by E A Price
She shook it. “Val Daniels.”
Oh, if she weren't so hung up on the sheriff, she would find him absolutely dreamy. He had more of a boyish, open face than the sheriff, but she didn’t find him as appealing. And definitely not as smoking hot.
“What’s going on here?” demanded a cool, deep voice.
Val jumped and pulled her hand away from Ford like she’d been stung. “Nothing!” she squeaked.
The sheriff, or Jake as she should perhaps call him, folded his arms and regarded her through half-closed eyes. She had the urge to confess to everything bad she ever did.
“I stole a pack of cigarettes when I was 16,” she murmured dazedly.
He frowned. “What?”
“Nothing!” Get it together Val, you’re not doing anything wrong.
“I thought you’d have had enough of this place after yesterday,” he said musingly.
“Oh, well, I’m a glutton for punishment.”
“Are you?” he asked deadly serious.
She almost gasped as an unbidden image of Jake spanking her leaped to mind. Thank Hades he wasn’t a mind reader.
A change of subject was in order…
“I brought cakes for the station.” She swept her arm over them with a flourish, like a pointer on a game show. “Sorry, they’re not donuts. You know, cops and all.”
Ford snorted. “Low blow, Daniels.”
Jake walked towards her slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. He looked like he was stalking her. She had an urged to run away and make him chase after her. All the butterflies in her stomach were practically doing the hula over that thought.
“Oh, and these are especially for you.”
She pulled out the box of cinnamon buns and held it in front of him. Yikes, she hadn’t felt this nervous since her first date. What if he doesn’t like what I’m wearing? What if he finds me boring? What if he doesn’t want to see me again? And this time, the only thing she was putting on the line was freaking pastries!
Cain chose that moment to come bounding into the room. “Hey, cinnamon buns! Carly said they’d run out.”
He reached out a meaty paw and Val, without hesitating or taking the time to think about it, slapped him. Aghast, he pulled his hand back and let out an almighty and snarling ‘hey.’
If she hadn’t stood in Jake’s presence, she probably would have been a little intimated by the enormous man. But, instead, she felt safe. She felt like Jake wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Which was kind of a weird sensation for her. She’d known him for only a day, and already she felt like he’d protect her. Usually, she didn’t even feel comfortable enough to give out her address to potential boyfriends until after their fourth date. But, with Jake, she would have shared her credit card details if he asked. Although, she doubted it would come up.
“They’re not for you,” she told him primly.
Cain gave her a wounded look and tried to look at his colleagues for help; with the exception of Jake, who merely smiled, they were openly laughing.
“But, I…” spluttered the big guy.
Ford slapped him on the back. “C’mon, man, you’ll live. You can’t honestly expect us to believe that Carly lets you go hungry?”
He grumbled and growled a little before settling down at his desk and eyeing Val warily. She gave him the best admonishing look that she could.
Jake looked at the buns, and then slowly slid his gaze up her body. Ooh, he gave her goose bumps. “Why?”
Val licked her lips. “I wanted to make amends for yesterday.”
He raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything.
“I want to be the bigger person.”
His lips twitched. “Well, you should be; you were in the wrong.”
She couldn’t be certain, but she could swear that there were a mixture of groans and muffled laughter going on around them. But all she could focus on was the infuriating wolf stood in front of her.
“Well, you have to admit that you were being bullheaded…”
“Bullheaded?” he repeated in disbelief.
“Yes, bullheaded!” she snapped, ignoring the rising heat in between her legs. Oh, why did her sex drive have to come to life at the most inopportune times?
“I don’t admit to anything,” he rumbled.
“Unbelievable!”
The argument lasted for another five minutes, much to the general amusement of everyone present, before, finally, Val threw up her hands and stalked away, muttering the words, ‘stubborn’ and ‘butthole.’
And, no, Jake still wouldn’t share his cinnamon buns after she left.
