by Kate Douglas
“Meggie? Is it already time for you to go?”
She spun around so quickly she almost stumbled. Zach stood in the doorway, faded sweats hanging low on his hips, his chest bare, hair all mussed, eyes squinting against the bright kitchen light. “In a few minutes.” Damn, she sounded breathless, as if she’d been running. “I’m waiting for the girls to get here. I’m the last one they’re picking up.”
“Are you okay?” He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re trembling. Meggie?”
“I just realized how much I’m going to miss you.” Damn. She didn’t want to cry, but he was warm and familiar, and she loved him, and she thought of what it would feel like if he grew tired of her one day and left. She’d already given him her heart. If he left her, he’d take it with him, but all she said was, “I was just standing here, thinking how long a week really is.”
He smiled at her and then hugged her close again. “You’re going to have fun. I looked at the website, and if you do even half of the outdoor activities they list, you’ll be too tired to miss me.” He kissed her, cupping her butt with his hands, pulling her close against his solid erection, making her ache with wanting him. “I, on the other hand,” he said, nuzzling her throat, “am going to miss you like crazy.”
“Mmmm. That’s not fair.” She nipped at his lower lip. “Teasing me when I haven’t got time to play with your toys.”
“I’ll save them for you. I never share my toys. Not with anyone.”
She laughed. “I certainly hope not. Me, neither.” She kissed him again. Lights reflected off the window. “There’s my ride.” She slipped out of his grasp and reached for her suitcase. Zach grabbed it in one hand and slung her heavy tote bag over his shoulder with the other. “Don’t forget your purse. I don’t see your computer. Aren’t you taking it?”
“Nope.” She grabbed her purse. “They ask that we don’t bring any social media stuff. It’s a vacation away from everything, especially the Internet.”
He frowned. “What about cell service?”
“None, though I can hook up in the main lodge to call out. I left you a copy of my reservation with the number for the resort. I’m taking my phone for the camera, if nothing else, but if I can, I’ll text.” She turned when the doorbell rang. “C’mon.” She kissed his chin. “If I don’t go now, I’m going to change my mind and crawl back into bed with you.”
He laughed as Meg opened the door. “Works for me. Hey, Dar!” He leaned close and kissed her cheek. “Are you ready for this?”
“G’morning, Zach. You have no idea! C’mon, bride-to-be. We’re burning daylight.”
“Burning daylight? Darian, dear, this is a lodge we’re going to, not a roundup.”
“Move your booty, sweetie.” Dar shooed them both toward the car and opened the back door.
Jules grabbed her hand and tugged Meg inside to sit beside her in the backseat. Dar took the front passenger seat next to Elle. Zach kissed Meg, closed the door, and stepped away. Meg watched him out the back window, standing beneath the streetlight watching her, as Elle pulled away. He was still there when they finally turned a corner and headed for the freeway and the long road out of Portland to the Feral Passions Resort in California.
It was close to seven when they stopped at a little place just outside of Salem for breakfast. They trooped into the restaurant, found a table, and ordered coffee. Meg glanced at the steaming cups. “I just realized there’s not a tea drinker among us.”
Elle laughed. “You’re just now figuring that out? We’re all coffee addicts.” She took a sip. “By the way, I have to say this. That is one spectacular man you left on the side of the road.”
Meg laughed. “You’ve known Zach for months now. And you’re just now noticing?”
Elle shrugged. “I’ve always thought he was good looking, but I think it’s the way the guy looks at you, almost like you’re the air he breathes. I would love to have a man look at me that way. Just once.”
Meg glanced away, much too aware of that prickly feeling of tears trying their hardest to fall. “Do you really think so?”
“What?” Dar stared at her. “You mean you don’t see that? Darlin’, you’re engaged to the man. Can’t you tell he loves you to death?”
