by Lynn Lorenz
Darcy gave everyone a nod and came up to the steps, carrying his bags. At least he didn’t expect anyone to take them for him.
“Afternoon, all. I hope I haven’t made everyone wait too long, but the drive took longer than I thought.” His teeth were so white against the brown of his skin Ted expected to see a little glint off them like in a cartoon.
“Of course not!” Marie stepped forward and ushered him inside. The women closed ranks around them as Ted stepped aside. “Everyone is here, except Peter Graham. He’s running late also.”
Peter must be the other guy signed up for the course.
“Good. I’m glad I didn’t put anyone out.” At least the man seemed genuine, but Ted would wait before forming any opinions.
Once inside, Darcy signed in, got his key, then turned to the crowd. “Give me a few minutes to settle in, then I’ll be down, and we can go over the course objectives and schedule.” Another smile, and off he went, still toting his own bags.
The group mingled a bit, Marie disappeared to get refreshments, and Ted wandered into the living area and took a seat on the couch.
He watched as the ladies drifted toward the seating areas, putting pairs and friends together. Many of the women were here with friends, and only a few stood out as loners, like him.
Marie arrived with a few trays of finger sandwiches and cheese, placed them on the tables around the room, and disappeared again.
Ted picked up what looked like a crustless triangle of egg salad and took a bite. Delicious. His hopes for some good food rose. Perhaps Maurice was a whiz in the kitchen after all.
Darcy arrived and stood next to the fireplace. He didn’t need to clear his throat to get everyone’s attention.
“All right. Let’s get started.” He told them about his expectations, the schedule of lectures and of painting times, and then asked everyone to introduce themselves and explain why they were here.
Ted groaned. He hated this part. He decided to keep to as much of the truth as possible, nothing anyone couldn’t verify.
They went around the circle, with each of them telling basically the same story. Always wanted to study with Darcy, took the chance, saved up for it, that sort of thing, until it was Ted’s turn.
“Well, I’m sort of in between careers, and wanted to see if I still had any talent left. I didn’t really know Darcy, but the workshop fell into the ‘right place, right time’ sort of thing.” He shrugged. “But I did research your work, and have to say, I liked what I saw of it.”
“Thank you.” Darcy gave him a killer smile. Had Ted been younger and less experienced, he’d have fallen into those blue eyes.
A few more people spoke, then it went back to Darcy.
“Now, tomorrow, we’ll meet at breakfast, then go outside. I’ll begin the first canvas, demonstrating and lecturing as I paint. We’ll break for lunch at eleven, and at one, we drive to the first location.”
“Where are we headed?” One woman asked, moving to the edge of her seat.
“That will be a surprise.” He winked at her, and she practically passed out.
Darcy clapped his hands, signaling the end of his talk, and everyone stood.
Marie came in. “Like it said on the Website, we serve breakfast only, but your lunches and dinners will be in some of our best local restaurants. Tonight we’ve booked a table for you at Pastille’s Seafood, in town.”
Ted smiled. A local seafood place should be good, and he moved along with the crowd toward the parking lot.
Darcy stood on the porch, slapped his back pocket and said, “Damn. Forgot my car keys.”
Ted moved over to him. “You can ride with me.” He held up his keys. “If you want.”
Darcy smiled. “Thanks. I’d like that.” And again Ted had to wonder about his dream.
Darcy followed him to his car and got into the passenger side. “Do you know where this place is?”
“No, I’m going to follow the gang. Hopefully, it’s not far, and we won’t get lost.” He started the car and backed out of his spot, waiting for Kirsten to pull out. He followed her down the drive to the street.
“Right. I’m famished. I haven’t had anything since I left Houston.” Darcy sat back in the seat and gazed out the window.
“Houston? I came from New Orleans.” Ted decided to keep the talk general and nonsexual. For now.
“I did a workshop last weekend in the Hill Country. Gorgeous. Then two days in Houston and now here.” Darcy sighed sounding exhausted, but he didn’t mention if he’d ever been to New Orleans, where he might have met Kirsten.