Chapter Eight
Jake pushed his way into Bar Luna and froze as he spotted Val.
Hell. The woman haunted his thoughts, his dreams, his sheriff’s station, and now he couldn’t even get a cold beer without her interfering. His wolf snapped his jaws. Fine, okay, he was actually thrilled that she was here. He was just as jumpy as a darn box of frogs. Val made him nervous, befuddled his brain and got him hard all with the slightest cock of her infuriating head. He’d never met a woman who annoyed so much, and yet, he liked it when she annoyed him, and he couldn’t help but goad her. Fuck, he was messed up.
He’d been turned on ever since she turned up at the sheriff’s station earlier. His wolf had snarled when she was being touched by Ford – he didn’t like to see her being touched by any other man – but he soon turned to mush when he found out she’d bought him his favorite treat – cinnamon buns. Either that was a coincidence or she had taken the time to find out what she liked. That thought warmed him something fierce. He’d never actually met a woman who cared what he did and didn’t like – and that included his mother.
Then, of course, his big mouth had to ruin it. But, fuck, his desire for her boiled when she was mad. Yeah, like he said, messed up.
His wolf urged him to go to her, to talk to her, to make love to her, to stick his fangs into her neck and show everyone she belonged to him… Whoa, slow down, boy. Talk about running before you could walk.
His wolf growled as a pack mate, parked himself on the bar stool next to Val and started talking to her. Not just any pack mate, a particularly sleazy asshole by the name of Frank. He generally stayed off Jake’s radar, only cropping up whenever he made an offer that begged to be refused to an unsuspecting female wolf, and when he wouldn’t take no for an answer, she turned violent.
Well, he wasn’t going to give Frank a chance to piss her off. He strode over to them and clamped a hand on Frank’s shoulder.
Val looked at him in not unwelcome surprise. Frank wasn’t half as welcoming. Murderous annoyance was closer to the truth.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” he asked Frank sternly.
Frank opened his mouth to speak but changed his mind when Jake tightened his grip. Frank grunted and slid off his stool. “I was just leaving,” he hissed while sloping away and rubbing his shoulder.
Jake took his place and looked at the object of his obsession in what he hoped was a neutral way. She pressed her lips together and tried to look at him severely, but her glittering eyes were full of mirth. God, her eyes were incredible.
“That wasn’t very friendly,” she chided, playfully.
“He’ll get over it.” The idiot was used to rejection.
She rimmed the top of her glass. “So, how can I help you, sheriff? You’ve come to apologize?”
“For what?”
Oh, he just couldn’t help himself.
She let out an exaggerated groan. “For arresting me!”
“I’m sorry that I upset you.”
Heat rose to her cheeks. “You didn’t upset me.”
Jake allowed his eyes to roam over the tight sweater she was wearing, and damn it plunged far too low on her smooth, round breasts.
“Then why are we talking about this?”
She sucked in a breath. “Fine, you’re right. I have no idea. Let’s talk about something else.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Do
you think we can talk without fighting?”
Val smiled coquettishly. “Can we talk without you arresting me?”
His wolf panted happily. “I’ll try – no promises. Can we talk without you using the word ‘butthole’?”
“I’ll try – definitely no promises. How about we start again?” She stuck out her small hand. “Hi, I’m Valentine Daniels – call me Val; it’s nice to meet you.”
Jake engulfed her hand with his and tried not to moan at the pleasurable darts shooting through his body. “I’m Jacob Foreman – call me Jake; it’s nice to meet you too. Valentine – that’s a, uh, beautiful name.”
Val rolled her eyes. “It’s an embarrassing name.”
“Not as embarrassing as my middle name,” he blurted. Damn, why did he admit to that – he never admitted to even having a middle name usually.
“Ooh, what is it?”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to disclose that information just yet.” Or ever.
“Oh! It must be really embarrassing then. What could it be?” She chewed on her cheek. “Hmmm, Woody? Maurice? Gaylord? Wolfgang? Am I getting close? Hot or cold?”