“I guess.” She sort of fluttered her hands, realized she was doing the helpless female thing, and flattened them on the table. “I mean, he says he does, and he acts like he does, but …” She looked at the three women she’d known longer and better than anyone else. “Why am I suddenly so nervous about this?” Oh, crap, she really didn’t want to turn this trip into a downer. Holding up her hand before anyone could say anything, she said, “No. Not now. I’m fine, and I know Zach loves me. It’s just that he’s so, well … I dunno. He’s amazing. The best thing that ever happened to me.” She took a deep breath. Laughed. “I’m just me.”
“ ‘Just you’ is a terrific woman.” Jules glared at her. “You’ve known Zach for how long now? Three years, right? I remember when he hired you. It was right after you got out of college, your very first job after graduation. You were crushing on him from the very beginning, and you’ve been dating now for over a year. His proposal was probably the most romantic I’ve ever heard of in my entire life. A man doesn’t do that whole ‘down on bended knee, big diamond in velvet box in a restaurant full of other people’ thing if he doesn’t mean it.”
“That’s the truth.” Elle laughed. “Do you know how many people posted that on YouTube? Even shared it on Facebook? That has to be one of the most recorded, most romantic marriage proposals of all time.”
Dar grabbed Meg’s hand and squeezed tightly. “He loves you, Megs. No one can fake the kind of emotion in that man’s eyes. And believe me, I was looking because even his eyes are sexy.” Then she rolled hers, and everyone laughed.
The waitress showed up then to take their orders. At least Meg wasn’t fighting down a panic attack. Once again her friends had talked her off the ledge.
“When’s our group of bachelorettes showing up?” Lawz poured himself a cold beer, walked around to the other side of the bar, and sat on the stool next to Trak. He nudged his brother’s shoulder. Trak merely growled. Lawz practically cackled. Why was he enjoying this so much? “Don’t stress. Dinner’s all planned, and it’s going to be wonderful. Brad’s not the only one around here who can cook.”
Trak gave him the stink eye. “What are you fixing then, oh master chef?”
“Not me. Tuck’s cooking tonight. He and Evan went out and caught fresh rainbow trout to go with the rice casserole Brad left in the freezer. All I have to do is stick the thawed casserole in the oven to reheat in time for dinner. Tuck’s going to barbecue the trout along with some chicken breasts in case anyone doesn’t like fish, Drew’s got a veggie dish his mama used to make, and Manny’s made a chocolate decadence I can’t wait to try.”
“Manny? How the hell did you get him to cook anything? He’s usually a pain in the ass.”
“I told him if he didn’t cook, he’d get cleanup duty, and then I reminded him that women thought men who could cook were really sexy.”
“I see. And that actually worked?” Trak laughed, slowly shaking his head. “I can’t believe you guys might actually pull this together.”
“Well …”
“Well, what?” Back to growling.
“If you’d quit thinking you were the only one here with a brain and accepted the fact that just because you’re the alpha, you’re not the only one who can figure shit out, you might realize you’re surrounded by a terrific pack. None of us wants Feral Passions to fail, Trak. But a lot of the guys are a bit intimidated by your inability to see that anyone but you can manage to pull things together.”
Before his brother could answer, Lawz got up and went back into the kitchen. It was time to stick the veggies in the oven, and he wondered when their newest set of guests might arrive. And he really didn’t want to deal with any of this. Enough was enough.
He’d just s
et the oven controls when Trak stepped into the kitchen. “They’re here. Should be quieter with only four this week. Two sisters had to cancel, so it’s just the bridal party.”
Lawz rinsed his hands and hung the apron on a peg. There’d been some really nice women who’d come through over the past few months, but not a single one had really caught his attention. Ever hopeful, he followed Trak out the front door and down the steps.
And came to a dead stop as the driver’s-side door on the big Mercedes opened and the most amazing woman he’d ever seen crawled out and stretched. Tall and lean with dark chocolate skin and shoulder-length black hair, she looked like a distance runner and moved with the grace of a dancer. She’d stretched her hands high overhead once she was out and then slowly bent at the waist and flattened her palms to the ground.