“Must be a grind, in a way. All the driving.”
“And the workshops. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love teaching, and the money is good, but life on the road is hard. Living out of a suitcase. Some days I wake up and can’t remember where I am.” He gave a wry laugh.
“Like being a rock star, only without the tour bus.”
“Right you are.” Darcy winked at him. “But I still have the groupies.”
“The ladies? Oh, yes. Quite a few fans you’ve got there.”
“But not you?” Darcy turned to face Ted, his eyebrows scrunched together.
“I didn’t say that.” Ted swallowed. “I said I didn’t sign up for you, but once I saw your work, I was glad I had.”
“Just teasing. I’m not a prima donna.” Darcy laughed and put his hand on Ted’s knee.
“I wondered about that.” Ted also wondered why Darcy’s hand was still on his knee.
Darcy gave him a squeeze, then let go, and they drove on in silence until they hit town.
“Here it is. Can’t miss it.” Ted nodded at the restaurant. They pulled into the parking lot behind Kirsten and found a place near where she’d parked. The others were pulling in all around them, but Ted, Darcy, and Kirsten were the first ones to the door.
Darcy spoke to the young lady at the front desk, and she led the way to a long table set for twelve at the side of the room.
Ted went around the table to sit with his back to the wall, and Darcy followed. He pulled out a chair next to Ted and sat. Kirsten managed to snag the seat on the other side of Darcy.
She leaned over and grinned at Ted. “You snooze, you lose.” The rest of the group wandered in.
Several of the other ladies practically fought each other for the chairs across from Darcy, who seemed not to even notice the skirmishes, or at least had the good grace not to notice.
Despite Ted’s reluctance, he had to give the artist points.
The hostess stepped over. “I’ll have your waiter over shortly,” She passed out the menus after everyone had found a place to sit.
From the looks on the women’s faces, all they wanted was a big heaping helping of Darcy Wentworth.
Ted, however, hadn’t made up his mind.
Chapter Six
Scott looked up at the clock on the wall of his office and groaned. He’d worked late again. After he stood, he stretched, twisting from side to side to work out the kinks in his back.
What he needed was a good run. The pull to change had been strong ever since the full moon had come up two days ago, and now he knew if he didn’t change soon, free the wolf inside him, it might just escape. He might lose control of it, and that was just not an option.
Not for Scott.
Tonight, he’d go home, have dinner, and then go for a run in the swamp. Maybe he could talk Mike into going with him if Mike’s wife would let him.
He shook his head. Being single wasn’t so bad. He didn’t have to ask anyone’s permission to do a damn thing. And he liked it like that, most of the time.
But there were times when he missed the company of others, missed having someone who cared about whether he was gone or not, or when he’d return.
He shook it off. The full moon, and now Clancy’s wedding and pack ceremony coming up had just messed with his mind, that’s all.
His stomach rumbled as he gathered up his files, put them away, and shut down his computer. He put on his hat and step
ped out of his office.
“Going home, Terri.” His secretary looked up from her work.
“Right, Sheriff. I’m closing up soon, too.” She smiled at him. “You’re going to get something to eat, aren’t you? I could hear that rumble a mile away.”
Terri was more like a mother to him and all the men on the force. She worried about all of them. Her little cubs, she called them, including Scott. Her husband and sons belonged to the pack.
He rubbed his stomach. “Guess I’ll stop and pick up something before I go home.”
“You do that. Have a good night. And a good run.” She winked.
“Night, Terri. Be careful.” Scott left and headed to his cruiser.
Once he pulled onto the main street, he thought about where to grab a bite. He’d been in the mood for seafood for a few days but had never had the chance to get some.
“Fried catfish,” he said aloud.
There was only one place for catfish in town, and that was Pastille’s. No one cut it thinner or fried it better than they did.