Jake chuckled. “Ice cold, I’m afraid.”
Val tapped her fingers on the bar. “Hmmm, I can do better. Kermit? Is it Kermit? It’s Kermit, isn’t it?”
He shook with laughter. “Sorry to disappoint.”
Kim, the manager of Bar Luna, walked over. “Hey Jake, you planning on giving the poor girl her hand back or are you going to keep it?”
“Huh?”
Jake looked down to see that he was still holding Val’s hand, and had actually started rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. He placed it back on the bar and let go. He could have sworn that he heard her mewl unhappily.
He gave Kim a scowl, which she purposefully ignored. “Kim, this is Valentine. Valentine, this is Kim, a pack mate.”
“Lovely to meet you,” gushed Kim while Val goggled at the six-foot redhead.
“You too,” she replied faintly.
Kim looked between the two of them. “Drink?”
“Beer,” grunted Jake while trying to waggle his eyebrows and silently tell her to get lost.
“I’ll have another white wine, please,” replied Val quietly.
“What are you doing?” called an exasperated voice.
Kim’s mate, Ed came barreling toward her. His normally youthful, smiling face was marred by a frown.
“Working, babe,” she said sweetly.
“Well, you shouldn’t be, I told you I’d take your shift, you’ve been on your feet all day…”
“Oh, babe! I’m fine…”
The two walked away; Ed was arguing with Kim while she was teasing him in return.
“Her mate?” enquired Val.
“Yep.”
She let out a breath. “Good,” she muttered.
Jake looked at her curiously but didn’t comment. “So, where are you from?”
“Originally, South Carolina.”
“And now?”
“Georgia.”
“Brothers, sisters?”
She blinked at his rapid-fire questions. “None.”
“Parents?”
“Mom died when I was five, never knew my father. Raised by my grandmother.”
“Job?”
Val burst into laughter, and his wolf reveled in the sweet, musical sound. She placed a hand over his. “If you want to interrogate me, maybe you actually should take me back to the station.”
He turned his hand and clasped hers again, enjoying the feel of her skin against his. “It’s not an interrogation; we’re just getting to know one another.”
She looked at their entwined hands and her eyes sparkled. “Well, if this is how you flirt, I’d be terrified of seeing you actually interrogating someone.”
His lips twitched. “So shall we cut our flirting short? Or would you like to continue.”
“Hold on, this is some hard-core flirting we’re doing here, let me bring my A-game for this.”
She stretched out her back, without dropping his hand, and sat facing him in a ‘ready-to-pounce’ pose. “Okay, shoot.”
Jake smirked at her determined little face.
Her resolve melted a little. “Wow, you should smile more often. You have a beautiful smile.”
“So should you,” he stammered. Being beautiful was something he was not usually accused of. Rugged - yes. Beautiful – hell no.
He regretted what he said as her brow creased, and she looked confused. “I smile all the time.”
His wolf grumbled at him for ruining a happy moment. Well, in for a penny… “No, you pretend to smile. Your real smile blows your fake smile away.”
Her face fell.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, and he was – truly. Why did he ever open his big mouth?
Val chuckled a little self-consciously. “No, it’s fine; you’re right. I guess this is a little bit more intrusive than I’m used to on a first date.”
“Is this a first date?” he asked wonderingly. It had been a while since he’d ever been on a date of any kind.
“Isn’t it?” The flirtiness returned to her voice; he and his wolf breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’d say it’s more like a prelude to me asking you out on a first date.”
If he were going to ask her out on a date, it would be a hell of a lot better than this. He’d… well… he’d damn well ask someone who knew what they were doing for advice on what he should do on a first date.
“Ooh, those are some fancy words, sheriff. So, are you going to ask me out on a first date?”
“Yes.”
“But not yet?”
“No.”
“Oh, element of surprise, hmmm? I like it. For now, maybe you should ask me some more questions.”