His mouth went dry at the trim curve of her absolutely incredible ass. Her snug camisole top gapped at her waist, baring sleek, dark skin between her light blue pants and the cream-colored shirt, but then she straightened, turned, and caught him staring at her. Her eyes went wide. He expected a snarky comment or anger, but he scented her instant arousal. Without hesitation, he walked up and held out his hand. “Lawson Jakes,” he said, smiling as she took his hand in hers. Her grasp was strong, her skin smooth as silk. “Welcome to Feral Passions.”
“I’m Darian Ahlers. Dar for short. Nice to meet you, Lawson.”
“Short form for me is Lawz.” He smiled and then followed her around to the back of the car, where Trak and Manny were helping the rest of the women unload their bags.
“Hey, Manny. You disappeared this afternoon.” He shook hands with the forester.
“Yeah, had to do a bit of scouting. You know that logging operation just north of us? I heard some gunshots over there just before lunchtime and wanted to go check. We can’t risk any of the wolves getting out of the preserve. I’d hate to lose one to a hunter, but everyone’s safe and accounted for.”
Dar raised her head. “Would someone shoot a wild wolf? There aren’t that many of them, are there? Aren’t they protected?”
“They are,” Manny said. “But there are enough idiots with guns who think it’s their right to shoot anything that moves out here in the woods. That’s why we keep the entire boundary of the preserve fenced. We’ve got enough property that the wolves aren’t crowded, but we do our best to keep them safe.”
Tuck showed up while they talked. There was no missing the fact that the pack’s veterinarian was huge, and he always made Lawz feel like a little kid. At least six and a half feet tall and well over two-sixty, he was all brawn and brute strength.
Until he worked with an animal. Then he was gentle as could be and a deft surgeon when necessary, as well as a skilled artist with a paintbrush.
Interesting how Tuck went straight to the largest woman of the group, but then he’d made a quip a while back that it would take a big woman to handle him. Elle was definitely that, a large, striking woman with satiny smooth skin even darker than Darian’s. She was at least six feet tall and generously proportioned any way you looked at her, but Tuck seemed to find her absolutely mesmerizing.
Manny had obviously noticed her, but once Tuck moved in on the dark beauty, Manny turned on the charm, and just that fast, the one named Jules was teasing him back with practiced ease. Manny was one of those guys women thought so sexy they often clammed up and didn’t know what to say around him, but he was really just a heck of a nice guy, a little quiet but a good, strong member of the pack. Darian had walked around the sedan to speak to a tall blonde. While Lawz waited for her, he watched Manny and Jules head toward one of the cabins.
So far, the guys had learned it was easy enough to start something from the very beginning—walking a woman to her cabin often set up a pairing from the start. He heard their laughter as Jules and Manny disappeared from view where the trail led into the woods.
Evan and Drew Miklos hung back. The two of them traded off tending bar at Growl, and they’d both paired up with women last week. Nothing had come of their relationships beyond a lot of good sex, but they weren’t going to move in on anyone until the other guys had a chance.
That had been a good thing about this whole resort concept. The pack had stayed strong, all of them looking out for each other. Lawz glanced up as Darian walked back and reached for her bag.
“I’ve got them,” he said. “Ready to go?” When she nodded, he grabbed the rest of her luggage and led her away from the car, toward the cabin that had been assigned to her.
Trak usually hung back until the guys had all paired up. As the pack alpha, it didn’t seem fair that he have first choice of the women when they arrived. An alpha might be the one in charge, but he’d learned a long time ago that a good alpha never took advantage of his authority.
Trak still struggled with that one.
Unfortunately, Lawz was right. Trak was well aware he could be a total pain in the ass. Too aware of his own failings, he realized Evan and Drew had gone back to work at Growl and he was the only one left, which meant that whoever was the last woman, well … she was stuck with him.
When she stepped around the back of the car, he almost swallowed his tongue. She was tall and built, one absolutely stacked blonde with a killer smile and sexy gray eyes framed in thick, dark lashes. Right now, she looked a little bit lost, but that made sense. All her girlfriends had abandoned her and gone off with different guys. That thought made him smile. Luckily, she wasn’t alone anymore.