His mouth watered at the thought of the golden crispy fillets, their spicy coleslaw, and those incredible, melt-in-your-mouth hushpuppies.
The sign for Pastille’s shone like a beacon in the night, calling the hungry home. He pulled into the parking lot and had to search for a space. Unusual for a Monday night.
Scott walked through the doors and went to the bar to order his take-out meal. The bartender handed him the menu, and he opened it, then closed it, and handed it back with a chuckle.
“No need to look. I know what I want.” He ordered the catfish dinner and then leaned against the bar.
A cold beer would sure be good right now, but he was still in his uniform, and to him, that meant on duty, and that meant no drinking. He’d have one at home with his dinner.
Loud laughter jerked his attention to a party of people against the wall. Mostly women. Mostly older.
A beautiful blonde woman captured his attention. Her adorable button nose crinkled as she laughed at something the man next to her said.
Scott’s gaze fell on the man, and he froze. Dark hair, dark eyes, good-looking, well-built; the man stirred something in Scott that shouldn’t have been touched by another man. His wolf whimpered, and the first telltale signs of change, sprouting hairs, tingled as they pushed through the skin on his chest.
Scott coughed, choking on his spit.
“Well, hell.” Nothing like that had ever happened before. Never. Scott growled low in his throat. And if it were up to him, nothing ever would.
He pushed the wolf down.
The man, as if he knew Scott watched him, looked up and caught Scott’s gaze.
For a long, uncomfortable moment, they stared at each other, and no matter what Scott denied, something sexual passed between them. Something that made his wolf howl, declaring itself to Scott and everyone around him what it wanted.
The stranger’s eyebrows rose, as comprehension dawned.
Scott tore his gaze away and turned back to the bar.
Where the hell was his order?
The need to flee came over him so fast, he nearly bolted. He grabbed the bar and blinked in disbelief as blond hair sprouted across his knuckles. His chest and legs itched.
And oh my God, his cock stiffened.
This was not happening.
Hunched over, straining to keep his sanity and his wolf in check, Scott barely heard the bartender speaking.
“Sheriff, here’s your order.”
Scott looked up. He fumbled in his back pocket for his wallet, then pushed a twenty, more than enough to pay for the meal, to the bartender. “Keep the change.”
Meal in hand, he turned to leave.
The man at the table still stared at him. As Scott took his first step toward the door, the man stood and pushed back his chair, intent burning in his eyes.
Panic swelled in Scott’s chest as he gave a small shake of his head to warn away the stranger. He wasn’t a coward, far from it, but this was a confrontation he didn’t want to face. Head down, he made for the door.
Cool air rushed over him as he went through the doors to the outside and hurried to his cruiser.
∙•∙
Ted almost tripped in his rush to get to the man in the sheriff’s uniform.
What the hell had just happened? What had the man done to him? He’d never felt a connection like that before, like a taut rope stretched between himself and this stranger, humming, sending a signal through the length of it straight to his cock.
Every atom in his body wanted the sheriff. Not just wanted him, but wanted to be fucked by him.
Ted never let anyone fuck him. He topped. Always.
A blowjob or a handjob was one thing, but he’d never let anyone take his ass.
With a whimper, he knew he’d let that man do it to him, and he knew he’d beg for more.
It wasn’t right. He’d been in lust before, seen someone at a bar and knew he wanted to fuck him. Hell, he was a healthy guy, just thirty-one; he wanted to fuck just about anyone.
But something was so wrong about this, like he’d been hypnotized, or drugged. Maybe some kind of crazy spell. The last thing Ted did was trust this feeling.
Had someone put something in his drink?
That idea was even crazier, but if it killed Ted, he was going to find out what the hell was going on. What if Charbonnet had sent someone after Ted? Why?
Nothing made any sense.
The sheriff had better have some answers, that’s all he knew.
He followed the sheriff out the door. The man was almost to his police car. Ted broke into a jog.
“Hey, you!” he called out. “Sheriff!”