She looked up slightly, and then around the bar, before scooting forward slightly on her seat and lowering her voice. “People are staring. At first I thought it was my dazzling charms, but I think they’re actually looking at you.”
“Don’t be so quick to dismiss your charms, but I’m guessing they’re surprised at me. They’ve probably never seen me speak so much all at one time to a woman.”
And they’d never seen him hold hands with a woman.
She seemed to like that. “Strong, silent type, hmmm?”
Jake looked away, almost bashfully. “I don’t seem to be able to stay silent around you.”
Val fluttered her eyelashes dramatically. “Must be those dazzling charms again.”
“Must be.” A sentiment his wolf wholeheartedly agreed with.
Her cheeks turned a delicious shade of pink, and he figured that had been the right thing to say. Damn, she was lovely. And damnit, all this hand holding was becoming a bit much for him. He was already rock hard with lust for her, and feeling her silken skin against his made him want to throw her over his shoulder and run all the way back to his house. It was possible that she might actually enjoy that. He could scent her considerable arousal, and dang, it was sweet.
“I don’t think the girl in the corner looks very happy with your sudden verbosity or my dazzling charms.”
Val inclined her head, and Jake groaned as he caught sight of Honey staring daggers at Val. His wolf snarled in displeasure. She’d never set foot in Rose before. They’d always met in O’Neill’s in Darlington. He figured she was there to piss him off. Well, it was working.
“Ex-girlfriend?” Val asked guardedly.
Both he and his wolf were disappointed as her arousal started to dim. He wanted to blame Honey, but really it was his own fault for ever taking up with her in the first place.
“Not exactly,” he replied, cautiously.
There really was no dignified way just to come out and say ‘fuck buddy.’
“Hmmm.”
She started trying to retrieve her hand from him, but he listened to his wolf and held onto her. “She’s someone I used to sleep with, but not anymore.”
Val sniffed.
“She’s very young.”
“Mmmm, 22 I think.”
For some reason, she looked hurt by that. It was baffling to him. What did Honey’s age matter?
“That your sort of thing? 22-year-old girls?”
Jake scratched his chin, perplexed. “Can’t say age has ever been a factor.”
She looked at him warily. “So what is your sort of thing?”
“I don’t know; I’ve never had a thing, as you put it,” he answered honestly.
“Really? Usually, men have some kind of idea what they like. Blonde; brunette; curvy; slim; fat ass; small ass… you must have some idea.”
“Female,” he blurted.
She barked out a laugh. “Wow, way to narrow it down.”
“Not underage.”
She nodded encouragement and was pleased to see that she was regaining some of her good humor. “Yep, keep going.”
“Single.”
She waited expectantly, but he didn’t say anything else. “That’s it? Yeesh, talk about high standards.”
“And you?” he asked curiously.
He figured she would have had boyfriends, and was half concerned and half desperate to hear about them. His wolf was all for tracking them down and telling them never to come near her again.
She pouted prettily. “I’ve no idea what my perfect woman would be like.”
“How about your perfect guy, smart mouth?”
“Hmmm, I’ll let you know.”
He noticed Honey huffing and leaving the bar. Good. Not for his sake - he could care less that she was there, but her presence bothered Valentine, and he wanted her to be comfortable.
They fell back into their flirty conversation. Or at least, Jake fired some more questions at her, and she tried to keep up as best she could.
After a while, it was getting late, and Jake offered to drive her home.
Val looked around the almost empty bar. “Well, I came with Shannon… ah, she appears to have left me here, so yes, yes please.”
As he drove, he was actually pleased when she started shooting a few questions at him too. He half expected her to be put off when she found out he’d been married before, but she just shrugged it off. You got used to a different reaction in the pack where divorce was nearly unheard of, and condemned by older members of the pack who still considered that wolves should take mates for life – no matter what. He’d never actually had a woman try to get to know him, and it wasn’t as horrifying as he expected it would be.