“Hi,” she said, holding out her right hand. Her nails were painted a deep, dark red, and he had to catch himself to keep from taking her hand and kissing it as if she were royalty. “I’m Meg. Where are you going to take me?”
“Anywhere you want to go.” Oh, crap! Had he just said that out loud? He must have because she was laughing, a big, fun-loving laugh that had him smiling in return.
“Sounds wonderful,” she said, “but I doubt my fiancé would approve.”
“Well, damn.” Laughing—mostly at himself—he grabbed her bags. “You’re the bride-to-be, so I guess that means I need to act like a gentleman when I walk you to your cabin. You’re the one who booked the week, aren’t you?”
“I am,” she said. “You must be Trak.”
He stopped, feeling like an idiot. “I’m sorry. Yes. I should have introduced myself. I’m Traker Jakes, and we talked a while back. I thought I recognized your voice. I hope you and your friends have a really enjoyable week with us.”
“It’s so peaceful here,” she said. “I think we’re all ready for a break. I can’t imagine not having a terrific time.” She shook her head, and her expression was a bit bemused. “It’s been a bit hectic, trying to get my work caught up so I could leave, planning a wedding. More stressful than I expected, so this trip is one I’ve really been looking forward to.”
“I can guarantee you’ll have a wonderful time.” Trak took the tote bag she’d slung over her shoulder—it looked awfully heavy for her—and grabbed the big one out of the trunk. “I’ve been told there’s magic here at Feral Passions,” he said. “All you need to do is trust your heart, follow your instincts, and let go of anything and everything that’s not letting you relax.”
She laughed. He really liked her laugh. She didn’t hold back at all. “It’s that ‘letting go’ thing I have trouble with.”
Trak just shook his head. “Don’t we all. C’mon.” He glanced over his shoulder and said, “Once you’re in your cabin and settled, I imagine you’ll feel a hundred percent better.” Then he headed off to the left of the lodge with Meg following.
This was where the magic began. He’d had more than one guest tell him that stepping onto the trail to the cabin they’d be staying in was like walking into an enchanted forest. Sunlight filtered through the trees, but barely enough made it through the heavy canopy to lighten the shadows. Lush and green except for the occasional splash of red, there was little evidence of summer ending and fall creeping close.
“Those red leav
es are so pretty.” Meg paused behind him, reaching out to touch one.
He stopped her just in time. “Pretty, but as Mom used to say, look with your eyes, not with your hands. That’s poison oak. It can cause a miserable rash if you’re sensitive to it.”
“Thank you.” She pulled her hand back and stayed to the middle of the trail, but his gentle warning made her think. Even here, where everything was peaceful and calm, where it was all about the comfort of the guest, there were risks.
Was that what she’d done? Let herself get sidetracked worrying about the risks of loving Zach? More worried about failure than excited about making a new life with him?
If that was the case, she was guilty of setting up their relationship to fail.
How had she come to that conclusion, that Zach wasn’t worth the risk? Or was her real worry that she was the one who wasn’t worth the risk? Either way, she was putting up barriers that wouldn’t exist without her building them.
Damn. She was such an idiot.
Trak paused at the top step of Meg’s cabin and waited for her to join him. She’d paused where a break in the trees opened to a spectacular view of the rugged peaks of the Trinity Alps. She stood there, hands folded in front of her, obviously transfixed. That told him a lot about her—she appreciated the untamed and rustic nature of this wild country.
He hoped she’d have the same reaction to the cabin. He loved this part, showing their guests into the cabins he and his pack had built by hand. Each one was a work of art, furnished with the Shaker-style pieces he and his father and grandfather had built over the years.
Some of them featured Tuck’s paintings of wolves. This one had a portrait of Brad and Cain, who were two of Tuck’s favorite models, though Trak couldn’t remember if that painting was still there or not. A few of the guests had asked to buy the paintings, so Tuck had quoted ridiculously high prices because he didn’t want to sell them.