The big man froze, one hand on the door handle of the black-and-white. His back hunched as if Ted had landed a blow across that broad expanse.
Ted skidded to a stop, panting hard. “Hey.”
∙•∙
Scott turned around, raising his gaze to meet the man’s, his hand white-knuckled on the handle, his stomach filled with butterflies, and his cock half-hard.
“Do you need something?” he managed to croak out.
“Need something? Look, what the hell was that back there?” Dark eyes, furious and confused, demanded an answer. Beautiful eyes. Eyes he shouldn’t be thinking about like that.
Scott didn’t know what to say. Deny it, his mind screamed.
“What? Back where?” He tried his most innocent look.
“Oh no. Hell no. You’re not saying you didn’t feel that.” The man kicked the gravel of the parking lot, sending small rocks flying.
Scott’s mouth dried up. He opened and closed it like a perch stranded on the bank of a bayou.
“I know you felt it too. What the hell is going on?” The man shook, hands in fists, and for the first time, Scott wondered if he was in danger.
“Step away from me, please.” Scott placed his hand on his gun. “Just calm down.”
The man put up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’m cool. I just want to know why I…what I felt…what I feel,” he stumbled over his words.
Just as shaky as Scott felt. Maybe neither of them knew what was going on.
“Has that ever happened to you before?” Scott dared to ask. He couldn’t yet describe what had taken place.
“Never.” The guy shrugged. “Look, I’m gay. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had insta-lust for someone, but this went way beyond that.”
“You’re gay?” Scott took a step back.
“Yeah, and you don’t have to do that, you jerk.” The guy frowned. “I’m not contagious, or HIV positive. Fuck.” He kicked the ground again.
“Sorry, I…” Again Scott couldn’t get his brain or his mouth to work. It was still happening—that feeling of desire, of uncontrollable wanting, rose up in him again. “I should go. My dinner’s getting cold.” That was about the stupidest thing he’d ever said, but it was better than what he wanted to do to the guy up against the side of his
car.
Ho-ly shit.
“Right. You’re just going to walk away?” The guy ran his hand through his dark hair, hair that looked to Scott to be soft and silky, and oh no, good Lord, he needed to stop that line of thinking right now.
“I’m not gay.” Scott turned and yanked open the door to the cruiser. He put his dinner on the passenger seat and got in. Just as he was about to close the door, the guy lunged forward and grabbed it.
“You’re not gay?” Disbelief burned in that dark gaze. “Bullshit.”
“Nope. Never have been. Straight as an arrow.” Scott pulled on the door.
The guy tugged back, refusing to let him go. Tug of war with a gay guy over being gay. This was just fucking weird, and when anything weird happened to him, there was only one person to blame. Maman.
“Then what just happened?” the guy shouted.
“I don’t know, but I think I know how to find out.” He closed the door at last. After a second thought, he rolled down the window, lowering his voice. “Look. I’ve never had gay thoughts about anyone. I’ve never, never, never checked out another guy, I swear.”
“You’re straight.” The guy’s shoulders slumped, and he ran his hand over his face. “Holy shit.” Shaking his head, he backed away.
“Sorry.” Scott didn’t know what else to say as he turned the key and the cruiser came to life. He put it in gear, backed out of the spot, and flung gravel getting the hell out of there. He needed answers, and fast.
He didn’t know who the hell that man was, but he planned never to see him again.
Chapter Seven
Ted stood in the parking lot, watching the red taillights of the cruiser disappear around a corner in the distance.
He exhaled, releasing his pent-up anger and lust, pulling him out tighter than a guitar string. One pluck and he would surely break.
His cock went limp, disappointed, he supposed. “Forget it. You heard the man. He’s not gay. And I’m never going there again, no matter what you want.”
He headed back inside and slipped into his seat between Kirsten and Darcy.
Are you all right? Kirsten leaned over and mouthed.
He gave her a smile and a nod.
Darcy put his hand on Ted’s leg and gave it a squeeze.
