadn’t heard about the arrival of Layla and Elena Pierce and who they were to Hunter and Caleb. Word traveled fast when mates met.
Unfortunately, it was complicated when those mates were human. No matter where they were from or how much they knew, humans were never prepared for the onslaught of feelings and emotions. It took time for them to understand and accept how mating worked and how little control anyone had over it.
Holding Layla in his arms like this was the most precious thing in the world. Hunter would never forget this moment next to the flowerbed, one hand cupping her face, one resting at the small of her back.
When she whimpered, his world tipped on its axis. There was no sweeter sound. Her scent permeated him. He was completely undone from a kiss. Clothed. Outside. Where anyone might be watching. He’d never wanted anyone so badly in his life. Nor had his cock ever been this hard.
Hunter knew he would do anything for her, including give her whatever time she needed to come around to his way of thinking.
Layla was the one to finally end the kiss, moaning as she yanked her lips from his. “Jesus.” She released his waist and flattened her hands on his chest before taking a step back, finally breaking contact.
He hated that separation and wondered how long he would feel that horrible disconnect that always happened when they stopped touching. The pull was powerful when he touched her. Like he entered another dimension in which no one and nothing existed but the two of them. The world felt aligned and right when he held her.
The loss was palpable, and he suspected she knew it too. She stumbled back several steps.
He wanted to reach out and grab her elbow to keep her from falling, but he thought it best to keep his hands to himself. She needed a moment. Luckily, she didn’t trip. She found her footing and then turned and meandered around to the back of the house. To anyone else, she would look a bit drunk.
Hunter followed, not sure if he should speak.
Marge had an amazing deck off the back of the house. It was only a few feet above the ground, level with the back door. Instead of taking the few steps up to sit on one of the deck chairs, Layla plopped down on her butt next to the house, drew her knees up, and leaned against the brick.
Hunter hated seeing her in distress. Everything in his being wanted to fix this for her, speed forward a week to a time when she would understand better and be more willing to accept their fate. The dance they were about to embark on would be awkward and stressful.
He lowered himself to the ground next to her, leaving a few inches of space, setting his elbows on his knees. At least it was less likely any neighbors were watching them. Marge didn’t have a fence, but her house backed up to a wooded area, and the neighbors on both sides were not outside.
He let the silence hang, thinking it prudent to let Layla speak when she was ready.
Finally. “Most of it’s true then, isn’t it?” she whispered, her face tipped toward her knees or the ground. She didn’t glance at him.
Hunter licked his lips. “If you’re talking about the draw toward each other, yes.”
“So my grandma wasn’t crazy.”
“Your grandma wasn’t crazy, but she probably didn’t fully understand. She made assumptions, and then they grew into a bit of a fable.”
Layla jerked her head to look at him. “But Marge did actually stay here in Canyon Springs because she met a man and he drew her in like a magnet. You’re not denying that.”
Hunter took a slow breath. He needed to choose his words carefully. “Your aunt had free will, but yes the pull is strong. It’s a misconception to think I’m personally causing it though. I’m doing nothing. All I did was meet you. The rest was Fate. She’s powerful. She knocked me on my ass the same way She is doing to you.”
Since Layla was still staring at him, not running or fighting him, he decided to continue. After all, she looked almost resigned. “We don’t lure people in. Not intentionally. I didn’t choose you. Fate did. I’m under the same instinctual pull as you, though mine is stronger and started with the first scent I had of you before you rounded that corner yesterday and stepped into view.”
She blinked. “You do realize how ridiculous that sounds.”
He tipped his head to one side, fearing every word he spoke might push her away but needing to say
them anyway. “Did you not feel the pull? Are you not leaning away from me because you’re scared of the way you feel when you touch me?”
His heart fell when she scooted several more inches away from him. “Don’t test me. I’m fucking confused.”
“I know,” he whispered softly. “I’m just trying to help you work through it.”
“Well, I’m trying to make it not even exist.”
“Is it so bad, really? I mean I know it’s a shock to the system. But Layla, people meet and fall in love and spend every moment together. Humans do it. No one faults them.” He paused. “Okay, people do fault them. Everyone loses their shit when humans meet and announce they are spending their lives together within days or weeks. But why? Maybe some non-shifters also feel drawn to each other and just know.”
She closed her eyes and lowered her face again.
He continued, trying to keep his voice soft. “So what if your aunt stopped here, met a man, and spent her life with him? She loved him more than anything in the world. I have never once in my life seen or heard of Fate getting it wrong. She’s damn smart, if you ask me. She matches people perfectly. No one ever thinks, ‘ah, shit, my mate is an ugly dog.’”
Layla might have fought the small smile, but a chuckle escaped. “You used that word last night too. Mate. That’s just…weird.”
He shrugged, glad he was making progress. “That’s just what we call our other half. Mates. Fate gets it right every time. And I’ll tell you something else. Shifters almost never leave their mates. We don’t have divorce. Our love is stronger than regular humans. More…perfect, I guess. Fate doesn’t make mistakes.”
Layla sighed and ran a hand down her face.
“You’re attracted to me, right?” he prompted.
She turned her face toward him and narrowed her eyes. “You know I am.”
He shrugged. “Then what’s the big deal? It’s a lot to take in, but don’t try to digest it at all. Just spend time with me. Let time show you I’m right.”
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